Have you heard the new diet craze Paleo Diet? Are you doing it?
The Paleo Diet was brought to our attention by Dr. Cordain, who has a PhD in Health. While doing the Paleo Diet one does not consume any of the following: whole grains, refined sugars, dairy, legumes, potatoes, processed foods and salt. One does consume the following: fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds (except for peanuts), fish, grass produced meats and healthy oils (flax, olive, coconut).
I appreciate what this way of eating has to offer, except that I see nothing wrong with eating whole grains, potatoes and peanuts, with some exceptions of course. One does need to watch the portion size and how often they are consuming these products. Three to four servings of whole grains a day is sufficient. Potatoes are loaded with potassium and by eating the skin you are flooding your tissues with antioxidants. I say, go for the plain baked potato that can fit in the palm of your hand once or twice a week. All-natural peanut butter (the kind with oil on the top that you have to stir in) is one of the best sources of monounsaturated fat, the healthy fat that helps to decrease the fat around our organs and lower bad cholesterol. Roasted and salted peanuts in a jar or can are not so great.
If you are going to try the Paleo Diet, please think about doing a modified Paleo and keeping whole grains and limiting meat.

Kristin Burgess, RD and GATC Nutritionist
kristinb@GreenwoodATC.com

The more we learn about it, the more we know that sugar IS a toxin and might be one of the driving forces behind America’s obesity epidemic. It is also a contributing factor in heart disease, diabetes and cancer. So what can you do?

First, the obvious: avoid sugary drinks (juice, soda, lemonades, sport drinks), baked goods and candy.
Second:  read food labels and avoid foods with more than eight grams of sugar per serving (an exception is all-natural Greek yogurt).
Third: avoid white foods, such as bread, pasta, tortillas, rice and crackers. These products produce the same reaction in your body as sugar.

There are four grams of sugar in one teaspoon, so next time you decide to consume a product with sugar in it, just imagine eating teaspoon after teaspoon of sugar. Maybe that will deter you from high sugar foods!

Kristin Burgess, RD
kristinb@GreenwoodATC.com

Fad diets are ubiquitous and oh-so-tempting to try and lose those last 10 pounds in one week!  The problem is, they are unrealistic, impossible to stick to and provide temporary results.  Not to mention potential health problems down the road that may be a side effect of an extreme diet or supplement. Here are some tips on how to spot a fad diet and then turn the other way and RUN:

•    Severe calorie restriction:  If you’re dropping more than two to three pounds a week, what you’re losing is not fat. Our bodies aren’t designed to lose fat that rapidly. It is water, or (even worse) muscle. Once you begin to eat normally again, you will at least regain all of your water weight. Also, regaining your muscle is hard to do, but regaining fat is NOT hard at all.

•    Promises of a quick fix and other claims that are too good to be true:  “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is!”  You’re never going to make a change by not making a change.

•    Cutting out an entire food group:  Demonizing one particular food group is like a giant, neon “Fad Diet” sign.  Just look at the history of diets through the years, we were usually wrong.  Cutting out an entire food group is not sustainable and it’s not healthy.  You will miss out on important nutrients.

•    List of good versus bad foods:  This is, again, making it sound like one food is your problem.  It’s not a good place to be mentally, there is no “I can’t have,” it’s a matter of “How does this fit?”

•    Research:  We are learning, we know we want a diet backed by research!  The problem is, how to know what good research is.  Many times simplistic or dramatic conclusions are drawn from a very complex study.  Or studies have not been peer-reviewed to ensure they are accurate.  There is so much to know, but your dietitian can help you sift through some of these studies and make recommendations.

•    Heavy promotion of meal replacements:  Sure, you’ll lose weight…right out of your wallet.  It is usually simple calorie reduction that’s taking those inches off your waist.  Beware of any programs that require you to purchase their meals. Even if you have success with the program, they don’t teach you how to eat healthy and maintain a healthy weight.  Will you continue to buy these products forever?  Many people gain the weight back once they’ve completed the program.

•    Requirements of specific food combinations:  This is scientifically unsound and you might be missing out on some important nutrients due to the limitations.

•    It is always better to have a sustainable and well-rounded diet.  It can be frustrating, but weight loss should be slow.  You didn’t gain weight overnight – it won’t come off overnight!  Come see one of your Greenwood Dietitians to discuss a realistic way to get started on your health journey.

Leah Kleinhans, RD and Kristin Burgess, RD
GATC Nutrition Services

The question on everyone’s mind when it comes to yogurt:  which is healthier, Greek yogurt or regular?  There are health benefits for both varieties, but they do differ.
Calories:  Plain, nonfat Greek and regular yogurt have comparable calories.
Protein:  Greek yogurt has about twice the amount of protein of regular yogurt.  Protein can help ward of hunger and can be helpful for those trying to manage their weight.
Carbohydrates:  Plain yogurt has more carbohydrates than Greek because it contains more lactose, a natural milk sugar.  Greek yogurt may be a better option for those who need to watch their blood sugar.
Calcium:  Regular yogurt has about three times as much calcium as Greek yogurt.  Both are good sources of calcium, but women who lack other sources of calcium in their diet may benefit more from regular yogurt.
Sodium:  Greek yogurt has less sodium than regular yogurt.  However, neither variety is high in sodium.
Texture:  Greek yogurt has a creamy texture and a stronger flavor that can be appealing or not, depending on the person.  Greek yogurt can be better for cooking since it does not curdle when heated.
The healthiest option will depend on you! Mix it up and try incorporating both varieties in your diet in different ways. Yogurt is a versatile snack and a great ingredient for recipes. Use it in dips, salad dressings and to replace fatty ingredients with yogurt when baking. Either way you go, remember to choose low-fat or nonfat varieties. Also watch for added sugar, which you will find in the flavored and fruit-added varieties. Consider adding your own fruit, vanilla extract or honey to control the amount of added sugar.

Leah Kleinhans, RD
GATC Nutrition Services

“People often use travel as a legitimate excuse for straying from their normal routine. However, for those who are committed, staying on track is definitely manageable,” shares Ali Van Heusen, a Colorado-based certified sports nutrition specialist. While it’s OK to splurge and have a few splurge meals, travelers should make a conscious effort to stick with their regular eating habits. It’s also important to pay careful attention to portion size at restaurants as they frequently serve portions well beyond the recommended amount. Finally, if you fall off the bandwagon, don’t stress about it. Just recommit to your goals and keep going!

-Max Sports And Fitness magazine

White Kidney Bean Extract – Endocrinologists at UCLA found that two to three grams a day reduces starch absorption by up to 66%. This causes the body to slow the metabolism of carbohydrates into sugar (glucose) and allows the body to burn more fat. White kidney bean extract prevents (or slows) the enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates, leaving the carbohydrates in a long chain form which can be burned quicker.

Green Coffee Bean Extract – A scientist at the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania found that by taking 700-1100 mg of green coffee bean extract a day it is possible to lose about 17 pounds in a 22 week period. Even though scientists are unsure of the mechanism that allows the body to burn such fat, they believe that chlorogenic acid, a compound in raw coffee beans that is destroyed when the beans are roasted, is the cause for the weight loss.

Raspberry Ketones – Although the FDA has labeled the supplement as GRAS (generally recognized as safe), the jury is still out with most scientists. Some believe that it releases nor-epinephrine, which can cause the body to break down fat cells. Japanese and Korean researchers believe that it may help to improve certain skin and scalp conditions as well as improving a fatty liver.

As with ALL supplements, if you have any underlying condition or are on any medications (especially cardiac medications), consult your physician before taking.

Kristin Burgess, GATC Registered Dietitian
GATC Nutrition Services

In 2011, it was reported that roughly 85 million bottles of water were sold each day, which equates to more than 30 billion bottles per year.  Basically, we are paying for the plastic bottles to add to our landfills, not the water. More than 3.6 million people around the world die due to unclean water each year, but here in the United States the EPA tests our water several times a day, every day to ensure safety. I’m not sure why we are buying bottled water when we can all carry a Nalgene or Camelbak and fill it several times a day. It would probably help us hit our water intake goal each day, making us more healthy.
Kristin Burgess, R.D., GATC Dietitian

Matt Lauer recently reported on a new study done by researchers at Stanford in which they found that organic fruits and vegetables are not more nutritious than traditionally grown fruits and veggies. This is a perfect example of how the media miscues the public into believing something that is not true. The study (in addition to many other studies) found that some (but not all) fruits and vegetables do not contain more vitamins, minerals or protein than conventional varieties.  HOWEVER, they forget to emphasize that organic products are at least 90% free of nitrates, nitrites, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and many other chemicals that are believed to be carcinogenic. It IS worth it to make room in your budget for organic, especially when it comes to fruits and vegetables.

Kristin Burgess, GATC R.D.

How often do you come to GATC to work out? Two, four, six times a week? When was the last time you actually saw or felt a change to your body or your fitness level? We’ve all been there. Exercising like a fiend but not seeing changes. You may work hard and sweat and your heart rate kicks up, but you are still using the same weight to chest press, the same time frame on a plank, the same heart rate in Spin class. So why are you doing all this work but not changing? NuTRITIoN.

It is “easier” for most of us to exercise than it is to eat specific foods. As you enter the club, you are thinking about your workout for the day or what class you are going to do, but have you planned your nutrition routine as you have your workout routine? Do you look forward to your post-exercise snack? Is it a bagel or a protein bar? One bagel (plain with nothing on it) is about 350 calories. Put some cream cheese on it and you are looking at another 200 calories. Now the calories you just burned in your Spin class have been added back to your waistline. One protein bar could be 200-250 calories plus 15 grams of sugar. Is this really what your body needs or would it be just fine having a different protein bar that is 150 calories with less sugar? 77% of weight loss is nutrition! Whether you want to lose five pounds, 50 pounds or just want to lean up, it is pretty challenging to make changes without the proper nutrition. Below are a few tips to get you going, but remember that nutrition is incredibly individualized.

• Shoot for half your body weight in ounces of water throughout the day, not including what you have during a workout

• Eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking

• Have a carbohydrate (fruit or veggie) plus a protein (almonds, string cheese, all-natural peanut butter, low fat cottage cheese or greek yogurt) between meals

• Think about your post workout snack. If your workout was high intensity (high intensity intervals), aim for about 30 grams of carbohydrate and 10 grams of protein. Go for products with less than 10 grams of added sugar. If your workout was moderate intensity, then go for a piece of fruit and a string cheese. If your workout was less than light, just drink water.

Questions? Please contact me directly. I’d love chat with you!

Kristin Burgess, Dietitian and Personal Trainer     
kristinb@greenwoodatc.com

BPA (bisphenol A) is a synthetic estrogen that mimics the estrogen that our body naturally produces. Yes, even you males produce estrogen! It is used not only to make hard plastics, but is also in the lining of food and drink cans, ATM and credit card receipts, eye glasses and much more. Studies show that the more BPA we soak in, the more we are at risk for: heart disease, type 2 diabetes, pregnant mothers’ daughters are more likely to be depressed and anxious, lower sperm count for men, is possibly the reason young girls are hitting puberty early, and some cancers.

So how do we stay away from it?
- read the recycling number on the bottom of cans/bottles and avoid #7 PC (PC=polycarbonate)
- do not put boiling water or make anything hot in hard plastics
- avoid canned foods and drinks.  Brands such as Eden Organics, Whole Food’s 365 and Trader Joe’s are safe.

Want to learn more? Schedule a session with Nutritionist Kristin Burgess.

Knowledge is power!

Kristin Burgess, GATC Registered Dietitian