Dear Sarah,
I work out five mornings a week at my gym where I do a mix of spin classes and weights. After my workout, I often see these women in the change room drinking muddy looking protein shakes that I overheard one of them say are made from whey protein. What is Whey? Can you tell me what protein does in the body and why I would want to drink something that looks like mud after my workout?

Jane

Dear Jane,
Protein performs many functions in the body especially after exercise, but you don't have drink something that looks like mud to get it. Your body is in a constant state of renewal, your tissues (cells, organs, muscles etc.) are growing and rebuilding every second of the day and protein is required to do this essential work. In other words, protein provides the building blocks for the body.

Source

When we look to the sources of stress in our lives - too much work, too little sleep, too many weekends with the in-laws - rarely do we consider what and how we're eating. Brendan Brazier, author of Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life, explains the connection.

Q: What is the connection between food and stress?

A: Well, one of the connections is simply not getting the nutrients you need - that can trigger a stress response in the body. Also, there's all of that stress in life you can't control - work-related or family-related - but a large part, up to 40 percent, can be attributed to nutrition. And that's not being properly nourished through the right foods, but it's also about eating the wrong kinds of food that take a lot of energy to digest. If you're eating a lot of refined foods that require a lot of your body's digestive enzymes and processes, it's actually quite hard for the body and it takes energy and work. In my book, I call those low-net-gain foods the foods that you have to expend a lot of energy to get nutrients from. One of the goals is to eat foods that take as little energy as possible to break down, but give you as many nutrients as possible - I call those high-net-gain foods.

When people are trying to slim down, they rarely think about hitting the drive through. But a number of fast food outlets are adding so-called "healthy options" to their menus. McDonald's has grilled chicken sandwiches. Wendy's has a variety of salads. Starbucks has reduced-calorie paninis. Subway is endorsed by successful contestants from The Biggest Loser, boasting that some of their sandwiches can be a key part of any weight-loss program. And even Taco Bell (which is more frequently associated with liquid cheese and slushy meat), now offers a "Fresco" menu of items with less fat.

The New York Times recently took a stab at this phenomenon ("Forget Jenny Craig. Hit the Drive-Thru"), and put these healthier menus to the nutritional test. Here's what they found...

During the winter months we often crave "stick to your ribs" food such as oatmeal and chili. And while I like the idea of a meal that warms me to the core, I tend to associate these rib-sticking dishes with also being waist-thickening. I can assure you this chili is far from fattening, and it will so thoroughly satisfy you that you won't have the desire to indulge in any fattening snacks a few hours later. If you have a family to feed and a busy life, then think about cooking this on the weekend and then warming it on weeknights for a fast, healthy meal.

Ultimately, this recipe is a classic, but with one key difference that I encourage you to adopt and thus avoid the uncomfortable flatulence that typically comes with chili: say goodbye to canned beans and hello to dried ones. Beans are superstars when it comes to fibre, minerals and protein. And the practice of soaking dried beans is is great as the process releases enzyme inhibitors that are present in canned beans and phytic acid which can prevent the absorption of minerals.

Recipe after the jump!

If you caught our recent posts on exercise, you must be delighted to now know that regular fitness actually makes you happier, smarter and younger - science says so! I love it when studies prove things that we already intuitively know is good for us. And these facts can really motivate us to lace up our running shoes and hit the gym because it's not just about looking good, it's about creating a healthier mind and emotional state too.

If you are feeling a little overwhelmed with the craziness of life -- career, kids, spouse, family and errands, you are not alone. Studies prove that when women are stressed, the first two things they sacrifice are sleep and exercise. And it's no wonder we are stressed because these are the very things we NEED to help us better manage stress.

Finding time to exercise doesn't have to be a chore. Try these five strategies for making it a priority in your life...

Canadian fitness expert Brendan Brazier, author of Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimum Performance in Sports and Life, strives to fill his diet with foods for optimum fitness. Here, he fills us in on good carbohydrates that will boost your workouts.

Q: What's the difference between good carbs and bad carbs?

A: Bad carbs are anything coming from highly refined sources. Some people call sugar a bad carb, but I don't think it is if it's from a good source. Sugar can be a great source of energy when it comes from fruit, like dates and bananas. But I would also eat those things with protein and fibre, which will slow down the rate at which the sugar enters the bloodstream. This prevents a sugar spike, followed by a crash. That's why smoothies are really good; you blend things with hemp protein or flax and other things that have fibre and essential fats.

Wondering when and what to eat before and after working out? Elisa Zied, registered dietitian, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and author of Nutrition at Your Fingertips, provides some helpful tips.

Q: Should we eat before working out? Right after working out?

A: I think everyone's body is different. I cannot work out unless I've eaten beforehand; but some athletes and recreational exercisers workout on an empty stomach and that works for them. It's definitely a good idea to eat a meal or snack a few hours before you exercise; some can have a snack right before they exercise and that works for them, while others may prefer to eat an hour or two before they exercise. Know your body and do what feels best for you. I personally have breakfast at 7 and exercise around 8:30 or 9 am and that works for me (I have energy, don't feel sluggish or bloated, and don't feel hungry). Find what works for you and do that.

More tips, after the jump...

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.

Don't you just love all those supermodels that say they never work out and eat whatever they want, yet still manage to look fabulous? It almost makes you want to adopt their diet of caffeine, nicotine and burgers. Would it surprise you to know that many of these beautiful women may actually have high percentage of body fat? They may unknowingly be laying the groundwork for many chronic diseases associated with aging. There is a difference between being thin and being healthy and it lies in body composition.

What is Body Composition?

Body composition is a measure of the lean tissue and of the fatty tissue that make up your body weight. Your body is comprised of many tissues -- fat, bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, organs and lots of water. A healthy body composition is determined by the percentage of fat versus lean muscle mass. Ideally, it is best to keep fat lower and lean muscle mass higher. An altered body composition arises when the percentage of body fat is too high. The most common cause of a high percentage of body fat is excess fat, although a loss of bone, as in osteoporosis, or a loss of muscle are also forms of altered body composition.

More on body composition after the jump...

Dr. Jaty Tam, of Toronto's Body of Knowledge Healing Arts, specializes in women's health. Here, she outlines some of the key fitness and diet requirements for healthy women.

Q: How do women's and men's fitness requirements differ?

A: Fitness requirements vary greatly among individuals, depending on body type and fitness goals. So the main difference between men's and women's fitness requirements is due to the differences in body type. Men tend to carry more muscle. The more muscle you have, the more energy is required to work that muscle. Muscle is maintained through adequate protein intake, so men who are weight training are likely to require more protein than women who are weight training. This is similar with cardio or aerobic exercises. As men tend to be larger and carry more weight, they will expend more energy during any type of movement. Energy is provided through carbohydrates, so men doing aerobic exercises are likely to need more carbs in their diet than women doing similar aerobic exercises. The key message here is to know your body and your fitness goals. Know what the nutritional requirements are to maintain your body's energy and health while working on attaining your exercise targets.

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet.
Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.

Have you ever gone from one room to another, only to stop and wonder what you were going for in the first place? How many times have you known the word but just couldn't quite grasp it? How many times has someone's name been at the tip of your tongue? Is that what happens to all of us? Or is there something we can do to prevent this nervous system demise?

Your brain is made up of an intricate network of wires (neurons) that connect with each other via chemical messengers. Communication is a complex process. There are many factors involved, such as the integrity of the fatty coating (myelin sheath) around each neuron (which insulates the neurons and aids in signal transmission), or the chemical messenger levels in the end of one neuron and receptor endings on another. Even your mood or emotional state on any given day can affect your concentration and memory. It is well established that chronic anxiety or depression dramatically reduces your short-term memory and ability to focus.

Now, let's devise a simple plan to keep your brain working optimally...

Sometimes it's hard to know just what kinds of foods we should keep on hand to provide the nutrient power-punch that our bodies need on a daily and weekly basis. And while everyone has a different point of view on what goes into a healthy diet, we were curious as to what Elisa Zied, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and author of Nutrition at Your Fingertips, would suggest as diet essentials.

Here are her top 10 healthy staples that she recommends should be in everyone's fridge or pantry, and why they are so beneficial.

1. Whole-grain, high-fibre cereal: Rich sources of complex carbohydrates (these supply glucose, the main fuel for the brain), have a small amount of plant protein, and contain vitamins and minerals including B vitamins, folate, and magnesium. They also contain phytochemicals that protect body cells from damage caused by free radicals -- dangerous chemicals found in the the body and in the environment that can promote disease. Consuming whole grains, especially fibre-rich ones, also keeps your gastrointestinal system healthy.

How often do you come home late from work or after an evening of socializing with friends and stare into your fridge, hoping a magnificent meal will jump out at you? And when it doesn't, you end up eating a bowl of cereal right before bed. Sound familiar? (Don't worry, I used to do this, too.)

Unfortunately, you may be sabotaging your weight loss goals with this seemingly innocent habit. The reasoning behind this is simple: You eat a high-glycemic carb like a bowl of cereal and you increase your blood sugar levels. Insulin has likely been working hard all day long to balance your blood sugar from the sandwich you had a lunch or the muffin from breakfast and it might be getting a little tired. Not to mention the fact that at nine p.m. your metabolism is slowing down and you are likely not going to be hitting the gym to work off those excess calories. So what does insulin do with this excess sugar in your blood from that bowl of cereal? Well, it may store it as fat, sabotaging your weight loss or maintenance goals.

Now, ideally you don't want to scarf down an entire meal right before bed, but if you are hungry when you get home and it's after nine, there is a fabulous little snack you can eat that has some great benefits -- a simple, yummy smoothie.

Smoothie Benefits:

• Stabilizes and balances your blood sugar.
• Contains tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin (a brain-happy neurotransmitter responsible for keeping you calm, relaxed and getting you in the mood for sleep).
• Lowers your stress hormone cortisol (especially if you've been working late). Cortisol is a hormone that will shuttle glucose to the blood stream and may cause you to feel more hungry. By eating a balanced snack with carbs, protein and good fat, you can help lower your cortisol output.
• Tastes yummy!

Get a delicious smoothie recipe after the jump

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.

Many people, myself included, think one of the most attractive parts of the opposite sex's body is their stomach-and maybe a nice set of shoulders...In any case, the last place you want fat hanging around is at your waist. It seems this is the first place it goes when you gain a few pounds and it is the last place to leave.

Believe it or not, those pesky fat patches have more to do with hormonal balance than a pregnant woman eating pickles and ice cream!

Love handles aren't just unattractive, carrying weight around your abdomen is bad for your health-worse than carrying weight on your hips or thighs. Excess fat around the waist, or an apple body shape, is suggestive of insulin resistance, a condition that is linked to the development of heart disease and diabetes. It is also indicative of an imbalance in cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone, which, if chronically high, can result in increased deposition of fat around the abdomen. To further complicate the situation, feeling stressed out or depressed may worsen the problem.

Insulin resistance

Insulin is the chemical signal that allows sugar to enter your cells to be used as fuel. Insulin levels also have a direct impact on body composition, as these sugars are later stored as fat if they are not consumed as a source of energy. Insulin resistance causes levels of insulin in the blood to increase. This increase is related to a reduced sensitivity of the body tissues, like muscle, to normal levels of the hormone. As a result, the body tries to overcome this by secreting more insulin from the pancreas. Type 2 diabetes ensues when the pancreas fails to sustain this increased demand for insulin production.

It is currently estimated that one out of every four Americans has insulin resistance. A primary cause is excess intake of sugar or carbohydrates typical of many diets today. This includes foods such as pop or candy as well as cakes, muffins, pastries, chips, crackers, pizza and many other processed foods. Insulin resistance may also be attributed to lack of exercise, overindulging in alcohol, stress, a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure and excess body fat, especially around the abdomen.

Six sure-fire ways to lose "the handles":

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.

Have you ever been caught grabbing a bit of shut-eye at your desk? What was your excuse to your boss? New sleep research may be your best answer.

A 2002 study from Harvard University considered worker burnout over four days of training and the effect of napping. As the four days of training wore on, the workers began to experience burnout. But the good news is - the study found that workers who were allowed to take a 30-minute nap on the second day of a four-day training session experienced less decline in visual tasks. A one-hour nap was actually found to return performance back to normal in the last two sessions.

That is not to say that curling up for an hour or so at the office should be sanctioned, but keeping it to less than 30 minutes might not be so far-fetched. It seems that half-hour naps should not only be recognized as acceptable by companies, but also beneficial. This is old news to many European countries where afternoon siestas are standard practice and many shops close for an hour or so each afternoon.

Afternoon drowsiness is a major problem for many corporations: it is estimated that lost productivity costs billions of dollars every year. A possible solution is to allow 20 to 30 minutes of napping per day when it is deemed necessary, creating a work environment that may actually help boost workplace productivity rather than hinder it. In today's fast-paced society and tough economy, however, most companies frown on napping in the workplace rather than encourage it.

Can't squeeze in a nap? Use these nine tips to boost your energy and productivity during the day:

Sara Celik is a busy naturopathic doctor practicing in Toronto who encourages women not to shy away from getting fit by training with weights.

Q: Does being a role model give you added incentive to eat well and exercise?

A: As a naturopathic doctor, fitness instructor and by virtue of doing seminars, advertisements and various other media engagements, I am in the public eye with some frequency and do recognize that I may be looked upon as a role model. However, my incentive to eat well and exercise comes primarily from the fact that it's right for me and is a way of life that I believe in. It honours me as a person, both who I am today and the "me" that I wish to journey towards in the future.

Q: What is your exercise regiment?