Fitness Cliques- The Diet Groupies

I have to admit it..my brain thinks differently than others. When I want to know more about  a subject, such as fitness and nutrition, it involves three things: interest in the topic, a passion to learn everything I can about it, and then sharing my knowledge with others- like my clients, family and friends.

Hence the nutrition degree, plethora of fitness certifications and years of practicing what I preach. I strive to give and be the best with my work!

Trouble brews sometimes when fitness cliques interfere with my job of getting the real information out to my clients… One clique in particular just gives me a very uncomfortable rash in a place that’s hard to scratch- sarcasm implied here. It’s the diet groupies.

You know who they are. They are always on the latest diet, looking for a quick solution to lose the unwanted weight they’ve gained, and have generally lost weight on some stupid diet but gained it all back because they aren’t addressing the real issue at hand..no exercise and too big a spoonful in the mouth. Listen to me, please, diet is a four letter word.

I have never been, never will and will never tell my clients, family members or friends to go on a diet! It is a temporary solution to mask a deeper unresolved problem of poor nutritional habits. Eating is necessary, healthy and should be done frequently throughout the day. Additionally, you need carbs (no they aren’t an enemy, rather a very important source of fuel to feed your muscle and brain tissue), fats (in moderation and good sources) and protein to be balanced.

Your bodies need a constant, steady supply of fuel to support basic functions  like breathing, circulating, sleeping, brushing your teeth, using the toilet and getting in your car. Guess what? If you exercise, play sports or have a fairly active job, you’re going to need more fuel to support it. Trust me, if you don’t eat the right amount of calories you will suffer from lethargy, lack of concentration and poor performance with exercise and daily activities. Why the hell would you want to do that?

What about the alternative solution? You know the one that I, the fitness industry and every other knowledgeable professional will tell you..put down your fork, control your portions and eat to support you. BTW you’ll need plenty of nutrient dense foods. Sorry, you have to eat vegetables and fruit. Oh yeah, and hold the simple things like white flour and sugar, crappy things like trans fats and hydrogenated oils, too much alcohol or anything artificial or you can’t pronounce in the food label (unless it’s a foreign label).

It’s quite a simple process, although any diet groupie will suggest otherwise. I’ve heard them all: low carb, high protein, fruitarian, raw foods, macrobiotic, low fat, pill-popping, super low calorie and fasting diets….plus many more! They all have their slogans, but they are all crap. Unless you are not a human being you will need a sound eating plan that includes proper percentages of carbs, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and possibly some accessory nutrients (think glucosamine).

How do you know what you need? I know, ask a professional like me. Please run from a trainer, friend, family member, or any other person for that matter, that tries to sell you on a diet program (you can actually grade them here).

Also, pills, potions and calories that are less than 1200 for a woman or 1500 for a man are completely unacceptable. Run to the hills, bury your head in your pillow or just tell them to buzz off if they suggest otherwise.

I’m a passionate person who loves her work. I’m also just as passionate about people who screw with my work, provide false information to my enthusiasts or try to sell them on something that isn’t a lifelong solution. Temporary is fine when it comes to living conditions, transportation or in-laws (wink, wink). However, it doesn’t apply to dieting or any other form of exercise.

Groupies generally want one thing to meet their idol/obsession. Whether it’s weight loss, rock stars, artists or entertainers it’s all the same. You may get what you want one time, but does that keep you satisfied for the rest of your life? Hell, no!

Be the individual who doesn’t follow the clique- change your stars and become the idol with the groupies. Lose weight by following the standards set forth by the experts who have studied nutrition, weight loss, exercise and all things  that support it. People like me, and all the others who walk the talk, live the life and understand what you need to make your weight loss goals permanent.

Let’s make our own clique- the permanent weight loss group. Wait, it already exists, it’s called the health and fitness industry. Are you ready to follow our advice yet?

Passionately- Amy

PS- the real solution to your dietary issues exists here http://www.dietgrader.com No, BS! Straight up what you need nutrition with a report card to boot.

PPS- It’s so important I’m offering a FREE one week trial! Use it!!

Do You Need a Nutrition Wake-Up Call?

“If you’ve put forth the effort to attain your weight loss goal through exercise alone you may have faced the same reality that nearly all others come to realize… Exercise alone is not enough!

50%-75% of the battle in attaining your weight-loss goal comes down to what you put in your mouth. You need to run for a very long time to burn the same number of calories you can consume in just a few minutes.”

Words right off the pages of our new website http://www.dietgrader.com

The site is up and ready for anybody needing a nutritional wake-up call, kick in the butt or just interested in learning more about their nutritional intake. It’s an amazing and useful site that we’ll be spending more and more time using within our business locally and globally as we reach out with the good word of health, fitness and wellness.

Check it out and see what kind of nutritional report card you get.

Here’s to your ample consumption of fruits and veggies..CHEERS!

Amy

OPTIMAL NUTRITIONAL STRATEGIES

The simple process of eating food should not be overwhelming or confusing- everyone has the right to know the essentials to building an optimal balanced diet that provides their bodies with optimal nutrition. With all the pills, potions and advice available it is easy for the consumer to get lost in translation when it comes to feeding their face.

So how do you make nutrition optimal for you? By understanding the basic concept of nutritional feedings and changing the way you fuel your machine.

Nutritional feedings provide us with life-sustaining substances found in food, that work together to supply the body with energy to perform all of its physiological functions. Without proper fuel the body is unable to work efficiently, nor effectively and disease has more potential to appear. Proper fuel leaves the body with the right amounts of vitamins, minerals, fiber, carbohydrates, protein and fat- all of which are important to wellness of human function. We all need to eat enough to support our activities of work, play and exercise, but be careful not to upset the delicate balance of homeostasis (basal metabolic rate) by eating too little or too much. 

The following are simple strategies that you should include in your meal planning, food preparation and overall healthy diet. By including several or all of these options you will decrease your risk of developing disease, cut down your risk of obesity and lose weight. Here’s a little tidbit for you to chew on (no pun intended): If you snack on produce three times a day instead of soda and chips you can expect to lose about 1 pound per week!

• Eat and breathe the following little morsels:
• Eat regular snacks and meals throughout the day; about every 2.5-4 hours. About 3 meals and 2-3 snacks
• Eat protein with every meal or snack to improve satiety of meal
• Eat a fruit or vegetable at every meal or snack
• Eat foods with fiber (whole grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes- beans, peas, lentils)
• Keep saturated fat intake to <10% of total calories and avoid all sources of trans/hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated fats <1% of fat intake
• Eat lower fat foods and make smart substitutes (2% milk to 1% or skim, non-fat yogurt instead of whole fat)
• Eat just until comfortable
• Eat a small snack just before lunch and dinner to reduce the tendency to overeat
• Limit refined foods- white bread and cereals, soda, sweets and alcohol
• Limit alcohol and caffeine intake
• Limit sodium containing, cured and smoked products
• Reduce or eliminate processed foods which contain additives, preservatives, artificial flavors and sweeteners
• Eat a variety of foods every day. GOAL- try not to eat the same foods in a 3 day period
• Eat more wholesome, natural foods, and buy organic whenever possible.

 

Choose a few items from our grocery list of tips or sink your teeth into all of the above. Whether your goal is to lose weight, develop better eating habits or just become more in tune to your wellness then these nutritional strategies will do the trick. Remember the old homage- you are what you eat (eat crap, be crap, eat well, be well). Be mindful, be careful and be healthful when you open your mouth. It is the gas tank to your optimal health. 

In health,

Amy Bomar, BS, CPT

Optimal Nutrition

The following are simple strategies that you should include in your meal planning, food preparation and overall healthy diet.  By including several or all of these options you will decrease your risk of developing disease, cut down your risk of obesity and lose weight.  Here’s a little tidbit for you to chew on (no pun intended):  If you snack on produce three times a day instead of soda and chips you can expect to lose about 1 pound per week!

 

Eat and breathe the following little morsels:

• Eat regular snacks and meals throughout the day; about every 2.5-4 hours.  About 3 meals and 2-3 snacks
• Eat protein with every meal or snack to improve satiety of meal
• Eat a fruit or vegetable at every meal or snack
• Eat foods with fiber (whole grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes- beans, peas, lentils)
• Keep saturated fat intake to <10% of total calories and avoid all sources of trans/hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated fats <1% of fat intake
• Eat lower fat foods and make smart substitutes (2% milk to 1% or skim, non-fat yogurt instead of whole fat)
• Eat just until comfortable
• Eat a small snack just before lunch and dinner to reduce the tendency to overeat
• Limit refined foods- white bread and cereals, soda, sweets and alcohol
• Limit alcohol and caffeine intake
• Limit sodium containing, cured and smoked products
• Reduce or eliminate processed foods which contain additives, preservatives, artificial flavors and sweeteners
• Eat a variety of foods every day.  GOAL- try not to eat the same foods in a 3 day period
• Eat more wholesome, natural foods, and buy organic whenever possible.

 Enjoy your apple a day,

Amy