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How Many Calories Will You Burn Doing Chores This Weekend?
One Man, 30 Sports, 30 Cities, 30 Days
Posted on Mar 28th 2011 1:00PM by Kyle StackFiled Under: Diet & Weight Loss, Gut Check
Sam Tickle, a 35-year-old former lieutenant commander in the Navy, may have survived military training -- but could he survive 30 physically demanding activities in 30 days in 30 different cities?
Tickle wouldn't know the activity for the day until he was on his way to the event. That necessitated him to follow a comprehensive diet plan, so that he could recover physically one day to the next. "When you're constantly moving, you need to rebuild and continue on to wake up the next morning," Tickle said.
Athletes' Performance Institute worked with EAS to develop a nutrition game plan for Tickle, who stands 6'2" and weighs 200 pounds. The activities he performed contributed to him expending an average of 4,000 calories per day. That anticipated expenditure helped shape the nutrition plan developed by Amanda Carlson-Phillips, vice president of Nutrition and Research for Athletes' Performance.
"He definitely needed more fuel than average, so we had about 55 percent of his diet coming from carbohydrates," Carlson-Phillips said.
Many of those carb choices were made with fiber in mind -- in soluble and insoluble form. Carlson-Phillips introduced an array of options so that Tickle consumed at least three grams of fiber in each item he ate, including 100 percent whole-wheat bread, high-fiber tortillas and Kashi hot cereal.
Tickle mixed protein-packed products, such as a banana-flavored Myoplex shake, into his daily oatmeal. More carbohydrate and healthy fat intake came from walnuts, pecans and almonds. The high omega-3 content in those nuts held anti-inflammatory benefits, which proved valuable to Tickle, now 35, and his ability to recuperate for each of the 30 days.
He maximized his recuperation powers by eating within a half hour of every activity he completed. Carlson-Phillips said people can still derive a benefit by extending that post-workout eating session to 45-60 minutes; however, she said she witnesses too many people missing it. "When they think about their training session, people should also think about their recovery," she said.
Tickle consumed a high amount of fish, as well as chicken, eggs, lean red meat and lean deli meats for his protein intake. Carlson-Phillips ensured Tickle ate one gram of protein for every pound he weighed to build and rebuild muscle tissue. Beef jerky also served as a convenient protein source for Tickle, whose travel during the Unstoppable Tour demonstrated how people can eat healthy even when on the road.
Carlson-Phillips recommended mixed nuts, beef jerky and energy bars as food that can be easily packed for people who are typically on the move. She noted business travelers often don't efficiently pack food the way they do clothes or electronics, wasting an opportunity to eat every couple hours to satisfy their cravings. "They pack in the calories later," Carlson-Phillips said.
Tickle consumed healthy food in a measured way, optimizing his physical energy each day. He conceded his nutrition plan was more specific than he had ever used. However, he said it's how he'll eat for the rest of his life. He said he hopes to influence others to do the same. "The goal is to inspire others to pursue some sort of activity, whatever it may be," he said.
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