Why the Standardized BMI is Standardized BS

You may be familiar with the Standardized Body Mass Index table (BMI) as a way to determine if a person falls into the normal, overweight, obese or extreme obesity categories. First, let’s go back to the roots of BMI, it was developed in the early 1800’s and is a mathematical equation using an individual's body weight divided by the square of his or her height to determine body fat percentage. 

I don’t need to point out the obvious out-datedness of the BMI, but let’s look at a real life example just to gain a little perspective:

Herb, my business partner and fellow trainer is probably one of the most physically fit people I know. He stands 5’4” and weighs in at 155 pounds, placing him in the ‘Overweight’ category. Now, I personally measured his body fat and he weighs in at only 7% putting him in the good company of pro athletes. This is after he leaned out his muscle mass, dropping 20 pounds, and thank goodness because the BMI had him previously placed in the ‘Obese’ category and the weight he lost was muscle.

So my point you ask? My point is, if you Google BMI calculator and enter your height and weight, don’t be discouraged by the result. The BMI may be correct in some cases, but it doesn’t take into account Muscle Mass vs. Percentage of Body Fat. The best way to determine whether you are Normal, or Overweight is to have your body composition tested. A trained health professional can help you determine whether or not those pounds you are carrying around are healthy or hurtful.

Avoid Holiday Eating and Exercise Pitfalls

Thank you Kim for asking this question. An excellent question that I'm sure is on more than one mind out there. 

Q. Holiday eating tips. Anything to really be careful of? Also, goodie baskets delivered to the office are a trap. How to avoid walking by & snacking on empty calories all day. Help.

A. Surviving the holidays while keeping your waistline in tact is challenging for even the most disciplined eaters. However, the holidays are a time to enjoy and to indulge. How can you do both and not slip back into old habits? 

First tip: Acceptance. Accept that your life will be more hectic over the coming weeks, that your routine will be interrupted and that you will probably eat more and workout less with everything that’s going on. Know going in so you can deal with these challenges as they come up fully prepared. It’s not all or nothing.

Second tip: Stick to eating every 3-4 hours. If you’re tummy is full and your blood sugar is stable, you will be better prepared to deal with the little temptations that are scattered throughout the office. When your blood sugar is low, your cravings are physiological, which means, your body is sending messages to your head that you need to eat THAT! Right NOW! And LOTS and LOTS OF IT! When its stable, the craving is more psychological which means you want that, but you don’t necessarily NEED it, making it easier to enjoy these treats in moderation. Also, skipping meals all day because you have a big dinner that night could ruin the enjoyment of that meal. Keep your blood sugar stable, you’ll feel a lot better about all your choices through the holiday season. 

Third tip: Don’t allow yourself to fall into the mind-set that “I’ll get back on track as soon as the holidays are over.” It’s a slippery slope my friend. You are building habits, lifestyle changes, with your health. You are creating balance within yourself, that means sometimes you’re going to be ‘bad’, but being ‘bad’ has a payoff, it tastes sooooo good! The price is that, yes, your body will store some fat. Just enjoy the moments and get right back on plan with your next meal. It’s okay to have that fabulous dinner for your holiday celebration, but it shouldn’t be the catalyst to going back into bad eating habits. If you over indulge in that meal, 3-4 hours later, have a protein with a fat (exclude the carbs) and it will help to re-stabilize your blood sugar and get you back on track. Tomorrow may provide another challenge, just take them as they come. Remember tip 1? You were prepared for this. 

Fourth tip: Don’t ditch your entire workout routine. Getting back on that horse can be the hardest thing after the holidays. Keep working out. Stay active. Drink lots of water. It will help your energy level and your stress level. It’s only an hour out of your day. Make the time for yourself because YOU are the most important person. Another plus, you won’t feel guilty, another stressor you don’t need for the holiday season. 

Like I said, it's not all or nothing. You can have your cake and eat it too. I know I will over the next few weeks. 

Have a Great Weekend!

Colleen

Why Diets FAIL

Diets promise magic. They appeal to consumers because we have it in our heads that if we just lose the weight, then keeping it off will be easy. We want immediate results, a quick fix. We think we have to diet to lose weight. As a society, even as a trainer, we are taught calories in / calories out. We have a mindset that in order to get to a healthy weight, we have to restrict ourselves and give up the things we love.

I remember when I was a kid, my mom was constantly battling her weight. She had a bookshelf full of diet books. After having 6 kids she had gained probably about 25-30 extra pounds. So in her late 30’s / early 40’s she jumped on this yo-yo diet program. Weight Watchers, Fit for Life, Pritikin, Nutrisystem, these were all diet she attempted in the 70’s and early 80’s which failed her. Why did they fail her? Because of all the diet plans she tried, not one of them ever conditioned her mind on how to eat. As soon as she was done with the diet, she gained back the weight and a little extra. Then she would try the next one to come along, her weight going up and down, just like a yo-yo. 

And I am her daughter, so in my early 20’s when my clothes started getting tight, I perused her book shelf and followed suit. This is probably where my interest in Nutrition first sprouted. I tried Pritikin first and almost passed out after 3 days. I know now that Pritikin was too restrictive causing low blood sugar and starvation. I moved on to Fit for Life which, if you do the math, was the end all diet plan in the early 80’s. Fit for Life preached that all fruit had to be eaten before noon and you couldn’t mix your meats and starchy carbohydrates among other non-science based (and ridiculous) theories. I was starving myself on this plan although my takeaway was a great veggie sandwich that I loved. It was shortly after this that I became pregnant so all crazy eating habits had to stop. I took the adage ‘eating for two’ to the extreme, gaining over 60lbs during my pregnancy, lost 40 by the end of my hospital stay and carried the extra 20 around, on and off, for a good 10 years. I tried every crazy diet scheme during that time and although initially I’d lose the weight, it would inevitably come creeping back as soon as I fell off the wagon.

So here you sit on the brink of another New Year’s eve and this year is going to be your year. This year you’re going to lose the weight and keep it off right? Well before you jump into another diet plan, there are two questions you need to ask yourself:  

1.  Is my program based on correct physiology?

2.  Can I do my program for the rest of my life? 

After you gain a comprehension of Blood Sugar Stabilization, even if you choose not to implement it into your eating habits, there is no way you can answer yes to that when looking at most of the diet plans out there. To make it simple, calories in / calories out and deprivation is based on incorrect physiology and will always fail you. In addition, implementing a diet for the rest of your life is equal to a life sentence. Why would you want to give up eating the foods you like in exchange for over processed freeze dried foods? I don’t know anyone who would stick to a diet for the rest of their lives. It just doesn’t make sense. 

The Science of Why Diets Fail

Whether you’re a chronic dieter, or you want to lose 10 to 100lbs, any time you deprive yourself, restrict your eating, or cut back on calories, you’re setting yourself up for failure because you are jumping on to the Diet Yo-Yo. 

• 1^st diet = Drop weight. Hit plateau. get great initial result, weight Gain weight back + more
• 2^nd diet = Drop weight although not as much as the first diet, hit plateau, then gain weight back + more etc, etc, etc.

Each time you diet, your body is burning muscle and storing fat.

You see, your nervous system feeds off of glucose in order to control every movement, every breath, so it needs to be fed. When you feed your body in the correct way that stabilizes your Blood Sugar, it gets the glucose it needs from the food you eat. When you feed your body incorrectly, then it turns on itself, getting what it needs from your muscle. It is physiologically impossible for fat to be converted into glucose for your body. So when you’re starving, once your body has relinquished its store of glucose in the liver, it will start taking it from the muscle. 

“Now wait a minute!” You say. “I thought if I ate 500 calories less and worked out harder that my body will burn fat? That’s what I read in Cosmo?”

Well, if your Blood Sugar is stable and your body is in homeostasis (internal stability), it will convert that stored fat to ATP to be used by the muscle for energy. 

If your Blood Sugar Level is low, then the fat stays stored and the muscle gets used. The cravings come and that bad food is consumed. Sad but true. “But wait,” you say, “I have the willpower to not give in to those cravings.” Well I hate to tell you, but those cravings are not psychological, as in, all in your head. Those cravings are a physical reaction to what your body is going through, and it doesn’t care that you don’t want to devour an entire box of Krispy Kreme’s, if they’re sitting in front of you, and your blood sugar is low, you don’t have the energy to stand utilize your willpower and refuse. You want and eventually, you’ll crack.

So why do people do it? 

Because diets are easy. Let’s face it, if they package your meals up in easy to prepare frozen packages, or if the only thing on the menu is cabbage soup, you don’t have to put much thought into your eating. And they promise you’ll lose the weight. Easy.

Your health should be important enough to put a little extra effort into than that right? Just sayin...

...and that reminds me. I need to go eat. 

What's the Low Down on Fiber?

So you all know the importance of fiber in our diets. You can't get through a checkout line without seeing it on some magazine cover. But how much do you really know about fiber? Do you know why it is important to your overall nutrition and health? Or how to efficiently implement more fiber into your diet to get the most out of it? Do you even know what the definition of fiber is? Start here.

What fiber is and what it does that's so awesome

Fiber is the non-digestible portion of the 3 main types of carbohydrates; fruits, veggies and grains. Because it’s non-digestible, fiber can’t be absorbed into the body therefore it cannot be used as energy. So when you read about increasing your fiber intake, you have to take into account that you’ll also increase your carbohydrate intake. So you see how it’s important to arm yourself with knowledge about Fiber rich foods and their benefits, and work them smartly into your diet. Not yet? Well follow along.

The 2 Types of Fiber and what they do

Fiber can be broken down into 2 types; Soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber, absorbs water and swells forming a gel, filling your digestive tract and making you feel full, slowing down the digestive process. Slower digestion equals less hunger helping to control weight and keep blood sugars stable. Two thumbs up to the fact that it also holds onto more fatty acids which means they can’t be stored; they move right on by. And it also helps lower LDL cholesterol levels (LDLs are the bad ones). “Great!” you say. “Sign me up! Where can I find this wonder fiber?” Well that’s where I talk about swapping out your nutrient poor carbs for cleaner eating, but not in this blog, so here’s a list. Soluble fiber can be found in: oatmeal, oat cereal, lentils, apples, oranges, pears, oat bran, strawberries, nuts, flaxseeds, beans, dried peas, blueberries, psyllium, cucumbers, celery, and carrots.

Insoluble fiber doesn’t absorb water and passes through your digestive system relatively intact. It moves through the intestines taking the waste along with it, reducing constipation and helping balance the pH levels and the good bacteria’s that live in your digestive tract. Isn’t that good news? Both are good. Both play a key role in Digestion. So you feel like now you can go out and conquer the Lack of Fiber Monster. Well not so fast, you still need to how much and some other stuff so keep reading, but first, here’s a list of sources of insoluble fiber: whole wheat, whole grains, wheat bran, corn bran, seeds, nuts, barley, couscous, brown rice, bulgur, zucchini, celery, broccoli, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, raisins, grapes, fruit, and root vegetable skins.

Okay, so how much fiber do we need? 

According to the American Dietetic Association, most of us don't even come close to the recommended intake of 20 grams to 35 grams of fiber a day. Yes, besides the 29g of fat packed away in a Big Mac, the 45grams of processed carbs that also comes along with it delivers you only 3g of fiber. If you only had 3g in your lunch, (and I don’t even have to remind you that a Big Mac was a horrible choice) then the house isn’t in your favor. 

The average Americans' fiber intake is about 14-15 grams a day. So how much fiber you need between 20-35g is dependent on you as an individual. You must take into account your own health history, lifestyle and whether are not you suffer from any digestive challenges. 

If you’re a healthy active woman under the age of 50 with no digestive issues, 25grams is recommended, for a man 35-38. Consult your physician to find out the right amount for you and if you have digestive challenges, you might need more of one type then the other. 

So how do I implement more fiber into my diet without eating more carbs?

That one’s easy. Swap out your bad, processed carbs for 5 servings of Fruit or Vegetables per day and 6 servings of Grain products per day. Did you think I was going to give you something difficult to do?

To your Health!