Eat to be Heathly, Don't be Healthy to Eat.

Greetings Fitters,
  On my way back from IHRSA conference, and a three hour flight is a perfect time to reflect and share thoughts. Especially when someone in the seat in front of you is sharing their philosophy on why they neglect their fitness.
He begins talking to the person next to him with some light conversation, the jist of which is in reference to the size of the seats. He then asks his flyer friend, "how much do you think I weigh?", the question often asked as a defensive tactic by overweight individuals who think others might think negatively of them, and thus need to make it apparent that they are aware, perhaps even proud of the fact .(to clear up any confusion, I personally do not think negatively of you, as I think most people don't, although I'm available to help should you prioritize your health more highly). The answer, 285 pounds, and measures in around 6'0.

He then explains the reason why he is overweight. He hurt his back in high school football (he is now I'm assuming in his late 40's early 50's), then he had to have discs removed from his back, removing his ability to control his foot. Because of this, he has become grossly overweight.

The kicker of the entire conversation, and the reason for this post, was his following comment. "I eat healthy, like salads and stuff, but because I can't get the aerobic exercise..."

It is the misconceptions like this that both horrify me and give me hope that I can help the world. To be clear, there is no physical way, in any realm of possibility, to be a 285 pound human being with a "heathly stuff diet."

There are two very vital lessons to glean from this:

1) You can lie to the rest of the world, but you can't like to your body.

2) ANYONE can be healthy, without even an iota of exercise, through proper diet.

No matter what you tell your trainer, your wife, the guy next to you on the plane, you can't lie about calories. What you put into your body is going to have a profound effect on how you look, feel, act, perform, and more. Don't know what "healthy stuff" really is? That's fine! There are people to ask and places to find out (check out this blog post on the magical recipe for health). But lying is not going to tip the scales in your favor.

Nutrition is the base by which our health balances. Even without exercise (which is never the case, there are always options), eating a healthy diet can keep you away from the doctor for a very long time. You can eat your way out of a poor exercise program, but you can NEVER exercise your way out of a bad diet.

80% of your health is nutrition, so make sure you prioritize. No lies, and no excuses. Need help, ask me, I'm all ears.

Stay Fit.

Having and Eating Your "Cake"

Greetings Fitters,
 And Happy Christmas Eve, and whichever holiday you celebrate in your home. As the holiday comes upon us, I as a fitness professional reflect on the nutritional choices that all of my clients will be facing in the next few days. The stresses and the worries they will face as they drive to their family events, anticipating the decisions they will have to make, or fearing the guilt they will undoubtedly feel after they indulge.

I feel for them, and for everyone who goes through these holiday woes. But it is unnecessary, as long as we know how to approach the festivities.

For the holidays, and for every time of the year that isn't a holiday, it is important to remember: we are all human. And like most humans, we have all partaken in some less than healthy foods. It is borderline impossible to eat the healthiest of foods all of the time. And the energy and worry that we place into it is utterly exhausting. So what can we do to avoid those types of foods?

Built in Cheat Days: Allowing yourself a meal throughout the week to indulge is great for a lot of different reasons. One, it allows you to enjoy the foods you....enjoy. Secondly, it gives you a release from the pressure of eating healthy all day every day. It also gives you something to plan and look forward to each week. That being said, don't take advantage of the cheat day. Build one big meal in one day a week, and stick with it. Even plan out the very specifics of the meal. "I'm going to go have the pasta dish at (insert favorite restaurant) with a glass of wine." The rest of the week, keep it healthy (see The Magical Formula for Weight Loss). A great place to start? Well...tomorrow is Christmas. Keep it your cheat day, and then start planning out once a week for a meal out, homemade pizza, etc.

Even an athletic superstar like the Rock has cheat meals...he ate this all for one meal!

Don't Have the Cake Around: Want to make sure you don't eat your "cake" is to not have your "cake" to begin with! I have a strong weakness for ice cream. When my family visits, it always seem to show up, and it always gets left in my freezer when they leave. I have absolutely no willpower to avoid it. So I make it a point to never buy it for myself. If you know you won't be able stop yourself, don't put yourself in the position to make bad choices. After the holidays are over, send the leftovers home with your family members. That will keep you from packing in the calories day after day following the festivities.

Use these tips throughout the holidays (and every day after) along with the tips I gave in This Post to help you lose/avoid the pounds over until the new year.

Stay Fit.

On the 1st Day of Christmas? It's One Day Long!

Hello Hello Fitters!
   We started our Weight Loss Through the Holidays this evening, and with that came some holiday strategy. I spoke individually with each of our participants to give them personalized tips and tricks on how to make it through the holidays without the horrendously recurrent weight gain we see during this season.

Actually, you each have ONE day....greedy month-mongers.

   With these nutrition strategies at the forefront of my mind, one concept that kept recirculating in my mind is this idea that people have developed over the years of holidays no longer being a DAY of thanks or celebration, but a conglomeration of parties and overindulgence, with the middle of November looked at as "Pre-Thanksgiving" and the end of November as "Pre-Christmas" and the middle of December as "Christmas Eve Week" and the end of December as "New Year Gear Up Week". We need to remind ourselves, Thanksgiving Day is just that, a day! If we choose to celebrate it, that is perfect, but celebrate it in one DAY.


   And as you celebrate this days, remember that the celebration does not need to center around food. Food is brought to these to give our mouths something to do between the awkward silence of avoiding our Uncle Donny (or filling Uncle Donny's mouth so he has less ability to say offensive things). Are we celebrating the food we feast on? Not usually, in fact we splurge on so much of it, we tend not to savor what we consume anyways. We are there to celebrate family, friends, the idea that we are not alone in the world, but that there are those around that we are lucky enough to call family, and that will share in our endeavors, our stories, our lives together.

   And I know your thought. "Well that's fine and dandy, but there's still food there. And it is still unhealthy, and it's still tempting as hell." So here is a list of things to do to be satisfied without being overly satiated.

1) Remember what you are celebrating, and focus on that. Family, friends, stories, well-wishing, laughter, love, memories, planning for the future.

2) Bring your own food, and make it healthy. Don't even tell them what's in it. Let them eat it. It will taste good, and they can have more. Or they will hate it, and you can have all of it. You don't have to justify your healthy eating habits, food preparation skills, etc.

3) Don't be projected upon by guilt-ridden people who made bad decisions. That's the harsh way of putting it. Basically, people know when they've made poor food choices. But instead of accepting it and moving on, they want you to partake so they don't feel so bad about their decisions. So they say things like "You aren't going to have any more?" or "What, are you on a diet?" It's your family, so respond appropriately. Anything from "I'm stuffed, thanks anyways" to "Shut your mouth when you're talking to me!" will work (I would perhaps avoid saying the latter to your grandmother :) ).

4) Eat before you go. What's stopping you from making good decisions at your own home before you leave for the party? You aren't saving that much money by going to get "free food" there, since you are probably making a dish anyways. You will know before you even get there if they will have healthy choices (you know your family better than anyone). So fill up on lean meats and salads before you go.

5) Don't hover near the food. Find a place across the room, house,  or state, and plant yourself there. When you hover, you graze, when you graze, you stuff, when you stuff, you regret.

6) Drink water. "Com'on Lucas, shut up about water!" Sorry can't do it. The body can sometimes mistake thirst for hunger. Drink a glass of water, and give yourself 5 minutes for your body to figure out if it is still actually hungry.

7) Get a taste of desert, but not a serving. Yes, there are going to be deserts. Yes, they are going to be delicious. Yes, you can have some! But you don't necessarily need a whole serving. Get a spoonful of three different deserts. This will give you a taste of a bunch of different ones, and will be a heck of a lot less calories than a whole slice of one type of pie. Savor the taste, enjoy the flavors, and then move on with your life!

8) Set the fork down. Between each bite, set your utensil down, and speak to someone, watch the kids play, watch a play of the game on T.V, etc. Then pick it back up after a moment. Your stomach takes about 10-15 minutes to recognize that it is full. Give it some time to figure it out, don't rush through the meal trying to beat the stuffed feeling.

So get out there, celebrate life and the DAY given to the celebration, and never regret the past. Move forward, and make good, healthy decisions. And remember that your next bite can lead you to regret, or it can help you

Stay Fit.

H2O the Places You'll Go

Welcome back Fitters!
 How goes it? Did you get something in for you today? Remember, you have to take time to make time. Don't let life get in the way of living.

Tonight we are going to talk about something that we can't live without. We can survive several days without food (although it is not recommended), but will perish within days with the most important nutrient our bodies crave...water. It is so readily accessible in our society, that we sometimes forget the immense importance it has in our lives. We take advantage because it is as simple as turning a knob, opening a cooler door and swiping a piece of plastic money, pressing a button and leaning over to sip it from a fountain. But think about it...how many things in this world would you DIE if you didn't have within days? I'm not talking about "Oh my gosh, I would like, totally die if I didn't have my cell on me all the time"....I'm talking dead...within days. Whoa.

I know that's a little dramatic, but even something as simple as the first stages of dehydration can have a massive effect on our bodies. Below is a list of what water does for our system, as well as a list of what happens to our bodies as dehydration sets in. I have also added a video of some tips I use to keep hydrated.

H2O Bodily Functions

 - Regulates Body Temperature: Our bodies don't handle extreme temperature changes well. In fact, changes as little as 6 degrees can cause cell and brain damage. Water helps us keep homeostasis, or a consistent temperature.

 - Lubricates Joints: Our joints take a lot of wear and tear, much like the engine of a car. Without proper lubrication, our joints heat up and wear down much faster than normal.

 - Remove Waste: Our bodies create a lot of waste and toxins. Water helps continuously flush these wastes out so we stay healthy.

 - Proper Muscle Function - Water helps keep muscles properly functioning, by being a transport for electrolytes necessary for muscular contraction. The result of low water content in the body? Cramps, and big ones.

Results of Dehydration

With mild dehyration, the following symptoms may occur: Headaches, dizziness, dry skin, mild cramps during intense exercises, thirst.

Studies have shown that a decrease in a loss of water equal to 2.5% body weight can decrease high intensity performance by up to 45% (your workouts are only about half as good as what you are capable of) (Sports Nutrition, 2nd ed. by Asker Jeukendrup, Michael Gleeson).

These are numbers that are very readily seen in the daily life of an American individual. It does not take a large decrease in water to begin seeing the symptoms of mild dehydration. In fact, if you are the slightest bit thirsty, you are already in the first stages of dehydration.

So how do you stay hydrated? The video below will give you some tips. Stay hydrated, stay moving, and

Stay Fit.

Don't Change Up the Whole Food Roster, Sub Out Your Weak Ingredients

Hello Fitters!
 Welcome back for some more nutrition and fitness fun! Today, I'm going to talk a little bit about making your food work better for you. When I first start talking with people about their health, one of their most daunting fears is that of changing their food habits. When asked, people will rate their willingness to change their food habits at a 40-50%, claiming that they "don't want to give up the foods they love," My response here is two fold:

1) You have to prioritize your health and fitness; I"M NOT SAYING YOU MUST MAKE IT FIRST. That would be my personal choice, but if that isn't your choice, that is great! But you have to decide where it stands, and realize that choices have consequences. If you want to continue to enjoy your sweets, no one is going to stop you. But if your goal is to lose 50 pounds, you have two options, lower the amount of sweets you eat, or change your fitness goal. You have to choose what is more important to you. One thought process that you need to change quickly is the "I CAN'T eat that, I'm on a diet." Of course you can eat it! More than likely, you have before. Instead, change your mentality to "I could eat that, but I choose not to." And that is the truth, you chose not to eat it, because you have chosen to prioritize your fitness goals first.

2) Change the way you are eating; There are several ways to do this. You can eat the same amount, but spread more throughout the day. You can control your portions to eat a smaller amount. But (in my opinion) the best option by far is to change the quality of food you are eating. Depending on the individual, I will choose one (or more) of these options to get them on the path to healthier food options.

One of my most preferred methods is to change out ingredients of food types for more healthier options. It is very simple, extremely affordable, and can be a much easier mental transition for those who struggle with food. Below are some options for switching out some "weak players" on your food roster.

Lettuce as a wrap is one great way to reduce unhealthy carbs.

Spices - Use any type of dry spice in place of a liquid condiment (such as barbeque sauce, soy sauce, ranch, dressings, etc.). Liquid condiments are loaded with fats, salts, and other calories (and it doesn't take much dressing to add up a whole lot of calories).  Dry spices are usually crushed up vegetables, so of course those are on my good list! (See The Magical Formula for Weight Loss)

Lemon/Lime Juice - A great substitute for liquid condiments or dressings, this and some black pepper can definitely spice up your salads or chicken.

Avocado - Because of the higher level of healthy fats it contains, avocado has a smooth texture, much like other ingredientss with fat. This makes it great for substituting mayo, cheeses, etc. (As long as you don't mind the dish turning green!) - I.e. egg salad, made with advocado instead of mayo.

Fiber - Although not similar in taste, anything high in fiber (like vegetables and fruits) will keep you filling more full, longer.

Perimeter Shopping - Start by shopping on the outside of the store, and fill your carts with the fresh versions of all of your foods. If it can sit in the fridge or on a shelf for weeks, it probably won't be good for your insides.

Whole Wheat - whole wheat pizza crusts, wraps, breads, etc. are a much better alternative to any grain options (if getting rid of them is just too hard), and whole wheat is an option in almost every restaurant or store.The lower glycemic index wrecks much less havoc on your insulin levels.

Quinoa - I don't label many foods "Superfoods" (because the idea is silly, just eat good, wholesome food, and it is going to be "super"), but if I had to give one food the name, it would be Quinoa (pronouced keen-wa). A high level of carbs, fats, and proteins earns it the name. Use it to replace rices and other grains.

There are just some quick and simple tips to substitute foods in your diet. Getting online and finding other great options is easy (you're already on here to read this, might as well use your time wisely!). Just make sure you are truly looking into the ingredients to determine if a food is a better substitute. A lot of times, food organizations will fool you with "low fat" options, only to load up the sugar and salts, making it just as unhealthy for you. Want to know if it is a better option? Ask me! I am only a click away. And remember, that is why I am here. To help you

Stay Fit.

The Great Carb Debate (That Didn't Happen)

Welcome back!

 Snuggle on in for some discussion on carbohydrates (or carbs). Today myself and one of my clients (let's call her Jill for her protection of identity) got into what she called a "debate" on carbs, but really I found it to be more of a discussion (PLEASE read the "disclaimer" at the bottom in regards to my thoughts on "debates".) The idea was that we have different opinions on the amount of carbs we recommend to our clients. As a dietitian, she advocates 50% carbohydrates for their diet. From what she told me, she then gives them options of different carbs from categories such as grains, fruits, etc. This includes pastas, breads, and other forms of grains. Her thought was that we recommend different things, because my belief is that we as humans need to eat (see if you can remember it before you read it!):

Lean meats and veggies, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, no sugar.*

*Note: I've color-coded based on sources of macro-nutrient sources, with red being protein, yellow being fats, and blue being carbohydrates (I do realize that nuts and seeds provide some protein, and even carbs, but for all intensive purposes, we will go with this outline for simplicity).

With this formula, there is very little in the ways of grains, pastas, breads, milk, and other forms of highly carb-dense materials. Therefore, it would make sense to think that I recommend less of your overall calorie intake be in the form of carbohydates. That's actually not the case at all! It turns out, we both recommend the exact same proportion sizes to our clients (50% carbs, depending on the client and their goals). Here's where it gets really interesting!

The differences in our recommendations are in the sources. While her guidelines are more based on the total amount of carbs (percent of gram totals consumed per day) I am more focused on the sources. I agreed with her in full that it is more difficult to gain 50% of your daily calories in the form of carbohydrates when it comes from lots of veggies, some fruit, and a little bit of starch. However, easier isn't always better (I have to convince that to people on a daily basis on the topic of exercising vs. not!). There are many positives to choosing to glean your carbs from the sources above, two being:

1) Avoiding Hyperinsulinemia: In a nutshell, when you consume foods with high levels of processed carbohydates, it spikes your blood glucose very quickly (think pastas and breads). To store that, your body dumps a TREMENDOUS amount of insulin into the bloodstream. Over time, your body loses it's "sensitivity" to making insulin (much like getting used to caffeine after consuming it so much for so long) and stops being able to create it as readily. This inevitably can lead to pre-diabetes.

2) Calorie-dense vs. Nutrient-dense: If you consume 2 cups of pasta, that is roughly 30% of your daily intake of calories (not to mention the negative effects above). This to most is just a portion of a meal, not including breads, sauces and other side dishes. If you are gaining your carbohydrates from sources like blueberries, sweet potatoes (occasionally), zucchini, etc., you are going to be able to consume a much larger volume of food, without the calorie density of pastas and grains. And you are getting a greater deal of nutrients and vitamins from these foods as well.

 

One cup of broccoli, 1 medium apple, 1 cup of cherries = 188 calories (total)

One cup of pasta = 221 calories

 So we then talked about how getting our clients to consume 1 cup of pasta was better than consuming 3 cups of pasta, which is undoubtedly true. It donned on me then the true difference in our recommendations: she was using portion control to better clients' diets, while I was using sources to better the diets.

It then it all came down to a single question of a monumental dilemma all of us in the health care industry face. How far do we push our clients to change? And this really is a balance act. If we tell them they really need to cut out pasta from their diet, and they don't like that answer, they will move down the street, and if that person says the same thing, they will keep moving until they like the answer. So will getting them to cut back on their pasta help? Absolutely. Will it help to the extent that they will see the results they most likely want to see? Most likely not (but it is a great start!).  They still run the risk of Hyperinsulinemia with highly processed carbohydrates, and they are still going to be hungrier after a cup of pasta then a cup of all those fruits and veggies, AND lacking in vitamins and minerals they need.

 I agree that something is better than nothing, but my final thought is this...When it comes to your health, isn't it best to shoot for "everything"? If you shoot for the stars, and don't reach them, at least you're on top of the world. If you shoot for a perfect diet, and slip every once in a while, at least you are great most of the time. Ideas to ponder. I hope you enjoy your carbs tomorrow, however you may get them. And remember.

Stay Fit.

And sometimes you just burn off bad carbs the fun way!

"Disclaimer": I want to thank Jill for the discussion we had today. It was great to talk about these topics with a true professional, and get their side of the story. I care for one thing, and one thing only, how to best help people become more fit. I only care about my own opinions in-so-far as they are the best way I know to help someone's fitness. Discussions are the best way to test your own thoughts, learn how to best present them to others, and at times, even learn when you are not right. If I learn something that is better than my own opinions, I will adopt them. That is why I hold opinions, and not beliefs. Opinions are much easier to change.

 I did ask Jill before I posted this if it was okay with her, and she agreed. I also knew she would be reading it, so thanks again for the talk today, it was a blast!

The Magic Formula for Weight Loss

Greetings readers!

I am going to give you the secret to weight loss...soon. But first I'm going to set up why this is my topic (don't you dare skip to the later part!). Firstly, I get several questions about supplements on a regular basis. Remember, I sell supplements! I most definitely think supplements have their place! But it all depends on the activity level and goals you have for yourself. But without proper nutrition, your body is not going to need or be able to use your supplements effectively. Taking supplements on top of a poor diet is like putting racing fuel in a '98 Toyota Hunk-a-Junk, or putting a million dollar roof on a house made of sticks...without a good foundation, you won't get very far.

Unless you are training rigorously at very high volumes, your body can function extremely well with a great, healthful balance of whole foods. So are you ready for the answer? The magic formula, the secret of weight loss? Here it is (note, this is not my unique finding, but it is my duty to pass it on to the masses):

Lean meats and veggies, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, no sugar.

There it is! Now, let's break this down a little to see the Why of it (as I talked to one of my fellow trainers today, I am a complete Why Guy.)

Lean meats - Your body needs protein, and meat is the best source. There are plant ways to get it, but you will miss out on the amount of protein needed, and the vitamins associated with it. Lean meats because animal fat so easily turns to your fat when consumed.

Veggies - Vitamins and minerals, healthy carbohydrates, and very nutrient-dense without being calorie dense (as opposed to something like butter....very little nutrient value, extremely high in calories). So it is going to give you the nutrients you need, fill you up, without skyrocketing you calorie content.

Nuts and seeds - Healthy fats, necessary for a whole slew of bodily functions, and to keep the heart healthy. This is also the best place to get the amount of calories you need throughout the day. Don't get this confused with the fat we carry around that we want to get rid of. They are not one in the same!

Some fruit - too much fruit is too much sugar. Although it is fructose, which doesn't as easily turn to blood glucose (like, let's say, sucrose, or table sugar). But it still important to balance out the nutrients and vitamins we do need. Aaaaannd it's yummy.

Little starch - Very little. How little? Well, if you eat meats and veggies, and nuts and seeds, then "some fruit" would be less than that. So "little starch" would mean? You guessed it...less than that. There is no exact answer, it depends on your caloric intake (which depends on your exercise and energy expenditure, and your goals). Just make sure the proportion is less than fruit, which is less than everything else. Also make sure it comes from whole foods, like sweet potatoes and other tubers.

No sugar - No sugar. So how much is "no sugar"? This is where I would stare at you with a slight scowl in person....No Sugar. "But fruit has sugar!" Yes it does, but remember, it's fructose. We are talking processed sugars.

Once you can truly begin to adhere to a plan that follows this general guideline, then your nutrition is dialed in, and supplements can be used in your body as they were intended, to develop your athletic performance.

With all that being said, I do use supplements, again because my level of activity is....higher....than most of the population. And if you train or exercise on a regular basis, I recommend these things as well. Here is what I use:

Fish oil (Any brand, just look for the level of EPAs, or good omega-3 fatty acids) - helps with inflammation, helps blood flow well through the body, absorption of nutrients into the blood cell and other cells, etc. Good stuff.

Spark(Advocare) - vitamins, minerals, and a wee bit of caffeine (about one cup of coffee's worth). This is my coffee, and includes daily vitamins and minerals.

Post Workout Recovery Protein/Carbs ( Advocare) - Needed for the Branch Chain Amino Acids, and two types of proteins to rebuild muscles, and carbs to replace glycogen in the muscle.

So please please please always feel free to ask me to recommend supplements to you. But I forewarn you, I can't give you the "magic pill" because it doesn't exist, and I may recommend good ole fashion healthy food. Because it is always my first and top priority to help you---

Stay Fit.

Best way to get all of your nutrition needs, meaty salads! This is a taco salad, sans tortillas.