Nancy’s Nutrition Logs

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Date 4/19

4:20 am 1 scoop UMP protein powder in 18 ounces of water

8 am 1 cup oatmeal, ¼ cup of yogurt mixed with 1 scoop UMP vanilla protein powder, ½ cup mixed berries, and 1 cup of coffee with truvia, almond milk, and cinnamon.

11 am 1 slice of crustless quiche, 20 ounces of water

1 pm Capri burger- 4 ounces (mozzarella, olives, pesto, no bun) Southwest burger – 3 ounces (Cheddar cheese, salsa, yogurt taco sauce, no bun) served on a bed of spinach, 40 ounces of water

3:40 pm 2 prunes, 2 dried apricots, Smoothie (12 almonds, 6 ounces of plain yogurt, ¼ cup of mixed berries), 20 ounces of water

7:15 pm baked chicken (3 thighs), spinach salad with homemade olive oil/vinegar dressing

Date 4/20

Health fair from 8-3 so I was out of the house, I packed what I needed for food.

7:40 am 1 cup oatmeal, ¼ cup of yogurt mixed with 1 scoop UMP vanilla protein powder, ½ cup blueberries, and ½ cup of coffee with truvia, almond milk, and cinnamon

9:45 am ¼ cup of almonds, 1 cup dried fruit (prunes, apricots, raisins), 16 ounces of water

11:50 am red pepper strips, baby carrots (1 ½ cups), ½ cup hummus, 1 scoop UMP vanilla protein, 34 ounces of water

1:10 pm baby carrots (10), 1 scoop UMP vanilla protein, 34 ounces of water

5 pm Cajun chicken (grilled, 1 breast), 1-cup green beans, 2 cups spinach salad with homemade olive oil/vinegar dressing, ½ grilled onion, 20 ounces water

7:40 pm 1 scoop chocolate UMP protein powder mixed with 2-teaspoon natural peanut butter and water, 20 ounces of water

Date: 4/21

4:20 am 1 scoop UMP protein powder in 18 ounces of water

8 am 1 ½ cup chili, ½ cup of oatmeal, ½ cup of mixed berries, 20 ounces of water

11:40 am salmon cakes, summer squash and zucchini sautéed, 1 strawberry, Starbucks coffee with cream, 20 ounces of water

1:35 pm ½ of a cucumber, ¼ cup of hummus, 40 ounces of water (still sipping on the coffee)

3:10 pm Caribbean chicken (1 breast, grilled) with pineapple salsa, spinach salad with olive oil/vinegar dressing (homemade), 20 water

5:40 pm ½ of a green pepper, 3 ounces of chicken, 20 ounces of water

My food plan and therefore my food logs are designed to help me reach my goals. Your goals could be a lot different, and therefore you might eat differently. In general however eating like this would be a great start for most of us. Questions are welcome!

Coach Nancy

Important S3 Contest Information – Food Journal Scoring

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Can you believe the Sizzlin’ Summer Slimdown has crossed the halfway point already?

Incredible!

We are just a few short weeks from awarding some super prizes, and the competitions is close – Keep Up The Great Work!

A huge part of the contest is keeping a food journal. It has been proven that keeping a record of what you eat on a regular basis leads to quicker fat loss and helps you keep it off. When you don’t journal, you don’t get an accurate picture of the quantity or quality of your nutrition. We are very good at fooling ourselves into thinking we eat less calories and have made better choices than we really do!

Anytime someone asks us for nutrition help the first thing we are going to ask for is a 3 day food journal. Without it we are just guessing, and so are you. 9 times out of 10 an unwillingness to journal means an unwillingness to face facts. If you want to make progress – Make It Happen!

So by now you have gotten into the habit of keeping a journal, so here’s the next step to evaluating your nutrition choices.

From now on when you turn in your food logs we want you to score yourself using the following simple criteria:

Did I consume Protein, Produce and Water (PPW) at this feeding opportunity?

If so, put a “1″ next to the entry for that feeding opportunity (meal).

At the end of the day add up all your “1′s” and mark the total at the bottom of the page, and then add up all your feeding opportunities and record that at the bottom of the page as well.

Example:

You had 5 feeding opportunities and had Protein, Produce and Water at 4 of them.

At the bottom of the page you would record:

4/5

At this point it doesn’t matter if you had something in addition to PPW, but we want to see that you are getting those 3 important items.

Simple enough? I thought so! :)

The point of this exercise is so you see on a meal-by-meal and day-by-day basis if you are feeding your body what it needs to be lean and perform at a high level.

If you are scoring less than 80% on a regular basis, you are going to have a very hard time losing fat.

For examples of some quality PPW -  click to take a look at our Power Foods.

Make It Happen!

Dean

Are You A Sugar Addict?

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Tired all the time? Grumpy and can’t shake the blahs? Do you have trouble losing weight? Do you walk around in a fog? What about digestive issues? Constantly battling a stuffy nose?

Major health issues like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and auto-immune diseases are dramatic examples of how sugar can wreak havoc in your life. There are less dramatic ways sugar affects our bodies before we experience major problems.

Addictions come in different forms.

  • The Energy Shark feels chronically tired and needs hits of sugar and caffeine.
  • The Feed-Me-Now type have exhausted their adrenal glands.
  • An overgrowth of yeast in the body leads the Sneak-Around-for-Sugar addict hiding to get another hit of sugar.
  • And the Depressed & Craving Carbs type desire for sweets is linked to hormonal shifts.

What type of addict are you?

Do you often feel tired and achy? Do you need coffee to get going in the morning? Does your energy fade by mid-afternoon? Do you get frequent headaches?

You may be an Energy Shark.

Do you find you are often thirsty and need to use the restroom? Do you get recurrent sore throats and swollen glands? Do you sometimes get dizzy when you stand up? Is life a crisis for you?

You may be a Feed-Me-Now type.

Do you have chronic nasal congestion? Do you have irritable bowels? Have you been clinically treated for acne? Do you clear your throat a lot? Often an overgrowth of yeast internally will cause the sugar cravings like those who are

The Sneak-Around-for-Sugar addicts.

Chronically depressed, fatigued, battling insomnia and a loss of libido might have you classified as a Depressed & Craving Carb addict. Your sugar cravings are caused by fluctuating hormones.

No matter what the type you can fight your way out of your sugar addiction. Nutrition is the key to locking up the addict inside you.

  1. Choose high-protein foods such as meat, eggs, and seafood and foods that score low on the glycemic index.
  2. Eat small meals frequently during the day.
  3. Eliminate “energy drinks” loaded with sugar and caffeine.
  4. Exercise for 30 to 60 minutes a day, outside if possible.
  5. Get seven to nine hours of sleep a night
  6. Supplement your diet with a quality vitamin.
  7. Take a fish oil supplement.

Each addiction has its own issues but don’t let your addiction control you. Furthermore don’t let the addiction you have today bring damaging diseases in your future.

To your health,

Coach Nancy

Reference – Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of Beat Sugar Addiction Now!

The Healthy Kitchen

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It all starts here. Nutrition is not half the battle, it is the battle! What we eat is the single most important factor when it comes to how we look and feel. With today’s busy lifestyles, it is more important than ever that we learn to make the best choices to support our healthy goals.

The choices we make when feeding our bodies have both short and long term consequences. Did you know it’s possible to eat too much food and be undernourished? Not only do we become overweight, but are also more susceptible to disease because we are not receiving the nutrients we need for optimal health. It is important to remember that the primary reason we eat is to give our body what it needs to function optimally. A growing number of studies show that Americans do not receive the nutrients they need from their dietary intake.

There are a number of reasons for this. Our crops themselves are not as nutritious as in the past, probably due to soil depletion and the overuse of fertilizers. Fast food restaurants and prepackage foods in our supermarket shelves make it all too easy to consume a large amount of calories with nearly no nutritive value. While such food choices may be fast and convenient, there is no doubt they contribute to obesity and disease.

Over-consumption of grains, particularly refined wheat (eg. white flour) and corn, has also contributed to our growing problem with obesity. Too many grains and not enough variety of vegetables in our diet leads to excess calories and nutrient deficiencies.

While fruit has many critical nutrients and should be enjoyed, it may be helpful to think of it as “nature’s candy” because of the high sugar content. Refined grains and fruit juices can also make controlling blood sugar difficult.

It does take more work to prepare healthy meals, there is no doubt about it. Doing so is a small price to pay when you consider the negative health consequences of eating poorly. Most people do not think about the future, only the here and now, but the cost is greater to fight disease than to prevent disease. Eating for optimal health is the foundation of living well.

Recently we unveiled Fitgoal. Take advantage of all it offers.

• Daily food log so you know exactly what you are feeding yourself.

• Reports so you can monitor your fitness progress after each “Test Day”

• Visuals like charts and graphs for your food intake

• Write out personal goals so you know where you want to go and how you plan on getting there

• A journaling section to list important factors that give insight into your well being.

• The ability to directly contact your trainer through Fitgoal.

We are here to help you reach your goals,

Coach Nancy

Zucchini Boats

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Here’s a favorite of Anne from the 8:30 Concord class.

In keeping with the zucchini theme:

Zucchini Boats (makes 8 boats) Preheat oven to 400 degrees

4 medium (8″) zucchini
1 medium onion, diced
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
8 oz low-fat or non-fat cottage cheese
paprika, salt and pepper to taste

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise.  Steam over steaming basket in large pot for about 10-15 minutes. 
Zucchini should be firm but able to be scooped out.  Scoop out pulp with spoon and chop, leaving a zucchini shell or boat.

Sauté onion until soft.  Add soy sauce and chopped zucchini, keep over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Put boats in baking dish and fill each zucchini boat with 1/8 of the mix.  Sprinkle paprika on top, if desired.

Bake in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes or until hot.

Zucchini Pizza Disks

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Deb Saks from the 5 AM Concord class sent in this great recipe to help make good use of the over population of zucchini in our gardens.

Zucchini Pizza Disks
slice 3 zucchini’s in round slices 1/4 inch thick
3 slices of Mozzarella cheese
pizza sauce

Broil zucchini rounds until they start to brown (5 or so minutes). Remove from oven and put a 1/2 tsp or so of sauce on each disk. Place a small square of cheese on each top then put back in broiler until starting to brown. These are great!

This recipe and more will be in our Get Fit NH Cookbook that is being produced as a fundraiser for Joshua, who has autism. Joshua is in need of some extra computer equipment to aid in his therapy sessions. With each recipe you send in to us, your name will be entered to win your favorite Get Fit NH Bootcamp t-shirt of sweatshirt. Lets make this a great book for a great kid.

Super Salmon Cakes

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Here’s another quick, easy, tasty and healthy recipe loaded with protein and healthy fats. The whole family loves this one!

10 Ways To Eat Fresh

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1. Plant your own backyard garden or patio garden. Do you have a green thumb? Tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, herbs, lettuces, and many more veggies and fruits can be as easy to pick as going to your own backyard. Not much of a green thumb? Small patio containers will supplement your family’s dinner nicely.

2. Free Food is always wonderful. Raspberries and blueberries can be found many times while walking along your favorite trail or next to the road. Please be sure to ask the landowner first. There are many logging areas near us and before the trees take over often wild berries thrive. Along a stream we’ve often found grapes in September.

3. Visit a Farmer’s Market or Farm Stand. These farmers grow and raise everything. So if your garden didn’t do too well or if you would like a vegetable that you didn’t plant, visit a farm near you. The Farmer’s Market in Concord which operates each Saturday morning sells veggies, fruit, free range meats, eggs, honey, jams, and many other items you remember from your grandmother’s kitchen.

4. Welcome Localvores! Nothing is more local than buying New Hampshire raised meats. Miles Smith Farm in Loudon raise Scottish Highlander and Angus beef . You can visit their store to select beef that is naturally raised without hormones or antibiotics.

Please call 603 783- 5159 or visit http://www.milessmithfarm.net for more information.

5. PYO- Pick Your Own Farms are plentiful in New England. Whether it is blueberries from Lyon Berry Farm 986 Route 129, 435-7640 or apples from  Appleview Orchard. You can find many other fruits, veggies, maple syrup, and even Christmas tress at local farms. Check out this site for more information. http://www.pickyourown.org/NH.htm

6. Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)- Milk and Honey Farm from  Canterbury have summer and winter shares of crops. They grow them and you pick them up. You can have fresh all year round and not have to get your fingers dirty. They also sell seedlings in the Spring for your garden.

7. The Seacoast is close  enough we can almost smell the salt air. Our favorite market is Durham Market Place. The drive is worth the time. They have so many varieties of seafood fresh from our shores. It’s the only place I go for fresh tuna steaks. Every Monday they host a Farmer’s Market so you can take advantage of fresh produce as well.

8. Support restaurants and food vendors that buy locally produced food. The Celery Stick Café found in The Concord Food Coop prepares foods from seasonal local produce.

9. Buy from a local specialty store or food coop. The Concord Food Coop has a full-service natural foods grocery store with an extensive organic and local produce department along with a variety of natural food, health, body, and household products. Celery Stick Café prepared foods and seasonal local produce are available at both stores.

10. COOK! Our culture has forgotten the joys of cooking.  Cooking your own food is better for you, saves money and passes a skill to your children. With a little planning cooking doesn’t have to be a chore.

Beat The Wheat

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Gluten is a combination of proteins found in wheat, rye, and barley. For some Americans gluten is a problem.

One reason is an autoimmune condition called celiac disease. In this condition, the body reacts to proteins in gluten as though they were harmful. The immune responds by producing inflammation within the small intestine.

Inflammation is normally a healthful mechanism for fighting off harmful invaders. With celiac disease, the response is misdirected. Celiac disease can lead to diarrhea, gas, bloating, constipation, or any of more than 300 other symptoms—and possibly to more serious problems such as anemia, infertility, or cancer.

Getting Diagnosed:
If your physician suspects you might have celiac disease, diagnosis typically takes place in three steps. The first is usually a blood analysis that tests for high levels of certain antibodies typical of celiac. If the blood test results warrant further examination, your doctor may recommend an intestinal biopsy, an outpatient procedure that removes a small amount of intestinal tissue for evaluation. Should the biopsy reveal damaged villi in your small intestine, then the last and conclusive test is undertaken: the gluten-free diet.

A celiac patient who follows a gluten-free diet—and stays away from wheat, rye, and barley in all their forms—stands an excellent chance of preventing further damage to the intestine wall. The villi will heal or grow back and nutritional deficiencies can be corrected.

Gluten Sensitivity:
What if the diagnosis is negative, yet you still feel uncomfortable after eating bread, cereals, or pasta? As many as one person in seven experiences what’s called a wheat intolerance. Unlike celiac disease, the symptoms of wheat intolerance may not appear for two or three days after ingestion, and that makes the condition hard to diagnose.

Symptoms may include bloating, cramping, diarrhea, flatulence, or constipation. Skin rashes are a possibility, as well as food cravings, tiredness, chronic fatigue, or just feeling generally unwell. Even depression can stem from wheat intolerance. But remember: Other food allergies can also produce uncomfortable symptoms. Its not hard to see how difficult it can be to detect. Often your doctor will recommend an elimination diet.

Where to Start:
If you decide to go gluten free, the best way to begin is to remove from your diet all protein deriving in any way from wheat, barley, rye, or the hybrids of those grains. All other foods are safe, with the possible exception of oats, about which there is some difference of opinion among researchers. Some believe that moderate consumption of oats is allowable on a gluten-free diet, although there does remain the issue of cross-contamination—that is, gluten finding its way into oats during harvesting, shipment, or processing. (For that reason, several producers of oats certify their products to be ìgluten free.î)

But giving up wheat leaves does not mean the end of wonderful eating. There are a lot of tasty alternatives. Consider, for example, millet, rice, sorghum, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, and wild rice.

Food labels are your friends. If a food product contains wheat or wheat protein, the word ìwheatî must be on its label. You will also want to look out for the following ingredients, which may contain traces of wheat: modified food starch, dextrin, maltodextrin, caramel, and glucose syrup. Wheat can pop up in such products as beer, bouillon cubes, candy, sauces, seasoned tofu, and soy products.

For myself, I am allergic to wheat, yeast, and gluten, but I am not a celiac patient. The inflammation I experience occurs in my lungs and esophagus. Think breathing and you’ll understand why I eat very little wheat. My blood test came back positive for allergies to those three items. Why do I share that with you? Being proactive with your health is giving yourself a fighting chance. Until I pushed hard enough to get a blood test done to test for allergies, I was put on steroids and an inhaler to control the inflammation so I could breath properly. If you are experiencing any of the issues mentioned please seek your doctor’s help but you don’t have to wait for a prescription to try a wheat (gluten free diet). Go without for 30 days if you notice a difference, then viola you’ve got some relief and a few answers.

Frozen Watermelon Pops

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Your kids (and you) will love these cool summer treats, with no added sugar!

It’s so easy, even Dean can do it! :)

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