My Story That Started It All

I want to share a personal experience that I think was a turning point in my life and made me as interested as I am in healthy eating and nutrition. This post is extremely casual, but I felt it would be a good segway into my upcoming posts on behavior modification and non-dieting tips.

I was blessed with good genes, home cooking, farm fresh produce and eggs, and a home in a rural area (meaning I spent the majority of my time outdoors playing, even in the winter). I feel that because of my upbringing, I was pretty much always slim and active, and oh boy did I LOVE to eat! When I was a teenager I was just like any other teenager. I thought I was invincible. My only concern when it came to food was whether or not it was making me fat. I ate however I wanted and I was not getting fat, so in my teenage mind, I didn't need to change anything. Don't get me wrong I ate a lot of good things, but I also ate a LOT of bad things. Particularly when I entered high school and it was all about Mt. Dew and energy drinks! Not to mention we had an open campus and I spent most of my lunches going out and eating hamburgers (plural...in one lunch period). Late nights at friend's houses meant that we were basically eating junk food all night long. But like I said, if it wasn't making me fat, then I didn't need to change anything, right?

Well I started experiencing heart palpitations and dizziness and even passed out in the middle of class a few times. I went to visit with a cardiologist. I sat in the waiting room with a dozen other patients who all looked to be in their 90's. First things first my doctor requested that I keep a journal of how I feel each day. Every day. He also wanted to know what I was eating and how I was exercising. He basically wanted to find the root cause of my problem so that meant I had to be in tune with how my body was feeling all the time. After some testing, a few more visits and a full review of my journal my doctor scolded me. He told me I was going to eat myself to death. He pointed out that I was the only teenage girl in the waiting room and how sad it was that he was warning a 16 year old of the dangers of a heart attack. Given there was some genetic stuff going on as well, my diet certainly wasn't helping anything. He immediately put me on a heart healthy diet and strictly banned foods that were excessive in sugars, fats, caffeine or theobromine (chocolate). He wanted me to continue keeping a journal based on my new diet.

To be honest, I hated it at first. However, I didn't feel so invincible anymore. I realized at that point that this is the only body I get for my whole life. There are a lot of things I want to do with my life. I don't want my body to restrain me or hold me back from anything! I was determined from that point to do MY best to keep my body working in tip top shape. For a very long time I followed my very strict, very heart healthy diet and it got easier and easier to do. Especially because I would go weeks without eating something like a Wendy's bacon cheeseburger and when I finally ate one it would taste sooooooooooooo good! However, because of my forced journal keeping, I was now tuned in with how my body felt. Eating that cheeseburger did not make me feel good. I would feel sluggish, yet my heart would be racing. My blood sugar would spike and make me dizzy and even a little nauseous. That feeling is quite different from my high energy levels I have when I adhere to my doctor's orders. It became easier and easier to turn down cheeseburgers and brownies.

My goal as a health coach is to help others become healthier. I don't want to put everyone I talk to on a strict heart healthy diet like I went through. I just want to help individuals feel a little better about themselves than they currently do. The first steps to that is understanding your behaviors and your body. No one should know your body better than you, but sadly, most of us don't really know our body all that well.

It may seem a little bizarre or overboard, but I would encourage you to keep a food journal for a couple of weeks. Even if you think that your current diet is not affecting you in any adverse way. If all you can do is record what you are eating that is fine. However you may be surprised if you also record how you feel about the food you are eating. Take time to analyze the reaction your body has to the food you eat. I recommend doing this again after you begin to implement changes. After a couple of weeks you shouldn't need to keep a food journal (whether you are counting calories or otherwise) because not only will you be able to "eyeball" your portions, calories and nutrient amounts, but you will be able to better understand how food is effecting you.

You don't have to be a "health nut" and deny yourself the treats you love all the time. I certainly don't! But if you can get passed the first week when you are craving all the foods you know that you shouldn't be eating too much of, then it does get easier. Then when you eat that food again, not only does it taste better, but you actually may find yourself wanting less of it. You won't feel like you are "dieting" because your healthy eating is simply a new behavior now. That food that was once an "all the time food" even if you knew it was not doing a lot of good for your body is now in your more appropriate "sometimes food" category.

On a final note, think of something that you love and make an effort to take care of. It could be your house, your vehicle, maybe your clothes. If you had to have that same house/car/clothes for the rest of your life, wouldn't you take special care of it? Doesn't your body deserve to be treated even better?

Personalized Nutrition Plans

It is a popular and basic notion that what and how we eat is directly associated with our health status. I have heard people say “I need to eat healthier” however they have no idea where to get started. Sometimes you simply don’t know what “healthy” is for you. Maybe you have a general idea, but you are unable to define it in words or quantifiable numbers. Many of the people I have been working with lately have needed assistance in determining this basic information for their health plan. So I decided that maybe it would be a good idea to offer a crash course in creating your own personalized nutrition plan.

There are some of things to keep in mind. There is a lot of health and nutrition information available. There are a lot of experts and opinions out there. I do not consider myself an expert. I consider myself someone who is educated enough to determine which information is correct and useful, and which information is not. It is important to know where the information you are reading is coming from, and how reliable the source is.

It can be tricky to figure out the right path for you. For instance, the World Health Organization recommends that only 5% of your diet is protein, while other research and common diet ratios suggest a percentage closer to 25-40% protein. Some diets are extremely low in carbohydrates, while others are mostly carbohydrates. The most important thing to remember is this: YOUR DIET SHOULD BE HIGH IN NUTRIENTS. No expert, physician or researcher is going to argue this key point.

The foods we eat are broken down into macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Micronutrients are comprised of vitamins and minerals which are required for normal metabolism, growth and physical well-being. No single food has all the micronutrients our body requires, which is why a balanced, varied diet is so important to our health.

What about calories? We all hear that word every day. If we read nutrition labels on food packages we know that the average percent daily values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Most of us know that the number of calories one actually needs varies from person to person. Not many of us know how to figure out that number on our own without using an internet search engine or weight loss app.

So here is how you figure these things out on your own: (Note that these numbers are for adults who have reached full maturity. These numbers are quite different for growing boys and girls).

Calories: According to Men’s and Women’s Health Fitness Director Adam Campbell, the easiest way to determine your calories is pretty simple multiplication. The numbers are based on whether you are trying to lose weight, or if you are already at your desired weight. If you are maintaining your current weight, multiply your weight by 14-16. For a 120 lb female, her caloric needs on a day she does not exercise are 1,680 calories. If she exercises moderately for 30 minutes, her caloric needs increase to 1500 calories. If she exercises vigorously for 30 minutes or moderately for 60 minutes, her caloric needs are now at 1,920. For a 200 lb male maintaining his weight, his calorie needs are 2,800-3,200. Do you see how different these numbers are? Do you understand how it might be important for you to know what you personally need every day to avoid over feeding or starving your body of essential energy?

If you are trying to lose weight then Mr. Campbell recommends that you multiply your desired weight goal by 10-12 (without dropping below 1200 calories for women and 1600 calories for men). So if you are a female shooting for 120 lbs, then on days you don’t exercise your caloric needs equal 1200-1,440. A male shooting for 200 lbs would need 2000-2400 calories.

By reducing your daily intake of calories you are helping your body burn fat. 3500 calories burned equal 1 lb of fat loss. Most experts agree that weight loss should be gradual, around 0.5-2.0 lbs/week. 1 lb per week would be burning 3500 calories, or 500 calories per day. You can do this by reducing your calories and/or increasing your physical activity. So if you reduce your calories by 300 and then do some cardio exercise burning another 200, you have accomplished this. If you compare the numbers between maintaining and losing weight, this makes sense (See 1,680-1,200=480 calories).

Macronutrients: Most people evaluating their diets like to balance their macronutrients calorie intake by percentages. You decide what percentages you want to live by. Here is some basic information though.

Proteins:

1 g protein= 4 calories

I have included some examples of protein because sometimes that is the hardest macronutrient to consume enough of:

1 egg= 6 g protein (that is 24 calories in protein only- not the entire egg)

3 oz (palm size) beef, pork, chicken or fish= 25-30 g protein (100-120 calories of protein…you get the idea now right?)

8 oz milk or yogurt= 9 g protein

1 oz cheese= 7 g protein

1 Tbs nut butter= 6 g protein

1 oz nuts or seeds= 6 g protein

Carbohydrates:

1 g carbs= 4 calories

Focus on complex carbs found in starchy and fiber-rich foods. Whole grain wheats, corn, potatoes and other root vegetables, legumes, and fruits qualify as complex carbohydrates. I consider enriched white flour as more of an empty calorie or extra food. It has been stripped of valuable nutrients and when it enters the body it is broken down like most things into sugar. However this isn’t the sugar that sustains you and gives you lasting energy, it is the kind that spikes your blood sugar and you usually experience a crash later (unless you keep fueling the fire). If I can convince anyone to do anything for themselves it would be to reduce their added sugar intake or to avoid food with added sugar (and white flour) more often than not. Treat these foods as a TREAT not as a daily regimen.

Fats:

1 g fats= 9 calories

Saturated Fats= >31.25% of total fats.

Don’t be afraid of fats. Fat is filling and adds flavor. You won’t store it if you aren’t eating too many total calories. If you have high cholesterol or aren’t sure of your cholesterol then talk to your physican (or check back soon for my post on understanding your cholesterol) about how your daily fat intake effects your overall cholesterol and heart health.

If you decide on a 40-40-20 diet it is super easy to know how many grams a day of these macronutrients you should consume. You simply consume as many grams of protein and carbohydrates as your weight or target weight, and make up the rest. So if you weigh 200 lbs and consume 200 g protein a day then that is 40% of your calories (800 out of 2000 calories). However if you aren’t exercising regularly you probably don’t need a protein intake that high.

Micronutrients:  

Vitamins – these are essential organic nutrients, most of which are not made in the body, or only in insufficient amounts, and are mainly obtained through food. When their intake is inadequate, vitamin deficiency disorders are the consequence. Although vitamins are only present and required in minute quantities, compared to the macronutrients, they are as vital to health and need to be considered when determining nutrition security. Each of the 13 vitamins known today have specific functions in the body: vitamin A, provitamin A (Beta‐carotene), vitamin B₁, vitamin B₂, vitamin B₆, vitamin B₁₂, biotin, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, folic acid, vitamin K, niacin and pantothenic acid.

Minerals – these are inorganic nutrients that also play a key role in ensuring health and well‐being. They include the trace elements copper, iodine, iron, manganese, selenium and zinc together with the macro elements calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. As with vitamins, minerals they are found in small quantities within the body and they are obtained from a wide variety of foods.

The most efficient way to get usable micronutrients into your body is by eating raw fruits and vegetables. But do what you need to do so that you enjoy eating them. When you cook them, boil them or steam them you stand to lose some nutrients, but it is better to get some than not get them at all! One of the only ways I can get my family to eat dark, leafy green vegetables is by pureeing them in a blender with 100% fruit juice!

No one ever got fat by eating produce. So in my opinion eat as much as you want. Fruits and particularly vegetables are the best things you can give your body. They are extremely nutrient rich, high in fiber and low in calories. I have heard people complain that they don’t feel “satisfied” by snacking on fruits and vegetables and if that is the case, I ask that you give it a chance. If your body is used to certain foods you may think that you are “craving” them. But what your body is really craving is nutrition. Try to stop starving your body of nutrition and over feeding it in empty calories.

If you are really trying to evaluate and improve your diet, try keeping a food journal for 1-2 weeks. By doing this you can really see how you eat and what changes you need to make. Also do this when you implement healthy food changes. Not only does this act keep you on track but also quickly teaches you how to eyeball meals to estimate their calorie and macronutrient counts. You’ll begin to automatically realize what an appropriate portion is for your diet. Remember also to eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. Focus on eating foods that provide healthy doses of protein, fiber and fat that fills you up, keeps you satisfied and regulates your blood sugar. This combination of benefits helps diminish your appetite and often automatically reduces the number of calories you consume, speeding fat loss. However, if you are eating mindlessly you likely aren’t paying attention to how you feel and you will simply clean your plate out of habit. If you need to, serve yourself a smaller portion and return for more until you are satified.

I hope you have found some of this information useful. It is hard to summarize the most important information to a few paragraphs. My research paper on eating more vegetables alone is about 27 pages of cited and peer reviewed information, facts and research. I hope if you have questions or would like to contest any of the information I have posted that you will do so. There is so much information and so many opinions on some of these topics and I myself and am still continuing my research on best practices.

Awesome Protein Loaded Snacks

I know we have all heard it before. But eating several small meals a day is very beneficial to our health. This has been carefully and laboriously researched and studied. There are many reasons to follow this advice, however my own personal reason for adhering to it is because I get "hangry." Which is to say my hunger causes a negative change in my emotional state.

 If your body is "running on empty" and you select a snack or meal that is mostly simple carbohydrates, then your body is going to release extra insulin to handle that sugar. Insulin is a hormone that is like a key to unlocking the cells to receive the incoming sugar. However this sugar is burned up quickly and the insulin has opened too many doors. The resulting feeling is fatigue and again, hunger. Therefore, protein and complex carbohydrates are important and should take precedence over your simple sugars.

Here is my list of some of my favorite snacks that are full of protein, low in added sugars and help keep me buzzing through my busy day.

Trail Mix
Almonds
Pumpkin seeds
Hard boiled eggs (mmm, mix this up with avocado and other healthy mix ins and you are increasing your omega fatty acids!)
Deli Roll-Ups (meat, cheese, tomato, lettuce and pepper)
Cucumber Turkey Sandwich (no bread, just turkey and cheese sandwiched between cucumber slices)
Nutter Butter Boats (any kind of nut butter on celery or apple slices)
Bean and Cheese Quesadillas (1/2 cup beans, 1 Tbs Salsa, 1 slice of cheese in a tortilla shell)
Easy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie: (mix 1/2 cup oats, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 Tbs flour, 1 egg white, 1/4 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 Tbs raisins. Flatten this out and microwave it for 45 seconds).
Chunky Monkey Style Shake: (1 medium banana, 1 Tbs Peanut Butter, 1 cup chocolate milk, 1 cup ice blended)
Vegetables dipped in Hummus
Cheese and wheat crackers
Silver Dollar Protein Pancakes: (4 egg whites, 1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1/8 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp vanilla. cook on a skillet and top with berries)
Berry-yogurt parfaits (yogurt, oatmeal, sliced almonds, berries)
Grape and cheese skewers
Toast sticks with peanut butter and cinnamon

Don't forget to drink plenty of water with these snacks, and in-between meals. The fatigue of dehydration is often mistaken for the fatigue of hunger, and we overeat.