A Vegetarian Lifestyle

Greetings Fit Britt Followers! I have asked my lil sis, who is a vegetarian, to write a little bit about the health benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle. She wrote her senior paper in high school on this very topic and just started her first year at UNC-W for creative writing. I hope that if nothing else, this post will encourage you to add more veggies and "vegetarian" foods into your daily diet. Or, consider taking my personal challenge of eating vegetarian for lunch every day. My good blogger friend, Environmental Mama, is also a vegetarian - I hope she will chime in with additional health benefits, suggestions and ideas for delicious meals!

Take it away Paige...

What comes to mind when you think of the word vegetarian? I know for some people, it is a synonym for self-righteous, tree-hugging lunatic. But when you delve deeper into the meaning of the word, most vegetarians are just trying to live a healthy lifestyle. The following paragraph is an excerpt from my senior paper and is all factual.

“It has been proven that, time and time again, a meatless lifestyle is the most beneficial way to live, nutrition-wise. Of his switch to vegetarianism, Dr. John A. McDougall, medical director of the McDougall Program, says, “my stomachaches became sorrows of the past, and so did my constipation. I lost unnecessary weight, my skin became less oily, the cholesterol levels in my blood dropped precipitously, and I had more energy” (McDougall 26). Compared to meat-eating, vegetarianism does wonders for your heart and bloodstream; those who steer away from eating animal flesh are a much less likely to get heart disease (Perry 10). In fact, through a scientific study by Dr. Roland L. Phillips, an epidemiologist (a scientist who compares deaths of meat eaters to deaths of vegetarians), it was proven that meat eaters are ten times more likely to acquire coronary heart disease (Cox 6-7, 10). This is because animal products, including dairy and eggs, all contain lots of saturated fat. An excess of dietary fat can cause high cholesterol, thus causing diet-related heart troubles (Wolfe 100-101). Eating meat also has tremendous effects on blood pressure. Dr. Ryde, a British practitioner, suggested to one of his patients with a 185/120 blood pressure to go on a vegan diet—soon, the pressure dropped to 115/75. Even medication can’t produce those kinds of results (Cox 23)! Plus, meat-eaters have a much higher risk of becoming obese as opposed to vegetarians (Perry 10). Part of this is because not only do vegetarians and vegans exclude animal products, but they also are very health-conscience and eat many completely organic foods instead of processed foods containing lots of chemicals, flavorings, and preservatives, which turn directly into fat (Wolfe 126, 129). Besides, it is proven that people who cut meat out of their diet live 6 to 10 years longer than those who don’t (PETA 1).”

Surprising, right? The health benefits seem pretty ideal. But what if you’re not ready to give up meat full-time? Believe it or not, there are actually many different types of vegetarianism. The following paragraph is another excerpt from my research paper that explains all the terms.

“There are so many different classifications of vegetarian that each individual can choose what suits him or her best. Vegans, for example, are the most strict—they don’t eat anything that comes from an animal, including milk or eggs. Lacto-ovo vegetarians, on the other hand, will consume milk and eggs—just no flesh. There are also less strict forms; the pesco-vegetarian eats fish and the semi-vegetarian will occasionally eat all types of meat (Perry 15). According to an excerpt from the magazine Ebony, “Health specialists agree that with careful planning, a vegetarian diet can be healthy and nutritionally sound, no matter which type of vegetarian diet you choose” (Hughes 77).

So there you have it, folks. There’s a slight possibility that I am a tree-hugging lunatic, but, like my sister, I do realize how important it is to keep my body healthy. Below are the sources that I have cited in this blog; if it triggers your interest, I definitely recommend checking them out. This stuff is fascinating!

Cox, Peter. You Don’t Need Meat. New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2002.

Hughes, Zondra. "Should you become a vegetarian? Think before you eat. Go veg for life. (Health & Fitness)." Ebony. July 2003: 70+. 15 December 2007.

McDougall, John A. The McDougall Program: Twelve Days to Dynamic Health. New York: NAL Books, 1990.

Perry, Cheryl L., Leslie A. Lytle, and Teresa G. Jacobs. The Vegetarian Manifesto. Philadelphia: Running Press Book Publishers, 2004.

Wolfe, Frankie Avalon. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Being Vegetarian. Indianapolis: Alpha Books, 2000.

At Home MULTITASKING Fitness Program: Level 1

Here’s a quick work out that targets multiple body parts at the same time, to help you save time! Start by doing each exercise once, 12-15 repetitions*. When you have a good understanding of the exercises, try limiting the amount of rest between each exercise and (when energy and time permit) start going through the series 2-3 times. Perform this series 2-3 days a week (with a day off in between) and aim for 30 minutes of cardio on most of the other days!
*As for selecting the appropriate weight, select a weight that you can perform with proper control ONLY 12-15 times. If you could keep going past 15, you’ll need to add more weight next time. If you can’t even do 12 (especially if you are starting a new program) you’ll need to lower your weight for now. Lifting a weight that is not challenging enough for you, or a weight that is too heavy for you to properly control will just be a waste of your time.

#1. Standing lunge with dumbbell curl to press:

1. Start with one foot widely in front of the other. Test your lunge by bending your knees, allowing your hips to drop straight toward the ground (not forward) and check for a near-90 degree angle at both knees. When ready, add in the arm motion, start with your arms up at shoulder level in a bicep curl motion. As you lunge down, slowly lower your arms, and raise your arms and legs up together. Hold that stance as you switch to a wider arm position (palms facing forward) and perform an overhead shoulder press (don’t arch your back!). Repeat 12-15 times. Do one set on one leg, and then do the opposite leg after #3.

a. For added challenge put your front foot on a BOSU ball or other balance tool.

#2. Stability ball pushups (thighs on ball):

1. Start by getting on all fours and putting your belly on the ball. Then slowly walk out with your arms until the ball is at your mid-thigh. Position your arms in line with your shoulders (but wider) and allow your elbows to bend out to the side as you lower and press up. Make sure to squeeze your stomach tight (thinning your waist from all directions) the entire time! This is great for your core as well as your arms.
Keeping the ball on your thighs will make the weight lighter in your arms than if you were performing a push up on your toes, but will add the challenge of working your core.
a. If you don’t have a ball, do pushups on your knees or toes.
b. For added challenge, work on walking your arms further away so the ball is lower on your legs. Progress all the way to your toes!

#3. Stability ball bridge with triceps extension (skull crusher):

1. Grab your dumbbells and hold onto them while you sit on the ball and slowly walk your feet out until your upper back, shoulders, and head are resting on the ball. Make sure your feet stay directly under your knees and LIFT YOUR HIPS up squeezing your glutes the entire time. You’ll notice that just holding this position is a work out and is targeting MANY muscles! Once you are in position, lift your arms straight up with palms facing each other. Keeping your shoulder and elbow in place, bend at the elbow and allow the forearms and hands to come toward the head to a 90 degree angle. Press back up and repeat. Don’t hit yourself in the head with a dumbbell :)
a. If you don’t have a ball, either lay on the floor or prop your shoulders and head up on a stable couch/chair.

#1b. Perform the Lunge with dumbbell curl to press on the opposite leg.

#4. Stability ball crunches:

1. Sit back down on your ball and walk your feet out until the ball is in the arch of your lower back. Check to make sure your ankles are in line right under your knees. Lay back until you are parallel to the floor and lift part way up (not a sit up, a crunch!). Work up to doing a set of 20-30.
If this seems too challenging or bothers your back for any reason, simply roll down the ball until the ball is at your mid back. Over time, work your way back to the lower back region, but give yourself time to adjust.

a. No ball? Crunches on the floor!
b. For added challenge, straighten your arms by your ears (leave them by your ears as you crunch up) and/or stretch back even further than parallel, into a slight backbend.

#5. Side lunge step out with dumbbell scaption:

This exercise will use a very light weight as we are focusing on your small shoulder muscles (3-8 lbs).
Standing with your feet together, step one foot out to the side and slightly forward, lunging towards the foot that stepped out (base leg stays straight). Get your feet into position first, then hold the position as you lift your arms up at a diagonal (not a front raise, not a side raise) to eye level. Lower with control, step back together and repeat on the opposite side. Aim for 10-14 total arm lifts (5-7 lunges to each side).
This is a fairly difficult move, if it seems too challenging, break it into two separate moves: standing scaption (diagonal shoulder raise) and a side lunge.
a. For added challenge combine the shoulder raise with the step out and/or balance on your base foot for a few seconds when you step back in.

#6. Stability ball Y-T-A:

This is also a light weight exercise, and I encourage you to try it first with no weight at all (then work up to 3-8 lbs). It is also helpful to prop your feet against the base of a wall so you do not roll forward.
Kneel in front of your ball and then press up to where your upper thighs and hips are on the ball (most importantly get into a position that will not cause you to arch your back as you lift up). Curl your body around the ball, then lift up straightening your back and pulling your arms into the letter “Y.” Curl back over the ball, lift up again into the letter “T” with your arms to the sides. Curl again and lift up one more time to the letter “A.” The focus should be on squeezing your shoulder blades and working your upper back muscles (while also keeping your core tight to help protect and strengthen your lower back).
If this bothers your lower back, reduce your weight, try using a bigger ball, or DON’T DO IT AT ALL!
a. For added challenge, do not curl back over the ball between each letter. Gently relax your shoulder blades, move to the next letter and continue.

#7. Single leg balance with biceps curl:

It’s simple! (Yeah right.) Just stand on one leg while you do your biceps curls. If you are only doing one set, make sure to switch legs at the halfway point. If you are too unbalanced, use your “kickstand” by putting your toe down and decrease the assistance over time.
a. For added challenge, stand on a BOSU ball or other stability tool.

#8. Stability ball spinal balance:

Start on all fours with your hips on the ball. Squeeze your core and lift your RIGHT arm and your LEFT leg (note: opposite arm and leg). Lower and repeat on opposite side.
a. If you do not have a stability ball, perform this move on your hands and knees.

#9. Floor bridge (with ABD or ADD):

Start with just your body lying on the floor. With your feet hip width apart, press your feet into the ground and lift your hips up, focusing on squeezing your glutes with each repetition.

a. To work your inner thighs (ADDuction) place a squishy ball or a yoga block between your knees and pause at the top of each hip lift to add a squeeze.
b. To work your outer thighs (ABDuction) tie a thera-band around your thighs and pause at the top of each motion to press your knees outward.

#10. Reverse crunches/hip lifts:

Still on the floor, start with knees bent. Without swinging your legs, lift your hips off the floor (yeah – there’s a muscle in there that you probably haven’t been using!). Build up to holding your hips up for 2+ seconds (without pushing your arms into the floor to hold you up!).

a. For added challenge, straighten your legs and/or add a “lower your legs towards the floor” movement (but don’t swing into the hip lift!).

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There you have it, 10 exercises which each work multiple muscle groups. If you perform this routine, let me know how it goes for you! Questions and comments are always appreciated.

Have a HEALTHY day!

~ Fit Britt

FitBritt's Favorite Fitness Items

Before I start sharing specific exercise suggestions, I wanted to introduce my favorite fitness items. They are somewhat in order (with #1 being my top suggestion) however it will really depend on your goals and interests for fitness and health, as well as your budget :).

10. Stretch strap

A stretch strap can be as simple as a belt, or can have various loops like the example above. Stretching is something that you can do 7 days a week, and we all need it to lengthen our tight muscles and stretch out our muscular imbalances that are caused by both sitting for prolonged periods and performing the same movement repetitively. The strap is great because you no longer have to contort your body to reach your foot. You can perform many stretches while keeping your body in the right alignment by hooking your foot in the strap and pulling with your hands. Examples of stretches that would use the strap: sitting and trying to bend forward and reach toes, laying down and lifting one foot straight up in the air (keeping the knee straight), the standing quad stretch where you pull one foot up to your glutes (keeping your knees together), or various arm stretches circling your shoulders or reaching around your back.

COST: ~$30

9. Yoga block

If you are going to do yoga, in addition to having the stretching strap, you should also have 1 or 2 yoga blocks. These are also great to keep your body in the proper alignment while reaching towards the ground while stretching. Because of the shape of the block, you can set it at three different height levels depending on what you need for support. While standing and folding forward for stretches, it is not best to let your body "dangle," the gravity can cause more of a strain then a stretch. You should find a height where you are in a mild stretch, and if your hands cannot reach the ground, use yoga blocks for support. Examples of yoga poses that can utilize yoga blocks: forward fold, triangle, pyramid, deep lunge, half moon (balancing pose).

Yoga blocks can also be used as a prop to squeeze between your knees when performing crunches to help activate your abdominals and strengthen your inner thighs, as well as between your knees while standing and squatting to keep your knees in proper alignment.

COST: ~$10

8. Resistance Tubing

This is a great and portable tool to have at home and take on travel. There are different thicknesses (depicted with different color bands) to increase the resistance, but you can also shorten your grasp on the band to make it more challenging. Stand on the band to perform bicep curls, front/side lifts, upright rows, etc. Have someone hold the band behind you (or get one that ties to a door) to push forward in a chest press, fly, or overhead triceps extension. Have someone hold it in front of you to pull back and perform rows or straight arm pull downs. Step on a thicker band to perform squats. You can even use a tube AND dumbbells together to increase the challenge and instability factor.

You can also get flat, thin bands called TheraBands that are often used in physical therapy. These can be tied around your thighs to perform outer thigh exercises, held in your hands pulling in various directions to do shoulder exercises, etc.
COST: under $10/ea.

7. Foam Roller

Foam rollers have dramatically increased in popularity over the past year. You may finally start seeing them at your gym and I believe many major sporting goods stores have started carrying them. Another item that started in physical therapy, foam rollers can be used for both stretching and stability work. You can buy them in 1 foot or 3 foot length. The longer length is good if you want to lay lengthwise down the roller, otherwise I believe the 1 foot length would work for all other needs. You can also buy the full circle diameter or a half circle (one side is flat). The full diameter is used for stretching, the 1/2 diameter is used for balance (practice standing on either side for 30-60 seconds, then work on standing on it while performing other exercises such as biceps curls or shoulder press).

For stretching and working out muscular imbalances, the foam roller is a must. There will be future posts specifically on "foam rolling" but the basic idea is that you put the roller on the ground and place a muscle (such as your calf) on top of it and gently roll out the knots (NEVER ROLL OVER A JOINT!). This is similar to using tennis balls to massage your back, but I believe more effective.

COST: $10-20 depending on size and material

6. Dumbbells

Whether I am working out in the gym, or at home, I prefer to use dumbbells. While weight machines at the gym can be good for teaching your body the right motion, the dumbbells provide a few added challenges that will benefit your muscles. First, each arm is responsible for its' specific amount of weight - on a machine it is very likely that one arm is pushing more of the weight than the other, unbeknownst to you. Second, dumbbells require your body to use more control, therefore using more stabilizing muscles (ex: all of your shoulder and rotator cuff muscles have to work to stabilize while you are doing a chest press) and even require you to tighten your core to achieve control. And what happens when you are using more muscles at one time??? You burn more calories!! And you work more muscles at one time - what great time management!

Two problems with dumbbells at home are the expense and the space. You would be lucky to find dumbbells around $1 per pound. Therefore, with each set of weights that you purchase (5 lb set, 8 lb set, 10 lb set, etc.) this can get pretty expensive! One solution to this is to purchase an adjustable dumbbell set. If you only need up to 25 lbs, Target has a pretty good Reebok set which I think is under $100. I have heard good things about PowerBlocks, but they are very square and might feel weird to work with. If you start looking at these, especially getting up to 50-60 lb sets, we are talking 100's of dollars, but if you think about the number of dumbbells these replace, you will quickly see how much more efficient they are.

5. Stability Ball

Oh, my dear friend the Stability Ball. If there were a device that you knew that everytime you were on it you'd be working your abs... would you be interested? This is it, my friends! There are SOO) many things that you can do with this ball: crunches, pushups with your thighs on the ball, sitting on the ball while performing dumbbell arm exercises, kneeling on the ball, laying your shoulders on the ball with your feet on the ground and yes - even using it as an office chair, which I prefer. (Most of you know that I have a lower back disc issue, which is often exacerbated by slouching. When I sit on the ball all day, I am required to keep my abs tight and use good posture - alas, no back pain!) There will be many suggested exercises in the future utilizing the ball, so for now let's discuss selecting a ball.

1. When you sit on the ball your knees should be at a 90 degree angle. A general rule of thumb:

- if you are 5' 2" or under, you need a 45 cm ball

- between 5' 3" and 5' 7" get a 55 cm ball

- between 5' 8" and 6' 1" use a 65 cm.

2. You should really invest in a high quality ball (especially if you plan on sitting on it AND using dumbbells) - you'll want something that is burst resistant. I suggest the Versa Ball: http://www.power-systems.com/p-4090-versaball.aspx

3. You need to make sure you follow the directions for blowing up the ball (only inflate it 1/2 way on the first day, then add more air) and make sure that you get it to the right size but not overblown. There should be a little give, but you shouldn't sink into the ball. The Versa Balls come with a measuring tape.

COST: $20-40 depending on brand and size.

4. BOSU ball

Yes I have one of these at home, and you should too! The BOSU ball, standing for "both sides up" would truly be my #1 suggested exercise tool (you'll notice that #'s 3-1 on my list are weight management tools). You can stand on the blue dome, balance on one foot, advance it by adding arm exercises, put one foot on it and do lunges, hop on it, squat from side to side... and then flip it over so the blue wobbly dome is on the ground and the black flat side is up and start all over again! Sit/balance on it while doing crunches. Put your hands on it while doing push ups. Put your feet on it while doing planks or bridges. The options will not end, I promise. You will see that almost all of my exercise suggestions from this point out will utilize dumbbells and either the stability ball or the BOSU ball. As I've told all of my clients (who clearly come to agree with me in the end), the BOSU will be your best friend!

COST: you can get a home use model for under $100 at Target, the professional grade is (amazingly) only $20 more at power-systems.com. Either would be fine for home use.

3. Pedometer

EVERYONE needs help and motivation keeping track of their activity, and my final three suggestions will all do just that. The pedometer is simple and requires very minimal effort for use. Clip it to your belt like a pager and let it count your steps throughout the day.

I encourage all my new clients to get one and use it for a few days writing down their number of steps at the end of the day. THEN I tell them that your goal should be 10,000 steps a day - that is equivalent to 5 miles. Try it yourself... for the first few days, try not to change your activity level so you can get an idea of what a day in your current life is like. Then kick it up a notch! Don't call or email the person in the office two doors down, walk to see them! Park your car a few spots further away and enjoy the extra calories burned. Do a lap around the mall or the store before you start shopping. At the end of the day, take a walk (or a jog) with your family until you have reached your final number.

COST: $10 and up depending on model.

2. Heart Rate monitor

So you hop on the treadmill or the elliptical and take note of how many calories it says you have burned at the end of a workout, right? Oops, that wasn't specific to YOU. First of all, unless you put in your age and weight, the cardio machine is most likely calculating for a 160 lb person (not sure where I heard that number). Second of all, how does the machine have any idea of how difficult the activity is for you? It doesn't know if you are huffing and puffing or if the current activity is a walk in the park for you. Alas, the heart rate monitor. On your watch, you'll plug in your gender, height, weight, age, etc... and you'll wear the chest strap (directly on your skin - under your sports bra) while working out. You'll be able to monitor your heart rate throughout the activity (great for staying in your specific training zone!) and also your watch will be able to tell you how many calories you burned! Polar brand, specifically, will even work with most cardio machines to display your heart rate on the cardio display (but you'll still have to go by your watch to see calories burned). Even better, you don't have to be tied to a cardio machine... go for a run outside or monitor your heart rate and calories burned while doing strength training, you are free to roam!

You can even program your goals for # calories or # minutes of exercise into your watch and it will notify you each week whether you've achieved your goal or not. (When you achieve your goal you get a wonderful trophy icon on your watch for the whole next week! Woohoo!).

COST: $90 and up. Make sure to get a model that calculates your caloric output - check out the Polar Fitness ones. http://www.polarusa.com/us-en/products/fitness_crosstraining/

1. BodyBugg Arm Band

The Body What?? The BodyBugg! How much would you pay to guarantee you'll lose weight each week? (BodyBugg is hoping it's worth a few hundred dollars to you). Seriously, if you keep up with your Bugg, there will be no shock when you step on the scale each week. While there are now many similar brands of this device out there, the BodyBugg is what all the contestants on The Biggest Loser use (and therefore I love it), and one of the company's I used to work for now sells it.

So you have an arm band that is a little bigger than an iPod that you keep on your arm pretty much all the time. It is using your body temperature (and possibly a few other factors) to know how many calories you are burning every minute throughout the day. You will then sync it with your computer (requires a monthly online subscription) and be able to see your activity throughout the day. I hear most people go, "wow, I didn't know I was sitting that much!" But wait, there's more. You will also go online to input everything you ingest. It's a bit tedious at first, but since we are all creatures of habit you will be able to save all of your food choices for easy selection upon future logging. You can even list out all of the ingredients you put into a recipe so it knows the exact nutritional make-up. Again, tedious at first, but in the end you will have the success of weight loss! Finally, you tell the program exactly how much weight you want to lose each week and it will provide you feedback to reach that goal each time you sync.

*Want to learn more about the BodyBugg? I have a few friends/ex-coworkers that use it that would love to share the details with you. Let me know if you'd like to be put in contact with them.

COST: ~$200 comes with a 6-month subscription. http://my.apexfitness.com/vip/bb_enrollment_info_public.php#

There you have it! A lengthy post with my Top 10 suggested items. The best places to find these items?

- Target

- http://www.power-systems.com/

- http://www.fitnesswholesale.com/

Have a HEALTHY Day!

~ FitBritt

Carbs, Fat and Protein - The Good, the Bad, and the Misinformed

Yep. You can no longer avoid it. I'm going to tell you that you SHOULD be eating carbs... and fat! It's all about consuming the right proportions of each nutrient, from the proper sources. Each "macronutrient" (Carbs, Protein, and Fat... some would add water) is essential to your body's proper functioning, and each serves a different and necessary purpose.

Carbs, Protein and Fat provide your body with calories, and although we often think of calories as our enemy, they are needed to maintain body temperature, and facilitate growth and repair of organs and tissues. We just don't want to continually consume more calories than our body needs to function.

Each macronutrient supplies a certain number of calories per gram of nutrient:
CARBOHYDRATES: 4 calories per gram
PROTEIN: 4 calories per gram
Fat: 9 (NINE) calories per gram
Therefore, if you eat the same sized morsel of fat as you eat of a carb or a protein, you are consuming MORE THAN TWICE the number of calories from the fat morsel. Hence, a weight gaining problemo.
FYI, Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram and does not provide any nutritional benefit.

Now, what do each of these macronutrients do for our body? In the (perhaps surprising) order of how much you should consume:

1. CARBOHYDRATES = 55% of your caloric intake
Uses in body: body's preferred source of energy (broken down into glucose), THE ONLY ENERGY SOURCE THE BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM CAN USE
Types: simple vs. complex carbs
- complex carbs (starches and fiber) take longer for body to break down, and provide fiber (keeps you feeling full longer by slowing the emptying of the stomach, reduces cholesterol and glucose, regulates bowel movements)
healthy options include: bread, rice, cereal, vegetables, beans, nuts
- simple carbs are rapidly digested and absorbed, causing you to have a sugar high and then a crash.
examples include: fruit, milk (good sources), soft drinks, cakes, cookies, candy (not great sources)
*You will want to get most of your carbohydrate nutrients from complex carbs.
*Try to make at least half of your grains whole (first ingredient listed says WHOLE grain or WHOLE wheat). Check on mypyramid.gov to see how many ounces of grains you should eat each day.
*Aim for 25 grams (women) - 35 grams (men) of fiber a day.
*All adults and children need at least 130 grams of carbohydrate a day to produce enough glucose for the brain to function (source: Hales, An Invitation to Health, p.148)

2. Fat = no more than 30% of your caloric intake
Uses in body: source of energy, fatty acids are necessary for growth and hormones, carries fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K) into the body, regulates body temperature, provides protection around organs, enhances the flavor of food.
Types: unsaturated vs. saturated vs. trans fat
- unsaturated (mono or poly) fats are known as the "healthy" fat. For the most part, they provide your body with the necessary nutrients without negatively affecting your cholesterol. Some unsaturated fats can actually help reduce the LDL (bad) cholesterol in your body.
Examples: vegetable oils such as canola, olive, soybean, safflower and sunflower oils, also nuts, seeds, wheat germ, fish
- saturated fats will negatively affect your cholesterol and can lead to heart disease.
Examples: animal fats (meat and dairy), coconut oil, palm kernel oil; saturated fats are often solid at room temperature
- trans fats are often processed (hydrogenated) in order to have a longer shelf life. They are thought to be TWICE AS DAMAGING as saturated fats.
Examples: many baked goods and fried foods. Look for words like "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" in the ingredient list... it may say it has 0 grams of trans fat, but that is not true if either of those words are listed.
*Choose unsaturated fats for all of your fat intake.
*Saturated fats should be avoided as much as possible, but definitely should make up no more than 8-10% of your fat calories.
*There is no recommended level for trans fats, avoid as much as possible.

3. Protein = 15% of your caloric intake, or .8 grams per kg of body weight
Meat eaters have no problem achieving this amount and often eat more protein than their bodies can utilize.
Uses in body: provide amino acids our body is not able to produce on its own which are the body's major building material (repairs and decreases soreness of muscles after workouts), makes up our brain, muscles, skin, hair and connective tissue, needed to make hormones and antibodies, can also be used as a source of energy.
Types: Complete vs. Incomplete proteins
- Complete proteins each individually provide all of the amino acids your body needs. Examples: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products (note they are all animal proteins)
- Incomplete proteins do not provide all of the amino acids individually, but may provide high levels of certain amino acids. Combining two incomplete protein sources usually does the trick in creating a "complete" source (note: this is necessary for vegetarians).
Examples: vegetables, grains, nuts, dry beans
*Vary your protein sources to make sure you are getting all of the necessary amino acids.
*Aim for leaner meat sources such as fish, turkey and chicken (limit red meat).
*Avoid red meat and processed meats (bacon, hot dogs, lunch meat) as they can increase your risk of colon cancer.

Each day, at every meal, check your plate to see if you are getting an adequate percentage of your calories from each of these nutrients. You will find that with certain meals/snacks, you may be consuming more of one nutrient than you should. Not every meal will be perfectly proportioned, but aim to balance it out by the end of the day.

You should not need to go on a special diet that limits or takes out any of these nutrients. If you eat the proper portions every day and increase your physical activity, that is the safest way to lose weight AND KEEP IT OFF.

Restrictive diets aren't realistic lifestyle plans, and eventually you are going to have to learn to work with life, and you CAN BE successful!

Have a HEALTHY day!
~FitBritt

The Numbers that Drop the LBs.

Well? Have you done last week's assignment and found out how many calories you should be consuming each day? If you are looking to maintain your current weight, stick to that number and tweak it as needed (remember, because a calculation was used, this number is not 100% accurate). You can even add in a little more exercise (you should already be doing at least 30 minutes most days of the week) to give yourself a little more flexibility (ie: room for dessert) in your diet.

It truly does come down to the following scale:

If you want to lose weight, you will have to negate some calories by eating less and/or working out more. Let's break down some numbers:
- There are 3,500 calories in one pound of fat.
- Your goal should be to lose no more than 1-2 lbs a week (any more and you risk losing water and/or muscle weight instead, and it will most likely be more difficult to keep off).
- A healthy weight loss goal is to start with no more than 10% of your body weight (in the number of weeks it would take at 1-2 lbs a week).

So back to that pound of fat being 3,500 calories. That means to lose one pound a week, you would need a daily deficit of 500 calories (500 x 7 days a week = 3,500 calories). Likewise, to lose two pounds a week, that would be a 1,000 deficit each day (let's be honest, that's pretty challenging).

Remember that this deficit can (and should) come from a combination of taking some calories out of your diet and adding in more exercise. The good news is this can be flexible day by day (and this is how weight management becomes realistic to your lifestyle - no more yo-yo dieting!). Some days you just won't get an opportunity for a good calorie burning workout... on those days you'll have to eat less. On days you know you want to eat dessert or go out for drinks (more on the ridiculous number of empty calories in alcohol later), you'll need to plan extra workout time.

Please note: unless you are on a medically supervised weight loss plan, women should not go below 1200 calories a day, and men should not go lower than 1500 calories a day. As much as you might think "the lower I go the more weight I'll lose," the truth is your body has a limit where your thyroid and metabolism will significantly slow down when you starve yourself. Even with intense exercise, if your body is not getting an appropriate number of calories you will not lose weight (but will risk your health). Also remember that if you are breastfeeding or pregnant, you will need to a lot more calories for your body's and your baby's needs.

Up next: Carbs, Fat and Protein - The Good, the Bad, and the Misinformed. What percentages of each nutrient you should be consuming each day, the benefits of each nutrient and suggestions for healthy sources.

Have a HEALTHY day!
~ FitBritt

Counting Calories

Have you ever tried counting your calories? What number are you aiming for by the end of the day? How did you come up with that number? Why does everyone think they need 2,000 calories? Read on for some tools that will help you figure out your individualized caloric intake!

Your caloric intake will depend mostly on your metabolism, but also on your daily activity level as well as your ultimate goal (gain, lose, maintain weight). Your metabolism is also very unique to you and is dependent upon many factors including:
Weight
Body Composition
Age
Gender
Genetics
Hormones
Drugs
Stress

Therefore, two females the same height and weight could have very different compositional make-ups, and therefore would have completely different metabolic rates!

Because it is so dependent on each of these factors, it’s best to actually have your metabolism tested in a fasted state to truly understand how your body works. This requires finding a place that offers testing with either a handheld device (such as the BodyGem which is less accurate but less expensive) or the full machine (metabolic cart) in which you lay in a “bubble” for twenty minutes and your oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange is analyzed. These tests give you your resting metabolic rate, or the number of calories that you burn each day just laying around and staying alive.
From this point, calculations can be done based on your activity level throughout the day, as well as your weight management goals to come up with a number of how many calories you should consume each day. Finally, you can make the caloric intake more flexible by adding exercise to burn off some of the additional calories that you consume (however don't make this the only reason you exercise - you'll be missing out on many great health benefits!).
This is the best approach to knowing exactly what your body needs and having specific numbers to help you reach your goals. Check with your gym or with a nutritionist to see if either of these tests are available. If you live near a university, it is very likely they have the equipment, it's just a matter of whether or not community members can pay or volunteer to take the tests.
So... how many calories can you safely subtract for weight loss and at what rate is weight loss most successful? You’ll have to stay tuned! In the meanwhile, I’m giving you an assignment to come up with a general idea about your caloric intake, since it is unlikely many of you will be able to have your metabolism tested.
Have you checked out the "new" food guide pyramid? Go to www.mypyramid.gov and spend as much time as you can clicking around this site. Your specific assignment:
1. Click on "I want to... Get a Personalized Plan" on the right side.
2. Fill out the needed information.
3. If it gives you the option of selecting a program for your current weight or for moving to a healthier weight... I, of course, suggest to move toward a healthier weight.
4. Keeping in mind that this does not take into consideration many individual factors, you now have a suggested nutrition program! Your suggested caloric intake should be written on the top line in bold. Below that is a breakdown of the proper proportions for each nutrient to add up to your calorie count.
5. If you scroll down you'll see a yellow bar for Fat and Discretionary calories. This gives you the number of calories in your plan that you can use for oils, condiments, salad dressings, dessert, etc.
6. Play around with it! Next to each colored tab you can click on "tips" to get suggestions for eating the healthier options for each category (wheat vs. white grains, etc.) Once you've clicked on tips you can also click on "What counts as one ounce" on the right side to get a better idea of the amount you should ingest daily.
7. You can also print a PDF of your plan to keep posted on your fridge, and also PDF checklists to see how close you come to meeting your plan each day.
8. If you are really excited about the record keeping, you can even click on MyPyramid Tracker to log your food and exercise. You can see many charts for how you are doing throughout the day that will help you know when you've eaten too much fat, not enough grains, etc.
**Alright all you moms out there... did you see that there is also a link for kids as well as for moms? There's even a pregnancy and breastfeeding link.

Check it out and let me know what you think! Next week we'll discuss altering your caloric intake and adding exercise in a safe and effective way to lose weight.