How Can I Develop a Healthy Eating Pattern?

Hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity—these are all drivers for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. Treating each individually often means seeing multiple specialists. But one thing is clear: If you reduce excess body fat with a healthy lifestyle, your cholesterol, blood pressure, and risk for diabetes or prediabetes will likely drop, and so will your risk for heart disease.

Jeffrey I. Mechanick, MD

Jeffrey I. Mechanick, MD

In this Q&A, Jeffrey I. Mechanick, MD, Professor of Medicine and Medical Director of the Marie-Josee and Henry R. Kravis Center for Cardiovascular Health at Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital, explains how adopting a healthy eating pattern, rather than restrictive or fad dieting, can reduce your risk for heart disease and other chronic illnesses.

How do I know if I am at risk for heart disease?

Your body mass index (BMI) should be 18.5 to 24.9 (for Asian Americans, a healthy BMI is 18.5 to 22.9). Keep in mind that for some people, such as those who are more muscular or have a lot of swelling, BMI may not be accurate. Your goal should not be to lose weight but to be healthy and enjoy your life. Instead of going on a diet or eliminating certain foods or food groups, focus on developing a healthy eating pattern.

What is a healthy eating pattern?

First, do not think about a single food as being good or bad. Rather, consider how the pattern of foods you eat over the course of 24 hours—the total aggregate of the foods and the nutrients that are in them—are affecting your risk for heart disease. A healthy eating pattern is one that reduces your risk.

How do I develop a healthy eating pattern?

Here is what I often tell my patients:

  • An ideal plate is a healthy food plate, the majority of which should consist of hi-fiber plants.
  • If you include meat, make sure it is lean meat.
  • Keep in mind that quantity (portion size) is not as important as the quality of the food (whole, high-fiber foods).
  • Try to get in at least five to seven servings of fresh fruits and vegetables (one serving fits in the palm of your hand), as well as beans, lentils, nuts, and whole grains, every day.
  • Include a good quality protein—such as poultry, fish, or vegetable protein such as beans and lentils—with every meal.
  • Avoid processed foods, and eat treats only on occasion.
  • Instead of baked goods, have whole grain breads or even Ezekiel breads, which are made out of sprouts and lentils (this will help you transition your eating pattern to those healthier whole grains).
  • Limit alcohol as much as you can—no amount is considered healthy.
  • Do not skip meals.

If you’re having trouble, seek out a professional, such your primary care physician, heart specialist, or registered dietitian, who can help structure an eating pattern for you to achieve a healthy weight.

What should I look for in food labels?

Look for foods that are high in fiber but lower in calories, fat, sodium, and simple sugars. Be aware that these numbers are often listed on Nutrition Facts labels as “per serving” and not per the total amount in the food product.

Dietary fiber: The more fiber, the better. Both soluble and insoluble fiber are good for gut health and decrease your risk for chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. Fiber also decreases appetite and helps you feel full, so you are not as tempted to snack on high-calorie foods.

Sodium: The official recommendations are to have only about two grams of sodium a day—roughly one teaspoon of table salt per day. If you are already at risk for heart disease, you may need to limit sodium even more.

Saturated fat, trans fats, and simple sugars: While the data on how much saturated fat is safe is unclear, you should stick to foods that have little to no saturated fat. Avoid trans fats and simple sugars—again, you can find the amount on the Nutrition Facts labels of packaged foods or just by looking up information online.

What should I look for in restaurant menus?

Here’s a trick I give my patients: Don’t ask for the menu. Research the restaurant online at a time when you’re not hungry (such as after a meal at home) and decide what you will eat before you go, or ask the server about specific items they might have—the fish of the day, lean proteins that are cooked without sauces, salads and raw or steamed vegetables, plant-based entrees and side dishes, and even berries for dessert. This way, you won’t be tempted by the less healthy options on the menu or enticing specials.

Will dietary supplements reduce my risk for heart disease?

There is really no need to take dietary supplements unless there is a medical reason. If you are following a healthy eating pattern, you will reduce your risk for deficiencies. If you have any question or doubt, definitely discuss it with your physician.

What else will help me reduce my risk for heart disease?

Get sufficient amounts of physical activity, including a mix of aerobic exercise and strength training, especially progressive resistance training. Sleep a minimum of seven hours a night. Do not smoke or do drugs, and reduce stress as much as possible. If you are overly worried or struggle with addiction, don’t delay—seek help from a mental health professional or counselor.

The Importance of Breakfast for Your Health

Many of us are tempted to skip breakfast in the rush to start our day. Parents, in particular, may feel challenged getting their kids to have breakfast and make it to school on time.

In this Q&A, Stephanie L. Gold, MD, a gastroenterologist at The Mount Sinai Hospital, provides practical advice on getting a healthy start to your day—eating nutrition-packed foods and making sure to drink water. Dr. Gold, who specializes in inflammatory bowel disease, researches how nutrition affects IBD patients. However, her study of nutrition provides insights for all.

Is breakfast important for our health? Why or why not?

There are a lot of studies that have shown that eating breakfast is very beneficial for your health. It gives you energy to start the day. It helps with concentration. We’ve all seen that it’s very hard to work and focus on what you’re doing if you’re hungry. Also, when we don’t eat breakfast, it can lead to overeating later in the day. You become overly hungry, and you overindulge.

For kids, it’s vitally important that we send them to school with breakfast in their bellies. They can concentrate better and do well in their schoolwork when they aren’t thinking about how hungry they are. I suggest that parents work with their kids to find out what they like to eat. Eating together is also important. If you spend 10 or 15 minutes together to have breakfast, they see that it’s a priority and a special time. It also sets up healthy habits for a lifetime. It’s great if you can prepare something simple the night before, like overnight oats. Or if you’re going to make something more involved, like pancakes, perhaps do the prep work the night before (or on the weekend and freeze the pancakes/waffles) so it’s less stressful for you.

If your kid is a finicky eater or their tastes change, that’s ok. Ask them what they’re interested in or take a walk in the grocery store to explore new options. Try something new—different flavors or tastes—on a weekend when you have more time, and if they like it, you can introduce those during the week. I also know some families are stretched tight, and thankfully, there are also programs in school to make sure kids get breakfast.

What foods are best for breakfast?

It’s very important to have something that is high in fiber and lean protein for breakfast. The reason is to keep you full longer during the day so that you feel satiated, and you get to lunchtime without feeling extra hungry. An example I like is steel cut oatmeal or even regular oatmeal. It’s high in soluble fiber, and you can add a handful of nuts or some nut butter for some healthy fats. I also like to add some fruit for additional fiber and some sweetness. Oatmeal is a great option, as it is easily modified for your personal preferences. You can even change it up by the season. Add some pumpkin spice seasoning or some canned pumpkin in it and it becomes like pumpkin pie oatmeal. The important thing is that people don’t get bored with it.

Some people may not be able to get fresh fruit often, whether due to expense or not being able to get to a grocery store often. We tell our patients that frozen fruit is also a great option. It also simplifies food prep in the morning.

There are a lot of healthy fats to choose from for breakfast. Nuts are a great option. Some people like low-fat cheese sticks that combine protein with some healthy fats. Having an egg in the morning is always nice, as well. It’s all about balance.

Also, having water in the morning is important for hydration. It’s not just about what we eat, but also about what we drink in the morning. Coffee in moderation is fine, but since it can be dehydrating, it’s not a substitute for water.

What foods should most people avoid?

My recommendation is to avoid things that are high in sugar and heavily processed foods, as well. A sugary breakfast cereal, as delicious as it is, may not keep you full very long. Also, you may be surprised that some muffins may have as much sugar as a cupcake, so reading labels is a good idea. Heavily processed foods, such as bacon, sausages, and ham, are fine occasionally but there are healthier options out there. For a weekend breakfast or a special occasion, they are fine but it’s not something that I would recommend eating every day.

How does breakfast affect gut health? And what is gut health?

Gut health is, in part, the prevention of symptoms like diarrhea and constipation, but it’s also maintaining the integrity of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The GI tract has a mucosal barrier that contains a lot of immune cells. It’s the first line of defense against bacteria and other things found in food that we want to avoid getting into our system. It allows for the absorption of nutrients but keeps the bad stuff out. Maintaining the microbiome in our gut, or the healthy bacteria that are good for us, is beneficial to our colon. Fresh fruits and vegetables that are high in soluble and insoluble fibers feed the bacteria in our gut that produce short chain fatty acids. These can be anti-inflammatory, and for our IBD patients, it’s particularly important. However, we all benefit from having a healthy, diverse microbiome.

What is your opinion on intermittent fasting and skipping breakfast?

There’s been a lot of interest in intermittent fasting recently. While this can be beneficial for some, you should ask your physician if this is an appropriate strategy for you. There is some interesting data on intermittent fasting, but successful weight management seems to be dependent on the individual. Intermittent fasting doesn’t just mean skipping breakfast, it’s limiting your eating to eight hours. In animal models, eating earlier (prioritizing breakfast) but having a smaller or lighter dinner may lead to better blood sugar control. However, we need more research to understand the mechanisms that come into play when we shift meals during the day both in animal models and in humans.

Three Nutrition Tips for a Stronger Immune System

Viruses are in the air and all around us, from the common cold to COVID-19. Eating a healthy, balanced diet primes and activates your immune system to fight these pathogens, even before you get sick.

In this Q&A, Taylor Stein, Associate Researcher and Registered Dietitian at The Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, discusses what foods you should eat to support your immune system this cold and flu season.

How does nutrition affect my immune system?

If your diet contains a lot of saturated fatty acids, sugar, and refined carbohydrates, you will not have as strong of an immune response compared to someone consuming diets rich in micronutrients, antioxidants, and fiber. Certain nutrients—specifically vitamins A, D, E, and K—are fat-soluble, meaning they are stored in your fat and take time to accumulate, especially vitamin D. These vitamins support different functions of the immune system and are readily available to fight disease in advance.

Does this mean I need to consume these nutrients before I get sick?

Yes. When you are sick, your immune system is scavenging the body for nutrients, and if you don’t have enough fat-soluble vitamins stored, it can take you longer to get better. Additionally, being sick can affect your ability to eat and drink, so it is very important to have a balanced diet at all times to keep up your stores of these vitamins. Alternatively, vitamins that are water soluble, such as vitamin C and those in the B-complex group, cannot be stored, so you should strive to eat lots of these while you are sick. You also need to eat plenty of macronutrients—carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, and fats.

Follow these easy tips for a healthier immune system:

  1. Buy colorful produce (the brighter, the better).
  2. Snack on nutritious, high-fiber foods such as fruits, veggies, cheese, nuts, seeds, whole grains, bean dips, guacamole, etc.
  3. At meal time, fill one quarter of your plate with protein, one quarter with a whole grain or starchy vegetable, and the other half with brightly colored vegetables.

Taylor Stein, RD

What foods are good for my immune system, and why?

Immune system health largely depends on five food groups:

  • Animal meats, fish, dairy products, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. Proteins are the building blocks of cytokines, small proteins that send signals to the immune system telling it where to send white blood cells to fight infections. Since cytokines require different amino acids, you need to eat a variety of protein both from animal and plant-based products. High protein foods contain B-complex vitamins, which are necessary for cell proliferation, which plays an important role in immunity.
  • Brightly colored fruits and vegetables. Apricots, kiwi, blueberries, avocados, carrots, strawberries, Swiss chard, bell peppers, raspberries, red onions and other brightly colored produce are filled with both fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins and are also a great source of fiber.
  • Fortified dairy products, eggs, and salmon. These are a great source of vitamin D, which helps activate T cells and has other important functions that affect your immune system. You can also get vitamin D in smaller amounts from nuts and mushrooms. Sunlight is also a great source of vitamin D.
  • Nuts, seeds, eggs, legumes, and fish. These all contain disease-fighting minerals, such as zinc, magnesium, and selenium. Pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, shellfish, tuna, chickpeas, and lentils are all good sources of these minerals.
  • High-fiber, pre-and-probiotic, and fermented foods. These foods are good for your gut, where more than 70 percent of your immune cells live. High-fiber foods include legumes, fruits, and vegetables. Pre-and-probiotic and fermented foods include yogurt, kefir, and buttermilk. These gut-healthy foods are important in maintaining lymphoid tissue in the gastrointestinal tract that helps fight disease.

What are some easy ways to incorporate these foods into my daily diet?

A great way to get more of these foods is to eat them as snacks. For example, snacking on nuts and seeds, bean or guacamole dip, whole grain toast with avocado, and fruit and cheese are all easy ways to get more of the nutrients that prime the immune system. You also need to include them in your main meals. Each dish should include a good source of lean protein—meats, poultry, or fish—and plant-based proteins such as beans, as well as non-starchy vegetables. A simple rule is to fill one quarter of your plate with protein, one quarter with a whole grain or starchy vegetable, and the other half with brightly colored vegetables.

How do these foods compare to taking supplements?

When it comes to immune system health, it is good to have a food-first mentality. Whereas supplements typically provide only one nutrient, a balanced diet filled with whole foods contains all the micro and macronutrients you need. These nutrients work most optimally when they are paired together and are easier to digest than supplements. However, supplements can be a great tool for someone who struggles to eat a variety of foods or has a condition that reduces their ability to consume or prepare healthy food. Keep in mind that supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so it is important to get a doctor or dietitian’s advice on what supplements you should use.

What else is important for my immune system?

Getting plenty of sleep and exercise will also strengthen your immune system. Sleep plays a vital role in hormone production, regulation, and function, which strengthens the immune system, and plays a role in building cytokines. Exercise creates stress in your body and activates the same pathways that are triggered when you’re sick, and gets your body primed and ready for when it needs to fight a pathogen. Lastly, recent studies have found that mental health disorders are associated with decreased immune function, which leads back to sleep hygiene and physical activity. However, mental health can be the cause and effect of not getting enough sleep or exercise. In any case, physical activity, sleep hygiene, and managing mental health are all important to maintaining a healthy immune system.

Did you know?

  • Orange-colored fruits and vegetables are high in beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin
  • Avocados and kiwis provide vitamin E, an essential micronutrient for building T cells, which play a vital role in fighting disease
  • Green leafy vegetables and cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, contain vitamin K, another essential fat-soluble vitamin
  • Leafy greens, bell peppers, and oranges contain Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that supports immune system function

How to Develop—and Maintain—Better Nutritional Habits

Man writing down habits for better nutrition while eating quinoa bowl at table

Most of us want to eat better. But how should you start? Should you ‘kick start’ weight loss with a five-day juice cleanse or maybe try the meat-heavy paleo diet?

It doesn’t need to be that complicated. In fact, juice cleanses and fad diets can sometimes do more harm than good.

Perri Halperin, MS, RD, Clinical Dietitian at The Mount Sinai Hospital, offers some simple ways to develop a healthier diet—without depriving yourself—and explains how working with a nutritionist can help support your weight loss or weight management goals.

What small changes can I make for a healthier diet?

It’s always easier to add something to your diet, rather than subtract. To increase micronutrients and fiber, I recommend adding a non-starchy vegetable—like green beans, carrots, or spinach—or a fruit with every meal.

Make sure to start your day with breakfast. A lot of people think that skipping breakfast is best, but in doing so you are confusing your body. Food is fuel. When you skip breakfast—or any meal—your body holds onto the food it has as an energy reserve. A healthy breakfast, and any meal, includes non-starchy vegetables, fruit, and protein. Protein gives you a feeling of being full, something nutritionists call satiety, after you eat.

Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages. Instead of drinking juice or soda, try fruit-infused water or seltzer. You can infuse water with watermelon, blueberries, strawberries, cucumber, or mint.

Should I count calories?

When you think about calories, focus on quality, not quantity. Eating 300 calories worth of cake, candy, and chips is not the same as eating 300 calories of salad and chicken. Try to have a protein with every meal and snack. Good sources of proteins include eggs; plain nonfat Greek yogurt (which has more protein, less sugar, and a thicker consistency than regular yogurt); low-fat cottage, or ricotta cheese; fish or shellfish; chicken and turkey; beans or chickpeas; seitan or tofu.

If you eat a protein and a non-starchy vegetable at every meal and snack, you will put yourself in the right calorie range. You’ll also feel good because you are giving your body the fuel that it needs. If you do well with counting something, count grams of protein instead of calories. Aim to consume about 60 grams of protein a day. An eight ounce glass of milk skim milk has about 8 grams and a chicken breast has about 30 grams.

Do I need to detox or cleanse my body?  

Your body cannot use food to detox or cleanse. Your body cleanses and detoxes itself using your kidneys and liver. The best way to help your body cleanse itself is to feed it the fuel that it needs to carry out those processes efficiently and without overwhelming those organs.

Are there habits that people think are healthy that are not?

Yes. I call these habits false friends—things we eat or drink because we think they’re healthy but they’re not. Smoothies and juicing are false friends. They trick us into consuming calories and sugar from foods we probably wouldn’t sit down and eat in one sitting. It’s better to eat your food, not drink it.

Granola, granola bars, and trail mix are also false friends. These foods are often high in sugar and fat. A third type of false friend is vitamin and mineral supplements (micronutrients) that our body doesn’t need. Our body’s internal processes help itself maintain equilibrium. When we overload ourselves with B-12 supplements, magnesium, or other supplements that we don’t need, all we’re doing is giving our body an extra job—to get rid of those extraneous micronutrients.

Some people think tropical fruit—like bananas—are off limits, and I want to dispel that myth. Don’t be scared of a banana. It’s true that berries—strawberries, blueberries, blackberries—tend to be lower in sugar than bananas, pineapples, papayas, and mangoes; that doesn’t mean you should never have a banana. It means you should think about variety and moderation when making food choices.

Yogurt choices can be overwhelming. Plain, nonfat Greek yogurt is a good choice. If you need a little flavor, take a look at the label. You should get at least 12 grams of protein and less than six or seven grams of sugar per serving.

How can a nutritionist help me?

Nutritionists can help in a variety of ways, depending on what you need. If you need information, a nutritionist can explain calories, proteins, fats, and carbs. They can help you figure out what to eat. Nutritionists can also help you identify obstacles that may be preventing you from healthy eating. Sometimes you know what to eat, but you’re not eating it. Talking to a nutritionist can help you work through those issues and come up with solutions. In addition, working with a nutritionist can provide accountability.

Like when consulting with any health care professional, it’s important to know what your weight loss and/or weight maintenance goals are and to build a good rapport. Working with a nutritionist can help you live life while reaching these goals. You can celebrate the holidays or go on vacation without sabotaging your efforts or giving up the foods and flavors you love. A nutritionist can help.

Why is it so important to have the right mindset?

In my experience, having the right mindset is the number one indicator of successful weight loss and weight maintenance. People who make the connection between food and exercise choices and how they feel become strong and empowered—and have the most long-term success.

Weight loss, in particular, can feel really overwhelming. You think you need to lose 20 pounds in a month and can’t figure out how to do it. Breaking it down into smaller chunks is helpful. Instead of worrying about 30 dinners at once, look at the meal that’s right in front of you at that moment. Focus on making the best choice you can—then do that again and again. Consistency is important. Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good. Making good choices every day is more effective than one ‘perfect’ meal.

I often hear people say, “I did a liquid diet and it worked, but now I’ve put weight on.” That makes you ask the question: Did it really work? Having the mindset, understanding that getting and maintaining a healthy weight is a lifelong journey with ups and downs, is really important.

Picking the Right Foods Can Help You Lower Your “Bad” Cholesterol

Everyone knows high cholesterol is not good. High cholesterol often leads to atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup on the inner walls of your arteries, which can block the flow of blood and is a major contributing factor to heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease, a circulatory disorder.

High cholesterol usually refers to high LDL cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein. This is known as the “bad” cholesterol. By contrast, HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, is considered “good” cholesterol and can lower your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Our understanding of diet and what foods help to lower LDL cholesterol is continuously evolving and can sometimes be confusing.  For those seeking to lower their cholesterol, Theresa Halloran, FNP-BC, a Nurse Practitioner at Mount Sinai Heart, has some simple suggestions. These can help you make better, healthier choices, like switching out that chip and dip snack for veggies and hummus. And they still taste great.

Eggs

Egg yolks are high in cholesterol. Eggs are still a healthy source of protein, and it is more important to reduce foods high in saturated fat than foods containing cholesterol. One suggestion: If you have two scrambled eggs for breakfast, discard one yolk. Or use egg whites from a carton and add some fresh vegetables to make a healthy omelet. Egg whites contain no fat and no cholesterol. Substitute two egg whites for one egg in recipes.

Meat, poultry, and seafood

We suggest a maximum of two servings of meat, chicken, or seafood in your diet daily. Red meat, such as beef, lamb, or pork, contains saturated or unhealthy fat. Those seeking to reduce their cholesterol should consider limiting the amount of saturated fat in their diet by reducing or eliminating red meat. Another good option is choosing lean cuts and trim any fat before eating. White meat chicken contains less saturated fat than the dark meat and chicken skin is high in fat. The best option for eating chicken is skinless chicken breasts. Fish and seafood, such as crab, shrimp, clams, scallops, or lobster, are low in saturated fat. But note that six shrimp have the equivalent cholesterol of one egg yolk, and squid is even higher in cholesterol, so have them only occasionally.

Oils and fats

Healthy fats, such as mono-saturated or unsaturated fats, are found in cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, and herring. They are also found in some plants like avocados. Be sure to include some of these foods in your diet. Baking or broiling are low-fat cooking methods. When ordering in restaurants, choose foods cooked with these low-fat methods. If cooking at home, use healthy fats such as olive oil, and reduce or eliminate butter, which is high in saturated fat.

Milk, dairy desserts, and cheese

Use skim milk or one percent milk rather than whole milk. Sorbet, low-fat frozen yogurt, and ice cream made from skim milk are good substitutes for regular ice cream. Low-fat cheeses with no more than 2 to 3 grams of fat per ounce may be substituted for regular cheese.

Fiber

There are two main types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Most high-fiber foods contain both.

  • Soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol. When mixed in water, soluble fiber forms a gel. It binds with cholesterol in the intestines and prevents absorption or reabsorption of the cholesterol into the blood stream. The cholesterol then gets eliminated. Foods that are high in soluble fiber include oatmeal; hummus; legumes such as kidney beans, lima beans, and lentils; and Brussels sprouts.
  • Insoluble fiber is most important for the health of your intestines. It helps to remove toxins from your body and is found in cereals, leafy greens, whole wheat products, corn, seeds, and nuts.

Key takeaway: Read the label on the package. If it doesn’t specifically say soluble fiber, it probably isn’t.

What Should I Eat Before and After My Workout?

Woman has oatmeal after her workout

Whether you are just starting to work out or committed to a regular workout program, the right nutrition can help you feel better, recover quicker, and get more out of your workouts. Brittany DeLaurentis, RD, CDN, a Clinical Nutrition Coordinator at Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai Morningside, provides some valuable tips on what to eat before and after your workout.

Should I eat before a workout?

You definitely don’t want to go into your workout feeling hungry. However, you don’t want to have a large portion or eat the wrong things, otherwise you may feel fatigued or groggy during your workout. It also matters how soon you plan to work out after eating. For example, if you have a light meal or a snack—like a banana, an energy bar, or a smoothie—I’d recommend postponing your workout for one to three hours. If you have a larger meal, you want to wait a full three or four hours, just to make sure that the meal is well digested. In the morning, I’d stick to a small meal or a snack—just so you’re in that shorter window of one to three hours.

What foods would you recommend eating prior to a workout?

Make sure that you’re loading your body with carbohydrates. That said, the type of carbohydrates really matters. So choose complex carbohydrates—like a piece of whole grain toast or some whole grain cereal—over simple carbohydrates—like candy or packaged baked goods. It’s important that you choose complex carbohydrates, because simple carbohydrates can cause your body to crash and burn from the sugar high.

What about the trend of taking a scoop of dry protein before a workout?

Dry scooping is a very dangerous trend. Many protein powders have a large amount of caffeine. For comparison, a single scoop can have 200 mg caffeine as opposed to 65 mg in a small cup of coffee. Ingesting this plain without dilution can cause damage to the heart arteries, which can lead to a heart attack and organ failure. It also should be remembered that protein powders are not regulated by the FDA, so it is difficult to even know what they truly contain.

What foods would you avoid?

High fat foods like fried foods can make you feel bloated and groggy during your workout. And again, avoid simple carbohydrates so you don’t have that sugar high, and then a crash and sudden fatigue.

What drinks would you recommend during a workout?

Water is very important. You want to make sure that you’re going into a workout having had a minimum of two to three cups of water. And throughout the workout, you should also be hydrating. The general recommendation is about a half cup to a full cup every 15 to 20 minutes of working out. And, of course, the amount of hydration needed depends on the weather. If it’s a hot and humid day, you’ll need more.

Also, don’t forget to hydrate after your workout. Avoid sugar-filled beverages like soda or lemonade, and opt for plain water. The recommendation is to drink at least eight ounces of water afterwards. But, if you have completed a more intense workout, such as running, cycling, tennis, you might want to include a beverage that contains electrolytes, like Gatorade.

What foods are best to eat after a workout—and how soon after?

After a workout, you want complex carbohydrates to replenish the glycogen that your body just ran through as well as protein because working out actually breaks down your muscles. The ratio of your post-workout meal should be three to one, with carbohydrates being the majority, and you should eat within two hours of exercising, to replenish your glycogen stores and help your muscles recover.

Examples of post-workout meals could be yogurt and fruit, a peanut butter sandwich, turkey on whole grain bread, oatmeal with protein powder and fruit, or grilled chicken with vegetables. It depends on the time of day—but you want to make sure you’re combining carbohydrates and protein.

How should I change my eating habits, depending on whether I work out in the morning or in the evening?

In the morning, I would recommend sticking to a small meal or a snack. For most people’s schedules, it is probably better to only wait one to three hours before exercising. You also want to make sure that you are drinking water before working out. Also, studies show that drinking caffeine is beneficial before working out, so a cup of coffee is definitely appropriate if you like an early workout.

In the evening, I recommend having a post-workout meal, but make sure that you allow your body time to digest before going to bed. Give your body a good three to four hours before bedtime.

Should I change what I eat depending on whether I’m doing cardio or weightlifting exercises?

If you are doing endurance activities that involve aerobic exercises like running or swimming, your body burns through your glycogen stores more quickly. So you will need more carbohydrates when you are engaging in those types of workouts.

But whether you are doing cardio or weightlifting, you want to have carbohydrates before, and carbohydrates along with protein afterward.

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