Like most people, I absolutely LOVE my sweets. I would eat a HUGE piece of chocolate cake for breakfast and/ or indulge in a 2 pm candy fix everyday if I thought I could get away with it. The problem is that as I get older, my body does not seem to tolerate the high sugar dose as well. Heck, I really don’t think my body tolerated sugar much when I was younger either, but ignorance is bliss.
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Posts Tagged ‘Setting Goals’
Pour some sugar on me
Thursday, May 9th, 2013Lifestyle Matters
Monday, December 24th, 2012As you formulate your New Year’s resolution, consider your short-term and long-term goals. I know after the gluttonous holidays, most people desire weight loss. Should the goal be just to lose those extra pounds you gained or overall health? I vote for the latter of course.
Try these strategies on for size: (more…)
The Right Bite
Tuesday, December 18th, 2012As we approach Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year Day, you may want to consider your food bites. There is an abundance of goodies at work, home, potlucks and holiday parties. Which bites are “right” for you? All of them in moderation.
Keep these ten strategies in mind:
- Eat a healthy snack or mini meal before you head out to the party. Never arrive famished. You will always make worse decisions and eat too much when you are overly hungry.
- Never skip a meal as you cannot “bank” your calories for the day; you will metabolize what your body can use and store the additional calories. Yes, a calorie is a calorie in this sense.
- Bring a healthful dish to the potluck or party; at least you know there is something good for you to eat.
- Take mini or bite size portions; this way you can try more dishes without the guilt.
- Skip the foods you know that you do not like; you still will not like it regardless of who made it so save the calories for something delicious.
- Do not deprive yourself; ENJOY! Just try a smaller portion so you do not regret it later (either not trying it or trying too much).
- Focus on fruits and vegetable dishes; fill up on these items first, then splurge on the goodies.
- Chew your foods thoroughly; savor eat bite as if it is going to be your last. This strategy will help you eat slower. It takes the stomach 20 minutes to tell the brain you are full. Be sure to listen to your cue and stop eating when you have reached full.
- Limit your alcoholic beverages, especially the mixed drinks. These beverages add non-nutritious calories and can contribute to mindless (uninhibited) eating.
- Drink plenty of water. Water is calorie free and helps fill the stomach, signaling the brain (hopefully) that you are filling up. Add some fruit to flavor your water.
The last question I want to ask you, “Does your food taste any different at bite 3 than at bite 20?” It is important to remember that it is not the number of bites that make the food taste good, but the food itself, which can be accomplished in just one bite. So what is your “right” bite?
By Larissa Brophy, MS, RD, LD
Trainers Talk: Perspective of a client
Wednesday, December 12th, 2012It is estimated that one third of the U.S. population is considered obese. In the state of Ohio alone it is estimated that over a quarter of residents are self proclaimed as being obese (http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html). If you are like me, weight is and has been an issue for a long time. You hear professionals lay out what you are supposed to do and eat and how often and think it all sounds easy enough. Of course that is until it’s ten at night and you’re rooting through the cabinet for the least healthy thing possible because your starved and craving everything you’re not supposed to have just because. (more…)
A Prescription for Exercise
Monday, December 3rd, 2012More physicians are prescribing exercise for their patients. Let’s face it; we can be a sedentary nation. Technology, convenient transportation, and busy schedules (just to name a few) contribute to this lifestyle. Yet, we know that exercise is good for us. Exercise helps decrease health risks such as obesity, hypertension, abnormal lipid profiles and insulin resistance. An individual can prevent and/or delay the development of cardiovascular disease, some cancers, and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with consistent, regular physical activity.
The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, the first published guidelines by the government, provide specific recommendations for adults. Keep in mind, children under the age of 18 years need at least one hour of physical activity daily.
These published guidelines for adults are:
Intensity of Exercise Minimum Recommendation Recommendation for Optimal Health
Moderate: 2.5hrs per week 5hrs per week
Vigorous: 1.25hrs per week 2.5hrs per week
*At least 2 days per week, you should include strength training
**Always stretch after the muscles have been warmed up and loosened.
So once you are on the road to exercising, can you get too much? YES. The three components of physical fitness include flexibility, muscular strength and endurance, and cardiovascular endurance. Keep these three principles in mind when establishing a exercise regimen.
Excess exercise can lead to injury and possibly stress fractures, especially if your nutritional intake is inadequate. Additionally, recent research suggests that too much exercise, just as too little, can be detrimental to your mental health. The conclusion of this self-reported data was that between 2.5 and 7.5 hours of exercise is key to optimal mental health. Anything less or more may be associated with increased depression and anxiety symptoms.
Who knew?.
-Larissa T Brophy, MS, RD, LD
Trainers’ Talk: Fast Food is Making our Nation Fat
Wednesday, November 28th, 2012The Rite Bite’s new blog segment, “Trainers’ Talk” is a community of fitness instructors and trainers contributing to discuss some of the topics we see often in our field.
How outside of ourselves have we become? We are quick to point fingers and pass blame. We go to great lengths to avoid self reflection and admittance of any flaws. Yes, our food needs to be regulated better. Yes, making unhealthy/unnatural foods affordable and obtainable is not great for us. But let’s be real, McDonald’s doesn’t make us fat! The fact of the matter is, fast food chains are not forcing us to order heaps of processed crap and shovel it in their mouths.
No more excuses. Lack of self control and poor choices are the most common factors of weight gain. That being said, I am sympathetic to those who are genetically predisposition to hold more body fat, or are on necessary medications that include weight gain as a side effect. But for the majority of the population, it really is as simple as calories in vs. calories out. We must commit to doing something to break the weight gain cycle! Take responsibility for your health. Quit passing blame and take control!
- Emily Olsen B.S. in Exercise Kinesiology
Fitness Director at The Rite Bite
ACSM Certified Personal Trainer
AFAA/ZUMBA/TRX/SilverSneakers/WERQ certified Group Fitness Instructor
Trainers’ Talk: A weekly contribution by The Rite Bite Fitness Staff
Tuesday, November 13th, 2012I have been an instructor and trainer in the fitness industry since 2002. More than 10 years of experiences has allowed me to observe a multitude of reoccurring trends, excuses, failures / successes and taught me life lessons. These experiences inspired me to start this blog segment. I wanted to share some of what I have taken away from my profession so far.
In The Rite Bite’s new blog segment, “Trainers’ Talk,” we will have a community of fitness instructors and trainers contributing to discuss some of the topics we see often in our field. These posts will be updated every Monday, so check back for our first post!
Beyond the Nutrient Composition of Foods
Thursday, September 27th, 2012How do you prepare/cook your meat? Do you grill, broil, roast, sear and/or fry your meat? If so, you may want to read further. Recent research findings show that these high temperature cooking methods propagate and accelerate the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). What are AGEs? Advanced glycation end products are compounds that are known to increase oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. Consequently, AGEs play a significant role in the pathogenesis of many chronic diseases and have been linked to the recent epidemics of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. (more…)
Don’t Try This At Home
Thursday, September 20th, 2012
Reality TV, What can I say about it? Over the last ten years reality TV has taken the world by storm. With this storm it has brought about reality TV shows about weight loss and healthy lifestyles. As fitness professional I find myself often watching these shows. There are many benefits I get from these such as ideas on how to motivate my clients and new fitness trends. On the other hand, I often find myself scratching my head wondering why they just did that. (more…)
Protect Your Vision
Tuesday, September 18th, 2012
Did you know that age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in Americans over 60 years of age? It is estimated that AMD affects more than 1.75 million Americans. As our “baby boomers” age, this figure is expected to reach almost 3 million by 2020.
Age-related macular degeneration is a disease that attacks the macula of the eye. Since the macula is responsible for central vision, a person with AMD can only see a dim image or black hole in the center of his/her vision. Clear “straight ahead” central vision is necessary for driving, reading, watching television, and many other tasks that we take for granted every day. (more…)
