Williams News Nutrition Column

Today my first column on nutrition was published in the Williams News. You can read it here http://williamsnews.com/main.asp?SectionID=36&SubSectionID=768&ArticleID=12933

It is bittersweet that it ran in the same paper as my grandmother Alice Mercers' obituary, but she would be so proud! She loved when I would read her my blog on nutrition and loved hearing that the column was going to be featured in the paper every 4-6 weeks. She loved her nightly ice cream and didn't like it when I told her she should cut back on the sugar intake. I surprised her with a healthy alternative the night of Halloween, homemade Pumpkin Yogurt. She loved it!

Here's to you Grandma!

The Wonders of Glutamine

I really like testing the products we sell, do they work or don't they is the question I want to know.

This blog is to tell you that Glutamine works, for me anyway!

I have been taking it daily since the first of May and noticed an immediate difference in my muscle recovery and soreness in the days following.

After several months, being I was feeling so good and not really feeling sore after my workouts anymore, a few weeks ago I thought I would try going without the Glutamine to see how my body responded. Well, let me tell you the soreness came back and I mean came back! I realized I was still getting a great workout being I was pretty sore after my normal routines, and I didn't like the feeling!

Wanting to test it even more, I took 2 weeks off the glutamine. I implemented it back in twice a day last week, and literally overnight, no more muscle pain after my workouts! They feel exhausted and weak after a good lift, but I do not get the pain/soreness the next day or two that I get when I'm off the glutamine.

So just what is Glutamine?

Glutamine is a natural amino acid found in protein such as steak, poultry, fish, dairy and beans. Your body even makes it naturally. However, when you put your body under a true amount of stress, such as weightlifting, you run a better chance of depleting the glutamine stored naturally in your body and therefore need to supplement. Glutamine works by getting rid of all the waste products like ammonia and aides in moving the muscle repairing atom nitrogen back to the stressed muscles which then stimulates tissue repair. Without tissue repair and lack of glutamine, your muscles may stay damaged and it will take much longer to repair, which means longer rest periods between gym times, and could even mean less gains being the depletion of glutamine can promote breakdown and wasting of your muscle tissues.

There are many wonderful benefits and science proven facts that back it up. Immunity support is a big one. When your immunity is down, one of the first places the body goes for energy is the muscles to regain the protein it needs for fuel. It has also been proven to be effective in aiding with burn patients, cancer patients as well as people with HIV/AIDS.

Williams Grand Canyon News Nutrition Column

After being skinny fat, and un-healthy for a major part of my life, with a major nutrition overhaul, I changed not only my life and health, but my families health as well. 

 

I am a Certified Specialist in Fitness Nutrition and Nutrition Coach and dedicated to changing my clients' lives with lifetime skills, not with a quick fix. We do more than count calories, fat and carbs; I help coach clients by changing their behaviors, learn how to eat healthier foods, and get more physically active, all within a supportive, encouraging and safe environment. My services are provided for anyone wishing to look better, feel better and live a healthier, happier life.

 

I am thrilled to announce that on Wednesday, November 07th, the Williams Grand Canyon News http://williamsnews.com will start running my Nutrition Column. This will be the start of getting the word out to our community about the importance of good nutrition and how it plays a huge part in our health. 

 

My hope is to educate with a simple easy to read, easy to understand column, that teaches how day to day lifestyles can have tremendous affects on our health.

 

My first column will be Eating healthy for the holidays.

 

I look forward to this journey, and I would love to hear from you. Do you have a nutrition questions or concern? "Are eggs good for you, or are eggs bad for you?" Maybe your question will be featured in an upcoming column.

Here's to your health!

 

 

Plateaus

Weight loss plateaus. All of us have them, but what do you do when you get one?

Try mixing up your workout routine every 4-6 weeks. This helps challenge your body to break through the plateau.

If fat loss is what you are struggling with, make sure that the calories you are consuming are less than the calories expended. You may find that you are not eating enough and your body is storing the fat instead of burning it. If weight gain is the goal, you will want to make sure your are taking in more than you are putting out, but you certainly don't want to just eat more to gain lean muscle mass. If your not fueling your body with the proper nutrition, it could be taking the energy it needs from the muscles, therefore no gains will be made.

For both fat loss or muscle gain goals, it is very important to make sure you are eating the proper foods for your specific goal. This is where a professional really comes into play. They can help guide you on how much of each; lean protein, complex carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and healthy fats you should have in your diet and explain how each play a crucial role. 

Everyone is different with different health/fitness goals. If you are wanting to gain lean muscle mass and your spouse is needing to lose fat, your food plans should and will be different. 

Plateaus are frustrating and can sometimes lead one to quit. Don't give up! If the suggestions listed above don't work, seek advice from a professional for a workout plan and/or meal plan tailored just for your goals. Sometimes having an outsider come into the picture with fresh eyes is the best solution.  

Here's to your health and breaking those plateaus!!

Competitions

When you mention bodybuilding, fitness or figure competitions, most people roll their eyes and automatically think big muscles and steroid use. What some do not realize is that there are natural bodybuilding competitions that ban the use of performance-enhancing drugs; anabolic steroids, insulin, diuretics, and human growth hormones. There are a number of shows that promote natural bodybuilding and they provide their own rules and regulations as well as a banned substance list and drug testing methods. These testing methods can range from urine, blood to even a polygraph test.

The journey to get to the competition level is no easy feat . The determination, commitment and sacrifices that these competitors actually go through to get to the stage; clean diets, brutal workouts, as the date gets closer, even more strict dieting. These competitors are athletes, and they deserve the recognition of their hard work. The stage, bright lights, family and friends in the crowd cheering them on give them that recognition.

It is always so inspiring to go to a show. Competitors of all ages, for some it's their first show, others have been doing it for years. They each have a different reason for competing. Some having just lost weight, some being diagnosed with an illness, others overcoming an illness. Regardless, they all are on stage with one common goal and that is to achieve optimal health.

We had such a great time at the Fitness Arizona Natural Championship show Saturday night. It was Karrina's first competition and she owned the stage, coming in 2nd place! We are so thrilled and proud of her. What a great first time experience!

Discipline

Staying true to your excercise routine and your health requires discipline. Do not look at it as a punishment or a burden. You have to earn your body if you want to get healthy, look good and feel good. There is no magic pill. There is discipline. Being prepared is the key. Cook your meals ahead of time. Pack your clean meals/snacks and take them to work with you in a ice chest.
Keep healthy snacks in your car so you are not caught starving and end up eating fast foods or processed foods. Don't give up. Your health is worth it. Respect your body. Earn your body. This is not easy, it won't come easy. This is discipline.

Body Fat Percentages ~ How much is too much?

I have had several clients ask me if they are "skinny fat" after reading my article, (click here if you haven't read it) so I thought I would write about what is a normal body fat percentage and how much is too much either way? A "healthy skinny" body fat percentage is between 14-22% for women. About 18% is low enough to be skinny, but high enough to be healthy. Skinny Fat people typically have a normal BMI (body mass index), but lack Lean Body Mass (bone density and muscle mass). This is common in both men and women believe it or not. Women tend to achieve this look by a low calorie diet and do lots of cardio, but do not implement weight/strength training. They eat processed foods high in sugars, fats & carbs, skip meals, and some may even consume large amounts of alcohol. The issue of being skinny fat is not necessarily about the extra fat, but the lack of lean muscle on your frame. People that are genetically thin are also at a higher risk due to the fact they don't watch their diets, so the tend to eat much more junk food because they don't gain weight. Huge mistake! This problem leads to the dangers of what lies "inside" the body..... FAT! Fat that is accumulating around your internal organs, and causing more damage than even those people that are considered slightly overweight, or that may have a higher BMI, but are active. So what's the big deal with skinny fat? Although you may look great in your clothes, when the clothes come off, you may not look so hot! You want to be lean with muscle tone, there's nothing worse that being just skinny! That's just not healthy~here's why: The fat that is building around your internal organs can lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, it can also contribute to issues including high blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and blood sugar, and even heart disease. If you’re thick around the middle, your chances increase for having high blood pressure and cholesterol or having excess fat deposits around your organs. A body fat percentage above 25% indicates that you’re carrying an excess of body fat and need to lower your number, now! How much is too low? Having a body fat percentage below 10-12% is considered dangerous for women and can cause long term harm to your hormonal function and ability to maintain bone density (which can lead to Osteoporosis later life). However, if you are getting ready for a competition, your will be running a body fat around 8-12% depending on the competition; figure is less, bikini is a little more. Those competition numbers are not a number that you will be at normally. You have a competition/in-season percentage, and an off-season percentage. I just had my body fat percentage professionally taken this weekend. I am at 18% and I want to be closer to 14-15%, to "see more" and just in case I decide to compete!...lol :-) This will entail tweaking of my carb intake to a lower number, and adding even more protein. 9/18/2012 Update: 4 months after writing this blog, my body fat is now at 16%, my weight has remained the same.