Chad’s parents are convinced that Chad and I are getting sick more frequently this winter because we lost too much weight at once. Chad’s lost about thirty pounds and I lost about fifteen pounds over a period of three months last summer and fall. It’s true that we’ve both been sick quite a bit this season (but hasn’t everybody?) so I’ll share an article that Chad’s mom passed on to us from Runners’ World (October 2006), called “The Best Grocery List of All Time” It’s about nutrition for runners.
The article points out that most shoppers toss the same 10-15 items in their cart every single week. I know it’s true for my household and probably true for most folks. (Come to think of it, I once made an old roommate laugh hard by spontaneously generating her entire grocery list just by what I saw replenished in fridge and cupboard every week.) Then the article lists fifteen foods that should be in the runner’s shopping cart, and includes their rationale and recipes. Here’s the list:
1. Almonds
2. Eggs
3. Sweet Potatoes
4. Whole-grain Cereal with Protein
5. Oranges
6. Canned Black Beans
7. Mixed Salad Greens
8. Whole-grain Pasta
9. Chicken (“Runners need about 50 to 75 percent more protein than nonrunners to promote recovery after workouts.”)
10. Frozen Mixed Berries
11. Dark Chocolate (!!!)
12. Salmon
13. Whole-grain Bread
14. Low-Fat Yogurt
15. Frozen Stir-Fry Vegetables