"RUNNING SAVED MY LIFE," SAYS ART SMITH, 51, who was Oprah Winfrey's chef for 10 years and owns restaurants in Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. Four years ago, Smith–a Southerner raised on biscuits and gravy–overindulged in all his favorite comfort foods. And it showed. At 325 pounds, he had type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. "I knew I had to do something," he says. With the help of coach Az Ferguson, author of The Game On! Diet, he started walking, then alternating walking and running. "Pretty soon I was running along the lakeshore in Chicago, listening to Lady Gaga on my earphones."

Smith also started to rethink his diet. He realized "the recipe for healthy eating isn't that complicated," says Smith. "The less processed, the better." As the pounds slipped off (he's lost 120 to date), his blood pressure returned to normal and his diabetes vanished. In 2010, he ran his first marathon in Chicago in 4:32. Three weeks later he ran the Marine Corps Marathon in D.C. and shaved 10 minutes off his time. "When I finished my second one even faster, I knew I could do anything," he says. Smith was so hooked on running that when he and his fiance, Jesus, got married, they didn't hire limousines to take their guests from the wedding to the reception. They handed out running shoes. "If you love your friends and family, you want to keep them healthy. That was the message we wanted to send."

Smith is preparing to run the Chicago Marathon this month for Common Threads–a cooking program he founded that teaches low-income kids about health and nutrition. And while Smith's diet is much healthier, he hasn't given up his favorite comfort foods. "When people think healthy, they think of a salad. But that's not the only choice. It's easy to remake burgers, fried chicken, and burritos into meals that don't go over the top on calories." Here's how Smith does it.

Start simple
"Recipes with just a few ingredients are the easiest to adapt," says Smith. With simple soups, it's easy to reduce ingredients you should eat less of–high-fat dairy and salt, for instance–and boost healthy ingredients like vegetables or whole grains.

To make corn chowder, reduce the cream and add cashew butter, which contains heart-healthy oils. Soak raw cashews overnight in cold water. Put in a blender (adding cold water to cover) and blend on high until smooth.

Use butter and oils sparingly
Swap butter, which is high in saturated fat, with vegetable oils–most of which contain unsaturated fats. But remember that while oils like olive and canola are healthy, they are still high-calorie, so go easy on them.

In pie crust, replace some butter with oil. Use 1/4 less oil than butter (for 1 cup butter, use 3/4 cup canola).

Use butter and oils sparingly
Many runners don't eat enough fruits and vegetables. Smith, who loves Swiss chard, collard greens, asparagus, and broccoli, tries to add veggies to every meal.

Add broccoli, corn, or spinach to classics like tuna casserole, or use as toppings for homemade pizzas.

teaspoons onion powder
The healthiest cuisines, from Asia to the Mediterranean, use meat sparingly. By eliminating or cutting back on the amount of meat in comfort-food favorites, you'll reduce the saturated fat in your diet.

Instead of sausage in pasta sauce, add cannellini beans. In meat loaf, swap half the beef with lentils.


Carb Kick

Art Smith's favorite grains for fueling his marathon training runs

Black Rice
Its color makes any dish look dramatic while reducing inflammation. "I cook it like white rice and add onion, garlic, celery, and olive oil," says Smith.

Quinoa
High in protein, quinoa tastes similar to wheat. Have it in place of your oatmeal topped with dried fruits and nuts.

Barley
It thickens soups without adding fat. "I use it instead of rice in risotto," says Smith. "It's the perfect meal after a tough training run."

Wheat Berries
"I love their chewy texture, and enjoy them as a prerun snack. But you can also add them to salads," says Smith. teaspoons hot sauce try Louisiana Hot Sauce

Baking keeps the fat content of this comfort dish in check. Serve ART SMITH'S Steel Cut Oatmeal Risotto (recipe below) as a side dish.

1 cup buttermilk
2-3 teaspoons hot sauce (try Louisiana Hot Sauce)
4 skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat panko bread crumbs
3 tablespoons Parmesan
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1-2 teaspoons black pepper
1-2 Steel-Cut Oatmeal Risotto
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking-oil spray

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a bowl, combine buttermilk and hot sauce. Submerge the chicken breasts in the buttermilk marinade. Allow to soak at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. While the chicken is marinating, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and the rest of the spices in a gallon-size plastic bag. Shake to blend. Using tongs, remove the chicken breasts from the marinade and place directly in the bag of bread crumbs and spices. Shake the bag well, until the chicken breasts are evenly coated in bread crumbs. Remove the chicken breasts from the bag and lay flat on a lightly oiled sheet pan. Allow to chill uncovered in the refrigerator 30 minutes. Lightly coat each chicken breast with cooking-oil spray. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Serves four.

Health - Injuries


Steel-Cut Oatmeal Risotto

"I love risotto," says Art Smith, "and making it with steel-cut oats makes it extra healthy and delicious.

1/2 Use butter and oils sparingly
1 Nutrition & Weight Loss
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency
1 cup sliced mushrooms
4 Peter Jaret is an award-winning health writer based in California
What to Eat Before Running
to 6 cups of vegetable or chicken broth, heated
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In a large pan add olive oil and oats. Cook oats for three to four minutes. Add the onion, garlic, asparagus, and mushrooms; stir briefly to combine. Stir in 1/4 cup of broth at a time until it is absorbed by the oats. Continue adding broth until the oats are creamy and al dente, 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with parsley. Serves four.

CALORIES PER SERVING: 217; CARBS: 38 G; FIBER: 6 G; PROTEIN: 9 G; FAT: 5 G


CALORIES PER SERVING: 217; CARBS: 38 G; FIBER: 6 G; PROTEIN: 9 G; FAT: 5 G runnersworld.com/chefs.

Lettermark
Peter Jaret
Peter Jaret is an award-winning health writer based in California.