CHECK YOURSELF
Take this quiz to test your diet and fitness IQ.
Q. Which of the following is not a
symptom of gluten consumption
that may negatively impact
your athletic performance?
Inflammation, delayed recovery,
mental fog, gastrointestinal
distress or headaches?
A. They are all possible symptoms
of exposure to gluten, and any or
all of them could seriously impact
your fitness. If you do face a setback
because of unintentional gluten
cross-contamination, don’t get
discouraged. The effect is temporary.
You’ll get back on track soon.
And remember, all athletes face
challenges and setbacks, whether for
illness, injury, whatever. The gluten-induced problems, too, shall pass,
and you’ll be back to feeling like a
champion again.
Q. Per gram, which gives your body
the most caloric energy — carbs,
protein or fat?
A. Fat. With 9 calories per gram,
compared to 4 calories per gram of
carbohydrate or protein, fat can be
an excellent fuel source. However,
it’s normally more difficult to recruit.
Carbs burn more readily. With the
right training, though, you can teach
your body to use fat more efficiently.
Q. True or false? Taking time off
from a fitness routine can actually
make you stronger.
A. True. Your body needs time to
recover. Too much training with too
little rest breaks down your body.
It’s about balance. Incorporate a
lighter exercise week into a more
intense training schedule every
month. Your body will thank you.
Q. Which one of the following is
the name for carbohydrate-based
energy storage in your body’s
muscles and liver? Glucose, glycine,
glycol or glycogen?
A. Glycogen. Glycol is an organic
compound in the alcohol family.
As ethylene glycol, it’s found in
antifreeze. As propylene glycol,
it’s found in food, cosmetic and
pharmaceutical applications. Glycine
is an amino acid. Glucose is a form
of sugar. And glycogen is how your
body stores energy in the muscles
and liver. Glycogen is broken down
into glucose, which is further broken
down to fuel athletic activity.
Q. Okay, so you decide you
want to carb-load with a big
bowl of spaghetti for dinner the
night before a big race or game.
Compared to an equally-sized
bowl of wheat pasta, does your
gluten-free bowl of pasta contain
more, fewer or the same number
of calories?
A. It depends. A 2-ounce serving
of wheat spaghetti contains about
190 calories. The same portion size
of whole-grain brown rice pasta
contains about 210 calories. Corn-and-rice pastas contain about 200
calories. And quinoa pastas contain
180 calories.
