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

Breakfast is the Key to Success!!

“Those who think they have no time for healthy eating, will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” – Edward Stanley

Breakfast, breakfast, breakfast, is the most important meal of the day simply because it determines how your child will feel going into their busy school day. This why it is so important that you, as a parent, take this opportunity to feed your child the healthiest and most nutritious meal possible.

Studies have shown that breakfast provides the nutrients that improve academic performance, increase attendance, and decrease hyperactivity. In a nutshell, it is one of the key factors in determining how well your child will perform in school. Children who eat a healthy and well balanced breakfast are also proven to have more energy and a healthy body weight as compared to children who do not eat it.

It is not hard at all to come up with quick, simple, healthy and delicious dishes that your child can eat in the morning to prepare them for their day. Some simple ideas are:

● Peanut Butter on whole wheat bread

● Bagel with cream cheese

● Oatmeal with apple sauce

● Pita bread with yogurt

All these meals come with enough nourishment to give your child’s brain the energy it needs to retain information in the class room. Breakfast is a habit that not only will your child thank you for,but their stomach will too!

Helpful Tips:

1) Make breakfast the night before (slice fruit, boil eggs)

2) Have a set bed time for your child

3) Give your child a set time to wake up so they will always have time for breakfast

For more information or for more Breakfast ideas email info@tntgetfit.com

Source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/466795-benefits-of-eating-breakfast-for-students/

Making Healthier Decisions

Life doesn’t just happen. It is a result of the choices you have made up until this very point in your life. Are you happy with your life? Are you searching for something more to complete you? Are you happy with your health? Your current state of health is a result of your daily decision making. If you are constantly choosing to watch TV instead of work out or you have gotten in the habit of snacking on junk food, you can not be too happy with your current state of health. Healthy living is really not as difficult as people would have you to believe,but it takes discipline! That is one of the hardest things to master because we want to have the freedom to eat, act, and go as we please.

Let me say this, when you jeopardize your health by constantly making poor decisions, eventually you will become imprisoned by illness, obesity, or unhappiness. Make better decisions and enjoy the freedoms of living longer, having a better self image, and experiencing the joys of great health!

“Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.”

For more information visit www.tntgetfit.com

Facts from http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/on-the-go/healthy-fastfood

How Important is your Pre-Workout meal?

Pre-Exercise Nutrition

Pre-exercise fuel is important in order to prevent hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), settle your stomach and absorb some of your gastric juices, ward off hunger, fuel your muscles and glycogen stores, and give you peace of mind that you are well-nourished. How much you might want to eat will vary from person-to-person, but most people get good results from 0.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight one hour before moderate exercise, or 2 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight four hours beforehand. So, for an adult weighing 150 lbs, this means about 75-300 grams of carbohydrate (300 to 1,200 calories), but you do not eat tons of food to notice a benefit.

For example, for an 8 am event you should:

● Night before: Eat a carbohydrate-rich dinner (bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, vegetables, fruit) and drink extra water throughout the day before the event. If you know that you will likely feel jittery and unable to tolerate food in the morning make sure you eat well and have an extra-large bedtime snack in lieu of breakfast.

● Morning of: Around 6 am have a light 200-400 calorie meal depending on what settles best with your stomach. Meal ideas: yogurt, banana, one or two energy bars and plenty of water or tea/coffee (if you can tolerate the caffeine). If you want a larger meal, eat familiar foods between 5-6 am. Don’t experiment with new foods the night or morning before a hard workout or an event.

You must also be wary because pre-exercise food can potentially create gastrointestinal distress; in fact, 30-50% of endurance athletes have reported adverse reactions (gas, intestinal cramping, heartburn, vomiting, bloating, stomach pain, diarrhea) to their pre-workout meal. The best solution for choosing what to eat before exercise is often trial and error with your diet prior to your training workouts. If you do experience GI problems make sure you are not consuming too many high protein and high fat food items prior to your workout, stick to the tried and true high-carbohydrate, low-fat options (bagels, bananas, English muffins, etc.).

Studies have also suggested that caffeine may enhance high-intensity, endurance performance, but this must also be monitored since this too will vary from person to person. If you were worried about dehydration from your pre-race cup of coffee, that probably should not be much of a concern since research suggests it likely does not contribute to dehydration, and is okay for athletes, even in hot weather.

Reference: Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 4th Edition, 2008.

Stop Smoking

Life’s Simple 7: Stop Smoking

How does Smoking Impact My Health?
If you want to live a long and healthy life, breaking the nicotine addiction will be very important. Smoking not only damages your entire circulatory system, but it increases your risk for coronary heart disease, hardened arteries, aneurysm and blood clots. Smoking can often be referred to a line of tumbling dominoes, one risk leads to another and another. Certain risks from smoking lead to additional risks for heart attack, stroke and peripheral artery disease. Being active can become a hardship if you smoke because your lung capacity is reduced making it harder to get the physical activity you need for better health.

Do you realize the cost behind that cigarette?
Cigarette smokers have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Smoking is one of our nation’s top causes of early death. What you should know is that your lungs can begin to heal as soon as you quit. The next time you reach for a cigarette take a moment and think that over your lifetime, smoking will only add to your life by taking away your good health. Satisfaction from smoking is short-lived because at the end of that cigarette is a shortened life!

TNT’s Tips to Help You Stop Smoking?
· Do whatever it takes to quit!
· Take one day at a time
· Replace the craving for cigarettes with healthier options
· If you slip and have a cigarette don’t feel like you’ve failed…give it another chance!
· Find a local support group
· Talk to your kids about smoking! Many people begin their addiction during adolescence and spend years wishing they had never started.

To learn more about this Life’s Simple 7 Stop Smoking tip and others go to http://www.mylifecheck.org/ and for more information or tips from TNT visit http://www.tntgetfit.com/

Reduce Blood Sugar

Life’s Simple 7: Reduce Blood Sugar

How Important is Understanding My Blood Sugar?
Understanding proper blood sugar levels is easy, simply remember the number 100. If your fasting blood sugar level is below 100, you are in the healthy range. If not, your results could indicate diabetes or pre-diabetes. The food that we eat is turned into glucose, which essentially means blood sugar. Our bodies use this glucose for energy. The human body makes a hormone called insulin, which helps in turning the food you eat into energy for your cells within your body.

The insulin that your body produces is extremely important because when your body stops making insulin or the insulin stops doing its job, your energy supply and blood sugars are no longer stable and serious health problems like diabetes can result. Due to your body not being properly fueled this can result in feeling overly tired. Over time, high levels of blood sugar can damage your heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves.

Why is Reducing Blood Sugar Important for My Health?
Lowered blood sugar helps protect your vital organs. When you reduce excessive sugars, you are giving yourself the best chance for a healthy life. Diabetes is considered by the American Heart Association, as one of the six major controllable risk factors for cardiovascular disease. When your blood sugar is not under control certain risk factors rise. These risk factors consist of obesity, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, high triglycerides, the risk of heart disease and stroke.

TNT’s Tips to Help Reduce Your Blood Sugar
· Focus on your eating habits, your weight and maintain an exercise program
· Always keep your medication in check
· Work closely with your healthcare provider to manage your blood sugar or diabetes and control any other risk factors
· Reduce consumption of simple sugars that are found in soda, candy and desserts
· Get regular physical activity
· Remember small changes add up to BIG improvements in your health!

To learn more about this Life’s Simple 7 Reduce Blood Sugar tip and others go to http://www.mylifecheck.org/ and for more information about how TNT can help you keep your blood sugar level under control visit http://www.tntgetfit.com/

Lose Weight

Life’s Simple 7: Lose Weight

Being overweight or having to much fat puts you at higher risk for many health problems that include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and diabetes. If you have too much fat especially if a lot of it is at your waist you are at even more of an increase for health problems. It’s important to remember that you’re not alone! More than 2/3 of our American adult population is overweight, with 1/3 of us in the obese category. Why are these statistics especially concerning? Obesity is now recognized as a major, independent risk factor for heart disease.

Why is it important to know your BMI?
Your BMI or Body mass index assesses your body weight relative to height. This measurement is useful because it takes your body composition and correlates that with the body fat in most people. If your body mass index is 25.0 or higher, you will benefit by bringing your number down below 25. If your BMI is 30.0 or higher, you are at significant risk for heart health problems. To calculate your own BMI visit:

Every extra pound matters!
Have you ever walked around with a 5 pound weight attached to you for day? Now imagine carrying around a 30-pound weight in your purse or briefcase all day! That would be quite a strain on your body! Well the fact is that if you are already overweight by 5 pounds you are putting your body through that every single day! When you shed extra fat and unnecessary pounds, you reduce the burden on your heart, lungs, blood vessels and skeleton. Just losing one pound or even one percent of body fat allows your body the gift of active living by lowering your blood pressure and helping yourself to feel better!

TNT’s tips to loss the weight and keep it off:
· Know your calorie needs
· Know and understand your healthy BMI
· Maintain regular physical activity (30 minutes/day)
· Use a food journal to track your meals and calories


To learn more about this Life’s Simple 7 Lose Weight tip and others go to http://www.mylifecheck.org/ and for more information about how TNT can create your own Nutritional Plan visit http://www.tntgetfit.com/

Manage Blood Pressure

Life’s Simple 7: Manage Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is the single most significant risk factor for heart disease. By keeping your blood pressure within your healthy range, you in turn reduce the strain on your heart, arteries, and kidneys which aid in a healthy life.

What is High Blood Pressure?
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, means the blood running through your arteries flows with too much force and puts pressure on your arteries, stretching them past their healthy limit and causing microscopic tears. When this happens the natural defense of our body is to kick into injury-healing mode to repair these tears with scar tissue. However, the scar tissue traps plaque and white blood cells which can form into blockages, blood clots, and hardened, weakened arteries.Here’s how to maintain a healthy blood pressure range:
-Reduce your risk of overstretched or injured blood vessel walls-Reduce your risk of blockages which also protects your heart and brain-Protect your entire body so that your tissue receives regular supplies of blood that is rich in the oxygen it needs

Normal blood pressure is less than 120 mm Hg systolic AND less than 80 mm Hg diastolic or <120/80. Remember high blood pressure is also known as the silent killer. Sometimes you can’t FEEL it until it is too late so be sure to have your blood pressure checked regularly.

Here are some of TNT’s tips on modifying your lifestyle to maintain a healthy diet
-eat a heart-healthy diet, reduce you sodium intake
-enjoy regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight
-managing stress, limit alcohol, avoid tobacco smoke

To learn more about this Life’s Simple 7 Manage Blood Pressure tip and others go to http://www.mylifecheck.org/ and for more tips from Total Nutrition Technology visit http://www.tntgetfit.com/

Eat Better

Life’s Simple 7: Eat Better

A healthy diet is one of your best weapons for fighting cardiovascular disease. Eating a heart-healthy diet helps to improve your chances for feeling good and staying healthy! However, recent studies show that more than 90% of us fail to consistently eat a heart-healthy diet. Our poor eating habits mean more of us have risk factors for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and obesity. Below are some tips to help you start and maintain your own heart healthy diet!

What makes up a Heart Healthy Diet?
Foods low in saturated and trans fat, cholesterol, sodium and added sugars, and foods high in whole grain fiber, lean protein, and a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables. Eat nutrient rich foods such as; vegetables, fruits, whole-grain products and fat-free or low-fat dairy products. It’s also important to cut back on; partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, cholesterol-eat less then 300 mg/day, sodium-eat less then 1500 mg/day.

How important is eating and maintain an healthy diet?
If you are frequently skipping out on veggies, fruit, low-fat dairy, fiber-rich whole grains, and lean meats including fish, your body is missing the basic building blocks for a healthy life. Most of the time these essential nutrients cannot be found in hamburgers and french fries! Healthy foods are the fuel our bodies use to make new cells and create the energy we need to thrive and fight diseases. Maintaining a healthy diet is essential to living a long and healthy life!

Here are some of TNT’s tips to simple steps you can do to maintain a healthy diet:
· Stock your kitchen with healthy foods, take part in TNT’s pantry makeover sessions
· Track what you eat!
· Focus on eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods
· Eat more fish! Try to eat fish at least two times a week
· Cut out saturated and trans fat foods, cut back on added sugars
· Enjoy your meals! Take the time to savor each bite of your meal!

To learn more about this Life’s Simple 7 Eat Better tip and others go to http://www.mylifecheck.org/ and for more tips from Total Nutrition Technology visit http://www.tntgetfit.com/

Control Cholesterol

Life’s Simple 7: Control Cholesterol

When it comes to controlling your cholesterol the most important fact to always remember is Small steps can create BIG change! Eating right, exercising regularly, reducing stress, quitting smoking and knowing your family history are key facts to gaining control of your cholesterol.

What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a soft, fatty-like, waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in all your body's cells. It's normal to have cholesterol. Cholesterol comes from two sources: your body and food. Your body makes about 75% of blood cholesterol. The other 25% comes from the foods you eat.

LDL cholesterol is commonly known as the “bad” cholesterol. When too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can clog arteries, which increases your risk of heart attack and stroke. LDL cholesterol is produced naturally in the body, however many people inherit genes that cause them to make too much. Eating saturated fat, trans fats and dietary cholesterol can substantially increase the amount of LDL that is produced in your body.

What should my cholesterol be?
Total blood cholesterol is the most common measurement of blood cholesterol. Cholesterol is measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). A cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL or higher puts you in a high-risk category and is cause to take action.

TNT’s quick and easy steps to lower your cholesterol
· Schedule a screening with your primary care physician
· Eat foods low in cholesterol and saturated fat and free of trans fat
· Maintain a healthy weight
· Stay physically active

To take My Life Check or to learn more about this Life’s Simple 7 Control Cholesterol tip and others go to http://www.mylifecheck.org/. For more information and/or cholesterol tips visit Total Nutrition Technology http://www.tntgetfit.com/

Get Active

Life’s Simple 7: Get Active

One of the seven steps outlined in the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7 program is Getting Active.
You may be thinking, “I do not have anytime left in the day to get active.” When you see the words GET ACTIVE, we are talking about as little as 30 minutes a day! On average there are 31 days in a month that is equal to 44,640 minutes per month. Surely you can find 30 minutes a day for some “Get Active” activities! The fact of the matter is the benefits of exercising will always outweigh the sacrifices that it takes to get in that 30 minutes a day. The American Heart Association makes it a very simple equation: Physical activity = living a longer, healthier life. On http://www.mylifecheck.org/ you can find out why getting active is so important and get tips on how to increase physical activity.

Here are a few tough love tips from TNT:
-Stop making excuses, there is an activity out there that you are sure to love!
-Remember physical activity is anything that makes you move your body and burns calories…even dancing around your house!
-Get a buddy or make exercise a family affair to motivate you!
-Take part in the AHA’s Heart Walk on September 17th

Don’t you think it’s time to start giving yourself the gift of living well with good health?

To take My Life Check or to learn more about this Life’s Simple 7 Get Active tip and others go to http://www.mylifecheck.org/ and for more information about Total Nutrition Technology please visit http://www.tntgetfit.com/

TNT, American Heart Association and Life's Simple 7!

TNT is partnering with the American Heart Association (AHA) and focusing on Life’s Simple 7, the AHA’s program that allows you to achieve excellent cardiovascular health by keeping seven factors in check! As a result of this partnership, we at TNT thought it would be great to discuss AHA’s recommended Heart Health tips! Over the next seven days we will break down each of Life’s Simple 7 and share our knowledge with you! Remember no matter where you are in life, it’s never too late to make better health choices. All you need is a goal, a plan and the desire to live better. Let TNT and AHA help!

To learn more about this simple step and others go to http://www.mylifecheck.org/ or for more information about TNT visit www.tntgetfit.com

Vitamin D Deficiency

By Diane Smith

Vitamin D deficiency of children and adults has become a hot topic of conversation recently. Vitamin D deficiency appears to be an increasingly prevalent, but largely unrecognized problem. Unborn babies and children who are vitamin D deficient have an increase chance of growth retardation and skeletal deformities. These children may also have an increase risk of hip fractures later on in life. Adults who are vitamin D deficient can form osteoporosis (decrease in bone density) which may cause osteomalacia (softening of the bone) and muscle weakness. A decrease in bone density may eventually lead to fractures.

Humans get vitamin D from sunlight, diet and dietary supplements. UVB radiation penetrates the skin and converts 7-dehyrocholesterol to pre-vitamin D₃; it is then rapidly converted to vitamin D₃. Through physiological processes vitamin D₃ is converted to the active form of vitamin D (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D). Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption which aide in maintaining blood calcium levels. Calcium has many important functions, one of which is maintaining strong bones.

Signs and symptoms of Hypocalcemia (low levels of calcium)

· Paresthesias (numbness, tingling, prickling, or burning) in lips, tongue, fingertips, and/or toes

· Fatigue

· Anxiety

· Muscles painful, achy, progressing to cramps or spasms

· Lethargy

· Poor appetite

· Mental confusion

· Cardiac arrhythmia

Vitamin D has other functions in the body such as; changes in cell growth, neuromuscular, immune and reduction of inflammation.

Populations that are at a greater risk of vitamin D deficiency are; elderly, obese individuals, exclusively breastfed infants, those who have limited sun exposure, people who live in an environment with long winters, and people with dark skin. New studies suggest that low levels of vitamin D are associated with cardiac diseases, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases and cancer.

The new Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) listed for vitamin D levels is 800 IUs. You can get significant amounts of vitamin D through sun in less than 10 minutes or you can get vitamin D in dietary foods.

Selected Food Sources of Vitamin D
IU = (International Units)

· Cod Liver Oil, 1 Tbs. (1,360 IU)

· Salmon, cooked, 31/2 oz (360 IU)

· Mackerel, cooked, 3 1/2 oz (345 IU)

· Sardines, canned in oil, drained,3 1/2 oz (270 IU)

· Eel, cooked, 3 1/2 oz (200 IU)

· Milk, nonfat, reduced fat, and whole, vitamin D fortified, 1 c (98 IU)

· Margarine, fortified, 1 Tbs. (60 IU)

· Cereal grain bars, fortified w/ vitamin D, 1 each (50 IU)

· Pudding, 1/2 c prepared from mix and made with vitamin D fortified milk (50 IU)

· Dry cereal, Vitamin D fortified, 3/4 c (40-50 IU)
* Other cereals may be fortified with more or less vitamin D

· Liver, beef, cooked, 3 1/2 oz (30 IU)

· Egg, 1 whole (vitamin D is present in the yolk) (25 IU)

Vitamin D levels can be checked by your doctor through a blood sample. Are you deficient??

Vitamin D Levels

· Deficient <20 ng/mL

· Insufficient 20-29 ng/mL

· Optimal range 30-50 ng/mL

*Vitamin D can be expressed as nmol/L. (1 nmol/L = 0.4 ng/mL)

For more information visit www.tntgetfit.com and Follow us on twitter and facebook

Time for a Road Trip!

Road Tripping this spring/summer? Helpful hints to navigate the fast food trap. Fast Food “go to” meal items that won’t derail your diet!

by: Sarah Cook

Spring is finally here and that means two things: 1) summer is right around the corner and 2) it’s almost vacation time! Road trips and plane rides to fun destinations are on the horizon for you and your family! With smart choices, you can bring your healthful eating plan on the road with you. Most popular fast-food restaurants now make nutrition information readily available to customers, both in-store and online. Before you back out of the driveway or board that plane, review the nutrition information of popular eating spots you'll likely pass on your trip. You may be surprised at what you'll learn. For example, you might think a salad would be your best choice at a fast-food restaurant. A quick check of the menu would tell you that some salads at fast-food places can contain nearly 800 calories with dressing and croutons … maybe more than you'd think. Plan ahead and give yourself a wide range of healthful eating options, wherever the open road might carry you.

The name of the vacation game is preparation. The absolute best way to eat on the road is to pack snacks that travel well:

● Nuts or a Trail Mix

● Snack Bars (Lara Bars, Odwalla Bars, Granola Bars)

● Fruits (apples, bananas, pears, oranges)

● Veggies (carrot sticks/baby carrots, celery sticks, broccoli florets, sliced peppers)

● String cheese

● Yogurt/granola cups

This list is certainly not all inclusive, so whatever you may already have on hand and provided you have the extra room to pack, bringing your own food is a “can’t lose” first option.

Sometimes, however, not all goes as planned when traveling, so you might find yourself in need of a meal on the road. Here are some restaurants you’ll want to keep an eye out for when you’re at the airport, on the road or visiting a new town. I’ve selected some better choices from each restaurant in which items listed fall generally under 400 calories or so, under 15 grams of fat and under about 600 mg sodium:

● Jason’s Deli (www.jasonsdeli.com)

○ Savvy Chicken Salad Sandwich Wrap

○ Baked Lays

○ Unsweetened Iced Tea

● Noodles and Company (www.noodles.com)

○ Chinese Chop Salad w/pita bread

○ Bottled Water

● Chipotle (www.chipotle.com)

○ Fajita Vegetable Burrito Bol (w/o cheese or sour cream)

○ Bottled wate

● McDonald’s (www.mcdonalds.com)

○ Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich

○ Side Salad

○ Newman’s Own Low Fat Family Recipe Italian Dressing (1/2 pkg)

○ Bottled Water

● Einstein Brothers Bagels (www.einsteinbros.com)

○ Turkey Tornado Wrap (sprouts, tomato, lettuce, and reduced fat cream cheese)

○ Chicken Noodle Cup (small)

○ Minute Maid Lite Lemonade

● Chik-Fil-A (www.chick-fil-a.com)

○ Chick-fil-A Chargrilled Chicken Cool Wrap

○ Fruit Cup (small)

○ Diet Lemonade or unsweetened tea

● Subway (www.subway.com)

○ 6” subway club sandwich on whole wheat (w/o cheese, and either mustard or light mayo w/any veggie toppings)

○ Apple slices

○ Bottled water

In the very likely event that you are somewhere that doesn’t have one of these restaurants around, use these general tips to help guide you to the best choice:

• Pick baked, broiled instead of fried, crispy

• Choose lean proteins (turkey, chicken vs. salami, bologna)

• Utilize the salad option when at all possible

• Avoid calorie dense condiments and choose mustard or low fat versions instead

• Always choose whole grain bread products when/if available

• Avoid empty calories in sweetened beverages...stick to water or unsweetened iced tea

• For side items, choose fruits, veggies, or light/baked potato chips. Try to avoid mayonnaise based salads (potato, pasta, etc.)

• Avoid full fat cheeses (cream cheeses, sour cream included!) and choose lower fat or lighter options when available.

Eating well on the road can be tricky, but it is possible! Planning ahead and making informed choices will lead you down the right path. Don’t forget, fast food restaurants have their nutrition information posted, so if you are in a pinch and unsure of the best option, ask to review this information before you order! You’ll be a happy, healthier traveler if you do.