Friday, July 24, 2020

Nutrition Hacks Based on Hard Science


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“Diets” don’t work. By now, most health and fitness professionals know that restrictive meal plans usually fail. We also see how diets deprive people of foods they enjoy, fueling a constant cycle of weight loss and gain.
But what do we tell fitness clients who want to lose weight? The key is helping them reframe their diet mentality toward healthful living and better nutrition—without sacrificing their favorite foods or compromising taste. These tips will help you provide that guidance.

Use the “Hunger Scale” for More Intuitive Eating
Intuitive eating—consuming when hungry, stopping when full and not restricting certain types of food—is associated with lower body mass index, better psychological health, and improved dietary intake and eating behaviors (Van Dyke & Drinkwater 2014). While eating when hungry and stopping when full might seem like common sense, intuitive eating is challenging to put into practice. Busy lifestyles disrupt consumption patterns. Emotions like sadness, boredom and anxiety encourage people to eat when they’re not hungry.

The hunger scale (below), commonly used in intuitive eating examples, is a useful response to these challenges because it helps clients rediscover their bodies’ natural hunger and fullness cues. That leads to more intuitive eating.
The goal is to stay in the middle, or the green portion, of the scale—starting to eat at 3–4 and stopping at 5–6. Clients should avoid the ravenous 1–2 region, where they’re more likely to overeat. Conversely, they should stop short of the “Thanksgiving-stuffed” discomfort of 9–10. Remind clients that routinely overeating to extremes makes it more difficult to recognize feelings of fullness in the future.

Here’s how clients can put the hunger scale to work:
  • Before eating, ask, “Am I hungry?” This pause will help clients identify if they are eating for hunger or for another reason, like sadness or stress. If they answer yes, they should choose a matching number on the scale. If they say no, they can identify the eating trigger and try to redirect or minimize it.
  • Eat at a table, with family or friends, and without “devices.” Eliminating distractions supports mindful eating.
  • Slow down. Remind clients that it can take 20 minutes to feel full after eating. Advise them to start with small portions, eat slowly and pause before getting seconds. Also suggest they put their fork down between bites, chew more slowly and engage in conversation during meals.
  • Keeping healthy snacks on hand will help clients avoid extreme hunger.

Make Sure the Calories Are “Worth It”
Does a client really love dessert? Then help her devise a plan to eat dessert while maintaining a healthy eating plan overall.
Encourage her to savor the foods she loves—in small portions—but avoid less- satisfying sweets and snacks. Before eating a not-so-healthy food, she should ask herself, “Is this worth it?” She may decide she does not enjoy eating the food, so the calories are not worth it. This tip is especially useful at holidays and parties where that food is verabundant.

Don’t Drink Your Calories
Beverages are troublemakers because they do not produce the fullness feeling we get from food that requires chewing (Pan & Hu 2011). Indeed, a 2017 meta-analysis found a strong link between body weight and sugary-drink consumption (Ruanpeng et al. 2017). Keep in mind that milkshakes, sodas and Frappuccinos aren’t the only sugar-rich offenders. Many smoothies, juices, teas, protein drinks and kombucha beverages seem healthy; some are even marketed as nutrient-packed. Upon closer inspection, however, they may prove to be calorie-dense and full of added sugar.

To help clients choose healthier drinks, provide these tips:
  • Read labels and check nutrition information, es­pecially on drinks that appear “healthy.” For example, a medium “Kale-ribbean Breeze” smoothie from Jamba Juice packs a whopping 410 calories, 88 grams of carbs and 67 g of sugar.
  • Beware of blended drinks or drinks with sweet mixers and juices. If you must consume an alcoholic beverage, mix alcohol with squeezed citrus juice or sparkling water.

Eat What You Love, but Add More Vegetables and Fruits
The people manufacturing “superfood” powders, pills, shakes and other supplements have gotten very good at making marketing claims that capture your clients’ attention. But are all those products good for our health? A 2018 analysis on dietary supplements found that, “in general, supplements are not needed except in cases of established deficiencies, and excess of some nutrients can increase cancer rates” (Binns, Lee & Lee 2018).
Fruits and vegetables are the real “superfoods.” Their high fiber content means greater satiety, and they are also low in calories, have no fat or sodium, and can reduce the risks of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke (Boeing et al. 2012).

Encourage clients to practice these tips for eating more fruits and vegetables:
  • Chop after you shop. After grocery shopping, spend 15 minutes prepping your veggies and fruits. You are more likely to eat food that is ready to go.
    If you do not like prep work, buy prechopped produce. It is easy to buy prechopped melons, berries, mango, pineapple, salad mix, veggie trays, spiralized or riced veggies, and minced onions and peppers at most grocery stores.
  • Mix fruits and veggies into foods you already eat. For example, add fruit to yogurt, oatmeal or cottage cheese. Add vegetables to sandwiches, eggs, rice, soups, etc.

“Flip” the Ingredients
  • A traditional burrito might be beans, rice, cheese and salsa (or some variation) wrapped in a large tortilla. Instead, order a burrito “bowl” with a tortilla on the side—then forgo the tortilla or take it go.
  • Instead of eating ice cream topped with a spoonful of fruit, eat a bowl of fruit topped with a spoonful of ice cream.
  • Rather than filling a dinner plate with steak and potatoes and a side of spinach, eat a large spinach salad with sliced steak and potato chunks.

To help clients improve their odds of a permanent lifestyle change, coach them to rethink the proportions of the foods they eat instead of giving up foods altogether. Respecting food preferences and culture helps them take small steps to improve the nutritional value of their eating patterns.

Check Labels
Soon the nutrition labels on packaged foods will reflect portion sizes people usually eat, rather than giving a recommendation or showing the manufacturer’s preference. Labels will also display calories in larger type and include a line item for added sugars.
These changes give consumers options for making healthful choices, but labels have limits. One recent study found that only one-third of participants used nutrition labels. Who does use them? Women, most often, and people who
  • have high education and income;
  • prepare their own food regularly;
  • stay physically active; and/or
  • have excess weight or are trying to lose, gain or maintain weight.

Using nutrition labels is associated with eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains and with consuming fewer sugary drinks (Christoph et al. 2018).

Make a point of encouraging people to get in the habit of checking labels on packaged foods. Help clients learn to interpret labels and use them to make better choices. This is especially important for foods that have a “health halo” and yet are loaded with sugar. One study found that parents of 6- to 12-year-olds underestimated—by nearly 30 g—the sugar content of common foods, especially orange juice and yogurt (Dallacker, Hertwig & Mata 2018). That’s a massive miss, given that the American Heart Association recommends that children consume no more than 25 g of added sugar per day (Vos et al. 2017).

Nutrition labels can help you compare similar products. For example, 5.3 ounces of Siggi’s blueberry Icelandic-style yogurt has 110 calories, 10 g of sugar and 15 g of protein, Chobani’s 5.3-ounce blueberry Greek yogurt has 120 calories, 15 g of sugar and 12 g of protein. If clients like the taste of two yogurts equally, then label comparisons can help them choose the healthier option with no sacrifice.

Ultimately, helping clients learn to eat “smarter” and more intuitively enables them to improve health outcomes and overall nutrition, without ever embarking on another “diet.”















HUNGER SCALE
FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE
Coach your clients to avoid extreme eating. They should not let themselves feel starved or overstuffed. Eating mostly in the green zone with light snacking in the yellow and orange zones can prevent red-zone extremes of hunger and overeating.

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USE YOUR HAND FOR PORTION CONTROL
Moderating portion size can prevent overconsumption. But what is an appropriate portion? After all, most people don’t take measuring cups to a restaurant or party.
Here’s the hack: Teach clients to use their hand to estimate portion sizes (estimates are based on the size of an average woman’s hand).
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References

Binns, C.W., Lee, M.K., & Lee, A.H. 2018. Problems and prospects: Public health regulation of dietary supplements. Annual Review of Public Health, 39, 403–20.


Boeing, H., et al. 2012. Critical review: Vegetables and fruit in the prevention of chronic diseases. European Journal of Nutrition, 51 (6), 637–63.


Christoph, M.J., et al. 2018. Nutrition Facts panels: Who uses them, what do they use, and how does use relate to dietary intake? Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 118 (2), 217–28.


Dallacker, M., Hertwig, R., & Mata, J. 2018. Parents’ considerable underestimation of sugar and their child’s risk of overweight. International Journal of Obesity, 42 (5), 1097–1100.


Pan, A., & Hu, F.B. 2011. Effects of carbohydrates on satiety: Differences between liquid and solid food. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 14 (4), 385–90.


Ruanpeng, D., et al. 2017. Sugar and artificially sweetened beverages linked to obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. QJM, 110 (8), 513–20.


Van Dyke, N., & Drinkwater, E.J. 2014. Relationships between intuitive eating and health indicators: Literature review. Public Health Nutrition, 17 (8), 1757–66.


Vos, M.B., et al. 2017. Added sugars and cardiovascular disease risk in children: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 135 (19), e1017–34.


Monday, February 11, 2019

Why You Should Drink Warm Water & Lemon 🍋 



By Ashley Dentino

The way you start each day is incredibly important. Whether you're a mom, a coach, a writer, a small business owner or a yoga teacher, what you do first thing in the morning matters.

According to Ayurvedic philosophy, choices that you make regarding your daily routine either build up resistance to disease or tear it down. Ayurveda invites us to get a jump-start on the day by focusing on morning rituals that work to align the body with nature's rhythms, balance the doshas and foster self-esteem alongside self-discipline.
Your mind may say you have to check emails, take the dog out, get the kids out the door, that you can't be late for work or that you just don't have enough time to cultivate your own morning rituals.

But, if you can only make time for one ritual that will improve your health, let it be this.....

Start the day out with a mug of warm water and the juice of half a lemon.

It's so simple and the benefits are just too good to ignore. Warm water with lemon:

1. Boosts your immune system
Lemons are high in Vitamin C and potassium. Vitamin C is great for fighting colds and potassium stimulates brain and nerve function and helps control blood pressure.

2. Balances pH
Lemons are an incredibly alkaline food, believe it or not. Yes, they are acidic on their own, but inside our bodies they're alkaline (the citric acid does not create acidity in the body once metabolized). As you wellness warriors know, an alkaline body is really the key to good health.

3. Helps with weight loss
Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which helps fight hunger cravings. It also has been shown that people who maintain a more alkaline diet lose weight faster. And, my experience is that when I start the day off right, it's easier to make the best choices for myself the rest of the day.

4. Aids digestion
The warm water serves to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract and peristalsis—the waves of muscle contractions within the intestinal walls that keep things moving. Lemons and limes are also high in minerals and vitamins and help loosen ama, or toxins, in the digestive tract.

5. Acts as a gentle, natural diuretic
Lemon juice helps flush out unwanted materials because lemons increase the rate of urination in the body. Toxins are, therefore, released at a faster rate which helps keep your urinary tract healthy.

6. Clears skin
The vitamin C helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Lemon water purges toxins from the blood which helps keep skin clear as well.

7. Hydrates the lymph system
This cup of goodness helps start the day on a hydrated note, which helps prevent dehydration (obviously) and adrenal fatigue. When your body is dehydrated, or deeply dehydrated (adrenal fatigue) it can't perform all of it's proper functions, which leads to toxic buildup, stress, constipation, and the list goes on. Your adrenals happen to be two small glands that sit on top of your kidneys, and along with your thyroid, create energy. They also secrete important hormones, including aldosterone. Aldosterone is a hormone secreted by your adrenals that regulates water levels and the concentration of minerals, like sodium, in your body, helping you stay hydrated. Your adrenals are also responsible for regulating your stress response. So, the bottom line is that you really don't want to mess with a deep state of dehydration!

Adopting just this one practice of drinking a cup of warm water with lemon in the morning for a month can radically alter your experience of the day. Don't be surprised if you begin to view mornings in a new light.

Like I said, the recipe is really simple—a cup of warm (not hot) water and the juice from half a lemon.

In the comments below, tell me which one of these benefits is going to get you to try this morning ritual. Or, if you're already a lemon water junkie, what specific benefits have you noticed?


Source: www.mindbodygreen.com

Thursday, March 16, 2017





Mark your calendars! It's time to explore our own back yard. This week we are taking a little hike in PV.  Portuguese Bend Reserve has rolling hills, steep canyons, and amazing views. The numerous trails gives us the ability to make our hikes as long/short and challenging/laid-back as we wish. 😉

* This is a dog friendly trail so your furry family member is welcome! Please remember to bring extra water and poop bags 🐶*

We will meet at 8:30am by Del Cerro Park. Or, if you want to carpool, meet me at the gym at 8am.

What to bring: Water 💦, a small snack, sunscreen, hat, dress in layers,  shoes (these trails aren't difficult and regular tennis shoe will do but a trail shoe has better grip) and if you prefer a backpack and trekking poles.

It's our fist time out so we will take it easy and enjoy the morning. Plan to be out for 2 hours max.

For more information contact me directly.

This is a donation only event. Pay what you want.


*Always consult your physician before beginning any exercise program. This information is not intended to diagnose any medical condition or to replace your healthcare professional. If you experience any pain or difficulty with these exercises, stop and contact your healthcare provider.   

Friday, December 2, 2016

Sunday Funday Dec 4th, 2016

Join us Sunday December 4th at 8am 



This week we are walking along the Greenbelt Park in Hermosa Beach.
It's been cool so you may want to dress in layers, also bring your water bottle (water fountains are also along the path),  a fun attitude and let's get outside and move!

Donations only
ALL ARE WELCOME


We will meet on the woodchips of the Greenbelt Park at the South side of Pier Ave between Valley Dr and Ardmore Ave in Hermosa Beach. Metered parking is free until 10am.   See you Sunday 

*Always consult your physician before beginning any exercise program. This information is not intended to diagnose any medical condition or to replace your healthcare professional. If you experience any pain or difficulty with these exercises, stop and contact your healthcare provider.   

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Sunday Funday October 2



Join us Sunday October 2nd at 8am 
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This week we are walking the stairs at Ave C in Redondo Beach.
Bring your water bottle, hat and or sunscreen, and a fun attitude and let's get outside and move!
Donations only
ALL ARE WELCOME


We will meet at the top of the stairs on the Esplanade at Ave C in Redondo Beach. Street parking is available for free on the letter streets or metered parking on the Esplanade.  Please read the street signs and bring change!!  See you Sunday 

*Always consult your physician before beginning any exercise program. This information is not intended to diagnose any medical condition or to replace your healthcare professional. If you experience any pain or difficulty with these exercises, stop and contact your healthcare provider.   

Thursday, August 11, 2016

Sunday Fitness Funday August 14, 2016



Join us Sunday August 14th at 8am for a fun easy/intermediate workout.

This week we are sinking our toes in the sand so leave those shoes behind. 
Bring your water bottle and a fun attitude and let's get outside and move!

Donations only
ALL ARE WELCOME

We will meet by the statue on Pier Ave right next to the volleyball courts in Hermosa Beach. Parking is available in the structure off Hermosa Ave and 14th St. or street metered parking. Please read the street signs and bring change.

Friday, July 29, 2016

Major Consequences of Physical Inactivity


by Galen A. Morton, MA and Len Kravitz, PhD on Jul 12, 2016



In the fifth century BC, the famous Greek physician Hippocrates observed, “All parts of the body, if used in moderation and exercised in labors to which each is accustomed, become thereby healthy and well developed and age slowly; but if they are unused and left idle, they become liable to disease, defective in growth and age quickly” (Kokkinos & Myers 2010).
Scientists have proved Hippocrates right time and again in recent years. In a review of the latest science, Booth, Roberts & Laye (2012) point to 35 chronic diseases and health conditions (see the sidebar “Combating 35 Health Problems”) that regular exercise and physical activity do much to prevent. Booth and colleagues also indicate that 92% of adolescents and 95% of adults in the U.S. do not meet minimum guidelines for physical activity. This presents countless opportunities for personal trainers and other exercise professionals to make a difference in people’s lives.
Franklin (2008) stresses that our ever-growing reliance on technology—including automobiles, elevators, remote controls and energy-saving devices—explains the prevailing lack of physical activity. Franklin also underscores that regular physical activity, not a drug or pill, is the best strategy to combat sedentary death syndrome (SeDS)—chronic, potentially life-threatening disease caused by an inactive lifestyle. Listed below are some consequences for lack of physical activity:
  • Proneness to visceral obesity, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
  • Weaker immune system
  • Less executive control of the central nervous system; memory decline
  • Sarcopenia and loss of strength
  • Reduced skin-wound healing
  • Lower oxidative capacity
  • Higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, depression and anxiety
  • Artery stiffness
  • Higher risk of breast, endometrial and colon cancer
  • Elevated risk of osteoporosis
  • Loss of coordination and balance (higher risk of fracture/falls)
  • Decreased function of joints, ligaments and tendons
  • Elevated risk of stroke, coronary heart disease and peripheral artery disease
  • Hypertension, elevated LDL (bad) cholesterol, low HDL (good) cholesterol
  • Increased risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
To read more about how physical activity can reduce the risk of nearly three dozen harmful conditions and life-threatening diseases, please see "35 Ailments, One Prescription: MOVE!" in the online IDEA Library or in the February 2016 print issue of IDEA Fitness Journal. If you cannot access the full article and would like to, please contact the IDEA Inspired Service Team at (800) 999-4332, ext. 7.

References

Booth, F.W., Roberts, C.K., & Laye, M.J. 2012. Lack of exercise is a major cause of chronic diseases. Comprehensive Physiology, 2 (2), 1143–1211.
Franklin, B.A. 2008. Physical activity to combat chronic diseases and escalating health care costs: The unfilled prescription. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 7 (3), 122–25.
Kokkinos, P., & Myers, J. 2010. Exercise and physical activity: Clinical outcomes and applications. Circulation, 122 (16), 1637–48.

Source: http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/major-consequences-of-physical-inactivity

Qualifications

  • IDEA Member
  • CPR Certified
  • NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Nutrition Specialist
  • One on one and group training available

About Me

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Hermosa Beach/South Bay, CA, United States
Fitness isn’t one size fits all. I work with my clients to find a good balance with food and fitness and to motivate and encourage them towards a more positive, healthy, active lifestyle.

Testimonials

Tonya makes working out fun. She has a fantastic personality and is very encouraging. I've been training with her for over 6 months and have noticed a huge difference in my appearance and strength. I wish I could train with her every day! - Eleanor

Tonya's approach to fitness is creative and multifaceted - her drills are so creative that she actually makes workouts fun, tailoring sessions to my likes while still pushing me to my limit. Since starting to train with Tonya, I am stronger, more energetic and I feel like I can conquer the world! -Nina

I was a basketball coach for almost 30 years and knew how to get players in condition to play. Then I met Tonya , a knowledgeable, experienced and popular trainer. She inspired me to work out and enjoy it after a long day teaching and coaching. She is well researched and up to date with the latest conditioning and training ideas and methods. She is a professional who keeps up with her certifications and has years of experience. She has worked with clients of all ages and levels of fitness, so I would confidently send my elderly parents to her knowing they would be in good hands. She is flexible, empathetic and friendly. You KNOW you’ve had a workout and yet had a good time because of her innovative style and personality. I know of men who’ve commented that she was a taskmaster and yet kept coming back again and again. I’m near retirement age and I can say that Tonya has inspired me to continue training despite my naturally lazy attitude. She keeps it fresh and entertaining! ~Coleen O.


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