New Contest, New Sale, and Two Surprises

1) We've got three super powerful Prograde products on sale this week. Click here to discover the special savings

2) Want to know how to win FREE bottles of our not yet released Chocolate flavor and Orange flavor Prograde Protein powders? Oh, and the winner also receives a $150 secret prize.

Here's how to enter this super simple contest to win FREE Prograde Protein

3) The second surprise is we are re-opening our Prograde VIP Membership program. Not only will our VIPs have priority ordering status for our two new Protein flavors this Friday, but they will also be saving an additional 5%.


So if you'd like to be the first to be able to order Chocolate and/or Orange Prograde Protein before anyone else then click here to become a Prograde VIP



Have a great week!

Here's to your Health!!

Recipe Day - Roasted Red Pepper Chicken and Avocado Salad

Looking for a cool salad to fill you up this summer? Here's a delicious recipe from our partners over at Prograde Nutrition for you.

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken and Avocado Salad


1 medium ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 bag (10 oz.) torn romaine lettuce (about 10 cups)

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 medium tomato, cut into wedges

1 small cucumber, sliced

1/4 of a medium Vidalia or Walla Walla onion, chopped

½ cup Red Pepper

1/2 cup Light or Fat-free Italian Dressing

¼ cup Parmesan Cheese

Directions:


Toss avocados with lemon juice in large salad bowl.

Add lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions; mix lightly.

Add dressing; toss to coat.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Serve immediately.

Hey, if you like that one they've got 196 more! Seriously, Prograde has a really cool 197 Healthy and Delicious Fat Burning Recipes ebook for just $4.95!

Check it out here: http://rialtowellness.getprograde.com/prograderecipebook.html


PS - If you've been on the lookout for simple and nutritious meals then look no further than

http://rialtowellness.getprograde.com/prograderecipebook.html

Heart Month - How To Make Almond Milk!

Tip #2

Making almond milk is easy, inexpensive, and a healthy alternative
to cows milk, soy milk, or even processed almond milk.

Don't get me wrong, we do suggest people purchase almond milk from
the store. However, if you can make your own almond milk you are
more in control of what goes into your tasty beverage.


Here's the step-by-step process if you want to get right to it:

How To Make Almond Milk

Ingredients:

1 cup soaked almonds

2-3 cups water

1 strainer bag- read money saving tip below

Optional- 1-2 dates, agave nectar, stevia, cinnamon, vanilla
extract/vanilla bean, dash of sea salt

How To Make:

We recommend soaking 1 cup of almonds in water for 24 hours prior to
using (remember to rinse and add new water after 12 hours). This
will make the almonds soft and easier to blend.

Add the 1 cup of almonds to approximately 2-3 cups of water and
blend until you don't hear the almond chunks hitting the blade.
Using 2 cups of water instead of 3 cups will give the milk a
stronger almond flavor. A high powered blender works great but a
regular blender is fine, too.

When you're done blending, there may still be some almonds chunks,
but that's ok. Get your mesh bag and pour the contents of the
blender through the nut bag into a container/bowl. Squeeze the
contents of the bag until you're left with pretty dry almond pulp
in the bag. Voila, you're done!

Once you have your almonds, put it in a sealed jar or container and
store it in the fridge up to 5 days.

Heart Month - Healthy Tips For The Heart!

We will be focused on tips for keeping your ticker in top shape for the entire month of February.

Tip 1 - Scale down on the White Stuff!
Americans eat more than 22 teaspoons of sugar (about 350 calories worth) and nearly 2 teaspoons of salt per day, both habits can do a number on your heart. Sugar ups your weight, blood pressure and triglceride levels; excessive salt raises blood pressure by making your body retain fluid.

So what's the fix? The American Heart Association (AMA) recommends getting less than 1 teaspoon (6 grams) of salt per day; however, 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) reduction would mean 6 percent fewer new cases of heart disease, heart attacks and deaths.

Women are recommended to get no more than 6 teaspoons or 25 grams of sugar per day. 9 teaspoons/38 grams per day for men. If a women cut back on this plan by limiting foods and beverages containing sucrose, fructose or glucose, she could lose about a 1/2 a pound a week. A man would loose slightly less.

Give it a try and post your results.

Delicious Protein Pancakes Recipe

It's been a great year here at RIALTO WELLNESS. And we're very grateful for you being a part of that success. This week being Thanksgiving we want to make sure we're showing you how grateful we are.

But before we do...

Let's get serious for a moment. You're going to eat a LOT of food this Thursday. You know it. We know it. And that's ok. We're sure you've been working out just a little bit harder to prepare for it, right? ;-) And we know you're going to get a good workout in on Thursday before you chow down, right?

Now, besides that, we also want to remind you one thing you do NOT want to do on Thursday is skip meals so you can stuff yourself with one big one. That's a no-no.

You still need to start your day right by boosting your metabolism with a solid breakfast. So to help you out with that I've got a gift for you from us and Prograde Nutrition. It's a delicious Protein Pancakes recipe.

Thanks to the protein in the recipe your blood sugar won't go crazy like it can just by eating a huge stack of pancakes with sugary syrup. Nope, this recipe will fill you up, nourish your body and give your metabolism just the boost it needs.

You can get the Protein Pancakes recipe by clicking here!
Be sure to let us know how you like it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

PS - Seriously, have a nutritious breakfast this Thursday and your body will thank your for it on Friday. ;-)

http://rialtowellness.getprograde.com/prograde-pancake-recipe.html

Recipe Day!! White Chicken Chili

We love Cook's Illustrated. If you don't subscribe to the magazine, it's basically "America's Test Kitchen" where they figure out the best way to make something - so the test a ton of different combinations to avoid dried out chicken or bland sauce. Today's recipe is courtesy of them.

White Chicken Chili

Adjust the heat in this dish by adding the minced ribs and seeds from the jalapeño as directed in step 6. If Anaheim chiles cannot be found, add an additional poblano and jalapeño to the chili. This dish can also be successfully made by substituting chicken thighs for the chicken breasts. If using thighs, increase the cooking time in step 4 to about 40 minutes. Serve chili with sour cream, tortilla chips, and lime wedges.

Makes about a serving of 12

Ingredients
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves , trimmed of excess fat and skin
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 medium jalapeño chiles
3 poblano chiles (medium), stemmed, seeded, and cut into large pieces
3 Anaheim chile peppers (medium), stemmed, seeded, and cut into large pieces
2 medium onions , cut into large pieces (2 cups)
6 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
4 scallions , white and light green parts sliced thin

Instructions
1.Season chicken liberally with pepper. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until skin is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken and lightly brown on other side, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate; remove and discard skin.

2.While chicken is browning, remove and discard ribs and seeds from 2 jalapeños; mince flesh. In food processor, process half of poblano chiles, Anaheim chiles, and onions until consistency of chunky salsa, ten to twelve 1-second pulses, scraping down sides of workbowl halfway through. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Repeat with remaining poblano chiles, Anaheim chiles, and onions; combine with first batch (do not wash food processor blade or workbowl).

3.Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from Dutch oven (adding additional vegetable oil if necessary) and reduce heat to medium. Add minced jalapeños, chile-onion mixture, garlic, cumin, coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat.

4.Transfer 1 cup cooked vegetable mixture to now-empty food processor workbowl. Add 1 cup broth and process until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add vegetable-broth mixture, remaining 2 cups broth, and chicken breasts to Dutch oven and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until chicken registers 160 degrees (175 degrees if using thighs) on instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes (40 minutes if using thighs).

5.Using tongs, transfer chicken to large plate.

6.Mince remaining jalapeño, reserving and mincing ribs and seeds (see note above), and set aside. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding bones. Stir shredded chicken, lime juice, cilantro, scallions, and remaining minced jalapeño (with seeds if desired) into chili and return to simmer. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve.

Recipe Of The Week!

Jules Basic Guacamole

2-3 RIPE avocados (if you do not know how to pick out a ripe avocado, google it, or ask your friendly produce person)

(Here is where you could just add a few scoops of the above mentioned salsa, and be done with it, or you could hand chop the ingredients as follows for a more rustic guac)

Juice of 1-2 limes
About 1 tablespoon of cilantro (more or less to taste)
About 2 tablespoons chopped onion (red or white)
1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper
1 roma tomato, deseeded and chopped
1 finely chopped clove of garlic
A little sprinkle of cumin (optional)


Mash all together with a fork. If you are making earlier in the day and serving later, take plastic wrap and place it directly on the guac. This will help prevent browning. We personally LOVE to add some adobo sauce (the sauce contained in chipotles in adobo) for some extra zing.

Recipe Day - Vegetarian Mexican Salad

This recipe makes for a great dinner, however, it can be
used as a lunch meal.

Dinner: Calories 353, Fat 11gr, Carbohydrates 44gr, Protein 25gr

Mexican Salad
3/4 cup Black Beans (canned, low
sodium)
4 cups Salad greens- romaine lettuce or
mixed field greens (bagged and
prewashed)
3 sprigs Cilantro chopped
1 Tbl. guacamole/ avocado
1 Tbl pumpkin seeds
1 Tbl. Green onion
½ cup fresh tomatoes diced or salsa for
salad dressing
1 oz- Vegan Cheese (no casein) “Follow
Your Heart Cheese”

Chop lettuce, cilantro, green onion, and
tomatoes in bowl. Add cooked black
beans, guacamole, pumpkin seeds, and
crumble cheese on top.

Vegan Recipe Of The Week!

“Livesagna”

Ingredients:
1) 4 to 6 oz. sun-dried tomatoes
2) 2 to 3 fresh tomatoes
3) Fresh Italian Herbs, such as basil or oregano, to taste
4) 1 tsp Himalayan salt
5) 1 Tbsp. olive oil
6) 1 soft date, pitted
7) 3 to 5 garlic cloves
8) 1 to 2 cups of pine nuts, macadamias, or Brazil nut
9) 2 bunches of spinach leaves

Sauces:
Blend sun-dried tomatoes with fresh tomatoes, herbs, 1/2 tsp salt, olive oil, date,
2 to 3 cloves garlic

Cheese:
Process or blend nuts, 1/2 tsp sea salt and 2 to 3 cloves garlic. Allow to remain slightly chunky.

Directions:
In a glass dish, layer spinach leaves, sauce(can add shredded carrot, zucchini and red bell peppers as layers or in to the sauce), then cheese. Dehydrate for 1 hour until warm.

Recipe Of The Week!!

Sydneys Coconut and Chicken Curry

2 chicken breasts, sliced
2 tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbs red curry paste
1 tsp turmeric, ground
400ml coconut milk
12 bay leaves


Heat 1 tbs of olive oil in a wok or fry pan, add chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from pan. Place remaining oil into the pan and fry onion and garlic until slightly browned, add red curry paste and turmeric and stir for 1 minute. Add coconut milk and bay leaves and leave to simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

PS - Check back next week for an entire week of Vegetarian Meal Suggestions.

Recipe Of The Week!

Sauteed Lemon-Garlic Shrimp and Veggies

Here’s a spin on this recipe, adapted from Eating Well magazine. You’ll note that this recipe has a hefty portion of veggies to boot. Don’t like red peppers or asparagus? Go with onions, broccoli, tomatoes, whatever suits your fancy!

Serves 4.
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 large red bell peppers, diced
2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound raw shrimp (26-30 per pound), peeled and deveined
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (make sure it’s gluten-free!)
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, asparagus, lemon zest and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to soften, about 6 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl; cover to keep warm.

2. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add broth and heavy whipping cream to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the sauce has cooked through and the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Serve the shrimp and sauce over the vegetables.

Top 5 Eating Out Tips!

Top 5 Tips to Tighten Your Waist at Your Favorite Restaurant!

1) Hold the Bun to Look Better & Sexy: When ordering any sandwich on the menu, ask your server to “hold the bun”. Eliminating excess starches in your diet forces your body to burn more unwanted body fat for fuel 24-7. The result- leaner legs, a tighter butt, and a flatter tummy!

2) Upgrade Your Salad to Burn More Calories: Anytime you eat, your metabolism increases as you burn calories from the digestion, absorption, and storing of nutrients from food. This is called the thermic effect of feeding. Furthermore, research shows that the thermic effect of protein is roughly double that of fat or carbohydrates. So, boost your metabolism by adding lean proteins sources such as chicken, steak, salmon, or shrimp to any of your favorite salads.

3) Dip Your Fork to Drop Some Pounds: Dressings can easily contain several hundred hidden calories in the form of refined sugar or excess fat that can go straight to your gut. So the next time you order a salad, simply ask for the “dressing on the side” and dip your fork in it with each bite. You’ll keep the flavor your taste buds crave without any of the guilt!

4) Go Green to Be Lean: To make any entrée a belly fat-burning treat, replace any starch-based sides like fries or bread with sautéed, grilled or steamed vegetables. Better yet, opt for green vegetables like broccoli, spinach, green beans, or asparagus as much as possible since they have the highest amount of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for optimal health. Furthermore, green veggies are loaded with fiber and thus help fill you up faster and keep you fuller between meals.

5) Make Your Dessert Guilt-Free: You don’t have to be perfect all the time… just most of the time! In other words, if you eat well and exercise regularly 80-90% of the time, you can afford a tasty treat in moderation. Studies show that if you eliminate temptation you can avoid its pitfalls. But studies also show that flexibility is the key to long-term weight loss success. So first get rid of any sweets you may have at home and then limit dessert to once or twice per week when eating out. You can even go one step further by cutting the calories in half by splitting a dessert with a friend or family member.

The tips above will put your nutrition on track. Now, check out the resource below to put your workouts on track.

http://rialtowellness.getprograde.com/meal-replacement.html
http://www.rialtowellness.com/

Recipe Of The Week!

Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes

1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
3/4 cup fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries

1. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg in a small bowl. Whisk ricotta, egg, egg white, buttermilk, lemon zest and juice in a large bowl until smooth. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
2. Brush a large nonstick skillet with 1/2 teaspoon oil and place over medium heat until hot. Using a generous 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake, pour the batter for 2pancakes into the pan, sprinkle blueberries on each pancake and cook until the edges are dry and bubbles begin to form, about 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining oil, batter and berries, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning.

Serve these light pancakes with our Chunky Blueberry Sauce, maple syrup or honey. Sprinkling the berries on top of the cooking pancakes ensures even distribution. Keep finished pancakes warm in a 200°F oven, if desired, while cooking the rest.

Makes 4 servings, 2 pancakes each

238 calories; 8 g fat (3 g sat, 3 g mono); 68 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrate;
12 g protein; 3 g fiber; 334 mg sodium; 128 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus: Selenium (24% daily value), Calcium (16% dv).

Recipe Time!!

Steamed broccoli can get really old really quickly. Aside from doing some sort of saute' or stir fry, have you ever tried roasting your broccoli? Roasting intensifies flavors, also adding a bit of near carmelization to the veggie. Good stuff I say! And added benefit of broccoli and cauliflower are the many nutrients contained, and the low caloric value (1c. of broccoli is only 54cal, 1c. cauliflower is about 38).

Give this one a shot with broccoli (or cauliflower is great too). Oven roasting veggies is a great way to cook up a bunch of veggies at one time without having to stand over the stove stirring something.

Oven roasted broccoli (for cauliflower I suggest dropping the temperature by 25-50 degrees, and no need to peel the stalk of the cauliflower)

Ingredients
1 large head broccoli (about 1 3/4 pounds)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced or crushed
Ground black pepper
Lemon wedges for serving

Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place large rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Cut broccoli at juncture of florets and stems; remove outer peel from stalk. Cut stalk into 2- to 3-inch lengths and each length into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Cut crowns into 4 wedges if 3-4 inches in diameter or 6 wedges if 4-5 inches in diameter. Place broccoli in large bowl; drizzle with oil and toss well until evenly coated. Sprinkle with pepper and garlic to taste and toss to combine.

2. Working quickly, remove baking sheet from oven. Carefully transfer broccoli to baking sheet and spread into even layer, placing flat sides down. Return baking sheet to oven and roast until stalks are well browned and tender and florets are lightly browned, 9 to 11 minutes. Transfer to serving dish and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

FYI - cauliflower usually cooks best if you first cover it with aluminum foil for about the first 5-10 minutes of cooking, then flip pieces over and cook another 5 or so until done.

10 Nutrition Myths That Won't Die!

Old myths die hard. And when it comes to diet and health, the misconceptions are endless. Some myths have been around for decades ("vitamin C prevents colds"), while others are relatively new ("drink green tea to ward off cancer"). And, with all that conflicting research out there, it's hard to know what to believe and what not to believe.

Granted, it's not that these beliefs are dead wrong. More often, they're promising theories that are backed by too little evidence. Or they're outdated ideas that have crumpled under the weight of recent research. Today we'll look at the first 5 assumptions that people rarely question.

1. Soy foods prevent breast cancer - Most women will do whatever they can to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Maybe that's why they're so willing to believe that the plant estrogens (phytoestrogens) in soy can keep the disease at bay. Yet so far, the evidence is weak.

Researchers in the Netherlands recently reviewed 13 studies -- largely from China and Japan -- that looked at soy and the risk of breast cancer (Breast Cancer Res. Treat. 77: 171, 2003). "Overall, results do not show protective effects, with the exception maybe for women who consume phytoestrogens at adolescence or at very high doses," concludes Petra Peeters of the University Medical Center in Utrecht.

The bottom line: It's still too early to say whether soy -- or other phytoestrogens -- might protect the breast.

What about prostate cancer and hot flashes? Soy's impact on the risk of prostate cancer is still muddy, in part because most Americans eat too little soy for studies to detect any lower risk. However, researchers have tested soy's impact on PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels, with mixed results.

In a recent study, soy grits (about 2 ounces a day) lowered PSA by 13% in eight men with prostate cancer (Urology 64: 510, 2004). In studies on healthy men, though, PSA didn't budge (Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev. 13: 644, 2004). And experts are now questioning whether small changes in PSA levels matter.

As for hot flashes, so far, well-designed studies have found that soy (or plant estrogens from supplements like red clover) has little impact on hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause. Researchers at the University of Minnesota recently examined 20 trials on menopause and soy foods, beverages, powders, or extracts. Nearly all came up empty (Obstet. Gynecol. 104: 824, 2004).

"The available evidence suggests that phytoestrogens available as soy foods, soy extracts, and red clover extracts do not improve hot flushes or other menopausal symptoms," conclude Minnesota's Erin Krebs and colleagues.

The bottom line: Soy foods do seem to lower cholesterol, so they may help protect your heart. But whether they do more is a question mark.

2. Olive is the healthiest oil

Fish oil is probably the healthiest, but you can't pour it on your salad or cook with it. Olive is certainly one of the good oils. Whether it's the best is unclear.

"Canola is probably better than olive oil because it's lower in saturated fat," says Alice Lichtenstein of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. "What's more, canola has more polyunsaturated fat than olive oil, "and polys lower LDL ['bad' cholesterol] more than monos."

So why not stick with soy and canola? Both have more of a polyunsaturated fat called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) than olive. ALA is an omega-3 fat that may help lower the risk of heart disease. But if preliminary studies hold up, ALA may also raise (slightly) the risk of prostate cancer. Right now that's a big if.

And there are other ways to cut back on ALA. "Red meat and dairy fat are also sources of ALA, and they have been more consistently related to higher prostate cancer risk," says Ed Giovannucci of the Harvard School of Public Health.

Our advice: at home, switch off between canola and olive.

4. If your blood sugar, triglycerides, cholesterol, and blood pressure aren't high, you don't have to worry.

Even before you hit "high," you hit trouble. Your risk of a heart attack, stroke, or diabetes doesn't jump from low to high when your number crosses a sharp cutoff. It's gradual. That's why experts keep ratcheting down what's "normal." For example:

Blood sugar. In April 2004, the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) announced that 40% of U.S. adults have "pre-diabetes," which means their fasting blood sugar is between 100 and 125. (Over 125 is diabetes.) Using the old cutoff (110), only 20% of adults had pre-diabetes.

Blood pressure. In May 2003, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) declared that an estimated 22 million Americans have pre-hypertension -- that is, blood pressure over 120 (systolic) or over 80 (diastolic). (Another 25% have hypertension, or high blood pressure, which starts at 140 over 90.)

Triglycerides. Triglycerides under 200 used to be "normal." Now normal ends at 150, and "borderline high" ranges from 150 to 200, says the NHLBl.

HDL ("good") cholesterol. The lower your HDL, the higher your risk of heart disease. "Low" used to be 35 or below. Now it's 40 or below (for men) and 50 or below (for women).

LDL ("bad") cholesterol. A "borderline high" LDL is 130 to 160. But 129 isn't ideal. So NHLBI now makes it clear that only LDLs under 100 are "optimal." An LDL between 100 and 129 is "above optimal."

Why do the numbers keep shifting? Studies show that people in that gray area between "low" and "high" are at risk. Take blood sugar. Many people with pre-diabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years. But not if they do something about it.

"Research has clearly shown that losing 5% to 7% of body weight through diet and increased physical activity can prevent or delay pre-diabetes from progressing to type 2 diabetes," explains NIDDK director Allen Spiegel. "The emphasis has shifted from treatment to prevention," says Tufts's Alice Lichtenstein. And most people can prevent illness with diet, exercise, or other lifestyle changes.

5. People gain a lot of weight over the holidays.

Office parties, neighborhood gatherings, family celebrations -- from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day, most Americans are surrounded by luscious, tempting, irresistible food. So the conventional wisdom -- that most of us start the new year about 5 pounds heavier -- seems reasonable. Reasonable but not necessarily true.

In 2000, researchers tracked 200 people from late September to early March, and, in some cases, into June (New Eng. J. Med. 342: 861, 2000). On average, they gained only about a pound during the holidays. But that doesn't mean you can live it up from turkey to eggnog:

• You might not lose what you gained. In the study, most people lost little weight after the holidays, whether they tried to or not. And 1 pound is half of what the average person gains in a year. Those 2 pounds may not seem like much, but after 10 years, they could easily move you from trim to chubby.


• You may not be average. Among the overweight or obese participants in the study, 14% gained more than 5 pounds. What's more, the participants may not be typical.

"The study followed employees of the National Institutes of Health, an upscale, professional, health-conscious bunch if ever there was one," notes Susan Roberts of the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.

"Weight gain is a likely consequence of overindulgence," she cautions. "It's always easier to overeat than to lose weight, because our bodies don't seem to count a few thousand extra calories, but start screaming hunger if we cut a few thousand."

• Source: Nutrition Action Health Letter (remaining myths to come in a day or two...)

Recipe Day!! - Breakfast & Lunch!

Cheese Pancakes (yum!)

4 pancakes

Makes 8 pancakes total.

Ingredients:

¼ cup flour

1 cup 2% cottage cheese

1 cup egg substitute

2 Tsp. canola oil

2 cups mixed berries - divided

Instructions:

Mix up and pour onto griddle to cook. Top each serving with 1 cup of mixed berries. May be sweetened with 1 tablespoon agave syrup.

Wicked Good Chicken Salad (great name!)

(Makes 3, protein wraps)

Ingredients:

1 Can of All White Meat Chicken In Water (12oz)

½ Avocado Diced

½ Tomato Diced

2 Tbsp Diced Onion

1 clove of Garlic, Diced

1 Tbsp Mustard

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, to taste

Green Leaf Lettuce (optional)

Instructions:

Open and Drain Chicken. Rinse Chicken under water to help remove salt. Add all ingredients into mixing bowl and mix until all ingredients are blended together. Wrap the chicken salad in the lettuce, low carb wrap, or small pita. Balance with a side salad and a piece of fruit. Eat and enjoy a healthy lunch or dinner.

What Type Are You?

It's easier than ever to eat healthy. But with so many smart philosophies out there, it's not always easy to find the right approach for you. Here's how four top athletes get the fuel they need...

The Locavore - If you've ever compared a tomato ripe off the vine with one of those mealy, mass-produced, flavorless ones, you know the superior taste that just-picked food delivers. The locavore aims to capture that flavor difference and promote sustainable, community-based agriculture by favoring "low-mileage" foods over ones that have traveled long distances to arrive at your plate.

The Omnivore - At the core of the omnivore's philosophy is this fact: As long as you don't overindulge, no food is off limits. That means food some might consider forbidden, such as red meat, cheese and oils, are part of the ominvore's diet - in moderation. Allowing yourself a range of options is the strategy of this eater.

The Vegetarian - When it comes to being a vegetarian, there are a few hard and fast rules. Some eat no animal products at all, while others may eat dairy, eggs or fish. Regardless of where you draw the line, a vegetarian diet can provide healthy fuel for athletes. Studies show that vegetarians have a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. They also tend to be leaner than meat eaters. Just be sure you're getting these four crucial nutrients: iron, calcium, Vitamin B12 and Omega-3 fatty acids.

The Foodie - In the world of the "Foodie," eating is an experience to be savored - from selecting top-notch ingredients, to cooking the meal, to relishing each bite. It's about slowing down and taking the time to cook and try new things. When you get pleasure out of food, you slow down and are more satisfied - meaning you eat less. Just be sure you try new foods to ensure a healthy balance, use spices to add more health benefits and focus on quality of food, not quantity.

Which one describes your style of eating? Or, do you have one of your own you'd like to share? Enligten us!

Famed Fruits...And Why They Are

Cherries

Why: Delicious, sweet and oh-so-low in calories.

Health Perks: Fifteen cherries have only 64 calories and more than 10 percent of the daily value for vitamin C. They are also rich in vitamin E, contain two grams of fiber and are a good source of potassium, magnesium, iron and folate.

Cherries contain a pigment called anthocyanin (responsible for their color), an antioxidant linked to a variety of health benefits including reduction of risk for heart disease and cancer. Additionally, cherries are one of the few food sources of melatonin, shown to aid in sleep.

Nutrition: Serving size: 15 cherries (102g), calories 64, total fat 0.2g cholesterol 0mg, sodium 0mg, total carbohydrate 16.3g, dietary fiber 2.1g, sugars 13.1g, protein 1.1g.

Seek Out: High-quality cherries are firm and dark red, with bright, lustrous, plump-looking surfaces and fresh-looking stems.

Avoid: Soft, shriveled or blemished cherries. Green also suggests avoiding dark or brittle stems.

Storage: Remove any that are soft or split, says Green. Then refrigerate. Check the fruit occasionally and remove any that have gone bad. You can freeze cherries (with or without pits) by rinsing and draining them thoroughly, spreading them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and placing them in the freezer.

Interesting: Seventy percent of the cherries grown come from four states (Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Utah).

Your Continued Monthly Eating Guide...

Most fruits and vegetables are available year-round. Buy in-season, however, and you get produce at its peak of flavor and nutritional value. Here's a guide to what's in season and at its peak for the next few months...

April

FRUIT OR VEGETABLE: Salad greens (radicchio, mache)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Richly colored, non-wilted leaves

REAP THE BENEFITS: A two-cup serving supplies more than 400 percent of for vitamin A, 100 percent of folate, and a wealth of minerals, such as magnesium and potassium

May

FRUIT OR VEGETABLE: Strawberries

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Deep-red fruit, without mushy or spoiled spots; smaller are often sweeter

REAP THE BENEFITS: One cup fulfills your daily vitamin C needs and contains the cancer-fighters ellagic acid and anthocyanins.

June

FRUIT OR VEGETABLE: Apricots

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Rich orange-colored fruit that is slightly soft, indicating tree-ripened

REAP THE BENEFITS: Three apricots pack more than half of the DV for vitamin A, 15 percent of fiber, and tons of potassium.

Boot campers! Welcome to Rialto Boot Camp and to the Nutrition Blog. We try to give you the latest and most informative news about nutrition and how to fuel your body for optimal performance during your workouts. But we are always open to new ideas and, of course, questions. If you have any tips, blog ideas or questions about nutrition, please feel free to post them here. We'll try to get back to you as soon as we can! Good luck in BC!

Breakfast - Why It's The Most Important Meal

Without question, breakfast is the meal that makes champions. Unfortunately, many active people follow a lifestyle that eliminates breakfast or includes foods that are far from champion-builders.

Breakfast for Losing Fat - If you want to lose fat, you should start your plan at dinner, not at breakfast! For example, do not eat a meager bowl of Special K for your "breakfast." You'll get too hungry later in the day and crave sweets.

A bigger breakfast (cereal + toast + peanut butter) can prevent afternoon or evening cookie-binges. An adequate (500 to 700 calorie) breakfast provides enough energy for you to enjoy your exercise, as opposed to dragging yourself through an afternoon workout that feels like punishment. If you are trying to lose fat, you should target at least 500 to 700 calories for breakfast; this should leave you feeling adequately fed. To prove the benefits of eating such a big breakfast, try this experiment:

1. Using food labels to calculate calories, boost your standard breakfast to at least 500 calories. For example, add to your english muffin (150 calories): 1 tablespoon peanut butter (100 cal.), 8 oz. orange juice (100 cal.) and a yogurt (150 cal). Total: 500 calories.

2. Observe what happens to your day's food intake when you eat a full breakfast vs. a skimpy "diet breakfast." The 500+ calorie breakfast allows you to successfully eat less at night and create the calorie deficit needed to lose fat.

Remember: You want to fuel by day and lose fat by night. Successful "dieters" lose fat while they are sleeping; they wake up ready for another nice breakfast that fuels them for another high-energy day.

If you exercise first thing in the morning, you may not want a big pre-exercise breakfast; too much food can feel heavy and uncomfortable. However, you can likely tolerate half a breakfast, such as half a bagel, a slice of toast, or a banana before your workout. Just 100 to 300 calories can put a little carbohydrate into your system, boost your blood sugar so that you are running on fuel, not fumes, and enhance your performance.

You'll likely discover this small pre-exercise meal adds endurance and enthusiasm to your workout. In a research study, athletes who ate breakfast were able to exercise for 137 minutes as compared to only 109 minutes when they skipped this pre-exercise fuel.

Breakfast for the Noon-time, Afternoon and Evening Exerciser

A hearty breakfast is important for people who exercise later in the day. It not only tames hunger but also provides the fuel needed for hard workouts.

Research has shown that athletes who ate breakfast, then four hours later enjoyed an energy bar five minutes before a noontime workout were able to exercise 20% harder at the end of the hourlong exercise test compared to when they ate no breakfast and no pre-exercise snack. (They worked 10 percent harder with only the snack.)

Breakfast works! Breakfast + a pre-exercise snack works even better!

What's for Breakfast?

One of the simplest breakfasts of champions is a wholesome cereal with soy/organic milk, fruit and orange juice. This provides not only carbohydrates to fuel the muscles, but also protein (from the milk) to build strong muscles, and numerous other vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium, vitamin C, iron (if you choose enriched breakfast cereals) and fiber (if you choose bran cereals).

The Bottom Line

Breakfast works wonders for improving the quality of your health. That is, eating breakfast results in less "junk food" later in the day. Breakfast also enhances weight control, sports performance, daily energy levels and future health.

Sample Grab-and-go Sports Breakfasts

• Craver (Almond, Peanut Butter or Spurlina) Bar


• Small bran muffin plus a sugar free yogurt and a packet of Splenda


• Peanut butter-banana-honey sandwich (add cottage cheese or some type of protein)


• Pita with one to two slices of lowfat cheese plus a large apple


• Baggie of lowfat granola with a handful of raisins (preceded by 8 oz. soy/organic milk before you dash out the door)