My 30 Day #ProteinChallenge Results

May 1st was the final day of my 30 Day #ProteinChallenge but it certainly won't be the last time I focus on getting enough protein in my diet. I think it is safe to say the past 30 days changed the way I will eat for the rest of my life. The biggest "aha moments" for me were learning that I have been under-consuming protein, significantly, and particularly at breakfast and lunch.

As I shared in my last post, adding protein at breakfast and high protein snacks throughout the day helped keep me feeling full all day long. I felt like I was eating constantly but making better choices in all areas of my diet, not just protein, to ensure I am getting the nutrients my body needs to function properly.

The first five days of the challenge are simply keeping a journal of what you eat.

The key for me was keeping track of what I was eating. I used the MyFitnessPal app to log all my meals, snacks, drinks, etc. After doing this consistently for the first five days of the Challenge I found myself being mindful of the foods I was eating and the essential nutrients they provide per calorie.

The Protein Challenge provides several tools to help you track your food choices, including a food journal (pdf) and a protein cheat sheet (pdf) that lists the protein content of a wide variety of choices including meat/eggs, fish/seafood, nuts/seeds, grains, dairy, and beans. This list of "on the go" protein snacks helps me get more protein into my diet throughout the day. The site also has some great tips for dining out and getting more protein at every meal.

By the way, it's not too late to do the 30 Day Protein Challenge. The daily e-mails begin the day after you sign up, allowing you to start whenever you are ready!

Next up on BEEFMAN: Training for Ride the Rockies kicks into high gear!

Ride on!

Daren

Taking Control of my Nutrition with the 30 Day #ProteinChallenge

I captured this selfie on a recent tour of a large dairy farm in Colorado. I know it looks like I super-imposed myself into the photo but it's all real. Well, except for the (don't) "Eat Mor Chikin" sign. I added that :)

Have you heard of the 30 Day Protein Challenge? Like most other 30 day challenges the 30 Day Protein Challenge is designed to help you make a positive change in your health. But unlike the others there are no burpees, planks or crunches involved! Nor is this challenge restrictive like all the "detox" or "cleanse" diets (my body does a perfectly good job of cleansing itself, thank you!). In fact, the 30 Day Protein Challenge encourages you to eat MORE of the foods you love, like beef, eggs, and dairy products.

I started the 30 Day Protein Challenge on April 1 but you can start any time. It begins that day after you sign up! On Day 1 you will begin receiving daily e-mails with easy-to-follow instructions for taking the challenge. The first five days are simply keeping a journal of what you eat and how you feel. On Day 6 you get to start adding more protein into your diet. This is when the fun begins!

One of things I noticed when journaling (I am using MyFitnessPal) is that I was under-consuming protein at breakfast and lunch but getting enough at dinner (research shows spreading protein intake evenly throughout the day may be the most beneficial for overall health and wellness). So my focus in the second week was adding more protein and breakfast and lunch. 

For breakfast, I've added a lot more dairy products, specifically Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and chocolate milk after my morning workout (I love the new Fairlife Chocolate Milk with 50% more protein and 50% fewer calories). I also love to scramble a couple of eggs with some leftover steak for a high protein, low calorie start to the day.

I like to grill up an extra flat iron steak on the weekend so I have leftovers for breakfast during the week. Flat iron is an economical and easy-to-grill cut of beef that makes great leftover steak and eggs!

The biggest change I have noticed so far is that I feel less hungry at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and when I do, I reach for some beef jerky, nuts or other high protein snacks. As a result I feel less hungry when I get home from work and am less likely to grab a handful of Wheat Thins (I'm addicted) or other high carb snack before dinner.

But probably the best benefit of doing the challenge is becoming more aware of what I eat vs. what I need. I find myself saying, do I really need that donut, bagel, cookie or whatever goodie my colleagues leave laying temptingly around the office? Actually what I say is, "Do I really want that or another glass of wine with dinner?" :)

So join me in taking control of your nutrition. Sign up for the 30 Day Protein Challenge today!

Ride on!

Beefman

Are You Getting Enough (Protein, that is!)?

UPDATED 4/1/15 -- Join me in taking the 30 Day Protein Challenge during the month of April!

The 30 Day Protein Challenge is an exciting, easy-to-follow plan to add protein-rich foods to your daily life. It focuses on feeling satisfied and energized after meals, which could lead to less snacking and eating out of boredom. It also helps you understand how the foods you eat affect your mood.

Start the Protein Challenge today and you'll receive a quick email every day for 30 days - each containing a goal for the day plus great tips, advice and inspiration to help keep you dialed in for the entire challenge.

What are you waiting for?! Take control of your appetite and kick start the benefits you'll get from balancing your protein consumption.

I recently downloaded the MyFitnessPal app and started tracking my calorie consumption. As usual, I gained about 10 pounds this winter. The only problem is winter isn't over and I can't afford to gain 10 more! But mostly I wanted to start tracking my consumption of carbohydrates, fat and (especially) protein. After two weeks of recording everything that goes in my mouth I am embarrassed to admit that I, BEEFMAN, have been under consuming protein!

That's right, as much as I talk about the benefits of eat beef, I have not been eating enough beef, dairy, beans, nuts and other sources of protein. Part of the reason is because I underestimated the amount of protein my body needs every day. I had always heard that the recommended daily value (RDV) for protein was 50 grams, based on the average 2,000 calorie-a-day diet.

The first problem with that is I am not average. I am 6'4" tall, 225 lbs. (in winter) and physically active (I work out at least five times a week for 30 minutes, significantly more when I am training for an event like Ride the Rockies). When I punched this info into MyFitnessPal, with a goal to lose one pound per week, it came back with a daily calorie goal of 2,280! And that's to lose weight (the BEEFWIFE doesn't appreciate the fact that men do burn calories faster, especially big guys)!

The other problem is that is the RDV for protein is a minimum number. After doing a little research I learned about Accepted Macronutrient Distribution Ranges, or AMDRs. As it turns out the AMDR for protein is 10-35% of calories. According to this protein calculator my daily protein needs would be 77 grams at the low end (10%) and 269 grams at the high end (35%) when I set it to "moderately active." 

Recent research on protein has found that "Protein at around 25-30% of calories has been shown to boost metabolism by up to 80 to 100 calories per day, compared to lower protein diets." In addition, consuming higher amount of protein helps you feel full longer, reducing overall calorie consumption. So I decided to set my goal for protein at 20% of calories, or about 150-170 grams per day depending on physical activity level. That's a lot of beef! Of course, I also get protein from other sources like nuts, legumes and dairy products (love Greek yogurt and cottage cheese in the morning).

One of the reasons I am focusing on protein is that it is important to me to make sure I don't lose muscle mass as I age. Maintaining muscle mass gets harder as you age. There's actually a name for the condition: sarcopenia (like osteoporosis is to bone loss). As I age I want to maintain muscle mass so I can be physically active for a long time (I want to be one of those guys doing Ride the Rockies in my 70s!).

So the bottom line is I need to increase my protein intake and I'm trying to do it without turning to protein shakes, but it's hard. Seriously. It's hard to get enough protein while staying within calorie and fat goals, especially with plant-based sources of protein, which often come with more calories per gram of protein than beef.

With beef, especially lean cuts, I can get 8 grams of protein for just about 50 calories. Beef jerky makes a great high protein, low fat, low carb snack (I've been known to eat a whole bag for lunch!). I've also added Greek yogurt and TrueMoo Protein Plus protein fortified chocolate milk after workouts (real milk with 14 grams of protein per serving and the right amount of carbs for post workout recovery).

Have you used MyFitnessPal? Do you have a hard time getting the protein you need every day? Please share any tips you have (other than shakes and bars, I prefer real food!).

Ride on!

Daren

Forget Fad Diets; Be Well in 2015

I've sat down several times this past week to write a typical New Year's blog post. I tried to think of something inspirational but I wasn't feeling inspired. Then I saw several bloggers talking about their "Top 10 Posts of 2014" and thought that might work but couldn't figure out how to figure that out (Blogger only keeps track of the past day, week, month or "all time") so abandoned that idea. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day came and went and I wrote nothing. But I did have several thoughts along the way. So, without further ado, here are my rambling thoughts on New Year's Resolutions, health and wellness, popular topics this time of year.

Weight lose and exercise always top the list of New Year's Resolutions but rarely lead to lasting change. 

I've written several times about New Year's Resolutions. On January 1, 2011, I challenged you to Resolve to BEEFit and get at least 30 minutes of exercise and eat 3 oz. of beef per day. On the first day of 2013, I wrote about avoiding grandiose resolutions and instead setting concrete goals like registering and training for an event such as Ride the Rockies. This year, I encourage you to join me and sign up for the FREE 30-day Self-Care and Wellness Challenge from sport nutritionist Leslie Schilling, a daily e-mail for 30 days designed to challenge your thinking about health and wellness.

Leslie Schilling, MA, RDN, LDN,
Nutrition Expert, Mom, Wife, Cook,
& Creator of YourSupperSolution.com

In full disclosure I have no vested interest in this other than the fact that Leslie is my friend and I loved her "pitch" for the 30-day challenge: "Health and wellness isn't about a number, or feeling guilty, or demonizing food. We don’t get ourselves anywhere positive when we are made to feel guilty or don’t believe we can trust our bodies or food choices. So, if you’re ready for the next big diet, this isn't it. If you’re ready for a journey that increases your awareness, changes your perspective and moves your towards lasting change, THIS is for you!"

To give you an idea what this entails, here is the Day 1 Challenge:

Hi Daren. I'm so glad you're on this journey with me.

Wellness is so much more than a number. And, I believe true health and wellness starts with a change in perspective. We live in a society where it seems "normal" to be at war with who we are and the bodies we live in. It's time for a change. It starts within... 

We'll start by increasing our overall awareness in a variety of areas that impact our health & happiness. AND, we'll build on your observations all month long. It's a process. 

Here's your first challenge. 

Today, I want to you observe obstacles in your day-to-day life that get in the way of doing things that make you feel happy or healthy. They could be external obstacles (like work) and/or internal obstacles (like beliefs).  

Grab a journal, old notebook or a random sheet of paper. Label it Day 1 (that'll make it easier to come back to later). At the end of the day write down your observations. Don't judge. Just write it down.  

Put your observation glasses on and get on it. I'll catch you tomorrow.  

Leslie

Today is Day 2 of the challenge, so you haven't missed anything yet if you sign up today to join Leslie and me in this challenge!

Which brings me to my thoughts on Health and Wellness. Scrolling through my friends' Facebook posts in the past week I have noticed a lot of wishes for "good health" in the coming year. Many of my peers are either dealing with their own health issues or those of their aging parents (or even their children). We all want to live healthy, happy lives and it seems most are willing to try anything except exercise! Unfortunately far too many people tune in to shows like Dr. Oz and The Doctors for health recommendations, half of which have been found to be baseless or wrong!

My advice is to avoid fad diets and marketing buzzwords like natural, gluten-free, non-GMO, etc., enjoy the food you eat and get some exercise every day. When it comes to food choices, pay attention to calories and eat nutrient rich foods, like beef, that provide the most nutrients per calorie. Nutrient-rich foods provide the fuel your body needs to by physically active. One thing most health experts actually agree on that being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight is the best way to avoid chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.

Speaking of the Big C, I have a good friend who received a cancer diagnosis over the holidays. The news gave new meaning to those wishes for good health. Barb is in a fight for her life, one she is facing with courage, humor and the support of many family and friends. One immediate silver lining is that Barb has decided to share her experience in a blog and, as it turns out, she is every bit as irreverent in writing as she is in person.

Barb runs the Boston Marathon in 2010.

My introduction to Barb was in 2008 when she was training for her first marathon (actually, it was her first organized race!). Her friend wanted to outfit her with a Team BEEF jersey and contacted me. Debbie told me the story of how Barb was running a marathon after losing 130 lbs. on a personal journey to improve her health. A year later, in her second marathon, she qualified for Boston and in April 2010 she ran the Boston marathon. Who does that?!

Barb does. As I have grown to know Barb over the past 6 years her story makes more sense. She is a tough and determined business woman with a big heart and quick wit that will keep you on your toes! As she heads to Dallas this week to begin treatment I have to chuckle thinking about the doctors, nurses and other patients at MD Anderson who have no idea what is about to hit them! I know Barb will fight this battle with her unique combination of strength, faith and humor and will touch many lives in the process.

If you like to laugh, cry and think I encourage you to follow Barb's blog. As Jimmy Valvano said in his famous ESPY speech while facing his own cancer prognosis: "If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special."

And that, my friends, is my resolution for 2015: To laugh, cry and think and live every day to its fullest. Be well.

Ride on!

Daren

If it's not BEEF, it's not a "Burger"!

Today is #NationalCheeseburgerDay! I have no idea who designated it as such but I saw it on Twitter so it must be true :) And I've seen lots of blog posts on the topic (my favorite of which is 18 Ways to Celebrate National Cheeseburger Day). I love the concept of National Cheeseburger Day but some of the posts also brought out one of my pet peeves -- claims that "other" burgers are "healthier" than beef burgers.



Even though I had a cheeseburger for lunch AND dinner yesterday, I had to have another after learning that today is National Cheeseburger Day!

One particular post from Runner's World caught my eye because of the title, "Grill up a better burger tonight." My first thought was, "What could possibly be better than a good ol' American Cheeseburger?" So I clicked on the link.

The Runner's World article suggests that bison would be a leaner choice. That is simply not true. I covered this topic in detail in a post three years ago, "Is Bison Leaner then Beef? Whatever, Turkey!" which explores claims that so-called bison and turkey "burgers" are leaner than beef burgers.

The Runner's World article does correctly point out that veggie patties are high in fiber but typically have half the protein with more calories than a beef burger. Unfortunately, I often see articles suggesting veggie burgers would be a healthier choice. I wrote about the healthfulness of veggie patties versus beef burgers in  "Exposing the Big Fat (Beef) Lie."

But that brings me to another pet peeve and the actual point of this post. If it's not BEEF, it's not a BURGER! History and entomology support this fact. There are many claims about the origin of the hamburger, but all of them include BEEF. Most experts agree that Otto Krause, a Hamburger (person from Hamburg, Germany), was the first person to serve ground up pieces of beef served between two slices of bread. Clearly, the modern name "hamburger" validates this theory!

So, in honor of Otto Krause, the inventor of the Hamburger, I hereby offer this BEEFMAN PROCLAMATION on National Cheeseburger Day:

WHEREAS the original hamburger was a ground beef patty served between two slices of bread, not a ham patty, turkey patty, bison patty, veggie patty, or any other patty, and

WHEREAS the entomology of the word "burger" is a shortened form of the word hamburger (which refers to a ground beef patty served between two slices of bread),

BE IT RESOLVED that if it's not BEEF, it's not a burger!

Ride on,

Daren

What Time Does the Superbowl Start and Did Punxsutawney Phil See His Shadow?

When I woke up this morning my Twitter and Facebook news feeds were blowing up with people talking about #SuperBowl 48 or #GroundhogDay. But my first thought this morning was that today kicks off the Annual Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show (#Beefmeet)! Yep, while everyone else is contemplating how many more weeks of winter #PunxsutawneyPhil predicts and #WhosGonnaWin the big game, today begins a pilgrimage of more than 7,000 farmers and ranchers from around the country to the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

My friend Dan McCarty (@McCartyCattle) tweeted this pic of newborn calves on his Colorado ranch as he headed out to Nashville for #Beefmeet

"So what's the big deal," you ask? This is the meeting where the entire beef community gets together to talk about better ways to produce great-tasting beef that is safe, nutritious and sustainable for the future. This is where animal health experts, veterinarians, and nutritionists share the latest information on how to provide the best care for cattle, even in the midst of a winter storm.


One 3 oz. serving of lean beef provides more than 10% of 10 essential nutrients and vitamins for less than 10% of your daily calories.

We also have a pretty amazing lineup of speakers and once-in-a-lifetime entertainment events for the cattlemen and women who make the journey. Captain Richard Phillips will be there, along with Archie Manning, father of Peyton and Eli Manning. Interestingly enough, last year we had Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, the real "Blindside" parents of Michael Oher, who played (and won) in the Super Bowl that week with the Baltimore Ravens. Wonder if that bodes well for Peyton and the Broncos? (See, there is a Super Bowl connection here!)

For many, this is their vacation. It's tough to leave the farm or ranch when you care for animals. When I go on vacation I take my black lab, Casey, to Camp Bow Wow. There is no Camp COW Wow! Caring for farm animals is a huge obligation that requires 24/7/365 commitment. But that's what they love doing, which is one reason I love working for farmers and ranchers.

The main reason I look forward to this week every year is that I get to reunite with so many of my beef community friends from around the country, enjoy some great beef, shoot the bull in the bar :)


By the way, Phil saw his shadow and the game starts at 6:30 p.m. eastern. Speaking of the game, these beef and blue cheese stuffed mushrooms will impress your friends at the party!

Ride on!

Daren

May is National BEEF BIKE RUNNER Month!

I love May. It's my birth month. May is alsoNational Beef Month, National Bike Month and National Runners Month! So what's not to love?!

Back in 2010 (the year Dick's Sporting Goods designated May as Beef Runners Month), I launched the National Beef Runners Month Challenge to "eat beef and get some exercise every day in the month of May." Only this year I am focused on cycling. So, I an renewing the challenge but changing the name to the National Beef Bike Month Challenge!

Frankly, I don't care if you run, ride, walk or Zumba. The goal is to move for 30 minutes (elevating your heart rate beyond normal activity) and eat at least 3 oz. of lean beef to fuel your physical activity, every day for 31 days. It's a simple, doable, tasty challenge!

My personal goal is to ride an average of 25 miles per day during National Beef Bike Month. That's approximately 90 minutes of exercise each day, so I get to eat a lot more beef :)



This was taken THIS MORNING, May 1, 2013!

My goal is part of a much bigger goal to ride 2000 mile between January 1 and June 8, in training for Ride the Rockies 2013. And I'm behind schedule. An unusually snowy spring in Colorado has made it difficult to log road miles. But I've spent a lot of time on my Cyclops Fluid2 indoor bike trainer, so I'm  not too far behind. 175 miles per week, 775 miles in 31 days. It's a stretch goal, but it's doable.

So what is your goal? Wherever you are in your persoanl fitness journey, I encourage you to challenge yourself this month. If you are doing nothing, start small. Walk for 30 minutes. If you already exercise every day, try something new. And every day after you reach your goal, reward yourself with lean beef, the nutritional powerhouse.

Ride on!

Daren

Exposing the Big Fat (Beef) Lie

This past weekend we hosted my daughter's high school soccer team for dinner. Yes, we actually invited seventeen teenage girls to our house for dinner (well, I didn't, but that's a moot point). My wife and daughter (the inviter) informed me that I would be grilling burgers, a role I was more than willing to accept since it would get me out of the house!


One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn't belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song? 

It did cross my mind that out of seventeen teenage girls there may be a vegetarian in the group (about 5% of the U.S. population consider themselves vegetarian), but we didn't plan anything special. As it turned out, one of my daughter's teammates brought their own veggie "burger" (if it ain't beef, it's not a burger!) for me to grill. For the record, I don't have a problem with that. I'd rather throw a veggie patty on my grill than foul it with fowl!

All American Flame Grilled veggie burgers (complete with fake grills marks).  Just what I want for my Memorial Day barbecue. Not!

As I carried a big plate of beef burgers to the grill my wife handed me the box of Boca "All American Flame Grilled veggie burgers." OK, I'll admit I had to laugh at that. But what really caught my eye were three big numbers: 15g protein, 55% less fat, 120 calories. So 15 grams of protein and 120 calories per serving? Not bad (a 3 oz. serving of lean beef provides 25 grams of protein for about 150 calories). But 55% less fat than what? A ground beef hamburger? Wait a doggone minute.

A 3 oz. ground beef burger provides 25g protein for only about 150 calories.

I don't have any issue with someone choosing to follow a vegetarian diet. But I do have a problem with marketing efforts that spread the misconception that beef is fat. As I first pointed out two years ago on this blog, ground beef (and other ground meat products) comes in many different lean/fat combinations. My grovery store carries 80/20, 85/15, 90/10 or even 93/7. So 55% less fat than what type of ground beef? The label didn't say.

My preference for hamburgers is 85/15 gound beef. I think it gives you the perfect combo of consistency, juiciness and flavor. In fact, the ground beef my wife bought for the party was 85/15. Upon further inspection the veggie patties were 93% lean, 7% fat (93/7). At 7% fat the veggie patties would have 55% less fat than 85/15 ground beef (55% of 15% is ~8%).

So the veggie patty really did have about 55% less fat than the beef burgers I was serving before cooking. This is key, Because when you grill burgers a lot of the fat drips into the fire. I didn't see any fat dripping from the veggie patty. My beef burgers shrank up during the cooking process as the fat cooked out. The veggie patty never changed size. So my guess is the fat content of the cooked products were about the same.

I saw a similarly confusing label on a package of ground chicken burgers at my grocery store. The front of the package says they are 90% lean, 10% fat. OK, fine.

But then there's this flag on the package that says "50% Less Fat" in big letters then "Than USDA data for 80% Lean/20% Fat Ground Beef." Congratulations. You can do simple math. Yes, 10% fat is 50% less than 20% fat! But again, if you are concerned about fat content you can buy 93/7 ground beef, which meets the USDA definition of lean (less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat per serving).

I do think choosing lean cuts of meat is important. I typically grill lean beef cuts like tenderloin, strip steak or T-bone (a terndeloin on one side of the bone and strip on the other). There are more than 29 lean cuts of beef that have less fat than a chicken thigh. Here's a a simple guide to Choosing and Cooking Lean Meats including beef, pork and poultry.

I suppose beef should be proud that chicken and veggies feel the need to market their "burgers" by comparing them to the original, one and only, hamburger. But please stop calling beef fat. As the old ad says, It's not only mean, it's untrue!

Ride on!

Daren

If it ain't BEEF, It's not a Burger!

Burger King entered the Turkey "Burger" Wars this week adding a turkey sandwich to their "spring menu." According to news reports, BK is the first of the "big three fast-food chains" to start selling turkey burgers following "fast food health trends and customers’ demand for healthier options." Available for a limited time, the BK version of the turkey burger has only "530 calories and 26 grams of fat." Healthier? Seriously?

With all due respect to the Burger King, if it ain't BEEF, it's not a burger!

This is just wrong on so many levels. First, if it ain't BEEF, it's not a burger. The origin of the term burger dates back to the 1880s in Hamburg, Germany, where the locals ground up beef steak and formed it into patties they called a "Hamburg Steak." German immigrants then brought Hamburg Steak to the U.S. where enterprising Americans placed it between two pieces of bread to form the first hamburger. The exact origin of the hamburger is a subject of much debate, but there is no question that the first "burgers" were beef. 

Second, the perception that ground turkey is "healthier" than beef is a common "missed steak." We think of a turkey breast as lean (and it is). But ground turkey isn't ground turkey breast (think chicken nuggets) and it isn't necessarily leaner than ground beef. I wrote about this two years ago when Carl's Jr./Hardee's first introduced their turkey burger.

The fact is that the ground turkey (and bison) at my grocery store contained at least 15% fat while there were many ground beef choices that were less than 10% fat (90/10, 96/4, etc.). Since all ground meat is a mixture of fat and lean, the only way to determine the leanness is to READ THE LABEL!

The label on this package of ground turkey at my grocery store clearly 85/15, meaning 85% lean, 15% fat

But nutritional value is a lot more complicated than fat content. One 3 oz. serving of 90/10 cooked ground beef (85 grams) is a good (more than 10% DV) or excellent (more than 20% DV) source of 10 essential nutrients and vitamins for about 180 calories. Meanwhile, one 4 oz. serving of raw ground turkey (82 grams) is a good or excellent source of only 6 essential nutrients and vitamins for more than 190 calories. And a turkey burger is higher in cholesterol and sodium than a hamburger. So ground beef is higher in nutrients and lower in calories and cholesterol than ground turkey. So which is healthier? You decide!

This is why I choose beef for my pre- and post-race meals. My body needs the nutrients beef provides to prepare for and repair from intense physical activity . I don't really have anything against turkey. I just want more bang for my calorie buck. Beef provides fuel for the finish.

Ride on!

Daren

The Beefman's Top Five Beef Buying Tips

I think most of my readers know I eat a lot of lean beef to fuel my physical activity. At age 48 I also need plenty of protein to help avoid age-related muscle loss. Beef is a good/excellent source of 10 essential nutrients and vitamins like zinc to boost immunity, iron to build healthy red blood cells and B vitamins for energy. But let's face it; eating steak every day can get expensive! So, here are my top five tips for enjoying quality steaks for a reasonable price:

5) Share a Steak. My wife and I often share a steak and a salad for dinner. You don't need to eat a 10 oz. steak to get the nutrients you need. One 3 oz. serving of lean beef provides half the protein you need every day for only about 150 calories. If eating out, ask your server to split the salad for you and you'll usually get darn near two full portions. But ask them NOT to split the steak. I've actually seen restaurants butterfly a filet to split it. This is a big missed steak (just like becoming a vegetarian)! A filet should always be served medium rare. Butterflying will lead to overcooking which results in loss of flavor and tenderness.

4) Grill Once, Dine Twice. At least once a week I pick up a flat iron steak, grill it for dinner and have leftovers for breakfast steak and eggs, a steak salad for lunch, or fajitas for dinner the following day. Flat iron is an affordable but also very tender steak (second only to the tenderloin)!

Two flat iron steaks and grilled corn on the cob will feed a family of four with plenty of leftovers!

3) Slice and Save. My colleague Chef Dave (yes, we have a chef on staff where I work!) taught me how to slice a full tenderloin into four meals: a tenderloin roast, petit filet steaks, kabobs and stir fry. I also like to turn a ribeye roast into several meals: a prime rib roast, beef ribs and leftover roast beef au jus sandwiches (yum!). Chef Dave also has tips for cutting a ribeye into steaks and roasts.

2) Follow the Feature. Grocery stores always feature at least one beef cut on sale at all times, especially during "grilling season" (Memorial Day to Labor Day). Featuring beef brings customers in the door so sale prices are usually at or below cost! Watch the newspaper or just look for the signs in the meat case to find the best buys on steaks (or ground beef).

And, my number one beef shopping tip...

1) Mine the "Manager's Special" Section. My first stop in the meat case is the manager's special bin where they put steaks that are nearing their "sell by" date and mark them down for quick sale. These "aged" steaks are perfectly good but often have brown spots that turn off most customers. My friend Jenny describes this in great detail on her Chico Locker & Sausage blog. But the bottom line is that brown color does not mean the steak is spoiled. Spoilage is best determined by an off odor or if meat is sticky, tacky or slimy to the touch. If it doesn't pass the sniff test I'll move on to the featured steaks (see number 2).

Hope these hints are helpful. For great beef recipes, visit Beef. It's What's for Dinner.

Ride on!

Daren

Why Do Old Guys Get Fat in Winter?

The elusive "Old Guys Who Get Fat in Winter"
Racing Team jersey

Several years ago on Ride the Rockies I saw a guy wearing an "Old Guys Who Get Fat in Winter" racing team jersey (but I've never been able to find one for sale!). Having battled the bulge in my 20s and lost it in my 30s, I could relate to the annual weight gain cycle that plagues many men (and women, I gather from this Fabulous 40 & Beyond post) as we age. Now approaching the big 5-0 it seems to get harder and harder to lose the lose the weight come springtime so I am trying harder to avoid the gain. But I am finding that gets tougher, too.

So why do old guys get fat in winter? Some theories suggest that humans, like most mammals, instinctively store fat in winter to stay warm. I am somewhat skeptical of this hibernation theory -- essentially that our metabolism slows down to conserve energy during a period of cold weather when food supplies are scarce. We live in a climate-controlled world with abundant supplies of food a short ride away (hopefully with heated car seats)!

I put more stock in the "Holiday 10" hypothesis. Beginning with Halloween candy and extending through Thanksgiving over-eating, Christmas cookies, and New Year's over-indulgence my holidays are punctuated with family events focused on eating, drinking and being merry. I cannot even begin to calculate the number of calories I consumed this past week but it had to be at least 1,000 per day in beer alone!

But I am not going to deprive myself of holiday cheer in order to maintain my goal weight. As I have for the past 18 years I will simply increase calories burned to account for increased calories consumed. It's not really a very complicated concept. As I have often said, I swim, bike and run so I can drink beer (and enjoy other high calorie indulgences). And I eat beef to fuel my body with protein and nine other essential nutrients in a low calorie package (not to mention it tastes great and leaves me feeling full longer than other foods). 


One 3 oz. serving of beef provides more than 10 percent of 10 essential nutrients and vitamins for less than 10 percent of your daily calories

So here's my New Year's Resolution: Ride faster, run harder, swim more, eat more BEEF (and fruits and veggies) and save the calories for the good stuff (like my mom's pie!).

Diet and health can seem complicated. Keep it simple with beef.

Ride on,

Daren

P.S. Fire up a beef tenderloin for your New Year's celebration. One of the leanest and most tendcer cuts, tenderloin (aka filet) is an elegant and healthy way to ring in the new year and start 2013 off on the right foot! Try this recipe from Beef. It's What's for Dinner for a party pleaser!



I grilled up three 7-8 lb. whole tenderloins for Christmas dinner. The total price tag of $250 seems steep until you factor in that we fed 26 people for less than $10 per serving (and had at least half a roast leftover). Considering the crowd-pleasing flavor and low-calorie consequences (about 150 calories per serving), you can't go wrong with a tenderloin for your New Year's Eve party!

Let's Talk Turkey (and BEEF, of course!)

With Thanksgiving fast approaching (why is it so early this year?) many people's thoughts turn to turkey. According to the National Turkey Federation, nearly 88 percent of Americans eat turkey at Thanksgiving and approximately 736 million pounds of turkey were consumed in the United States during Thanksgiving in 2011. Frankly, Thanksgiving is one of the few days out of the year that even I will consume fowl :)

But more and more every year, most runners' thoughts about Thanksgiving include beginning the day with a 5K, commonly known as a "turkey trot." I found 458 activities matching "turkey trot" on Active.com, including these 10 Turkey Trots to be Thankful For. And why not? It's a great way to start a day when the average American will consume more than 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day alone, according to the Caloric Control Council. That's twice the number of calories (2,000) recommended daily for most Americans!


I'll be trimming up a beef rib roast for Christmas!

Speaking of calories, did you know there are more calories in 6 ounces of white and dark meat turkey (340) than the same amount of BEEF prime rib (330)? I've blogged before about how turkey (and bison) are not leaner than beef but even I found this calorie comparison surprising! Check out this Thanksgiving Calorie Calculator to total your Thanksgiving feast calories and see how far you must walk in steps, miles and kilometers to walk it off.


I'll be running in my Team BEEF jersey
on Turkey Day 2012!

Running a Turkey Day race has been a holiday tradition for me since my first Turkey Rock Trot shortly after moving to Castle Rock, Colorado, in 2006. This year I will be running it with my brother, Jon, and other family members visiting for Thanksgiving. My goal is to break 24 minutes for the first time and set a new PR around 23:30 (according to Athlinks my official 5K record is 24:09). This would be about the same pace (7:35/mile) that I ran the Beefin' It Up; Fuel for the Finish 10K in North Dakota earlier this year (at a much lower altitude!).

I have been running fairly consistently since that race, averaging around 8 minute miles on training runs in mostly flat, lower altitude places like Lubbock, Texas (on the campus of Texas Tech University), Kansas City (through Westport) and Manhattan, Kansas (through Aggieville and the campus of Kansas State University).

To get back in race form I plan to follow a similar pattern to my Two-Week 10K Training Program, working in at least one speed workout per week on the local high school track. But right now I'm heading out for an LSD trail run with my black lab, Casey. Goal for today is just to enjoy the bright Colorado sunshine and burn some calories!

Ride on...

Daren

Why I Eat Beef: Perspectives from a Meat Eater on Meatout Day

On the occasion of Meatout 2012, I thought I'd share my perspectives on why I eat meat, every day, mostly BEEF, as part of a healthful diet. Yes, that's right, I said I eat beef every day as part of a healthful diet. I will explain further in a moment. But first, in case you aren't familiar with Meatout, here is an explanation from their website (because I refuse to link to it):

"On (or around) March 20, thousands of caring people in all 50 U.S. states and two dozen other countries encourage their friends, families, and communities to 'kick the meat habit'  and explore a wholesome, compassionate diet of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains."

I find it interesting that the focus of this statement is on a "wholesome diet" when the organization behind Meatout is not a group of dietitians, doctors or health experts of any kind. Meatout is orchestrated by the Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM), a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit organization "working to end the use of animals for food."

I think this is important to note because most anti-meat campaigns like Meatout and Meatless Monday have their roots in animal rights activism. So, for the record, I believe it is OK to raise animals to produce food. I also believe every animal raised for food should be treated properly throughout their life and the people I work for in the beef community believe the same.

Now, back to why I eat meat...



Beef provides 10 percent of 10 essential nutrients
for less than 10 percent of your daily calories.

I eat meat every day, mostly beef, because I know beef is a nutrient powerhouse that helps me “protein up” to provide the fuel to finish my everyday workouts, Ironman 70.3 triathlons and multi-day events like Ride the Rockies. In a study  on the effects of protein consumption on the muscle hypertropy during exercise, individuals who ate protein within an hour of exercise achieved more lean body mass than those who just ate protein in the morning and evening. Individuals also lost more fat when eating protein closer to the time of exercise. (Cribb, PJ and Hayes, A., Med Sci Sports Exerc, 38(11):1918-25, 2006.)

I eat beef because it provides the fuel my body needs to be physically active. Beef is a good or excellent source of 10 essential nutrients like zinc, iron, protein and B vitamins. Just remember the 10/10/10 rule. Beef provides more than 10 percent of 10 essential nutrients for less than 10 percent of your daily calories.

A Peanut Butter Power Bar provides less
than half the protein and more than twice
the calories than a 3 oz. serving of lean beef.

I even eat beef for weight maintenance during the winter months (at age 47 I find it harder and harder to avoid winter weight gain), I know that lean beef is a great source of high-quality protein in a low calorie, nutrient-rich package. On average, a 3-ounce serving of lean beef provides 154 calories and nearly 50 percent of the Daily Value for protein (25 grams). That's a lot less than peanut butter, black beans or other plant based protein sources, especially protein bars (a PowerBar Peanut Butter packs 240 calories for only 9 grams of protein!).

Finally, I eat beef because I know the latest research shows that eating lean beef as part of a heart healthy diet, every day, helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.

And that, my friends, is why I eat BEEF every day (even on Mondays)!

Ride on!

Daren

Great News for BEEF Lovers! BOLD New Study Shows Beef Plays Role in Cholesterol-Lowering Diets

My buddy Adam paired up these two
beautiful ribeyes to form a beef "heart."
(Disclaimer: Ribeye is NOT one of
the 29 Lean Cuts of Beef. It is,
however, one of my favorites!)

BEHOLD, beef lovers, I bring you BOLD news of great joy! A new study published in the January 2012 edition of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that eating between 4.0 and 5.4 oz. of lean beef daily as part of a cholesterol-lowering diet can help lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol by 10 percent! According to the study, "beef can play a role in a cholesterol-lowering diet, despite commonly held beliefs."



Finally, some research that backs up what many of us have already known through personal experience. It's not the beef that leads to heart disease, its what you eat with it and what you do with it. Common sense and experience tells me that heart health is a total lifestyle issue.

When I was 30 years old, weighed 270, got no exercise and followed a high fat and high carb diet (including 3 Pepsis a day), my doctor told me I had high triglyceride and LDL levels, two early signs of heart disease.

The new MyPlate recommends at least
6 oz. of lean protein every day, more if
you are moderately physically active.

Today, at age 47, I get plenty of exercise, eat beef every day, and am trying to include more fruits, veggies and whole grains in my diet. Essentially, I try to follow the MyPlate recommendations including at least 6 oz. of lean protein every day (for men 31-50 years olf, click here to see the sex/age recommendations chart). That's a minimum number. If you are physically active more than 30 mins/day beyond regular activity you may need more.

Of course, my protein choice is beef because I believe beef offers more essential nutrients my body needs to be physically active for fewer calories than other proteins, including vegetable proteins. And now we have evidence that including lean beef in a cholesterol-lowering diet can improve heart health even better than heart heatlhy diets that emphasize plant proteins.

Specifically, the BOLD study (Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet) found that diets including lean beef every day are as effective in lowering total and LDL “bad” cholesterol as DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) and other heart-healthy diets, many of which emphasize plant proteins.

“This research sheds new light on evidence supporting lean beef’s role in a heart-healthy diet. Study participants ate lean beef every day and still met targets for saturated fat intake,” says Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD, distinguished professor of nutrition at PSU and the study’s principal investigator. “This study shows that nutrient-rich lean beef can be included as part of a heart-healthy diet that improves risk factors for cardiovascular disease.”

I love it when science validates common sense and real life experience!

Merry Christmas,

Daren

Is Bison Leaner Than Beef? Whatever, Turkey!

Updated March 19, 2013

Home on the Front Range: I stopped by to say hi to a bison herd on my ride along the Front Range of the Rockies this morning.

In the comments section of a recent Wall Street Journal article, Beef Industry Carves a Course, I read an interesting comment. "I think that if the beef industry was real smart, they would start to promote the leaner meats like buffalo," said Louis. "With buffalo meat you can literally have a good steak and not worry about clogging up your arteries."

To put it bluntly, that's a bunch of bull!

Speaking of bull, check out this huge bull bison!

I have several problems with Louis' comment. First, we don't raise buffalo in the U.S. We raise bison. Second, I'm not sure how it would be smart for the beef industry to promote bison. That's like saying Ford should promote Chevy. Third, and most important, you can enjoy many great lean beef steaks without worrying about clogging your arteries!

Having said that, I have nothing against bison. I occasionally enjoy a bison burger or steak. But is it true that bison meat is leaner? The answer, like most blanket statements about food, is "it depends." In the case of meat, it depends on the cut. Different cuts of beef and bison have different levels of fat content. A ribeye, for example, has more fat than a tenderloin. This is true for both beef and bison.

There are 29 cuts of beef that meet government guidelines for lean, including some of America's most popular steaks like tenderloin (filet mignon), strip loin (KC or NY strip) and the T-Bone (a filet on one side and a strip on the other). That means they fall between a skinless chicken breast and a skinless chicken thigh in fat content (not all chicken is lean, especially when you have to add fat to make it taste good!)

When it comes to ground meat, you have to check the label. The fat content depends on the blend. I checked the labels on some ground bison and ground beef this afternoon at my local grocery store. The only ground bison available was Great Range Ground Bison. This product is 90% lean and contains 11g of total fat (17% daily value) and 4g of saturated fat (20% daily value).

The "natural" ground beef in the same case was 91% lean and contains 10g total fat (15%) and also had 4g saturated fat (20%). In other words, the ground beef and ground bison was almost identical in fat to lean ratio.

I was watching the Food Network one day and the chef was making meatloaf. Her big tip was to substitute half the ground beef with ground turkey because it was leaner. In the next breath she said when buying ground beef always choose 80/20 because the fat adds flavor. Seriously?! So I also checked out the turkey aisle. Well, as Gomer Pyle would say, "Surprise, surprise, surprise." Most of the ground turkey in the meat case was 85/15 (85% lean).

And now Miss Turkey is promoting charbroiled turkey burgers for Carl'sJr./Hardees. Supposedly intended to attract customers looking for healthier choices, the Carl's Jr. Original Turkey Burger features red onion, tomato, dill pickles, ketchup and mayo and has 490 calories and 23 grams of total fat. But wait, the Carl's Jr. Big Hamburger (similar serving size) also has 490 calories but 5 grams less fat! Whatever, turkey! While I must admit I like the commercial with Miss Turkey, that's a bunch of bull!

 

So the next time you are buying meat, don't buy into the marketing bull. Read the label and make an intelligent choice. Why not choose LEAN ground beef and get all that great beef flavor with the same or less fat than ground bison or turkey?

Ride on!

Daren