Weight Loss: The Diet Questions You MUST Ask Yourself

Maybe the reason why you’re not losing weight is because you’re not asking yourself the right questions. Write down what you currently eat for 3 days and then ask yourself the following:

Caloric Amounts

How many calories do you typically consume per meal? Most personal training clients lose weight within the daily caloric range of 1200-1500 calories (you must determine the healthiest amount for you). To do this, you must limit your calorie intake to 3-400 calories per meal. Do they exceed this amount? What food items typically push you over the limit? How will you minimize these items?

Breakdown of Each Meal

You always want to eat with intent, and choose the most nutrient dense foods. "Cutting calories is enough for me, thank you, Mr. Personal Trainer," says you in response. The truth is that you're rPersonal Trainer lose 5-10 lbs initially with a caloric deficit. After that, though, you may hit a wall as your body processes the malnutrition of your choices, inflammation, fluctuating blood sugar levels, and more. Consider this - A typical meal should contain the following ratios:

· 45-55% Plant Nutrients/Vegetables (dark green, starchy, red/orange, etc.)
· 25-40% Protein (lean white meat, fish, soy, eggs, vegetables, nuts, beans, etc.)
· 25% Fiber (beans, legumes, fruit, seeds, vegetables, etc.)

What is the typical ratio for each of your meals? Does your meat intake exceed the number of plants on your plate? What do you typically favor for each meal? Are you still following the ‘Food Pyramid’ from the 1970's?

Inflammation

Our bodies are equipped to handle quite a bit. Like the rest of nature, the human body has boundaries, too. The following items have been scientifically proven to cause weight gain, inflammation, and more:

· Grains including whole grains or all-bran products (breads, crackers, rice, cereals, etc.)
· Processed foods (products with additives and preservatives; genetically modified foods; or anything else not in its whole, natural form)
· Dairy (butter, milk, and cheese processed from animals)
· Alcohol, refined sugar, and artificial sweeteners
· Animal protein with high levels of saturated fat (red meat, pork, wild game, etc.)

How much of each item do you typically consume within a meal? a day? What do you choose the most? Which items are you willing to cut out or cut down 15%? 30%? How will you minimize these foods? What tasty options will you substitute? Are you being stubborn (I kid, I kid, I kid…or am I :p)?

Amount of Fruit Sugars, Grains, and Simple Carbs

How much do you consume of these choices within each meal? Is more than 25% of each meal fruit, whole grains, and simple carbs? Ever wonder why vegans and vegetarians struggle with weight loss? It's most likely a result of their fruit sugar, whole grain, and simple carb (delicious Girl Scout cookies, ALL breads, rice, crackers, chips, candy, ice cream, and everything else devilish that you crave) consumption. Anything above 15 grams of fruit sugar per meal will spike your blood sugar levels...not ideal for losing weight and maintaining stable insulin levels (refined sugars have a worse, quicker acting effect). Simple carbs, as well as whole grains, can do the same. Disclaimer: The fiber in the whole grains will offset this effect in smaller amounts. What is the refined and fruit sugar breakdown of your favorite meals? Are there more nutrient dense alternatives than your typical fruit sugar, grain, and simple carb choices that will provide the fiber you need?

Alcohol

How many calories do you think you consume in a single week from alcohol? If you live in the Midwest, eating and drinking is most likely part of your culture (not your fault :) ). Since alcohol is basically a liquid grain packed with a lot of sugar (of course, there are exceptions), it will also spike your blood sugar levels. If drinking alcohol is part of your diet, what are you willing to exchange in return? In other words…when you order alcohol, what other simple carbs or sugars are you exchanging (i.e. 1 beer instead of 2 scoops of rice)? What low calorie, low sugar alcohol options are you willing to consider to achieve your weight loss goals?

Timing of Meals

What time do you eat each meal? Timing is everything, and it usually takes 3-5 for proper digestion and absorption. You want to avoid eating more food than your body can process at a given time (you know what happens then). At the same time, you want to limit any nutritional deficiency (who knows how your body will compensate). Do you ever feel stuffed or starved? Do you typically take more or less than 3-5 hours in-between meals?

Number of Snacks

How often do you snack? You typically eat snacks because you're hungry (or bored...and that's a separate post). Listen to this cue! Erase the idea of snacking though... it's just a filler food choice. You should always eat with intent, and your body is most likely ready for another meal. Choose a combination with the ratio above in mind - even if it's only 100 calories. What thoughtful combination can you substitute? Should you rearrange you meal schedule instead?

Photo Credit:
xbodyconcepts.com–Is weight loss more than calorie tracking? You may need to ask yourself the right questions to find out.

"This Hotel Now Has Rooms With Mini Personal Gyms Inside" Review

Hilton just made a big announcement! Find out how your upcoming trip can actually take your health and fitness goals to the next level---in your hotel room (from the Health.com article "This Hotel Now Has Rooms With Mini Personal Gyms Inside”)!

Locations

It’s not always possible to keep up with your workout routine while traveling. So one hotel chain is making it easier to cycle, do yoga, or sweat along to a cardio routine video without ever leaving your room.

Last month, Hilton Hotels debuted their Five Feet to Fitness in-room mini gyms, which offer 11 different fitness equipment options just steps away from the bed and nightstand. Eight rooms are currently available-three at Hilton's Parc 55 San Francisco and five at Hilton McLean Tysons Corner in Virginia.

The chain plans to add more than 100 rooms with mini-gyms around the country by the end of the year, says Ryan Crabbe, senior director of global wellness at Hilton. They'll be available in Hilton hotels in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, New York, and San Diego.

Personal Trainer Wisdom: Is the distance to the gym always the determining factor of whether or not someone exercises? Surprisingly not. Even though most condo buildings in Chicago have fitness facilities most people don’t utilize these amenities (despite the fact that it only takes 1-4 minutes to find it).

The same trend occurs in hotels. Many of my personal training clients have the great intention of exercising during their personal and business travel but rarely make the effort. Understandably so. Whether they’re at home or on the road, they have plenty of distractions.

How do you make sure you don’t contribute to this trend? What’s the best way to counter your undermining self? Book a hotel room WITH the exercise equipment in it, of course! Not only do you eliminate the “I’m too tired to take the elevator to another floor” excuse, but you’re more likely to make healthy choices with the constant reminder next to your bed.

Yes, the quick access is a great benefit. The psychology behind the access is most important, though. You’re more likely to live in-line with your positive health goals if you’re constantly reminded with the appropriate stimuli in your environment. You may not realize it but such things implant themselves in your unconscious when reinforced. While the reminders may not excite you to run 3 extra blocks on the way to your destination, you may think twice about the croissant for breakfast. Essentially, Hilton may have just provided you with the easy answer to stay fit-minded in a new environment.

Workout Equipment

What kind of workout options will guests have? Features include a stationary Wattbike, medicine balls, sandbags, a Bosu ball, TRX, a yoga mat, and a foam roller, among other gear and accessories. Each room also comes with a touch-screen "fitness kiosk" that shows guests the right way to use each piece of equipment. The kiosks are also loaded with more than 200 workout videos covering cardio, cycling, endurance, strength-training, HIIT, yoga, and stretching and recovery.

If guests aren't up for a cycling session after a long day on a business trip or sight-seeing, Hilton still has them covered by outfitting each room with other wellness-related features-such as a meditation chair, protein drinks in a hydration station, and mini Biofreeze packets for sore muscles.

Personal Trainer Wisdom: Although I’m a personal trainer who enjoys the variety that a personal training studio offers, don’t be mistaken: I still believe that you can achieve an unbelievable workout without equipment. Hilton has taken that a step further by providing you with a few key ingredients to take a basic workout to the next level. No matter your fitness goals, you can achieve a great sweat with their setup. The meditation chair is a nice touch, too. Try to avoid the protein drinks though. Nothing replaces protein from whole food, and Hilton’s options may have too much sugar and are highly processed and inflammatory (not ideal for recovery or weight loss).

Photo Credit:
MSN.com–Will exercise equipment in your hotel room increase the likelihood of working out?

Article Credit:

Author: Michael Moody Fitness with excerpt sourced from the article "This Hotel Now Has Rooms With Mini Personal Gyms Inside" on Health.com.

"9 Ways to Ensure Your Relationship Is Built to Last" Review

Stress is probably the biggest obstacle to your weight loss. Surprisingly, the root of change may need to start with your romantic relationship at home. Here are the top tips from the Livestrong article "9 Ways to Ensure Your Relationship Is Built to Last” to minimize your stress at home and maximize your focus in the personal training studio.

BE PRESENT

The best way to connect with those you love is by being present -- over and over and over again -- says wellness counselor Anne Parker. “Being present means fully engaging in what is being shared between you in that moment, truly paying attention to the thoughts, feelings, and actions you’re experiencing together.” Keep the television off as the two of you share dinner. Switch off your tablet or smartphone in the evening so you can spend time fully participating with your partner -- listening, sharing and experiencing the time you’re spending together. Parker adds that while this may sound obvious and straightforward, think about how often we let ourselves get distracted from truly paying attention. “Without engaged presence,” she says, “relationships quickly wither.”

Personal Trainer Wisdom: All relationships benefit from genuine, respectful interactions. In order to adequately do this, you must be present without a doubt. With the neverending distractions and demands from your professional and personal lives, you should really question what you currently offer to your partner. Are you carving out time to interact with him or her? No matter the length of time, are you fully focused on your partner when you spend time together? I’m admittingly often lured by my phone…we can always justify checking on emails for work, right? In an effort to minimize this habit, I’ve begun placing my phone to the side as soon as I walk in the door after work as well as flipping it over (with the sound off). In fact, Sammy and I usually hug as soon as we return home and then we discuss our day before the television is ever turned on (not an emoji hug). Although I’m not perfect, these little efforts add up. With my newborn son Preston joining the family, a refocus couldn’t be any more important. How can you be more present?

ACKNOWLEDGE THE POSITIVE

While we might have fallen in love with our partners because of their positive traits and qualities, everyday stresses and anxieties can make it far too easy for us to focus only on the negative. “Make sure you acknowledge what’s working,” says wellness counselor Anne Parker, “and give credit for the things that go well even in the midst of conflict.” Try to see that for every one negative feeling or interaction between the two of you, there are five positive ones. This five-to-one ratio, according to relationship researcher and author John Gottman, is typical of stable and happy couples. So instead of focusing on how you wish your partner were different, Parker says, “stay in touch with what you love about that person.”

Personal Trainer Wisdom: You need to continue to celebrate the best of each other and the love you share. All people (including me : )) love acknowledgment of the wonderful things they do or the incredible energy they share in the world. You can’t say enough. In a lifetime of imperfections, it is up to you to praise the best of what’s in-between…especially of what you identify in your partner.

NURTURE RESPECT

“Respecting each other means remembering that you are two different people, with different perspectives, histories, and ways of being,” says wellness counselor Anne Parker. In a paper published in 2000 in the American Journal of Psychotherapy concerning romantic love and its barriers, the idea of respect is equated to each person taking their partner seriously as a person. The article theorizes that in order to love another in the fullest sense, it is vital to understand and appreciate that your partner, like you, is “the conscious center of her own world, a fellow maker of choices, an entitled holder of rights, values and life goals and an experiencer of joys and sufferings.” Honoring those differences is just as important as valuing the similarities, Parker says. “We all want to be respected for who we are and what makes us unique.”

Personal Trainer Wisdom: This quote is worth repeating: Your partner, like you, is “the conscious center of her own world, a fellow maker of choices, an entitled holder of rights, values and life goals and an experiencer of joys and sufferings.” Do you keep this in mind while interacting with your partner? What assumptions do you make about him or her? Are you reacting instead of considering your partner's history and the root of his or her perspective? You are entitled to your opinion. In respect to your partner though, you should take the time to learn “why, what, when, who, how, and where” before passing judgment or making an assumption. Respect is best shown through your willingness to build effective communication. Ask the right questions and give your partner the benefit of the doubt.

BE CURIOUS

People want to feel that their significant other is interested in them and cares about what is important to them. Cultivate curiosity and interest in your partner. Don’t presume you already know all of his answers, motives, thoughts and experiences. Making such a presumption distances yourself from who your partner truly is, denies him the opportunity for expression and diminishes intimacy. “Make sure that you regularly create focused time to just talk, ask questions and share the thoughts and feelings of everyday experiences,” says wellness counselor Anne Parker. Curiosity breeds discovery, she explains, “and ongoing discovery about each other keeps the relationship vital and interesting.”

Personal Trainer Wisdom: Over time, your wisdom has evolved as a result of your experiences. You most likely have changed in a number of ways and it’s not fair to think that your partner has been static during the same length of time. Be curious. Explore how your partner experiences the world each day…you may be surprised to hear how he or she now interprets a situation or handles a challenge differently a second time. It’s a great opportunity to connect at different emotional and mental levels and it also opens the doors for additional communication and trust.

DON’T GET ATTACHED TO BEING RIGHT

When disagreements occur between you and your partner, don’t commit yourself so fully to the idea that you’re the one who’s right that you lose sight of what’s really important. “Getting attached to being right just creates barriers to resolution and productive action,” says wellness counselor Anne Parker. Most of the time it doesn’t even matter who’s right, she says. “What matters is how you connect, listen, discuss and create the most productive result.”< br>

Personal Trainer Wisdom: You should celebrate the best of life together and seek the best and most reasonable solution possible (together) when confronted with a challenge. There is, and never will be, any value in establishing who’s right or wrong…it doesn’t matter. If that’s your focus, shame on you. A relationship isn’t a game or a battle. You need to rethink your approach. Even if you’re not at fault you add fuel to the fire with this attitude. Sorry, drama queens and kings, I'm talking to you.

Photo Credit:
Elizabethnord.com–Does a real change start with your approach to your relationship?

Article Credit:

Author: Michael Moody Fitness with excerpt sourced from the article "9 Ways to Ensure Your Relationship Is Built to Last" on Livestrong.com.

"The Most Important Thing to Look for on a Nutrition Label Isn't Calories, According to a Dietitian?" Review

If you still believe in the “Calories In/Calories Out” theory (and you’re still not losing weight), you’ll want to read these reasons why you should rethink your approach (from the Business Insider article "The Most Important Thing to Look for on a Nutrition Label Isn't Calories, According to a Dietitian?").

In glaring black-and-white block letters on the side of your favorite cereal, they vie for your attention — calories. Yet while they're the most prominent part of a nutrition label, calories don't tell the full story.

That's according to registered dietitian and nutritionist Nichola Whitehead, who says the most important thing to look for on a nutrition label is not the calories, but rather the ingredients.< br>
"It's what you're putting into your body that counts," says Whitehead.

While calories can provide a very rough estimate of how healthy something might be, they leave out a number of important factors. Calories don't tell you, for example, how satiated or full something is going to make you feel, how beneficial it is for your digestion, or whether it contains the vitamins and minerals you need for healthy skin, hair, and nails.

This guidance can be applied to whole meals as well as processed foods.

Take the following two breakfasts as an example. Meal one consists of a piece of wheat toast with butter, a couple scrambled eggs, and a coffee. Meal two includes a bowl of frosted cereal in low-fat milk, a glass of orange juice, and a coffee. Both meals have almost exactly the same number of calories.

While they tally up identically as far as their calories are concerned, the two plans are far from equal.

The cereal and juice meal is based around sugar and refined carbohydrates, which the body breaks down quickly, creating a constant need to refuel with caffeine or a snack. The eggs and wheat toast meal, on the other hand, is what Whitehead would call "balanced" — it contains the right mix of proteins and complex carbohydrates that your body needs to be properly fueled in the long term.

Because they score high on something nutritionists refer to as the glycemic index, essentially a measure of how a food will impact your blood sugar levels, foods like processed cereals, white bread, and white rice fall into a category known as "empty calories." Foods like this will "give you a rapid amount of sugar, but you’re going to feel hungry shortly afterwards," says Whitehead.

This is where ingredients play a key role in sizing up the content of what you're eating. When you see things like sugar, corn syrup, fructose, or white flour listed as the first ingredients on a food, that can be a good indicator that it's not going to keep you full or energized in the long term. Instead, look for things like whole grains, lean proteins (chickpeas, beans, or chicken breast), and vegetables.

"It's what kinds of foods you eat that matters when it comes to how healthy your body is, how satiated you’re feeling, and how much energy you’ve got," says Whitehead. "Calories are just a tool."

Personal Trainer Wisdom: “A caloric reduction in your diet will automatically result in weight loss” is the biggest weight loss myth that still resonates in the minds of my personal training clients. I don’t blame them. Less food intake, the more weight loss. In some cases this is true. For instance, if you typically consume 3000 calories per day and cut out 500 calories, this dramatic drop may result in weight loss… initially. There will be a point, just like it has for my personal training clients over the last 12 years, when that will stop, though.

Your body is a very complicated, efficient piece of art that depends on a base of dietary fuel. While you can function on a filler-food diet, it doesn’t change the body’s nutrient-dense requirements. What happens when you don’t choose nutrient-dense foods? Secondary systems will be recruited by your core system to compensate for this deficit. You may continue to release the hunger hormone, ghrelin, until it receives what it needs. Your body may also slow down your metabolism to preserve what it has received and/or minimize the stress to itself.

On the flipside, you most likely will be increasing your blood sugar levels with an onslaught of refined (simple) carbs and increasing the amount of inflammation in your body, too…2 important factors that will also affect your ability to lose weight.

Furthermore, as the article describes above, the combination of calories play a pivotal role in digestion and absorption. What does this mean for you? Any diet that requires a single food as a meal, solely on liquid (unless it is a smoothie), fasting, and an abundance of inflammatory foods/drinks (dairy, grains, processed foods, refined sugars, red meat, and alcohol), may stop your weight loss, increase your weight, and compromise your health.

Photo Credit:
NetDoctor.com –Should we consider a bigger picture when reading a nutrition label?

Article Credit:

Author: Michael Moody Fitness with excerpt sourced from the article "The Most Important Thing to Look for on a Nutrition Label Isn't Calories, According to a Dietitian?" on MSN.com.
"The Most Important Thing to Look for on a Nutrition Label Isn't Calories, According to a Dietitian?" Review

Learn how to lose weight from a personal trainer in Chicago.

5/30/2017 7:30 PM

Michael Moody Fitness

"Best and Worst Meals for Diabetes-Savvy Dining" Review

Are you prediabetic or diabetic and attempting to lose weight? Here are 3 examples that you can keep in mind while dining out (from the Webmd article "Best and Worst Meals for Diabetes-Savvy Dining”).

Worse Bet #1: Farm Breakfast

The count: 2,060 calories, 276 g carbs
3 pancakes, 2 sausage links, 1 hash brown patty, and 2 scrambled eggs

No food is off-limits with diabetes, but this brunch will blow your carb and calorie budget in a hurry. Experts suggest that meals for people with diabetes should have 45-75 grams of carbohydrates, depending on individual goals. Your body weight, activity, and medications all matter. This meal packs enough carbs for four to five meals.

Better Bet #1: New American Breakfast

The count: 294 calories, 40 g carbs
Oatmeal with blueberries and scrambled eggs with spinach and light cheese

This quick meal delivers protein in a scrambled egg, and just 40 carbs, mostly from fiber-rich oatmeal and blueberries. Fiber slows digestion to help prevent blood sugar spikes. People with diabetes need to watch all types of carbs: cereal, bread, rice, pasta, starchy veggies, sweets, fruit, milk, and yogurt. Spread your total carbs across the day.

Personal Trainer Wisdom: While I think your philosophy should be figuring out what you can get away with when it comes to eating, you have to be careful if you’re prediabetic or diabetic. In many cases, a meal overloaded with carbs can send you into a coma (a concern that shouldn’t be taken lightly….something I learned firsthand when a loved one passed several years ago). With this being said, you need to be mindful of your choices. If a meal is made on the farm, it must be healthy, right? I wish (although I love my visits to the Ray Farm in southern Indiana every summer). Although the farm breakfast is a favorite go-to, a whopping 276 g of carbs will send your blood sugars levels to the moon. Pancakes, potatoes, and syrup, oh my! Settle for WebMD's better combination of complex carbs and protein. Don’t kid yourself though: There are carbs in most dairy products. Choose unsweetened almond or coconut milk with your oatmeal to please your favorite Chicago personal trainer. Annnnnnnd, by the way, WebMD, some foods SHOULD be off-limits….but that’s another conversation.

Worse Bet #2: Chips, Salsa, Burrito

The count: 1,760 calories, 183 g carbs
Chips, salsa, and everything you imagine on the burrito

Before one bite of burrito, you can get 98 grams of carbs and 810 calories in a basket of chips and salsa. If you're trying to slim down and eat less sodium, like many people with diabetes, the burrito adds 950 calories. You also get way more than a whole day's worth of sodium.

Better Bet #2: Beef and Bean Enchilada

The count: 443 calories, 48 g carbs
Beef and beans, and veggies in a corn tortilla shell topped with salsa and light sour cream (with a side of guacamole and chips)

Lean beef and black beans make this Mexican dish a good option for a diabetic diet. The fiber in the beans can help lower blood cholesterol and control blood sugar. Go heavy on the veggies and light on cheese. Enjoy 10 small corn chips (1 ounce) with a little guacamole.

Personal Trainer Wisdom: I love Mexican food. Please believe me when I say that it can be healthy. Of course, this isn’t true when you have something with the name “basket” in it (as well as “burrito as big as your head”). We want carbs…but the good carbs though (think: veggies, beans, legumes, etc.). Anything with corn or flour will push you beyond your limits. If you need a tortilla shell, choose a non-GMO corn tortilla shell and cut down on the size. An enchilada may be a smaller option right up your alley. Still be mindful of your calorie/fat, increasing consumption of cheese.

Worse Bet #3: Southern Rib Plate

The count: 2,510 calories, 83 g carbs
Ribs, macaroni and cheese, and corn on the cob

This classic Southern meal loads too many splurge foods onto one plate. Fatty pork ribs are dripping in sugary barbecue sauce and flanked by macaroni and cheese and corn on the cob. Corn is a high-carb vegetable, with about 19 grams of carbs in one medium ear. It's just too much, all around.

Better Bet #3: Pork Tenderloin Meal

The count: 360 calories, 42 g carbs
Pork tenderloin, broccoli, and pureed cauliflower

Pork tenderloin is one of the leanest and most versatile cuts of meat. Here it's prepared in a Dijon mustard glaze, and served with steamed broccoli and mock mashed potatoes. Pureed cauliflower stands in beautifully for carb-heavy white potatoes. Round out the meal with a whole wheat dinner roll.

Personal Trainer Wisdom: Even I will admit that this isn’t a fair tradeoff, WebMD. Most people won’t say, “I really, really, really want ribs with the mac and cheese but I guess I’ll have the alternative: Pork tenderloin.” Since you’re in the mood for a treat, I recommend the following instead: A well-done portion of ribs without the bbq sauce (cook off the fat and remove the carbs from the sauce), collard greens with minimal oil and no bacon, and corn on the cob. Less fat, calories, and carbs! Sorry, no mac and cheese, gang.

Photo Credit:
Andrea Woo Wordpress.com–Will this dish send you into a diabetic coma?

Article Credit:

Author: Michael Moody Fitness with excerpt sourced from the article "Best and Worst Meals for Diabetes-Savvy Dining" on Webmd.com.