It’s not a question we really think about. What does my diet say about me? When I go to the grocery store, what are my priorities? When I counsel my clients in their nutritional choices though, it’s something that I need to know in order to help them in making the right choice. Example: My client asks me "Should I be eating soy?" Well, the answer to that is much more complicated than a straight yes or no. What are the reasons behind you asking this question? Some questions that would determine the answer are: Are you trying to reduce your carbon footprint? Are you concerned about the amount of protein you’re getting in your diet? Are you vegetarian or vegan? Are you trying to reduce the amount of animal products in your diet? Do you like soy? What are your thoughts on processed foods? Yeah – I know. That Read More . . .
Back on the Wagon
I just posted a new newsletter to my website! If you’re not on my newsletter list, please feel free to sign up here. I try to send out newsletters once a month. I’m not really sure what happened, but apparently I took a 9 month hiatus! Initially I think I can blame it on my bodybugg. I’ve been trying to add more activity in my life, and sitting, doing computer work does not accomplish that goal. Eventually, it became a daunting task, my self talk being something like: "Well, now it needs to be an AWESOME newsletter because you’ve been saving all of this information up. It needs to be rockin’!" That type of self talk reminds me of what we do to ourselves all the time when it comes to LOTS of areas in our life; whether it’s eating "I can’t start eating better until I’ve gotten all of Read More . . .
bodybugg vs fitbit: Round 1 – Getting Going
Hello, My name is Elizabeth & I'm a data geek. That's why I love my bodybugg. I've loved my bodybugg pretty much since the day I got it. The bodybugg is the first tool available that allows you to really see how many calories you're burning in a day. This is a fantastic insight for folks who are trying to lose weight, or maintain their weight loss because how do you know how many calories to eat if you don't know how many calories you burn? Since I'm a nutritionist, wellness coach and personal trainer, I instantly recognized how powerful of a tool this was & became a licensed reseller, which affords me the opportunity to distribute them to my clientele. Initially, the bodybugg didn't have any competition. The first competitor was the GoWear Fit, which is the same product distributed by the company that actually makes the bodybugg armband; Read More . . .
Bodybugg Calories Burned
Another Frequently asked question about the bodybugg application is: "Why do I have two different Calories Burned Numbers? I just got my Bodybugg last night. It seems to be working and when I uploaded data from the armband to computer, at the bottom it said I had burned 31 calories-had only been wearing it for a few minutes. The top display for the overall day is completely out of whack says 381 calories burned so far which can’t be done in wearing it a whole ten minutes?" The Red arrows in this screen shot point out the conflicting data. Clearly the numbers are different, but why? The top number shows the total number of calories burned during the entire day. The bottom number shows the number of calories burned during a specific time of day, typically your waking hours, which is illustrated by the darker gray area that the blue Read More . . .
Consciously Incompetent
When I imagined that I would be skating in rollerderby, I didn’t necessarily imagine that I would be blocking every body hit & skating with the fluid moves of a butterfly: zipping in & out of other girls around me. I guess I thought that it might be a little difficult at first, but with a little time & stick-to-it-ness, I’d be okay. After I invested in all of my equipment, I certainly felt the pressure to make it work. But after 8 weeks of skating 2-3 times per week, neither did I imagine that I would lose my balance & fall when I was just standing on my skates! I’m completely in awe of my coaches, Sparkle Plenty & Devil Grrl. They’re both so at ease on their skates. When Sparkle talks, she “paces” in her skates – backwards, forwards, sideways… it’s as if her skates are part of Read More . . .
Let Your Food Burn Calories For You
You’ve seen the titles of books & magazine headlines: “Fat Burning Foods”; “Eat More to Weigh Less” and it goes on & on. So what are these articles & books trying to teach us? THey’re trying to get us to use the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) to burn more calories, and yes, it does work. Thermic Effect of Food Defined: “the increment in energy expenditure above resting metabolic rate due to the cost of processing food for storage and use” or, the number of calories our bodies use in eating. Yes, we burn calories by eating. NancySBrandt: I’m thinking this #bodybugg thing might be too good to be true. How can I have 747 calorie deficit after eating fast food for two meals? bodybugg: @NancySBrandt Ucould eat donuts all day &still hv a calorie deficit! it doesn’t mean tht it’s a good thing. Uburn fewr K digesting fast food Read More . . .
Exercising on an Empty Stomach
@dasschus ? for the week: do you burn more calories if you have something to eat first? Went on hike but past lunch & was hungry. on same hike after eating picnic bodybugg said I burned more calories. So does fueling up before exer. burn more calories? This question is a hotly debated topic among the fitness community: do you exercise on an empty stomach or not? The current theory is that when you perform cardiovascular exercise on an empty stomach, you’ll burn more calories from fat than you would if you ate prior to performing the same cardiovascular exercise. The rationalization is that while you’re sleeping, your body uses up all of the reserve energy in your muscles & when you wake, your body has no choice other than to use the body’s fat reserves to create energy. Let’s evaluate the pros & cons. Pros Exercising on an empty Read More . . .
Heart Rate & the Bodybugg
There’s been a TON of discussion recently about Heart Rate Monitors (HRM) & the Bodybugg: The bodybugg should have one… Why doesn’t the bodybugg have one?… an HRM can do the same thing as a bodybugg at a fraction of the cost… and so on. So, I’d like to address some of the questions about Heart Rate & the Bodybugg. Heart Rate Monitors HRMs can range from $60 – 400. The most basic will tell time & HR. More sophisticated ones may also track GPS location, calories burned, speed, & allow you to upload the data to a website to look at it, and may keep history of several previous "files" (or workouts). I used a HRM for years because it was the only tool available to tell me how many calories I burned when I exercised. However, I tried wearing it the entire day once had no luck as Read More . . .
Roller Derby Bad @**
I joined the Texas RollerGirls Recreational Roller Derby League! I don’t know what the heck I was thinking. Actually, I know exactly what I was thinking. I was thinking that summer is approaching in Austin, and since I’ve been running, I enter summer a really strong runner (running 10 – 13 miles on my long runs) & by mid-June, I can barely run for 40 minutes without taking a walk break. So, summer is the time when I start thinking about cross training. I am highly influenced by the power of suggestion, so when someone suggested that I sign up for Roller Derby, I did it. Aaack! After not being on roller skates since I was in high-school (maybe) I googled "how to roller skate", and came up with some good sites. After watching a bunch of videos, I put on my pads, laced up my skates & promptly fell Read More . . .
King Corn
I watched King Corn (free on iTunes) a few months ago & have been meaning to write a blog post on it. I’ve only now gotten re-motivated to write about it now because I’m currently reading the Omnivore’s Dilemma & the two compliment each other beautifully. The movie, King Corn is a documentary about two college buddies who through some random events decide to get their hair analyzed. The results come back that they have an enormous amount of corn byproduct in their bodies. Confused, because corn isn’t a food product that they typically eat, they decide to move to Iowa, plant an acre of corn rented from a farmer, and follow that acre of corn from production to consumption. The two film-makers, Ian Chaney and Curt Ellis do a really good job of explaining how corn gets into our food – through corn-fed beef (not only are we what Read More . . .
3 Tips for Maintaining Motivation
Part 2 in the Runtex University Bucky & Bob Speaking Series We’ve all done it; whether it’s a New Year’s Resolution, or disliking the way you look in pictures, or even wanting to fit into a cute pair of pants again that have gotten a little too snug. We start off with a vengeance; vowing to change our life this time for good. Then, about 6 weeks later (maybe sooner, maybe later) our stick-to-it-iveness begins to wane. What strategies can you use so that you maintain your motivation & make those behavior changes that you desire? 1) Set Goals Goals are SO important in life in general. Goals allow you to be proactive in your life instead of re-active. When I think about life without goals, I think about the song Once In a Lifetime by the Talking Heads. The tips I’m outlining here can be applied to health, personal, Read More . . .
3 Tips for Eating & Weight Loss
Part 1 in the Runtex University Bucky & Bob Speaking Series My husband tells me that I eat more food than anyone that he knows. He’s probably right. I can eat large volume of food. I also remember as a kid going to an ice cream parlor with my sister. After I finished mine, I finished hers too. She looked at me & stated "Your stomach is a bottomless pit." Looking back, it’s really not a mystery to me that I ended up overweight, but also that I’ve devised a few really good strategies for being able to eat, not depriving myself & still being able to maintain my smaller size. 1) Don’t Drink Your Calories Have you seen the calorie counts on some of the Starbucks coffee drinks? A Venti Double Chocolaty Chip Frappuccino® Blended Crème has 670 Calories! That’s about a third of my calorie budget! Plus, in Read More . . .
The Quality of Your Diet is Revealed at the Grocery Store Check-Out
Have I mentioned that I’m cheap? Well, I don’t want to say "cheap" because I truly believe that you get what you pay for. I don’t like spending money – (okay, that’s better!). I don’t have grocery coupons down to a science like the Economides Family, and honestly never really understood them, but on Sundays I look through the ads of the Sunday paper circular. I don’t really know why I look through the coupons, the stores don’t supply coupons for the foods that I buy. Maybe it’s a curiosity of "What new and evil processed food have manufacturers dreamed up now? And how are they marketing it as ‘not so bad’ to unsuspecting consumers?" Next time you look at any food advertising that you get in the mail, or along with a paper, notice the types of products that they’re advertising. All coupons are for processed foods: microwaveable meals, Read More . . .
The Little Thing in Your Head That’s Keeping You Fat
Guest Blog By Tom Venuto www.BurnTheFat.com I have no doubt that a scientist somewhere just read the title of this article and said out loud, “YES! Venuto is right! That little thing in your head – the hypothalamus – it IS the thing that is keeping you fat! By George, that Venuto guy isn’t a dumb bodybuilder after all – he’s been doing his research!” At which moment, I will be shaking my head and thinking, “you need to get out of the laboratory and into the real world, with real people, buddy.” Okay, okay, to be fair, Neuro-endocrine control of appetite and body fat really is quite fascinating. But today, I’m talking about PSYCH-ology, not PHYSI-ology. The little thing in your head that’s keeping you fat is actually just a…. Limiting belief! Self-limiting beliefs are among the biggest problems that people deal with in their struggles to achieve a Read More . . .
Do you need to take Supplements to be Healthy?
As a Health Educator, I receive countless offers from companies wanting me to offer their products to my clientele. Everything from whey protein to vitamins & Acai berry drinks. I do take supplements myself, but believe that with the right diet, my clients really don’t NEED to take supplements. So here’s a list of the supplements that I currently take & why: Multi-Vitamin – I do recommend that everyone take a good multi-vitamin. I don’t recommend a particular brand. Just make sure that it has the Consumer Lab’s seal of quality on it. Calcium – Women between the ages of 24 & 50 have an RDA of 800/1000mg of Calcium for bone health. Calcium is best absorbed in quantities less than 500mg, so I take one tablet 2x daily. Although I do eat a lot of leafy green vegetables, I don’t always consume dairy. This ensures that I have strong Read More . . .
The Gift of Elizabeth
NOTE: pronouns (he/she) were intentionally interchanged in this post A few years ago I had a client approach me for a Valentine’s Day gift-certificate of Nutritional Counseling for her husband. "He really needs to start working out and eating better. He’s getting fat & I think he could really use your help." He never called me to schedule his appointments. I knew that he wouldn’t. One would probably think that I would be a huge advocate of giving the gift of Elizabeth; after all, it’s a win for everyone. Right? Well, not necessarily. Purchasing health related gifts for your loved ones is a delicate gift to give. This applies to purchasing personal training, nutritional counseling, gym memberships or even workout equipment and fitness gadgets like the bodybugg. If you’re reading this blog, you are probably somewhat interested in your health. You know how good you feel by eating foods that Read More . . .
8 Reasons Why You Keep Falling Off The Diet Wagon
Guest Blog Post By Tom Venuto www.BurnTheFat.com Clearly, we have an obesity problem in America and many other countries across our planet. Yet, I propose that we do not have a weight loss problem today. In case you’re confused at this apparent contradiction, consider these statistics: According to a study from Oxford University published in the International Journal of Obesity, within 3 to 5 years, about 80 percent of all ‘weight losers’ have regained the lost weight, and often gained back a little extra. According to research by the National Weight Control Registry, that relapse rate may be as high as 95 percent. For comparison, relapse rates for drug, alcohol and tobacco dependency have been reported in the range of 50-90%. This means that lots and lots of people have “successfully” lost weight. But not many have kept it off. Therefore, we don’t have a weight loss problem, we have Read More . . .
Do You Want To Do It On Your Own?
People have been asking me lately what makes me different. What differentiates me from other personal trainers? Well first, I am not "just a personal trainer". I am a nutritionist & wellness coach as well. Each of these skills allows me to have different relationships with my clients. Nutritionist When I’m a nutritionist, I inform, educate & give feedback. Depending on the client, and what their goals are, I will do as much education as I need to in order to get the client to a point where they’re able to make good decisions. The second step is to do weekly check-ins, where the client keeps an online food journal & we review those food choices; discovering how different foods affect mood, energy, sleep, etc. and also reflecting on any emotional eating that may have popped up. Personal Trainer As a personal trainer, I am focused on working my client Read More . . .
What are your expectations for yourself?
Yesterday I was reading this blog about photo retouching. It started me thinking about how much magazines and how they influence our expectations of our own bodies. I am a magazine junkie. I love reading short articles about whatever. When I travel, People Magazine is my guilty pleasure of choice. I wonder though, how the images that I see in the magazine influence the way that I see my own body, and how I feel about it. Are the expectations that I have about the way my body looks realistic? It’s easy to see how one could get caught up in "perfection". Take a look at some examples of photo retouching to see the areas that are modified. Dove Commercial Magazine Cover Retouch Another Example What do you think when you look at those pictures? Do you think, "she is so gorgeous, I’ll never be successful because I don’t look Read More . . .
My Pet Peeve
Okay – so I really don’t have just one pet peeve; I have many – but this one has to be pretty much at the top. It drive me NUTS when folks go to school, work, gym, etc when they’re sick. There’s a new Human Resource term for it: presenteeism. Presenteeism is defined as when employees are at work physically, but not mentally. I don’t really know why people do this. It seems like there’s a badge of honor associated with it. It’s as if they’re saying “I’m so committed to the company (working out, or whatever) that I’m here when I’m sick.” or maybe it’s an “I’m so tough that not even the flu can keep me down.” Whatever the attitude or reasoning behind it, it’s just plain stupid. Pain and illness are your body’s way of telling you that there’s something wrong, and ‘it’ needs attention. That attention Read More . . .