Our next blogs will be nutrition oriented (and if we’re lucky we’ll have some guest bloggers).
Quite a few years ago a member of the gym I was working at asked me what I thought about fat burners. I told him I was weary of them since they can increase your heart rate (I’ll give another example of this later). I suggested he not use them. He asked me why he wasn’t losing weight. So I asked him, are you stronger, more energetic, and are your clothes looser? He said, yes.
One of the staff told me his friend tried a protein-weight loss powder but it gave his friend the shakes and he felt sick. His friend asked him if he wanted it. I looked at the ingredients and the caffeine was over 1000 mg per serving. I suggested he throw the container out. Be wary of taking too much caffeine or popping caffeine pills. You can try straight protein, or protein mixes with added vitamins and minerals but be careful of taking supplements that also claim to be fat burners. Best to discuss fat burning supplements with a certified nutritionist or naturopath.
Last story. I knew a girl who was competing in a fitness competition. I saw her in the gym and I could see the bone under the skin of her forehead. I thought, I can say nothing, or I could likely lose a friend. I decided better to say something so at least she’s aware and take the chance of her being offended and telling me to get lost. So I said, “You’re getting too thin, I can see the bone through your skin.” She thanked me. I think the reason she listened to me was because she knew I had her best interest in mind, but it was a gamble. However, if you don’t say anything, well, dead people can’t say to you one day, “I know I brushed you off in the past but I want to thank you for telling me.”
There are rules to follow for any new nutrition program:
Your energy should be the same or increase
Your strength should stay the same or increase
If your energy or strength decreases you are losing muscle mass and not extra body fat. A significant loss in body weight is not an important gauge unless you are morbidly obese.
How do you tell if your eating is healthy and your weight hasn’t dropped significantly? Your clothes will fit looser around the waist and hips. Your chest and thigh muscles may actually increase from working out and proper nutrition, so focus on the waist and hips.
Hope to have a blog on essential oils in two weeks!!!
NWHealthFitness 