Lisa's TNT Experience

Have you lost your mojo for to eat healthy or workout? Would you rather grab the bag of Cheetos versus the bag of carrots? If you need help or have fallen off the New Years Resolution bandwagon here is a bit of motivation. We wanted to share a YouTube video of one of our clients. Lisa Gallarini has recently joined forces with Total Nutrition Technology to reach her weight loss goals. We will post her videos as she speaks candidly about her journey.  Let's join her in support of her goals.

New Year, New You

So once again we have arrived at the start of another year. What are you going to do to make this year different from the last? Let’s give up making resolutions because honestly, those can be very disheartening when you fail to stay true to them a couple of days into the new year. Why not try to make small goals every day you wake up. For instance, maybe today you can promise yourself to drink at least one glass of water with every meal.See? That is something that is very doable and beneficial to your health. The trick is to not overwhelm yourself with such a big goal that you become discouraged before you even start! Make small strides in your health daily and eventually they will add up to a big picture of health! Feel free to share with us your daily goals and what changes you are hoping to see in this upcoming year!

For more health and nutrition tips visit www.tntgetfit.com

Your Holiday Guide

Holiday Weight Gain

Many of our clients have asked about tips to help prevent that holiday weight gain! We have turned it into quick tips and ideas to guide you through this holiday!

Studies have shown that individuals gain the most weight during the winter holidays which cover mid-November to January. These are the times where physical activity decreases and consumption increases, which is the main contribution to weight gain. Other contributors are:

· Lack of portion control

· Sugar sweetened beverage consumption

· Meals outside of home

· Stress

· Lack of physical activity

· Overconsumption

Some of the startling statistics:

-By the year 2030, 86% of Americans will be overweight or obese

-During a 5-day Christmas period the average weight increase is 2lbs. but in some individuals up to 9lbs.

-Dieters face increased weight gain risks over the holidays and gain twice the amount of weight than those of a normal weight

-Overweight/obese individual gain five times more weight during the Thanksgiving holiday than those who are normal weight.

-Older adults have the highest prevalence of being overweight or obese (60 and over), followed by middle aged adults.

-Weight maintenance without a support system or a method of accountability is a challenge and most individuals gain their weight back in 5 years.

The daily self-monitoring approach is a feasible solution to holiday weight gain and is more effective in minimizing weight gain. A few recommended methods are to weigh yourself daily, record your food intake and track-your daily steps with a pedometer.

As easy as it is to get off track over the holidays it is also possible to stay on track. Having a support system in place during this time of year is critical.

For more information about TNT call

1-704-549-9550

Or visit

WWW.TNTGETFIT.COM

What Motivates You?

What motivates you? Think about it for a minute. What is going to encourage you to work out instead of staying in bed or put down a slice of cake and pick up an apple instead? Part of taking steps toward developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is figuring out who you are! You have to learn who you are so that you will know what drives you to make the choices and decisions that you do regarding your health. It is up to you to determine your motivation for working out, eating right, and taking care of yourself.

For me, I like to feel good when I put on my clothes and I like the feeling of accomplishment after I complete a rigorous workout. So on days that I would love to lay around the house and watch television, I push myself to go out on a nice run so that I can get that happy feeling afterward. Everyone has different motivations, but they all lead us to the same result of making healthier decisions. Now I know that everyone will not be encouraged to go out on a run just to chase after some “happy feeling”, so let’s figure out some things that would motivate you instead. You could be trying to get off a medication, you may want to lose weight, you may want to challenge yourself, you may be preparing for a competition. Whatever it is, focus on that when your tempted to do something that may adversely those goals. Motivation will determine how successful you are in reaching your goals because at the end of the day when friends, family, and trainers are not around, you have to be your OWN biggest cheerleader.

For more information visit www.tntgetfit.com

Trans Fat: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

TRANS FATS: NOT GOOD, BUT BAD AND VERY UGLY

By: TNT Health Educator Kelli Swick

Recently, many of you have had questions about Trans Fats and where they are found, well Kelli has searched high and low for all of your Trans Fat answers!

Heart disease, the number one cause of death in the United States for men and women has been attributed partially to the types of fats Americans consume. Saturated fats, such as animal fats, coconut and palm oil have been convicted as one of the bad guys; further research assuring that they will serve out a life sentence. But more recently trans fats have been convicted of a far worse crime. Banned in all New York City restaurants by the NYC Board of Health and with many cities following close behind, trans fats are sure to be handed the death sentence.

What are Trans Fats?

Trans fats are largely manmade fats, (although there are a small amount of natural trans fats in ruminant animals), and are a side effect of hydrogenation. Hydrogenation is a chemical process invented by a French chemist in the 1890’s, of adding hydrogens to a compound. The formation of trans fats in liquid oils was patented in 1902 by the scientist, Wilhelm Normann. In the early 1900’s, food manufacturers began adding hydrogens to unsaturated vegetable oils, transforming them to partially saturated( partially hydrogenated), changing their state from liquid to semi-solid. The end result was a more stable, flavorful product, a surefire economic boost for the food industry. Crisco was one of the products created out of this process, making its appearance on store shelves in 1911. Trans fat, a newly created chemical arrangement, was unfamiliar to our bodies and, though its metabolism was uncertain, did not appear to heighten concern. During World War ll, butter was rationed and ideas for an alternative product were churning in the minds of food chemists. Margarine was born and many Americans switched over to the “healthier spread”.

Are Trans Fats Worse than Saturated Fats?

In 1957, the American Heart Association warned the public of the link between saturated fats and coronary heart disease(CHD). But it wasn’t until 1984 that fast food restaurants, accustomed to using animal fats and tropical oils such as palm and coconut , responded by increasing their use of partially saturated fats. Though lowering dramatically the amount of saturated fats in the product, it dramatically increased the amount of trans fats. It was later determined by numerous scientific studies that trans fats were contributing to heart disease, and in 1993 the public pressured fast food restaurants to halt the use of partially hydrogenated oils in their fryers.

Scientific studies revealed that trans fats were even more troubling than saturated fats. While both raised LDL cholesterol levels, (the bad cholesterol) a known culprit in plaque formation, trans fats also lowered HDL (the good cholesterol). Studies have also recently shown a link between trans fats and diabetes, obesity and Alzheimer’s disease.

Regulation of Trans Fats and FDA Recommendations

In 2006, the FDA mandated that food manufacturers reveal the trans fat contents of their products on food labels. The food industry scrambled to reduce their trans fat content because consumers were now able to see the amount of trans fats they were consuming. It is worth noting that the FDA allows the manufacturers to label a product trans fat- free if it contains 0.5 grams or less. The FDA recommendation is 1% or less of daily calories. If consuming a 2,000 calorie diet, only 2 grams of trans fats should be consumed. Be aware that this is a very small amount and can add up quickly. The consumer must be vigilant and read the label carefully to determine the exact amount ingested per day. Trans fat will soon be a fat from the past.

If you have a particular topic that you would like to see featured in our blog please email info@tntgetfit.com or for more information visit www.tntgetfit.com

References:

www.webmd.com

www.wikipedia.com

www.mayoclinic.com

www.americanheart.org

Time To Eat!

Want know a secret?? One of the biggest keys to losing weight is knowing when to eat. I know, its crazy, that something as small as timing can make the difference in you reaching you weight goals. But, if you make a conscious effort to eat 3 meals a day with 2 snacks and the right combination of foods,losing weight will be so much simpler.

If you are already eating 3 meals a day, you can balance that out between 5-6 small meals day. I’m not telling you to eat more, but instead I am encouraging you to eat the same amount across the course of a whole day so that you can keep your energy up an control your hunger cravings. You have to take care of your body, so by eating smaller meals it gives your body the food it needs without making you feel tired or sleepy.

It can be very difficult to find the time during the day to eat, but you have to find neat little tricks to remind yourself. You could set a timer,have healthy snacks in your work drawer, tape a note to your planner, something just to make your eating time a priority! Timing is everything, so make sure you are using yours wisely to help reach your goals and treat your body right!

For more information visit www.tntgetfit.com or email info@tntgetfit.com

No Need to Fear Halloween!

Aaaaah...its that time of year again! Costumes are being dusted off, candy bowls are being stocked with miniature treats, and parents are wondering how to maintain their healthy habits with so much temptation around. Halloween doesn’t have to be a holiday that you come to fear, after all there are many healthy and delicious treats out there to satisfy your sweet tooth.

If you are a chocolate lover, try this:

Chocolate Covered Brownie Bites: Dip bite-size piece of brownie into melted chocolate for an easy treat to satisfy your chocolate craving.

**Limit to 1-2 bites. This is only to curb chocolate craving**

Dark Chocolate Fondue: Dip some of your favorite pieces of fruit into melted chocolate

**Limit to 5 pieces of fruit**

Treats You and the Kids will Love:

Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches: ( Vanilla Wafers & fruit sorbet or frozen yogurt)

Carmel Apples

Guilt Free Options:

Shortbread cake: (Shortbread square, strawberries & blueberries, topped w/ spoonful of whip cream)

Strawberry Parfait: (Yogurt, strawberries, granola or a few cookie crumbles)

Now that you have some options to indulge in, you have more time to worry about the important things come October 31st!

Visit www.tntgetfit.com for more helpful tips!

Sources: www.eatingwell.com, www.family.go.com/food/recipe, www.cookinglight.com