People ask me all the time for my opinion of various diet plans. "What do you think of the Paleo diet? Have you heard of the Atkins diet? Have you looked into the Alkaline diet? I'm on the cabbage soup diet, what do you know about it?" This list of diets goes on and on.  Everyone wants to find the best diet but with so many out there its hard to know which one to follow. So, to everyone who wanted to know which diet I think you should follow, here is the answer: The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Diet. Bet you haven't heard of that one! Well, maybe you have if you went to the doctor for high blood pressure. Its more commonly known as the DASH diet. I like this diet better than My Plate, Weight Watchers, Carb Counting, or the Mediterranean Diet (all of which are good diets to follow, I just don't think they are the best). 

Why do you think DASH is the best? 
After researching different diets it is my professional opinion that this diet best represents what the human body is designed to eat. It includes all the food groups and emphasizes low fat foods, eating less meat and eating more produce. After seeing the health benefits associated with this diet, and learning about our body's nutrient needs, I feel this is the best diet to recommend hands down. This really is what your body needs. 

What do you eat on the DASH diet? 
For a 2000 calorie diet you need:

• 7-8 servings of whole grain (7-8 ounces) 
• 4-5 servings of vegetables (2-2.5 cups) 
• 4-5 servings of fruits (2-2.5 cups) 
• 2-3 servings nonfat dairy (16 ounces) 
• 2 or less servings of meat (6 ounces or less) 
• 1 serving of nuts, seeds, and legumes (1/2 cup)
• 2-3 servings of fats and oils (3 teaspoons oil)
• Less than 5 sweets per week. 
  

It may sound simple, but I dare you to try it for a week. Getting 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day takes work and believe me, if you are eating like this you won't have room for sweets. 

What makes it so beneficial? 
This diet was originally designed to help combat high blood pressure. It is high in calcium, potassium, and magnesium which are important for regulating blood pressure (and bone health). It is also low in fat which is good for your heart. It is high in fiber which helps protect you agains things like diverticulits and colon cancer. It is low in calories which helps with weight loss but it is also large in volume which keeps you full. It helps you maintain a healthy weight which protects agains type 2 diabetes. It is high in phytonutrients and antioxidants which decrease your risk of cancer. I could go on, but you get the point. Pretty much every disease plaguing America today can be prevented by following the DASH diet. Now when you are talking about diets with your friends you can tell them that you know which diet is the best, hands down, and you can tell them why. 

Let me know how it goes trying to follow this diet for a week! 

Knowing if nutrition information is credible is difficult for several reasons. First, nutrition is a new science. Isolated vitamins were discovered just over 100 years ago and we are just barely scratching the surface when it comes to things like phytochemicals. Because the science of nutrition is new sometimes it is easy to fill in the gaps so to speak before actual evidence is available. Or in other words, draw conclusions before all the data is in. This doesn't necessarily happen intentionally, some times it is an honest mistake made because we don't know everything yet. Other times I honestly believe people make things sound like more then they really are because they are trying to sell you something. Those people make me angry. 

Second, is the clash between personal/story based evidence and scientific evidence. This, in my opinion, is the most confusing of all because obviously it worked for one person, but we don't always know why, and therefore it may not work for you.  Basically it happens like this; Man A runs marathons. He finds he is always tired and not running as well as he used to. Man A does some research online and decides he needs to supplement with mega doses of B vitamins, because B vitamins are credited with producing energy. Man A suddenly feels much improved and is running better than ever! He decides to make and sell a supplement to sleepy people everywhere, claiming to boost their energy 10 fold! Man A makes thousands of dollars selling the supplement to an unsuspecting public who do not realize that the only reason this supplement worked for him is because he had a B vitamin deficiency to begin with. Sadly for them, the supplement will not work because they do not have a deficiency. They just need to get some sleep. Really, this stuff happens. For example, change Man A to Dee, and supplement to cereal and marathons to diabetes...do you know what I'm talking? Incomplete claims like this happen in part due to the Dietary Supplement Act in 1994. Not that its a bad thing, it just means we need to be careful. 

Third, is bad studies. I'll be honest, no study is perfect, but some are better than others. I'm not going to bore you with the details, partially because it brings back bad memories of statistics class, but results can be greatly impacted by the type of study, quality and quantity of data and the statistical testing done on it. I'll give you some key things to look for to determine the quality of a study. 

• Number of people. If it is only a dozen or so its probably not a good study, if it is a couple hundred the study is much better. 
  
• Population of people. Usually studies focus on a group of people, ie diabetics, pregnant mothers, elderly, those with GI problems, etc. If you don't fall into that group yourself the study may not apply to you as well. 
• Timeframe. If the study was done a long time ago or for a very short amount of time it is probably a) outdated or b) not very telling. Look for recent studies that were done for a substantial amount of time. 

If you don't want to get so technical when trying to decide if a sources is credible, use this easy acronym: CARS. 

Credibility: Check the credentials of the author. Is it an RD, MD, or RN who had some type of education or emphasis in nutrition or is it a journalist turned nutritionist, a personal trainer with no nutrition education, or just someone who is interested in nutrition? Also watch out for nutritionist because nutritionist is not a protected title, just about anyone can use it with no problems (like me before I take my RD  exam :P). Some are certified, others are not. Check their education and credentials. 

Accuracy: Check to see if the information is current, based on facts, not stories, and looks at the big picture, not obscure details that aren't well supported. 

Reasonableness: Check to see if the information is fair, balanced, and consistent. In other words is the author willing to admit what they don't know everything aka the limitations of their study. Or do they profess to know it all? Watch out for 100% guarantees. 

Support: Check to see if the author has supporting documents or if other studies have been done and found the same or similar things.  If a study can't be duplicated, or a similar thing hasn't been researched multiple times, it means we just don't know enough about the subject yet. Or, if the study can't be duplicated, it could mean the first one was a fluke. 

I hope this helps you as you try and decipher nutrition information for yourself! If you ever have any questions about something you read somewhere else (or here for that mater), let me know! I'd love to do research for you and help you find the answers to your questions! 

The weight loss industry brings in $20 billion a year from 100 million dieters. Despite the big numbers the diet industry is failing. Some studies show that 65% of dieters regain weight, and often they regain more than they lost. The bottom line is quick fixes don't work. The journey to health is a marathon, not a sprint and you will never get ahead with quick fix diets. In a culture where it seems everyone is either obese or on a diet it can be confusing to know what to do to reach your weight goals. Here are a few of the tried and true methods  that will keep a healthy weight. Let me know of other strategies you have heard of! I would love to know what has worked for you or of new methods you have heard about!

1. Think lifelong, sustainable and enjoyable! 
This is not a quick fix, this is a lifestyle shift. Keep making small changes regularly that will get you on the right track for life. Commit to being healthy because you enjoy the way you feel when you eat better and weigh less, not because swimsuit season is coming up. It is a hard shift to master, but is crucial if you want to maintain weight loss. 

2. Cut calories, but not too much. 
The rule of thumb is 3500 calories equals 1 pound of fat, but what does that really mean for weight loss? Basically you want to burn 500-1000 calories more than you eat in a day. If you are just starting out trying to lose weight cut out 250 calories from your diet and exercise off 250 calories each day. This is as easy as cutting back on sugary treats or second helpings and starting to ride a bike, speed walk, or run for 30 minutes a day. This isn't going to melt off the pounds overnight, but it will help form crucial habits that are key for maintaining weight loss. 

3. Eat small frequent meals that are low in calories. 
When you get over hungry (often a side effect of crash diets), you will over eat later. In the end you really didn't save your self any calories if you skip breakfast and lunch and then eat a 1500 calorie dinner with dessert...and a bedtime snack...of 3 snickers bars. Getting over hungry will set you up for failure every time. By eating small, frequent meals you'll end up being less hungry, have more energy, and in the end eat less. If you usually have cereal, fruit and toast for breakfast break it up in to 2 morning meals a few hours apart. 

4. Increase your exercise. 
We all know that we need to burn more calories to weigh less. That means moving more aka exercise. How much you need to exercise depends on what your goals are. The following are good general guides for exercise to meet weight loss goals. 

• 300 minutes a week to lose weight
• 150 minutes to maintain weight loss

Basically, if you want to lose weight, plan on an hour of moderate exercise most days of the week. But what type of exercise burns the most calories? The one you will actually do!! If you don't like running, don't make it part of your weight loss plan! It won't work, you will fail every time! If you think a stationary bike is the most boring thing in the world, that's okay, try something else! My husband got 100% on all of his physical fitness test before, during, and after basic training for the army. His secret? Country swing dancing 3 nights a week. Really, that is all he did for exercise and he loved every minute. Find something you enjoy and stick with it! 


5. Have measurement Mondays. 
Because this is a lifestyle change you don't want to drive yourself crazy measuring every portion of food every day and weighing yourself constantly for the rest of you life. It will rob you of your sanity! You do need to measure portions, you do need to weigh yourself, and you do need to keep track of what you eat, but once you've got the basics down switch to doing it once a week. Measure out portion sizes for all of your food once a week so you remember how much you should be eating. Weigh yourself once a week so you see changes. Track what you eat once a week so you are conscious of what you are eating. Once a week will keep you on top of things without letting it take over your life. 


6. Don't battle your body type. 
Not everyone has the body of a Victoria's Secret model just waiting to be let out. I don't care what your personal trainer told you, he cannot mold your body into any shape and you may never reach your goal weight of 110 pounds. Your body has a weight that you feel and look good at.  I can't calculate that out for you, only you can know what it is. I can give you guidelines of where to start, but in the end you need to feel it and more importantly, accept it. I tell you this from personal experience. I have been 160 pounds and I have been 130 pounds. You would think my "ideal" or goal weight that I want to stay at is 130, wouldn't you? Wrong! I felt my best and looked my best at 145 pounds. That is the weight I try to maintain. Don't battle your body and try to make it become something its not, find and embrace what is healthy for you!  

I recently heard a story that illustrates how truly messed up the American mindset is when it comes to diet and weight loss. A woman who had struggled with weight all her life decided to see an uncertified nutritionist to help get the pounds off for good. The nutritionist put her on a ridged diet which was deficient in everything but protein and vitamin c. The woman followed the diet fairly well for 2 year and for 6 months never deviated once! She ate the exact same thing at every meal for 6 months!  On top of this the woman exercised morning and night in order to burn over 1000 calories each day. The woman would call her nutritionist in tears saying she couldn't do it any more and the nutritionist would give her some fired up speech that got her to keep going. Finally the woman got professional help from a neighbor who is a registered dietitian. However, by this point, she had developed an extreme eating disorder, was literally afraid to eat, and completely unable to make food choices on her own. Food had completely consumed her and taken over her life! 

Don't fall into the trap of fad or extreme diets. I promise, none of them work. Not one! They all have the same results of weight loss for 6 months, followed by a plateau, and then gradually regaining weight gain until you gain it all back. If you want to lose weight talk with a professional who can help you make sustainable lifestyle changes that will give you steady results and leave you in better health instead of struggling with an eating disorder or a never ending cycle of weight regain. 

If you have questions about your individual situation feel free to contact me and ask. I'd love to help you get started! 

I get asked this all the time. Whether you are trying to build muscle, talk your daughter out of being vegetarian, or simply curious, this article will tell you what you need to know. If it doesn't, shoot me an email and ask! I'd love to answer your question!  



How much protein do I need to eat each day? 
Obviously this will be different for everyone because, as you well know, our bodies and lifestyles are different. I will now give you the all knowing formula to calculate protein needs! 

• First: Take your weight in pounds and divide it by 2.2 (150 pounds/2.2=68.2). This gives you your weight in kilograms. 
  
• Second: Take that number and multiply it by .8 (68.2 x .8 = 55). This gives you grams protein needed. 
  

This will give you the grams of protein you need in one day if you are a fairly average person who is more on the sedentary side. In this case it is 55 grams each day. Really easy to calculate, right? If you are building muscle, a growing teenager, very active, pregnant etc. obviously you would need more because protein is what your body uses to build and repair. In that case  multiply your weight in kilograms by 1, 1.1, or 1.2. But don't let that confuse you! Just keep it simple and don't stress if that doesn't make sense. Just stick with the basics of .8 for now. 

What do I need to eat to get enough protein? 
There are a lot of sources of protein, the most obvious ones being meat, nuts, eggs, beans, tofu, and dairy. But how much do you need to eat to make sure you are getting enough? Surprisingly, not a lot. Let me give you an example. 

First take a look at how much protein are in the following foods. 

• 3 ounce chicken breast: 20 grams protein 
• 6 ounces Greek yogurt: 17 grams protein
• 3 cups of cows milk: 25 grams protein 
• 3 cups soy milk: 12 grams protein
• 1/4 cup almonds: 8 grams protein
• 1 cup raw spinach: 1 gram protein 
• 1 cup raw broccoli: 3 grams protein 
• 1 medium potato: 4 grams protein
• 1/2 cup black beans: 8 grams protein 
  

Okay, you get the picture. There is a lot more protein in chicken than there is in broccoli. To get 55 grams of protein you would have to eat some chicken, 3 cups of milk, and 1/2 a cup of black beans and then you would be good for the day. If you decided to not eat meat you could replace the chicken with yogurt and meet your protein requirements easily. If you decided to go vegan and skip out on the chicken and the yogurt you would need to eat 1 cup black beans, 3 cups soy milk, 3 cups broccoli, 2 potatoes, 1/4 cup almonds, and 2 cups of spinach. It is easy to get enough protein on a regular and vegetarian diet, it takes a lot of work and planning to get enough protein on a vegan diet. 

If I eat extra protein will my body use it to build more muscle? 
No. Your body only uses the protein to build more muscle if you are doing something that would require it to build muscle. Using muscles through exercise and physical activity signals to your body that it needs to keep muscle built up or build more muscle; however, if you eat more protein than your body needs to build or maintain muscle that protein will be stored...as fat. In fact if you eat more carbohydrate, protein, or fat than you need they will all be stored as fat...at least thats the simple answer for now. 

Should I take a protein supplement after working out? 
No. You can easily get enough protein through food. Which would you rather have, a nasty protein bar or some nice grilled chicken? To me the choice is easy. Protein supplements are not necessary and therefore a waste of money. A better post workout supplement could be a glass of milk, toast with peanut butter, or yogurt within 30 minutes after the workout. However, if you are vegan and having difficulty meeting your protein requirements a good protein powder in a smoothie may be in order. But, if you are a healthy individual eating a well balanced diet, you don't really need to spend money on protein supplements. 

If I didn't answer your question contact me here and ask! I'll get back to you as soon as I can! 

We all know that to lose weight we need to eat less, but thinking about eating less often leads to feelings of deprivation. We want what we can't have, so feeling deprived while dieting will actually backfire and in the long run lead to overeating. 

How to Eat Less Without Really Trying 

• Drink a glass of water 5-10 minutes before a meal.  You'll feel full faster and will automatically eat 70-100 calories less. Believe it or not, you could lose 20 pounds in 1 year by doing this! 
• Use small plates, cups, bowls, & serving utensils.    If your plate looks 1/2 full you will feel like you didn't get enough. Using a smaller dishes will help you put less on your plate and feel more satisfied after a meal. Try switching from 10-12" plates to 7-8" plates and spread your food thin across your whole plate. You won't even know it, but you'll be eating less and saving calories. 
• Keep the serving dishes off the table.                                Dish up the plates in the kitchen and bring them to the table. This will keep you from reaching for seconds when you aren't really hungry. If you don't go back for seconds you are cutting your calories in half!
• Eat 6 small meals each day.                                                          Eating smaller, more frequent meals will keep you from getting overly hungry. When you get overly hungry you tend to eat more without even realizing it. Shoot for 6 small meals and you'll be cutting calories, have more energy, and feel fuller all day. 
• Sit back and relax.                                                                               Listening to relaxing music, taking time to set the table, and setting aside 30 minutes-1 hour to eat can all help you eat less. When you eat in a hurry you eat more. Slowing down will help you enjoy your food, feel more satisfied and eat less. 

Start these simple tricks today and in a few months you will notice a lasting difference! 

Sugar is often one of those hard to pronounce I-have-no-idea-what-the-heck-this-is items on the nutrition label. Because of this it often gets overlooked or "hides" on the ingredient list. 
By Any Other Name...
Generally speaking sugar is sugar. There are 2 categories of sugar you are probably already very familiar with: Nutritive and non-nutrative sweeteners. In other words regular sugar and calorie-free sweeteners. Both of these types of sweeteners have a myriad of names that you might see on a nutrition label. 

Nutritive aka regular sugars include: 

• Brown sugar/white sugar/raw sugar/sucrose
• Cane sugar/evaporated cane juice/turbinado sugar
• Dextrin/glucose/dextrose
• Honey/levulose
• Fruit sugar/fruit juice concentrate
• Date Sugar
• High-fructose corn syrup/fructose/corn syrup 
• Molasses
• Maple syrup
• Mannitol
• Maltose/malt syrup

Quite a list, right? Basically all these terms mean one thing: Sugar! Some are higher in fructose than others , but basically they are all sugar. 

Side Note on Fructose: Pretty much all of these sugar have fructose in them. Fructose may possibly lead to more fat storage and for some in large quantities can cause stomach upset, but it is not the evil health killer its been made out to be. It is actually a building block used to make lots of sugars, even the natural sugar found in fruit. 

Non-nutritive aka calorie-free sweeteners include: 

• Sorbitol 
• Xylitol
• Tagatose (aka Naturlose) 
• Cyclamate
• Aspartame (aka Equal)
• Acesulfame-K (aka Sunette)
• Saccharin (aka Sweet'n Low)
• Sucralose (aka Splenda)
• Neotame
• Stevia (aka NuStevia) 

Recognize any of these? Most of us don't use the names of these sugars regularly, but you probably eat them daily without even knowing it, especially if you use sugar free foods. 

Side Note on Calorie-Free: 
These are often sweeter than regular sugars because of their molecular shape. In other words, you need less of these to get the same sweetness of regular sugar. They have less calories because 1) your body can't absorb them and therefore cannot use them for energy/calories or 2) they provide so few calories and you need so little to sweeten a food it comes out to be less than 5 calories per serving. 

What Does This Mean?!
Most people I talk to who are trying to eat little or "no" sugar want to pull their hair out when trying to read labels. Its confusing, no doubt about it. Make it easy on yourself by using these tips: 

• "Sugars" in the nutrition facts  includes natural sugars and added sugars, so don't stress out about that number, just check the ingredients
  
• Compare different brands of foods (i.e. yogurt) and get the one that has the fewest sugars, it likely has the fewest added sugars
• Make sure the sugars are at the bottom of the ingredient list, not the top, so you are getting less of them
  
• Eat more natural foods (fruits, vegetables, and grains) and less processed foods (soups, sauces, pastry, cakes, sweet breads) because processed foods have more sugar  added to them 

Questions? Feel free to ask! I love hearing what you want to know more about! 

It is 21 days after most of us made our new years resolutions. Are your goals losing momentum? You are not alone. Most people don't keep up their new years resolutions past January. Sad, but true. Here are some tips to get you back on track with your goals if your motivation is starting to fizzle.

Focus on the positive. Say to yourself "I'm going to eat beautiful vegetables, I'm going to exercise and enjoy how great I feel after I do, I'm going to skip that doughnut and take a step closer to my skinny jeans!"  Focusing on the positive aspects, instead of the negative hardships, of your goal setting will get you a lot farther and keep you motivated. 

Focus on the does. Instead of thinking about all the things you can't have focus on what you are planing to do. "I am going to eat whole grains.  I am going to eat 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. I am going to have fruit for dessert. I am going to exercise."  You want what you can't have, so don't bring attention to it by formatting your goals as don'ts. 

Replace the bad. If you are trying to stop a bad habit you need to replace it with something good. If you don't want to eat sugary snacks, not buying them isn't enough. You need to replace them with fresh fruits and vegetables or some other healthy snack. If you don't replace a bad habit with a good one you are leaving a void that is likely to be filled up with another bad habit. 

Set up for success. Your environment absolutely has an impact on how successful you will be at your goals. You need to change your environment to set you up for success instead of failure.  Place your exercise clothes in an easy to access place. Have fruits and veggies cut up in the fridge. Put vegetables on your plate first. Little steps like these immediately set you up for success. 

Practice patients. You will mess up. It is a part of goal setting and change. Instead of beating yourself up when you fail, use it as a chance to assess ways you could prevent setbacks in the future. Maybe you need to change the time you exercise, or get a partner. Maybe you need to find a better diet tracker, or learn how to cook vegetables in a new way that tastes good to you. Be patient with yourself and see setbacks a opportunities. 

Would you like some individualized help  finding ways to keep you motivated to accomplish your goals? Share this article with 3 friends, then contact me here and I will give you a free 30 minute consultation to help you find ways to succeed at your goals. 

 

In conjunction with our facebook giveaway of NuNaturals stevia  no calorie sweetener (isn't that a mouthful!) I've been getting a lot of questions about stevia, so I'm going to answer the most common questions here. 
What exactly is stevia? Stevia sweeteners are extracted from a plant native to South America. The extract is sweeter than sugar,  all natural, has no calories and can be used to replace sugar. Why do you use stevia? I like it because it is plant based instead of being chemically engineered,  it does not have that nasty after taste  I've found in other low calorie sweeteners, it  is better for your teeth and has  no calories. I've really enjoyed playing around with the NuNaturals samples that were sent to me and using them to flavor water, make lower calorie desserts, and I even have some plans to use them to make lower calorie main dishes. Check out some recipes here.  Why is it low calorie?  No or low calorie sweeteners are not able to be absorbed by your body. Because of this they don't raise your blood sugar and don't provide calories. However, one down side is eating too much low calorie sweetener can cause diarrhea and other side effects. As with all things, use in moderation. If you have other specific questions please let me know. I'd be happy to answer them for you in a personal email! 

Detox and cleansing have been  all the rage as of late. Anything from detoxing baths, workouts, diets,  juice cleanses, and mud-wraps have been claimed to help detox your body and get you feeling great. Do they really work? Bottom line is, no.
Plain and simple your body was made to detox itself from anything short of poison. But isn't some of our food so bad  it is basically poison?  While processed food may not be the best for you, there is no evidence suggesting they are toxic to your body (alcohol on the other hand is). Why do people feel so great after a detox or juice cleans? It is actually a euphoria caused from starving your body. Marjorie Cohn, a registered dietitian and spokes person for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics compared detoxing to anorexia. She stated  that "at some point your body shuts down that feeling of immediate hunger, you become lightheaded and dizzy, and that euphoric feeling starts to come on,” she says. “I work with a lot of anorexics, and they feel euphoria, too.” Detoxing diets that cause you to starve yourself are not healthy and may have a negative impact on your health. Still feeling the fatigue, headache, bloating or other symptoms you were hoping to cure with with a cleans? Contact me for more information on diet and lifestyle changes that can help. 

Borgan, J. Juice Cleansing is Going Mansteam. Accessed December 17, 2012. Available at http://bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2012/12/17/juice-cleanses-commercial-companies-sell-and-ship-fresh-juice-those-eager-fast/C09bxd7IyT8nYpTtSKtJZM/story.html. 

Feel like you are trying to recover from a holiday nutrition hangover? I know I am (I think I ate almost 2 pies in 1 week...Nobody is perfect).  

The holidays bring an abundance of treats and goodies, but the extra indulgences often leave me with a nutrition "hangover.” If you are feeling the bloated belly and cotton mouth effects of a nutrition hangover here are a few tips for you. 

Refreshing Breakfast Smoothie: 1 banana, ¼ cup berries, 1 tablespoon protein powder, 1 small apple, ¼ cup water, ½ cup ice cubes, 1 stalk celery, 1 carrot, ¼ cup garbanzo beans, 1 serving probiotics. Blend and enjoy a light, refreshing breakfast for you and a friend that will get you started off right for a day of good nutrition!

Tea Tree Oil Rinse: To help me with my cotton mouth I like to take ¼ cup of water and add 3 drops of tea tree oil and swish my mouth out. Rinsing a couple times a day gets my mouth feeling refreshed in no time. 

Forego the Feasting: As tempting as it is to feast all through out the holidays, its best to stick with small, frequent meals. Even after a day of feasting don't skip meals. Instead fill your small meals with vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. This will help quickly get you back to following a nutritious diet. 
 
Use Your Body: Get out and use your body to do something active. Go for a walk, hike, ice skating, sledding, run, or grab a partner and dance! Make it something you enjoy that leaves you feeling powerful and invigorated. Enjoying exercise makes you more likely to continue and helps you stay on track with your healthy lifestyle during the holidays. 

Most importantly don't beat yourself up if you ate a few more treats than you would have liked. Good nutrition is a journey, not a pass-fail test. Find ways to enjoy the journey!