We are back.

2012 marks the 5th year that Sunday Dragons was formed. What better way to celebrate than going for a race again?

SAVA Sprints 2012, 8th-9th September 2012.

Let's do this!

Eating and exercise: 5 tips to maximize your workouts

Knowing when and what to eat can make a difference in how you feel during your workouts. Here are five tips on eating and exercise to guide you.

Eating and exercise go hand in hand. When and what you eat can be important to how you feel when you exercise, whether it's a casual workout or a serious athletic competition.

Here are five tips for eating and exercise to help maximize your exercise and athletic performance. Just keep in mind that the duration and intensity of your activity will dictate how often and what you should eat and drink. Running a marathon demands more energy in the way of food than does walking two miles — but whatever your exercise, you'll benefit from paying attention to your meals and snacks.

1. Eat a healthy breakfast

If you exercise in the morning, get up early enough to eat breakfast — that may mean one to two hours before your workout. Most of the energy you got from dinner the previous night is used up by morning, and your blood sugar may be low. If you don't eat, you may feel sluggish or lightheaded when you exercise. If you plan to exercise within an hour after breakfast, eat a lighter breakfast or drink something to raise your blood sugar, such as a sports drink. Emphasize carbohydrates for maximum energy.

Good breakfast options include:

• · Whole-grain cereal
• Low-fat milk
• · Juice
• · Bananas

If you're not a fan of eating in the morning before you work out, try a sports drink or have a bigger bedtime snack the night before. And remember, if you normally have coffee in the mornings, a cup or two before your workout is probably OK. Just don't try any foods or drinks for the first time before a workout, or you risk an upset stomach.

2. Size matters

Be careful not to overdo it when it comes to how much you eat before exercise. The general guideline:

· Large meals. Eat these at least three to four hours before exercising.

· Small meals. Eat these two to three hours before exercising.

· Small snacks. Eat these an hour before exercising.

Eating too much before you exercise can leave you feeling sluggish, or worse, with a case of diarrhea or stomach cramps. Eating too little may not give you the energy to keep you feeling strong throughout your workout.

3. Snack well

Most people can eat small snacks right before and during exercise. The key is how you feel. Do what works best for you. Snacks eaten soon before exercise probably won't give you added energy, but they can help keep up your blood sugar and prevent distracting hunger pangs. Good snack options include:

• · Energy bars or drinks
• · Bananas or other fresh fruit
• · Yogurt
• · Fruit smoothies
• · Whole-grain bagel or crackers with peanut butter
• · Granola bars

A healthy snack is especially important if you plan a workout several hours after a meal.

4. Eat after you exercise

To help your muscles recover and to replace their glycogen stores, eat a meal that contains both protein and carbohydrates within two hours of your exercise session if possible. If you aren't hungry after your workout, drink juice or a sports drink to provide replenishing carbohydrates.

Good post-workout food choices include:

• · Yogurt and fruit
• · Peanut butter or meat sandwich
• · String cheese and crackers
• · Nuts and dried fruit
• · A regular meal with meat, starch, and cooked vegetable or salad

5. Drink up

Don't forget to drink fluids to help optimize your exercise and workouts. You need adequate fluids before, during and after exercise to help prevent dehydration.

To stay well hydrated for exercise, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you:

• · Drink roughly 2 to 3 cups (0.5 to 0.7 liters) of water during the two to three hours before your workout.
• · Drink about 1/2 to 1 cup (0.12 to 0.23 liters) of water every 15 to 20 minutes during your workout. You may need more the larger your body is or the warmer the weather is.
• · Drink roughly 2 to 3 cups (0.5 to 0.7 liters) of water after your workout for every pound (0.5 kilogram) of weight you lose during the workout.

Water is generally the best way to replace lost fluids. But if you're exercising for more than 60 minutes, use a sports drink. Sports drinks can help maintain your body's electrolyte balance and give you a bit more energy because they contain carbohydrates.

Let experience be your guide

When it comes to eating and exercise, everyone is different. So pay attention to how you feel during your workout and your overall performance. Let your experience guide you on which pre- and post-exercise eating habits work best for you. Consider keeping a journal to monitor how your body reacts to meals and snacks so that you can tweak your diet for optimal performance.

*Image from http://www.squidoo.com/thehealthyway

*Article from http://www.mayoclinic.com

Diet Rules You Should Break

Don’t eat late at night.
“It’s the total calories you consume over a 24-hour period – and more often, over a week – that causes you to gain weight. When you eat those calories doesn’t matter,” says New York University Medical Centre’s senior clinical nutritionist Samantha Heller.

Keep a schedule for meals.
While it can help to accord some consistency to meal times, forcing yourself to eat when you’re not hungry or forcing yourself to wait when you’re hungry makes it harder to stick to your diet. “Eat when you’re hungry, not when the clock says it’s time to eat,” says Elizabeth Somer, author of Food & Mood. And of course, stop eating when you feel satisfied.

Eat more fat so you can eat less.
It has been proven that while fat does take longer to digest, “it’s actually the least satiating of any food group – so no, it will not help you control your appetite,” Somer says. The foods likely to stave off hunger the longest are proteins followed by carbohydrates, then fats, she says.

Stick to your diet strictly.
It’s okay if you caved today – just get back on track tomorrow. “Every meal matters, so if you ate that big old piece of birthday cake at lunch, get right back on track with your next meal,” Heller says. “You don’t have to have a full day of healthy eating in order for it to count.” Just maintain some discipline.

*Article from menshealth.com.sg

If you liked the salad today....

Big thank you to Chin Mien for the fantastic and super nice salad! I'm sure all of us who had some will agree with me. =)

Here's the simple recipe:

MH Workout Meal: Tuna Salad

Fuel up and activate your recovery systems with this speedy salad.

(For 1 serving)

BABY POTATOES
How much? 80g
Why? Unlike large potatoes, which have a higher glycaemic index, baby or new potatoes are considered lower GI food. This means it causes gradual and smaller rise in blood sugar, which helps minimise hunger.

CUCUMBERS
How much? 60g
Why? Fresh cucumber is a very good source of vitamin C, which supports recovery and enhances the immune system. It is also useful as a digestive aid and has a cleansing effect on the bowels.

CANNED TUNA
How much? 80g, mashed
Why? Tuna supplies lean muscle-building protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which protect the heart and improve brain functions. Omega-3s also reduce muscular inflammation.

PARSLEY (didn't put cos didn't manage to find it in NTUC)
How much? 15g
Why? Potassium, which is found in parsley, is also known as the “muscle” mineral because it plays an important role in muscle contraction and nerve transmission. It also maintains the electrolyte and acid-base balance in your body.

PINE NUTS (replaced with almonds because NTUC don't have pine nuts)
How much? 30g
Why? Technically, they’re not nuts – they’re seeds. Pine nuts contain iron, a component of haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying and energy-shuttling red pigment of blood.

CHIVES
How much? 15g
Why? Chives contain sulphur, which aids the circulatory and respiratory systems, and can help to overcome fatigue.

THE DRESSING
1 tsp extra-virgin oil
1 tsp mayonaise
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp honey
Salt and pepper

THE METHOD
Mix ingredients well and drizzle over the salad when you’re ready to eat.

*Recipe from: http://www.menshealth.com.sg

Does drinking ice water burn calories?

For anyone trying to lose weight, this question is an exciting one! If you simply want to know if your body burns calories warming up the water, the answer is yes. But if you want to know if drinking a lot of ice water can help you lose weight, or keep weight off, this "yes" needs to be qualified with some calculations.

First of all, calories are case-sensitive. There are calories and then there are Calories. Calories with a big "c" are the ones used to describe the amount of energy contained in foods. A calorie with a little "c" is defined as the amount of energy it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius.

What most people think of as a Calorie is actually a kilo-calorie: It takes one Calorie to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water 1 degree Celsius. So when you drink a 140-Calorie can of cola, you are ingesting 140,000 calories. There is no cause for alarm, because the conversion applies across the board. When you burn 100 Calories jogging a mile, you are burning 100,000 calories.

So, considering that the definition of a calorie is based on raising the temperature of water, it is safe to say that your body burns calories when it has to raise the temperature of ice water to your body temperature. And unless your urine is coming out ice cold, your body must be raising the temperature of the water. So calories are being burned.

Let's figure out exactly what you're burning when you drink a 16-ounce (0.5 liter) glass of ice water:
- The temperature of ice water can be estimated at zero degrees Celsius.
- Body temperature can be estimated at 37 degrees Celsius.
- It takes 1 calorie to raise 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius.
- There are 473.18 grams in 16 fluid ounces of water.

So in the case of a 16-ounce glass of ice water, your body must raise the temperature of 473.18 grams of water from zero to 37 degrees C. In doing so, your body burns 17,508 calories. But that's calories with a little "c." Your body only burns 17.5 Calories, and in the grand scheme of a 2,000-Calorie diet, that 17.5 isn't very significant.

But let's say you adhere to the "eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day" nutritional recommendation. In 64 ounces of water, there are 1,892.72 grams. So to warm up all that water in the course of a day, your body burns 70,030 calories, or 70 Calories. And over time, that 70 Calories a day adds up. So, while you definitely shouldn't depend on ice water consumption to replace exercise or a healthy diet, drinking cold water instead of warm water does, in fact, burn some extra Calories!

*Article from: HowStuffWorks.com.

It’s spirit that matters, for flag, fans and glory

22 June 10 The Strait Times
by Rohit Brijnath

THE hottest team at the World Cup, if you factor in ranking and surprise, is also the coolest. New Zealand captain Ryan Nelsen, when famously asked about the possibility of a traditional dance before play, replied: ‘Skinny white guys doing the haka! Very intimidating.’

But the skinny white guys are special: They have ensured that ‘Kiwi footballer’ is not quite an oxymoron. Their talent may not glitter, their technical skills may not gleam, still they have a shine to them. It is a spirit that can’t be measured, but a spirit that can be seen.

It is these skinny white guys who England and France, head down in penitence, should go and see. Guys, they should ask, we might have footballing history, we are burdened with louder expectations, but can you remind our teams, swollen with swagger, about football’s spirit. Because we seem to have lost it.

Spirit in sport is like some ancient tonic, it lifts the team and glues them together. It defies easy definition, but we can feel it in a team’s driven body language, in the strength of their runs in the 89th minute when muscles mutiny, in the way they slap a teammate’s buttock in support after an error, in the way, especially, that teams hold together even in distress.

It is the zest of men who put team above individual, a group of athletes who disavow pettiness and politics, who do not fall apart like cheap machinery at the first signs of stress. Spirit is not about winning, it is about the giving of the self to a cause.

Take an example from outside football, from Game 4 of basketball’s NBA finals. It is the fourth quarter, the Boston Celtic’s primary players are benched. They don’t complain. They applaud their replacements.

Later, their coach, Doc Rivers says: ‘They were fine. They were cheering... they were begging me to keep guys in. ‘Don’t take them out! Don’t take them out!’ It was great. That’s the loudest I’ve seen our bench, and it was the starters cheering from the bench.’

The Celtics won the game.

Spirit is Germany at the World Cup, it is 10 men playing as if they were 15. Spirit is the USA surging back from 0-2 down against Slovenia.

Spirit is Lionel Messi, one moment pirouetting in his rival’s box, next moment tackling in his own box. His inspiration can lift his team, but his perspiration binds them. To see the world’s finest player sweat is to embarrass any teammate into action.

Messi is our standard, he carries no offensive air, no stench of arrogance. He is genius worn lightly, he comes to play not to politic, his spirit is worn like a halo.

Alone he makes the French team look like spoilt, has-been heroes whose failure is everyone’s fault but theirs. It is football without dignity from the great nation of Platini and Fontaine.

Spirit is definitely not walking out of practice at a World Cup as France did. Spirit is not abusing your coach, however ineffective he may be. Spirit is swallowing complaint and playing furiously, playing for each other, for fans, for a flag, for pride.

Sulking is what 11-year-olds do when given detention in school. Not footballers living in luxurious accommodation. Want to protest? Wear a black armband, sign a petition, just get over it.

Spirit isn’t mutiny, it isn’t a rebellion as is rumoured John Terry was attempting. An England team stung by calamity was a perfect opportunity for Terry to advertise a united side, not suggest a fragmented one. Immediately, instead of answers to a team’s woes being found, distracting questions arose about a former captain’s motivations. A man of the hour he has been, but now he wasn’t.

Spirit is taking criticism in your stride as Wayne Rooney might want to remember, after castigating booing fans. Yes, spectators can be fickle, and stadiums unfriendly, but booing is also a fundamental sporting right. Not everything can be worship.

Fans, waiting for four years for a Cup, ordinary people dipping deep into their passion and their wallets to travel far, can shrug off losing. It is a lack of spirited effort that affronts them.

It doesn’t matter either if England coach Fabio Capello is wrong, if he should be playing Joe Cole, if his policy of telling players too late whether they are playing sucks. Fact is, even the wrong 11, when representing a nation, have to have the right attitude and play at a 100 per cent, at full, committed tilt.

Spirit is also the coach’s job. Sport is essentially a democratic activity, but coaches are like benevolent dictators. Like a conductor with his orchestra, the coach decides the footballing music his team will attempt, he selects his performers. But no fine music is found without spirit, without the conductor setting the mood for a collective tilt at greatness.

The coach must challenge temperamental heroes, stroke egos and bruise them. In India, a cricket coach once grabbed a player by the throat; John Wooden, the late basketball coach, rarely used an expression harsher than ‘goodness gracious’. It takes all methods to discover harmony.

It is a complicated dance where feet are constantly stepped on and Raymond Domenech, the French coach, has lousy footwork. Spirit he has failed to build, dissension he has let fester. He is not attuned to his men like the Lakers’ Phil Jackson often seems to be, he is not adroit in managing men without indulging them as Alex Ferguson appears.

Spirit is also Capello’s challenge as muttering in, and about, his team rises in volume. Certainly he must listen to Terry, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, for they wear the boots, their instincts speak to them. But listening does not mean appeasing, being flexible does not mean including a player to satisfy sullen stars.

Eventually, a fine balance must be found and wisdom discovered in the words of the American general, George S. Patton: ‘Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory.’

But eventually Capello does not play. His men play. Well-paid men. Revered men. Armani-clad men.

Spirit must come from them, they cannot look for blame, or find excuse, but search for a courage within. It is how heroes are forged. The bulldog spirit, they must know, is an English phrase. It is an old one. Now they have little time to prove it still lives.

Spirit is going down to train in the relentless rain, rowing your best in the 3rd set of fartlek, and shouting encouragement to team mates even though you can hardly breathe. Sunday Dragons, I am proud to row with you. -- FJ

10 Ways to Boost Immune Health

As we train hard for the race, it is also important that we keep our immune system strong and healthy. The last thing we want is to train so hard and then fall sick during the race weekend. These tips may be useful for us, keeping us fit and healthy for the race!

1. Drink your lemons. Lemon is the ideal food for restoring acid-alkali balance. Drinking freshly squeezed lemon juice in water, or adding it to tea, salad dressings (in place of vinegar), baking or cooking, helps maintain the body's internal "climate" at a pH which supports healthy bacteria instead of the viruses and harmful bacteria which thrive in more acidic environments. Apple cider vinegar is another great way to improve your body's alkalinity, but the taste of lemons is much more pleasant!

2. Give your body an herbal boost. Hundreds of herbal supplements and tinctures exist to give the immune system additional support. Essential oils are an excellent source of immune-stimulating compounds, and the rawest and most natural form of any medicinal plant, but there are other supplements which can be effective. Fresh herbs and whole food remedies are always preferable over packaged herbs or supplements, since they have a much higher potency and frequency and your body absorbs more of their value.

3. Get a full night's sleep. Everybody's different: your body may need anywhere from 6 to 10 hours of sleep each night. Whatever your personal sleep requirement is, get it! Sleep has been linked to balanced hormone levels (including human growth hormone and the stress hormone, cortisol), keeping weight down, clear thinking and reasoning, improved mood, and vibrant, healthy skin.

4. Eat plenty of protein. Protein is a building block for a healthy body, mind, and immune system. Diets low in protein tend to be high in carbs which convert readily to glucose, spiking blood sugar and stressing the pancreas and the immune system.

5. Drink plenty of water. This is almost, but not quite, a given; most headaches occur because despite the number of reminders, people still aren't getting enough water! Headaches and thirst are both signs of dehydration. You should be drinking, in daily ounces, half your body weight in pounds. (i.e. Body weight in pounds, divided by 2 = number of ounces of water per day.)

6. Stop drinking coffee. Contrary to recent marketing as a source of antioxidants, chocolate and coffee are two of the worst things you can do for your immune system and your health. Caffeine robs your body of minerals and vitamins, and it dehydrates you. If you drink coffee, make sure you add an additional two glasses to your water intake per cup of coffee. A mineral supplement helps to offset caffeine's damage, too.

7. Worse yet is the impact of refined white sugar. If you do only one thing to boost your immune system, eliminating sugar will do the trick. You will see noticeable results in your energy levels, weight distribution, immunity and your ability to think clearly when you break the cravings and stop eating refined sugar. Many holistic nutritionists consider sugar a drug for its impact on the human body; some practitioners are known to prioritize eliminating sugar from the diet over recommending that people quit smoking. Healthier sugars such as agave and stevia do exist, but avoid artificial sweeteners; they are even worse than cane sugar.

8. Stock up on raw fruits and vegetables for their antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fibre and enzymes. The nutritional content that you receive from raw fruits and veggies is unparalleled. Many vitamins, including C, are antioxidants and will protect cells - including those of your immune system - from damage by toxins in the environment. Dark-coloured produce (berries, kale, broccoli) tends to be higher in flavonoids, polyphenols and other antioxidants. The perfect source of minerals is seaweed, which is sold dried, but can often be found raw (dried at low temperatures to maintain most of the enzymes and nutrients) in health food stores.

9. Exercise can make a noticeable difference to your health and happiness by releasing endorphins. Most of us spend 90% of our lives indoors, inhaling dubiously filtered air and other people's germs, so take every opportunity to get outside. Time spent outdoors in the cold also stimulates the thyroid gland.

Finally...

10. Nurture yourself. Make sure you take time to yourself, spend some time with friends, and indulge yourself in a massage, a hot bath, or an energy work session when you want one. Our bodies respond to our emotions - if you're feeling harassed and anxious, it can manifest in a sore throat or a cold. Create a space within yourself and your living environment for harmony, self-love and joy. Pay attention to warning signs of sore throat or exhaustion so you can keep them from getting worse. Take a "mental health day" every few months to make sure your emotional needs are met. When you're happy, you're far less likely to get sick.

*Article from: http://naturalmedicine.suite101.com

Coffee Can Save Your Life

Coffee has been revving people up since the 15th century and with thousands of studies on caffeine, scientists have solved pretty much every mystery besides Neslo (Nescafe plus Milo). Add the cream of that scientific knowledge to your cup to maximise its benefits for…

YOUR HEALTH
The University of Scranton in the US found coffee to be a significant source of antioxidants, protecting against cancer and heart disease. Harvard researchers also found drinking more than four cups daily protects against gallstones and liver cirrhosis. This is thanks to its soluble fibre, which also explains your midmorning toilet visits.

BUT
“Coffee doesn’t provide the same variety of antioxidants that fruit and veggies do, and they’re harder to absorb,” says the Scranton study author, Professor Joe Vinson. And there’s a bitter taste in the post-dinner cup: Drunk within an hour of a meal, coffee reduces absorption of iron and immune-boosting zinc, the University of Lyon found.

YOUR HEART
Easing fears of heartbreaking news for heavy drinkers, Harvard researchers tracked 128,000 people for 20 years and found drinking more than six cups of coffee a day didn’t increase heart disease risk. Even better news: In 2007, US scientists at Brooklyn College found men who drank four cups of coffee a day had a 53 per cent lower risk of dying of heart disease than those who never took a sip.

BUT
Caffeine constricts your arteries, raising your blood pressure. “However, if you don’t have hypertension to begin with, the temporary blood pressure increase isn’t a problem,” says cardiologist Dr Matthew Sorrentino. “Plus, the impact on blood pressure tends to be significantly lower in regular caffeine drinkers because their bodies become tolerant to its effects.”

YOUR BRAIN POWER
Beyond merely preventing you from nodding off during that 9am meeting, one to two cups of coffee before tasks can increase your short-term recall and alertness, according to a University of Arizona study. “Caffeine also has a mild mood-elevating effect,” says Dr William Lovallo, professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at the University of Oklahoma. “That’s because it releases dopamine, which stimulates the area of your brain responsible for pleasure.”
In the longer term, caffeine has been found to slash your risk of developing Alzheimer’s by as much as 60 per cent and Harvard researchers have also found that drinking four cups a day can halve your risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

BUT
Drink more than four cups per day and that caffeine hit merely relieves withdrawal symptoms rather than lifts your mental abilities above the caffeine-free competition, according to researchers at Bristol University. To ensure your java keeps you full of beans, limit yourself to just two cups a day and sink your mug 10 minutes before crunch time.

YOUR WAISTLINE
Caffeine’s an appetite suppressant, which also turns up the calorie-burning heat of your heart rate and metabolism. “Drinking six cups per day combined with exercise and a low-fat diet can boost fatburning by up to a fifth,” says Catherine Collins, chief dietitian at St George’s Hospital in the UK.

BUT
“Without diet and exercise changes, there’s currently no proof it has any significant effect on its own,” says Collins. That delicious Italian biscotti lurking on the saucer won’t help either.

YOUR MUSCLES
Caffeine pumps up your nervous system, increasing heart rate and breathing, which primes your body for peak performance. And it may also have a direct effect on your muscles. Experts reckon it triggers a release of extra calcium in your muscles, “and this means stronger muscle contractions,” says Dr Terry Graham, professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Guelph in Canada.

BUT
“Other chemical compounds in coffee appear to counter-act caffeine’s ability to impact your exercise session,” says Dr Graham. So to achieve these positive effects, you’re better off using caffeine pills or caffeinated energy drinks.

YOUR ACHING HEAD
Big night? Stick the kettle on. Caffeine increases production of stomach acid, helping your body absorb pain-relief drugs more quickly, according to research in the Archives of Neurology.

BUT
Go cold turkey and your grey matter won’t thank you. “Sudden caffeine withdrawal invariably causes headaches, so wean yourself off by cutting your intake by half every other day,” advises Dr Frankie Phillips of the British Dietetic Association. Or swap beans: Arabica beans have about 1 per cent caffeine, while Robusta pack double that. “Roasting reduces caffeine content, so a stronger taste can actually mean less caffeine,” according to the British Coffee Association’s Zoe Wheeldon.

YOUR SMILE
An espresso a day may keep the dentist away. The chemicals in coffee prevent tooth decay by stopping bacteria from attaching to your enamel, Milan University researchers found.

BUT
A scrape could still be needed. “It prevents bacteria from sticking to your enamel by sticking to the enamel itself, which can cause discolouring,” says Dr Amolak Singh of the General Dental Practitioners’ Association. Our tip: Brush with a toothpaste containing bicarbonate of soda to keep your whites pearly.

Article from: http://www.menshealth.com.sg

8 more trainings!

8 more trainings guys! Let's not forget our motivational quote:

"The will to win is the most over-estimated phenomenon in sport. It's not the will to win. Everyone wants to win. It's the will to prepare to win that makes winners."

Sunday Dragons @ Adidas Sundown Marathon 2010

On the night of 29th May 2010, a bunch of courageous Sunday Dragons braved the darkness and did us proud, running through the night at the Adidas Sundown Marathon 2010!

Our Number 1 female warrior Cynthiaa getting all ready for the challenge!

Other Sunday Dragons getting all ready to conquer 21km!

But this one seems to have the same problem as Derek....cannot tie shoelaces....

All set and ready! (Other Sunday Dragons who went and not caught on camera: Dylan, Johnny, Adrian, Matt, Wayne)

All looking good....still can smile and pose at the camera....later then they know how to die....

Spotted Wayne!

Surprise surprise! 2 more Sunday Dragons spotted as supporters after the halfway mark! (notice the team's email address below...so smart, can do marketing/recruitment some more....estimated number of runners who saw it: 1,000. haha!)

These 2 were obviously super motivated by it!

Spotted Matt too!

Proud 21km finishers! Nothing much lah....they have completed longer distances before...

Looking good after running for 3 hours!

This one.....forever full of energy!

Good job Sunday Dragons!

Diet for sports men

Diet is one of the important and basic biological needs of man. Diet is the foundation for good health. It is essential for life, growth and repair of human body, regulation of body mechanism and production of energy for work. The above functions of diet can be achieved only through adequate nutrition which should consist of essential nutrients in the required proportion. These nutrients include:

i) Proteins
ii) Carbohydrates
iii) Fats
iv) Minerals
v) Vitamins.

During sports training, the energy requirement of the players will be high as such the diet should be accordingly planned otherwise the players will not have the stamina to withstand the training and the player will show the signs of fatigue which may result in internal and external injuries to the players.

IMPORTANCE OF NUTRITION AND DIETICS FOR SPORTS MAN

Nutrition is important aspect for all, especially for sports men. They need balanced food to maintain their stamina. Good food habit provides them energy to perform their activities in a better way.

Sports man should organize his diet. He should take palatable, acceptable, good quality food to maintain his health.

RIGHT SPORTS DIET FOR RIGHT SPORTS MEN

The energy requirement of an athlete depends on the following factors. The right sports diet should have adequate provision for the following:

1. Quantity : Calories according to sports.
2. Quality : Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and fluids
3. Variety : Different types of food
4. Palatability : Proper cooking
5. Acceptability : To suit different customs, habits and tastes.

Approximate percentage of calories which may be derived from different components of nutrients.

Carbohydrates, Protein, Fat

1) Light sports 60% 15% 25%
2)Moderate sports 60% 14% 26%
3)Heavy sports 60% 13% 27%
4) Endurance sports 60% 12% 28%

IMPORTANT FACTORS FOR PLANNING A DIET SCHEDULE

The energy requirement of the players is dependent on body size and
composition, age, physical activity, climate and environment.

1.Age :- The energy requirement of adolescent and adults are greater
than that of children and old people. Most of the active
sportsmen belong to growing age group of adolescents and
adults.

2.Sex :- All other factors remaining constant. The energy
requirement of women is relatively less than that of men.

3. Body weight :- Energy requirement is directly proportional to the
body weight . It increases or decreases according to the type of
activity and muscles involved during exercise period.

4. Climate and Environment :- In hot and humid environment, energy
requirement is less. Higher the altitude , colder the climate and
greater will be the energy requirement. Athletes, who undertake
regular motivated physical exercises, develop the capacity to lose
heat efficiently.

5. Physical activities :- The energy requirement of an athlete depends
on the intensity, duration and types of his activities. Based on these, it
could be grouped under four categories.

Group I :- Light sports, Sedentary sports or skill Games
EX :- Chess and carom
Energy requirement :- The energy requirement of athletes doing these sports would be 50 calories/kg body weight/ day.

Group II :- Moderate sports. These sports involve skill, moderate strength and moderate endurance.
EX :- Badminton, Cricket, Table Tennis
Energy requirement :- 60 calories /kg body weight/day

Group III :- Heavy sports. They involve skill, maximum strength and high endurance.
EX :- Boxing, Football, Hockey, Squash.
Energy requirement :- 70 calories /kg body weight/day

Group IV :- Endurance sports. They involve skill, moderate strength and extreme endurance.
Ex :- Marathon, cross country running, channel Swimming and rowing.
Energy requirement :- 90 calories /kg body weight/day

It is recommended by the Nutrition Advisory Committee of I.C.M.R that the calorie in-take of an Indian should be as given in the following table.

Activity

Sedentary work

Men - 2400 calories, Women - 1900 calories
Moderate work

Men - 2800 calories, Women - 2200 calories
Heavy work/Players

Men - 3900 calories, Women - 3000 calories

The following foodstuff consumed per day provides 5000 kilo calories to an athlete

CEREALS - 600 gm
BUTTER - 15 gm
JAM - 15 gm
EGGS - 02 Nos.
PULSES - 60 gm
SUGAR/GLUCOSE - 150 gm
MILK - 500 gm
OIL - 200 gm
MUTTON - 200 gm
CHICKEN/FISH - 150 - 300 gm
GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES - 125 gm
FRESH VEGETABLES - 100 gm
ROOTS AND TUBERS - 150 gm
FRUITS - 150 gm
TEA/ COFFEE - 80/20 gm
SALT - 40 gm
CONDIMENTS - 15 gm

It is better to table a diet chart during the training period as well as the time of Match/ competitions for various sport activities in consultation with a proper dietician.

Proper diet not only helps to improve the performance of the players but also considerably reduces the internal and external injuries.

“HEALTH IS WEALTH ” This saying will suit even more to the sportsmen. The wealth of the sportsmen is their performance. So health plays major role for their stamina and for better performance. Sportsman needs good quality food, fitness and courage.


By: Dr J.RAJAKUMAR
From: http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/diet-for-sports-men-222322.html

How to choose your running shoes

Running is probably one of the easiest sports. The only 'equipment' you really need is a pair of running shoes. Having said that, you do not just need to have a pair of running shoes, you need a good pair that is appropriate for your foot type and running style.

Remember, the only thing that separates you from the ground when you are pounding on the road or sidewalks or trails, are your shoes. So do bear this in mind the next time you are tempted to choose color and/or fashion over the function of the shoes.

An appropriate pair of running shoes is essential to bring you through the distance and prevent you from sustaining unnecessary injuries. So how would you go about choosing an appropriate pair of running shoes for yourself?

For starters, you must know the 'dynamic movement' of your foot when it comes in contact with the ground. I've coined the phrase 'dynamic movement' because your foot is constantly in motion, adapting to the running surface you are running on. The part of the foot that comes in contact with the ground on impact and how your foot rolls after the initial contact would technically determine the kind of shoes you should buy. Of course, your running mileage and body weight would play a part in getting the right pair of shoes for you too.

How does your foot come in contact with the ground?

Heel Strikers
The back portion of your foot (your heel) comes in contact with the ground first and then the foot rolls onto the sole and pushes off from the ball of the foot for the next stride. Being a heel striker, you will introduce more shock to your knees and ankles as your leg will be fairly stiff on impact. Heel strikers tend not to make use of the natural shock absorbent properties of their arch and foot, which are the first areas of shock absorption during a run.

Recommended shoes:
Due to the reduced use of the natural shock absorbers of the arch and foot, it is recommended that running shoes with cushioned heel regions would help lessen the shock and impact on contact. Most cushioning shoes will provide the support.

Mid-foot Strikers
The mid section or the ball of your foot contacts the ground first during a run. The leg tends to flex on contact with the ground, introducing less stress on the knees minimizing pressure on the ankles.

Recommended shoes:
It is ideal to have running shoes with cushioning or padding in the mid section of the shoes. However, there are not many running shoes in the market with substantial mid-foot cushioning.

Forefoot / Toe Strikers
The front (closer to the toes) of the foot is the first to contact the ground. A forefoot striker will also have the leg flexed on contact to the ground causing less stress on the knees and ankle. The running form is much like that of a sprinter.

Recommended shoes:
Similar to mid-foot strikers, the shoes should have more cushioning or padding in the front section of the shoes to help with the shock absorption.

What is your foot type?

Neutral
Runners with neutral foot type have their foot roll inward evenly which is just enough to reduce the impact on contact. Cushioning shoes will be sufficient for runners with this foot type.

Pronators / Over-pronators
Pronators or over-pronators have their foot roll inwards too much such that the impact on contact to the ground is unevenly distributed and more impact is placed on the inside of the foot. Motion control shoes would be most ideal for runners whose foot pronates.

Supinators / Under-pronators
Supinators or under-pronators have their roll outwards more and hence, the impact is placed more on the outside of the foot. Cushioning shoes would be recommended.

Size of Shoes

Runners are well known to have 'ugly' and bruised toes, on occasion with missing toe nails. If you are one of those, your shoes size may not be right for you. There should always be a space between your longest toes to the front of your shoes – usually half a thumb space would suffice or a finger space between your heel and the back of your shoes when you have your toes touching the front of the shoe. The reason for this space is that your feet will slide forward slightly (even if your shoes fit) as it contacts the ground and it will also expand a little during your run.

By: Dr Tan Swee Kheng, PhD
From: http://redsports.sg

Team Dinner!

Almost a tradition for Sunday Dragons, we all look forward to a good meal together after every race.

Well, that explains why we always have unprecedented attendance during gatherings!

Erm...training attendance is never so good lor....haha....anyway, it was a delicious Indian buffet this time after the PA Paddle Championship 2010.

Just check out the pictures!

Nice grilled skewers....eat all you want....quite yummy!

Just looking at them makes people feel hungry....

Not forgetting the free flow naans and curries and other dishes at the buffet line! Everybody eat until very happy....

See all their satisfied looks....

These are the main reasons why Sunday Dragons is so well-known in the local dragonboating circuit....excluding zhenyi of course...haha...

As usual, they must be laughing at how stupid Alvin is.

Even rare guests turn up at the team gathering!

Another rare guest, the legendary flowery shorts Xiao Chun! We are sure he will be back in action with the team full time soon!

Really a big turnout considering the size of our team, 1 photo cannot even fit everyone!

At PA Paddle Championship 2010....

Although we didn't do well this race, we did find out some interesting stuff about our rowers......

At 1.15pm - Derek tying shoelaces....

At 2.00pm - Derek still tying shoelaces....

At 3.00pm - Derek is glad that he is almost done tying his shoelaces...
Conclusion: Derek has a huge problem with tying his shoelaces. And according to Robin, he basically has problems with tying things, like tying the knot! haha!

Err....we also have 3 Powerpuff girls wannabes who think that they are very highly skilled and very chio....

The most eerie thing of the day is, these 2 people are more than 20 years apart in age and we can't really tell who is the younger one....

Wah Lau.

Go Sunday Dragons!

This coming weekend marks the 10th race for Sunday Dragons!

We may not be the best team around but our spirits are definitely high! And not to forget, we are surely one of the most popular team around because the commentators talk about our name almost every race as we make our presence felt in the local dragonboating circuit.

Just ask around, who has not heard of us SUNDAY DRAGONS?

A quote to end off this post:

"The five S's of sports training are: stamina, speed, strength, skill, and spirit; but the greatest of these is spirit." - Ken Doherty

Keep our spirits high and let's aim for the best this weekend!

Sunday Dragons Sa!

Basketball Legend Michael Jordan's Quotes

There is an adage that you get to witness history in the making only once in a lifetime. Those who have watched Michael Jordan play would confirm this adage. One of the greatest basketball players of all time, Michael Jordan's scintillating performance on the basketball field remains etched in public memory. Get a dose of inspiration as you read these Michael Jordan quotes.


"Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation."

"I have missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot... and missed. And I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. "

"I realized that if I was going to achieve anything in life I had to be aggressive. I had to get out there and go for it... I know fear is an obstacle for some people, but it's an illusion to me. "

"If it turns out that my best wasn't good enough, at least I won't look back and say that I was afraid to try; failure makes me work even harder. "

"Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game. "

"Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. "

"You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them. "

Information from: http://quotations.about.com/od/stillmorefamouspeople/a/MichaelJordan1.htm

Quote of the Day

Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever. ~ Lance Armstrong

About Nutrition

It’s important for you to eat healthy and eat at the right times because 70% of what you do within dragonboating is about your diet. Today I’m going to explain in detail about the different types of nutrients within foods that you need to be aware of. These are the build blocks to eating right and having a fit body for dragonboating.

Macronutrients
Macronutrients are the food substances that fuel and repair our body. They are made up of carbohydrates, protein and fat. It is only when these macronutrients are in the correct ratios that a person can have a lean, heathy body, irrespective of their total calorie intake. The macronutrient profile, when combined with food timing, is an excellent way to burn both fat and strengthen your muscles for dragonboating.

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates (carbs) can be broken into two broad categories, simple and complex. Simple carbs include fructose (fruit sugar), lactose (diary sugar), sucrose (white sugar), maltose (malt sugar) and glucose (blood sugar).

Some experts argue that because fructose (fruit sugar) is ‘healthier’ than sucrose (white sugar) large amounts of fruit should be eaten regularly. Although fruit is definitely a healthy food loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, phytochemicals and fibre, eating a large percentage of your carbohydrates from fructose is not sufficient to help you build lean muscle and strength.

Lactose (dairy sugar) is a naturally occurring simple sugar you can eat in moderation if you tolerate it well; however a lot of people do NOT. Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest diary products. There are a lot of people who don’t have the enzyme to digest lactose and therefore get gas, bloating, water retention, abdominal cramps and diarrhea when they eat diary products. Dairy products should not be used as your primary source of protein or carbohydrates.
Dairy products contain simple carbohydrates and all simple carbohydrates should be minimised in your diet. Whereas complex carbohydrates include both starchy and fibrous carbs. It is the fibrous carbs (vegetables) you should include in your diet more frequently. Also starchy carbs are often slow release (low GI) and they contain too many grams of carbohydrates and these you should also minimise.

Protein
All animal proteins (fish, meat, poultry and eggs) are ‘complete’, which means they contain all the necessary amino acids. If you are a vegetarian, your diet would combine different plan products (rice and beans) to include all the essential amino acids.

Fat
Fats play a vital role in many processes including primary energy reserves, membrane constituents, hormones, fat-soluble vitamins, thermal insulators and biological regulators. For these reasons, fats are absolutely essential in your diet. Most vegetable fats are ‘good fats’, while most animal fats are ‘bad fats’. Trans fats are the main problem and must be avoided.
Many food companies use trans fats to make their food more appealing. Some examples of these foods include cakes, pastries and biscuits which give it a more solid consistency, and to prolong shelf life. Trans fats are also found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, and snack foods. Like saturated fat, trans fats are bad for the heart.

Try to avoid products that have partially hydrogenated oil listed on the ingredients list and also avoid foods that have high trans fat content e.g. deep fried fast foods and takeaways, cakes, pies and packaged biscuits.

Alcohol
Just like protein, carbs and fat, alcohol is a macronutrient. Whilst training for dragonboating try to minimise the amount of alcohol intake and keep in mind that there are 7 calories in a gram of alcohol. As it is a toxin it is the first fuel to be used during your recovery process and that way you are not getting the proper nutrients into your blood stream if you have alcohol too often.
As you may have realised by now, nutrition plays a huge role in dragonboating. Though, the above nutrition can be applied to any other sport. What is crucial is understanding how it works and then tracking what you are feeding your body.

*Article from www.dragonglobe.com

Will it kill you to exercise?

Experienced marathon runners, professional athletes and people who work out religiously are those we expect to be at the top rung of the fitness ladder. So when they suddenly die – like 42-year-old Deutsche Telekom Asia chief executive Lee Wee Sing did during the Osim Singapore International Triathlon – it is a matter of much concern and speculation. Heart diseases are often silent in young people, manifesting only during rigorous exercise, and leading to a cardiac arrest and sudden death. We explore some of the hidden conditions that could spell your final workout.

HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY (HCM)
This is a congenital problem where parts of the heart muscle get thicker, causing difficulty in the pumping of blood. According to a report in the Journal of American College of Cardiology, HCM represented a common cause of sudden death in young and previously undiagnosed male athletes. A person with HCM does not experience any symptoms; the first sign is unfortunately death.

Some people may experience shortness of breath, chest pain, fainting spells or dizziness, which must be taken very seriously and investigated thoroughly. Detailed history taken by a physician about early death in the family due to cardiac reasons may provide a clue to this problem.

CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE (CAD)
While exercise is said to prevent CAD, it could also trigger a heart attack in those who already have fat deposits in the arteries of the heart or the coronaries. Besides, a person who exercises could have other pre-existing risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol levels and the like, increasing the overall chances of CAD.

Congenital defects in the coronary arteries can also compromise the blood and oxygen supply to the heart during exercise resulting in anginal pain (chest discomfort), myocardial infarction (death of a part of the heart muscle) or an abnormality in heart rhythm, causing sudden death. Such conditions are more common in the younger population compared to atherosclerotic coronary disease (thickening of the artery wall due to fatty build-up). This can be diagnosed by examining those who experience cardiac complaints like chest pain or fainting spells with a treadmill stress test and coronary angiogram.

MITRAL VALVE PROLAPSE (MVP)
According to a report in the Singapore Medical Journal, MVP is one of the common heart valve problems affecting 5 to 15 per cent of the general population, where the valve separating the left atrium from the left ventricle is floppy. When the left ventricle contracts to pump blood out to the body, some of this blood regurgitates back into the atrium. Usually this is a harmless problem, but in some cases the heart’s electrical system gets hampered, giving rise to arrhythmias in the form of innocent missed beats or improper pumping by the ventricle, which can be fatal. Defibrillation pads used at this stage can put the heart back in its normal rhythm and save the victim’s life.

ARRHYTHMIAS
In most cardiac causes of sudden death during exercise, abnormal rhythm is the final cause of cardiac arrest. This could be due to HCM, CAD or MVP. However, the conduction pathways in the heart responsible for maintaining normal heartbeat can have congenital defects, leading to conduction abnormalities, which could end up fatal. These people experience palpitations and an electrocardiogram (ECG) may pick up some abnormalities. Death due to conduction disorders are tough to diagnose on post-mortem. If in a case of sudden death on exertion and there is no evidence of infarction, inflammation of the wall of the heart or of cardiomyopathy, then it could be assumed that the death was due to arrhythmia.

MYOCARDITIS
Inflammation of the heart can lead to rhythm problems that can cause sudden death. Athletes rarely let fever pose as an excuse for missing a run or a workout. In the rare chance that this fever is due to myocarditis, exercise can trigger a fatal arrhythmia. To be on the safe side, any exertion should be avoided during a fever or when you are recovering from illness.

EXERCISE-INDUCED HYPOGLYCAEMIA
In Type 1 diabetes patients who are on insulin, the increased insulin in the blood can cause lowered blood sugar during, immediately after, or six to 12 hours after exercise. Severe hypoglycaemia can be prevented by not exercising when insulin is peaking and by taking insulin in the subcutaneous fat layer. According to the guidelines of the American Diabetes Association, it is important to carry a fast-absorbed carbohydrate source and to monitor blood glucose regularly before and after exercise. Eat extra carbs before exercise if your blood glucose level is less than 100mg/dl. Any symptoms like fainting or chest pain on exertion, or palpitations with chest pain or breathlessness should be taken as a serious warning signal to see a physician and get a complete examination.

*Article from www.menshealth.com.sg