Take Care,
Margo

Nutrition & Exercise Journal

If you are a past or current client of mine, you understand the value of making a written commitment on these two things. Putting your plan to paper, as in writing your exercise homework from me (if I didn’t hand it to you), solidifies your intention. It is cause in making you more likely to stick to it.

If you are on a weight management program, you understand the major value of writing on a food log sheet . You understand how seeing it in writing – what you consumed, and jotting your meal plans, helps keep you on track.

There isn’t enough space here for me to emphasize the value of committing to paper what your exercise intention for the week is, nor the value in weight management and well being of putting to paper what you are eating during the week.

Tip for the week: Write it down. Put it on your calendar “take 15 minute walk before work”. You will make time for it this way. Writing in the food log will be a HUGE value and major hindrance to “amnesia eating” and will lead to weight loss.

Take care,

Margo

When the label says “energy” I want you to NOT buy it. If something says “energy drink” or “energy bar” you couldn’t make me ingest it.  It will be loaded with something I don’t want in my body, nor should it be in yours.  That most likely is a LOT of added SUGAR –  or worse, High Fructose Corn Syrup, along with caffiene and more sugar (both disguised with another name to trick you).  Go ahead and google high fructose corn syrup…it’s illegal in any food product in most countries but NOT this country.

I’m keeping this blog post to the point. Do NOT buy anything being marketed with the word “energy” on it.

Have a great day,

Margo

That said, I too, get tired of a plain old glass of water at parties, or even just with dinner at home.  My clients often ask if diet soda is okay. My answer is this: “If sugared soda or alcohol is the other option, diet soda is fine”. Then I suggest the very thing I do, as pictured below.  Club soda, aka “Sparkling Water”. Simple, interesting from  my usual tap water, and HEB has a low cost, recycle can, that comes in a case of 12. I prefer the individual can, as the larger bottles can lose their fizz.  Other brands are La Croix, Perrier, Pellegrino, etc., but for a higher price tag. Me? I’m easy, HEB’s is great and under 3 bucks usually, and it kills that craving for when I want something else, not so healthy.

Remember two things while you’re here: Thirst will often rear itself as hunger, so if you feel hungry you may very well just be thirsty.  Secondly, diet sodas, even this club soda, will not necessarily kill your thirst; they can make you feel thirstier! Chase or precede a carbonated beverage with regular water. If you drink alcohol, alternate with water.

Take care,

Margo

Many of us experience difficulty in shopping for family and friends.  Another thing we all experience? Receiving gifts we will NEVER use.  A client of mine suggested I share this with you here. Spare friends and family the expen$e of giving you an unwanted gift. Instead, try what she did and suggest a Gift Certificate from One-on-One Personal Fitness Training! I do them every year for people surprising significant others or friends. They aren’t just for new people to get them started; it makes a great gift for someone already committed to fitness and health, who’d love to get one session, or a week of sessions or more, as a holiday gift.  I can mail it or you can pick it up! What better gift to give someone then an investment in their health and well being.

May I also suggest the following gift ideas! A book about the food industry to fascinate and educate, “In Defense of Food” or “The 5 Day Miracle Diet” a book about ending cravings and eating for life long health.

GIVE A BOOK TO YOUR READER FRIENDS!!!!

Another great fitness gift idea is exercise bands! They’re affordable, fun, light, easy to store, and work great for body strengthening and toning, and travel easily!  

Last but not least, for the beginner walker to hard core runner, give them a “Polar” brand heart rate watch and strap for keeping track of their heart rate perpetually, and to track time and exercise intensity!

All these are great gifts that show you care not only about  them, but their health and well being too!  Hope these  ideas help make your shopping easier!

Take care,

Margo

I’m still shocked at totally inept articles on exercise and nutrition in generally accepted “smart” publications, hence my “what the?” expression above.  I’m reading an article in Time Magazine about appetite post exercise, and frankly, once I calm down I’m going to write a doozy editorial to the author and maybe Time will publish it (not holding my breath).

In a nutshell, the author suggests it is because of her exercising she gains weight. WHAT????  That is, she eats junk that she normally would not have because she exercised. THAT reason itself, is frankly junk. Just because SHE has no self control or discipline, does not negate the fact that exercise physically, chemically, suppresses appetite.

I’ve spoken to many of you about the possibility of weight gain by “eating your workout” (see my blog post “eating your workout!”). It is not uncommon to AT FIRST think “well, I worked out so now I can eat X”. When, but for the fact you exercised, you would NOT have eaten X. I understand the desire to eat X (often junk), mentally and/or emotionally, because you exercised. However, what “X” is, is entirely up to YOU!!!!  You choose. You can choose a healthy snack, or you can choose cake. Most likely, you’re just thirsty. I digress, see my previous blog post “Thirst as Hunger”. Wanting to eat when really your body wants water, especially after exercise.

After that first week or two of starting to exercise, most who fell into “eating their workout” fell just as quickly OUT of it. They returned to their previous calorie consumption (or less,) and with the addition of exercise and eating habit changes, lost weight. Duh, right?! Ergo the “use common sense” expression I’m trying to depict here below, about exercise and eating properly and choice. 

Fact: Intense exercise suppresses the appetite.  Exercise increases energy expenditure and can stimulate you to make up for calories burned. What you eat is your choice. Exercise will influence appetite differently from one person to the next. In general, the higher your body temperature; the more intense the exercise, the more appetite suppression you will experience.

I stand by the fact that even short bouts of moderate to intense exercise each day shifts the hunger and energy requirement balance and makes for longer term consistent weight loss and maintenance.

Take care,

Margo

http://www.realage.com/ralong/entry4.aspx?cbr=GGLE806&gclid=CJrHsbqK7JsCFQ7xDAod503d5g

WHAT’S IT GONNA BE?????                                                                              WHEWY!

When out and about and you want that TCBY type, or Yogurt Planet dessert, make sure it’s in moderation, that is, not frequent.  Once a week. Here are ingredients in your average fat free yogurt fruit flavored treat: (note first one)

Ingredients: Sugar, Corn Syrup, Strawberry Puree, Nonfat Milk, Whey, Stabilizer (Cellulose Gel, Mono and Diglycerides, Cellulose Gum, Carrageenan), Strawberry Concentrate (Strawberry Juice Concentrate, Natural Flavors, Beet Juice [For Color]), Lactic Acid, Yogurt Culture.

I’m okay with most sugar free foods and I strongly suggest you never eat “fat free” foods. They just add high fructose corn syrup! ugh!

I’ll cut to the chase.   Good snack?    Look right

Bad snack – See below

There’s nothing as good for you as whole foods, unchanged as much as possible by human hands. You’ll live better, longer, happier and healthier.

Warm regards,

Margo

http://www.weight.com/definition.asp?page=2

This topic (what defines obese) has surfaced a lot lately in my work, hence this post today. The current accepted standard for measuring obesity is the Body Mass Index (BMI). In a previous blog post of mine titled “body mass index vs body fat percentage” I list specifics, so please reference it for details.

Above is just a quick calculator I found on the web that’s easy (and fun?) to do.  It also gives you your calorie needs AT REST. “At rest” meaning what you burn; what your body needs to stay alive, at rest, and nothing more.  BMI does not take into account people who are body builders, pregnant, have frames way small or way larger then the norm, etc. It just happens to be the most convenient and accessible way to find your height to weight ratio.  If your BMI is over 30, you are classified as clinically obese. Over 40, morbidly obese. A waist measurement (generally) over 35 for women is considered obese, and over 40 for men.

I believe it’s important we face the truth of our BMI. It’s the first step to doing something about it! (See me for details on where to begin!) :-)

Warm regards,

Margo

I’M ONLY 20!!!!!! (er, I mean my BMI is 20)    

Do not judge this book by the cover, er, the title. Those reading this who are acquainted with me, understand this is not about dropping a bunch of weight in 5 days; it’s about getting in, and staying in “good blood sugar” in 5 days or less. If you’re going “huh?” to the words “level blood sugar” then you should read this book. It isn’t just about guiding you to successful weight loss and maintenance - it’s about health and well being, feeling energetic, and appetite satisfaction and control.

This book precedes The Zone Diet, South Beach Diet, and so many others. Adele Puhn is truly the pioneer (to me) in this category. It’s easy to follow, flexible, (and much like myself), encourages progress – not perfection. It’s not a quick or temporary fix; it is a lifestyle program. Deprivation is not on the menu. I suggest many alternatives to her meal plans/menus with quantity variations for sure, and other food additions not in this book (case by case to my clients) making it that much easier (and convenient) to follow long term for health, weight loss, weight maintenance, well being, and satisfying lifestyle eating.

The copy you see above is the “new” edition; however the original “5 day miracle diet” (without the ‘new’ in title) is perfectly fine.  I suggest using Amazon – search ‘paperback used’ and you can get it to your door for under 5 bucks!  ”In Defense of Food” (a book I recommended a couple blogs back) and the  ”5 Day Miracle Diet” book, will open your eyes (and life) to well being, prevention of obesity & diabetes and so much more, not to mention lowering your own health care costs by eating well!

Warm regards,

Margo