Several months ago my hair stylist, Bonnie, witnessed an accident. She was stopped at a light waiting to make a right hand turn. She noticed a little girl walking along the sidewalk parallel to her vehicle. It was one of those brisk mornings we long for as memories of the summer heat fade away into fall. Bonnie was mesmerized by this little girl in her brightly colored jacket with her little backpack on her way to school. But, the tranquility of the moment was shattered as an SUV came seemingly out of nowhere and struck the little girl in the crosswalk. I’ll spare you the details of this horrifying event but tell you that Bonnie rushed to the aid of this little girl and quite possibly saved her fragile little life. The driver of the SUV had come to a stop several feet away from where the girl lay unconscious in the road. The driver never hit the brakes and admittedly didn’t know what had just happened. When Bonnie told the driver she had hit the girl, the driver was clearly upset, as anyone would be. After the ambulance rushed the girl away and all the witnesses had given their statements, Bonnie was left to wonder about the fate of this little girl who had captivated her imagination for those few seconds in what now seemed like a lifetime ago.
Fast forward to yesterday. As I sat in her chair, Bonnie was excited as she told me that she had recently heard that the little girl was ok – just cuts and bruises, truly a miracle! The other stylist and patron joined in the conversation as Bonnie continued to tell me that she was asked to give her statement to an attorney a few days earlier. It seems that the driver of the SUV was placing blame on the child in the crosswalk.
Here’s where my opinion comes in and you have the right to agree or disagree. I wasn’t there on that morning so I don’t know what really happened. But I have a vivid memory of Bonnie’s telling of the story and of Bonnie’s emotion and how the images haunted her so perhaps that’s why my opinion is so wholly, completely, and admittedly one sided. Honestly, I was and am appalled at the thought of an adult with a driver’s license placing blame on an eight-year-old child in a marked crosswalk. An adult who asked Bonnie “what just happened” after she struck the child. An adult who never applied the brakes – there were no skid marks at the scene. An adult who never saw the child, but knew that she hit something is the very person claiming she did see that the light was green. She saw a green light about the size of a volleyball – but couldn’t see an eight year old child. Bonnie believed that the driver ran the red light because as she watched the accident she recalled the sound of the drivers behind her honking their horns and wondered if she was the only one who had just seen what happened. Bonnie’s light was green as she pulled her vehicle across the lane of traffic to protect the little girl; that she knows. But she doesn’t know when her light turned green as she was so focused on the little girl.
Equally appalling to me was the reaction of the other patron who agreed that the eight-year-old girl was responsible for the accident because she didn’t see the SUV. When I politely objected to the statement and questioned how the adult driving the SUV could miss seeing the girl entirely the patron stated very matter of factly that “..people are distracted when they drive and can’t be expected to see everything… the child should have been paying attention…” My next response was less polite because I don’t understand how it is acceptable in our society today to be distracted as we speed down the road in a 3,000-pound missile. How is it acceptable make an eight-year-old child accountable and not an adult? I felt myself getting emotional and had to stop talking, as I’m not one to pick a fight in a hair salon – or anywhere for that matter! But I did want to fight for the right of a child to be the kid and an adult to the grown-up. Has the world indeed gone mad? Have we no social conscious? Is where we are going and what we are doing in our vehicles more important than the life of a child or any other living thing? And again I must repeat that we are talking about a child walking in a marked crosswalk in broad daylight – not a crack head stumbling across the middle of the expressway at midnight!
I was compelled to write this story not because I want people to debate the color of the light and who’s truly at fault – but because I want us to wake up! We adults need to take responsibility for our actions. The well being of our society depends on it. Our social wellness depends on it. Our relationships with all of those around us should matter. Even if the child did step into the intersection before the sign said, “walk”, the driver should have been able to see her and apply the breaks. The driver should have been paying attention enough to know she just hit a child. We, as human beings should have compassion for the child and yes, the driver too. Once the driver realized what she had done she was truly sorry, and for that I do have compassion. I’m trying not to judge the driver and I’m trying not to judge the patron and I ask that you do the same. What I would like you to do is pay attention to our social norms and fight to keep the human element in humanity.
And finally, please put down your blackberry, your cell phone, or your hamburger and pay attention when you drive. Value our social wellness.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Burn Baby Burn!
The Truth About Fat Burning and Weight Loss...
Anyone who has ever used a treadmill, bike, elliptical or other cardiovascular training machine has probably noticed the “Fat Burning” workout or “Fat Burning Zone” designated on the machine. For those of you who don’t know, the theory is that the lower end of your target heart rate training zone is the “fat burning zone,” if you train at these low levels you will burn more body fat and lose weight faster. Well I have good news and bad news about this assumption.
First the bad news – the “Fat Burning Zone” is myth, a timeless urban legend much like big-foot or the loch-ness monster. I know what you’re thinking, “if it’s not true why is it written on every cardio machine?” I had the opportunity to speak with James Peterson, Ph.D., FACSM, sports medicine consultant and former director of sports medicine for StairMaster Sports/Medical Products Inc. (now owned by Nautilus) and ask that very question. He answered with one word, “marketing”. Despite what the researchers know and advise, marketing gets the final word on selling equipment. After all, every equipment manufacturer is in business to sell machines and to do so they need to convince consumers that their product is the best and burns the most fat and calories. The concept of “fat burning” is a popular trend and therefore a must have for advertising purposes. The truth about the “fat burning zone” is not part of the equation.
Now, the truth - weight loss is all about burning enough calories to help us lose body fat. To lose a pound of body fat through exercise you need to burn approximately 3500 calories. A calorie is a calorie is a calorie: one calorie of fat is equal to one calorie of carbohydrate, which is equal to one calorie of protein. Think about it, which weighs more a pound of lead or a pound of feathers? A pound is a pound and a calorie is a calorie – both are units of measure. There is no magical “fat burning zone” because the energy units being utilized as you exercise are equivalent.
The good news - no more worries about having your heart rate “too high” to burn fat! If you are burning calories you are on the right track for weight and fat loss. Strive to burn as many calories as possible in whatever amount of time you have available to exercise. Choose an exercise intensity level that is challenging, but not exhausting, and work at that level for as long as you can. The other half of the equation is your calorie consumption. Reducing your calorie intake and increasing the amount of calories you burn will get you to your weight loss goals even faster.
Anyone who has ever used a treadmill, bike, elliptical or other cardiovascular training machine has probably noticed the “Fat Burning” workout or “Fat Burning Zone” designated on the machine. For those of you who don’t know, the theory is that the lower end of your target heart rate training zone is the “fat burning zone,” if you train at these low levels you will burn more body fat and lose weight faster. Well I have good news and bad news about this assumption.
First the bad news – the “Fat Burning Zone” is myth, a timeless urban legend much like big-foot or the loch-ness monster. I know what you’re thinking, “if it’s not true why is it written on every cardio machine?” I had the opportunity to speak with James Peterson, Ph.D., FACSM, sports medicine consultant and former director of sports medicine for StairMaster Sports/Medical Products Inc. (now owned by Nautilus) and ask that very question. He answered with one word, “marketing”. Despite what the researchers know and advise, marketing gets the final word on selling equipment. After all, every equipment manufacturer is in business to sell machines and to do so they need to convince consumers that their product is the best and burns the most fat and calories. The concept of “fat burning” is a popular trend and therefore a must have for advertising purposes. The truth about the “fat burning zone” is not part of the equation.
Now, the truth - weight loss is all about burning enough calories to help us lose body fat. To lose a pound of body fat through exercise you need to burn approximately 3500 calories. A calorie is a calorie is a calorie: one calorie of fat is equal to one calorie of carbohydrate, which is equal to one calorie of protein. Think about it, which weighs more a pound of lead or a pound of feathers? A pound is a pound and a calorie is a calorie – both are units of measure. There is no magical “fat burning zone” because the energy units being utilized as you exercise are equivalent.
The good news - no more worries about having your heart rate “too high” to burn fat! If you are burning calories you are on the right track for weight and fat loss. Strive to burn as many calories as possible in whatever amount of time you have available to exercise. Choose an exercise intensity level that is challenging, but not exhausting, and work at that level for as long as you can. The other half of the equation is your calorie consumption. Reducing your calorie intake and increasing the amount of calories you burn will get you to your weight loss goals even faster.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Good News for “Losers” in the Weight Loss Game
Making healthy food choices and lifestyle changes are beneficial to your health whether you lose weight or not!
According to a 2003 study done by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, simply attempting to lose weight can lengthen your life and help prevent disease. This study tracked 6,391 overweight or obese participants for 9 years. The study concluded that, "Attempted weight loss is associated with lower all-cause mortality, independent of weight change." (Edward W. Gregg, PhD, et. al.)
On the average, Americans are gaining 2 pounds each year - that’s 20 pounds of fat each decade! According to Dr. James Hill of the University of Colorado, long-term weight loss can be as basic as "cutting back on a cookie or taking three fewer bites of a fast-food hamburger" (USA TODAY, 2003). These two simple examples shave off 100 calories a day from your diet and can lead to a 10 pound weight loss in a year rather than the typical 2 pound gain.
I know what your thinking, “only ten-pounds in a year?” At first it may not sound like much, especially when the hot new “PDQ Diet” is promising ‘10 pounds in 10 days’ (I just made that up, please don’t Google it - as of this writing it does not exist!). But consider how long it took you to put the extra weight on - it takes months and years to gain weight, not days. Don’t lose sight of the point here, which is your health and your quality of life.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail." I think it is safe to say that everyone who has dieted has failed in one way or another. If you believe it is worth trying again, you win. Typically we define success as lost pounds when we get on the scale, but as we see here, this is not always the case. Making a commitment to a healthier lifestyle is a positive step on the road to improved health. Keep up the good work of making healthy food choices - someday your children and your grandchildren will be glad you did!
According to a 2003 study done by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, simply attempting to lose weight can lengthen your life and help prevent disease. This study tracked 6,391 overweight or obese participants for 9 years. The study concluded that, "Attempted weight loss is associated with lower all-cause mortality, independent of weight change." (Edward W. Gregg, PhD, et. al.)
On the average, Americans are gaining 2 pounds each year - that’s 20 pounds of fat each decade! According to Dr. James Hill of the University of Colorado, long-term weight loss can be as basic as "cutting back on a cookie or taking three fewer bites of a fast-food hamburger" (USA TODAY, 2003). These two simple examples shave off 100 calories a day from your diet and can lead to a 10 pound weight loss in a year rather than the typical 2 pound gain.
I know what your thinking, “only ten-pounds in a year?” At first it may not sound like much, especially when the hot new “PDQ Diet” is promising ‘10 pounds in 10 days’ (I just made that up, please don’t Google it - as of this writing it does not exist!). But consider how long it took you to put the extra weight on - it takes months and years to gain weight, not days. Don’t lose sight of the point here, which is your health and your quality of life.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail." I think it is safe to say that everyone who has dieted has failed in one way or another. If you believe it is worth trying again, you win. Typically we define success as lost pounds when we get on the scale, but as we see here, this is not always the case. Making a commitment to a healthier lifestyle is a positive step on the road to improved health. Keep up the good work of making healthy food choices - someday your children and your grandchildren will be glad you did!
Friday, April 11, 2008
Defining Wellness
Today I’m writing from the heart. My purpose is not as much educational as it is inspirational, so if you choose to embark on this journey with me, I hope that you will take some time to reflect at the end of our time together.
April is my favorite month in Arizona, the weather is ideal, the sky is bright blue and the desert is bursting with color. Today is an incredible day! I’m so fortunate to be working from home because it’s just wrong to be trapped inside on such a day. I’m sitting on the back patio feeling the wind in my hair, hearing the birds sing and enjoying the vibrant colors of the spring flowers blooming in our yard. This is my own personal paradise. I feel peaceful, I feel happy, I feel alive and I feel connected to the universe. This is my vision of wellness today.
The word “wellness” is so overused in our society that I think it has lost meaning for a lot of people. When I entered the workforce after my undergrad degree I had to explain the word wellness on a regular basis, the words “health promotion” were easier for folks to grasp, so I often avoided the term wellness with those outside the profession. My, how times have changed! Although we see it, hear it and use it all the time, do we really understand what it is we are talking about when we say wellness?
Here’s a definition from my website:
“Wellness can be simply stated as the opposite of illness, but it is really so much more than that. Whether we realize it or not our own personal wellness, or sometimes the lack there of, affects everything we do on a daily basis. Think about it, how productive are you when you have a cold, a headache, are hungry or haven’t slept?
Our wellness is not only affected by physical needs but also by our self image, our relationships, our environment, our careers, our ability to learn, share, grow and connect with others. Most of us take our wellness for granted until something affects it, and then we choose to take action. Remember the words of Benjamin Franklin, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ Wellness is a balanced approach to life.”
The seven dimensions of wellness include: social, emotional spiritual, environmental, occupational, intellectual and physical. If you want a definition of each component, you can visit the AW Brooks site.
This definition works for me; I understand it and seem to have success when explaining it my audiences. But there is more to wellness than what I think. Wellness for you needs to be about what you think and how you feel both physically and emotionally. What does wellness mean for you in your own unique life at this unique moment in time? Who cares what I say, what the newspapers, magazines or infomercials say? Your voice is the one that matters. It’s all about you. There, I said it – haven’t you been longing for someone to tell you that?
In the professional world, away from the sales pitches, products and promotions wellness is often about behavior change. During the early part of my career, I wanted to help people change. Now I see things differently. Now I have a clearer mission: to inspire people to make informed decisions. Maybe you don’t need to change, don’t want to change or aren’t ready to change. Fine with me. When you do make a decision about your wellness, I hope it is your decision, based on sound information and free from commercial, media or even family bias. Free from guilt or fear. If you are feeling guilty about all of the things you “should be” doing for your health then how can you ever be well? When you’re perfect and you magically have the time and resources to do everything right? Wellness is not about perfection.
If you are in this profession, remember that wellness is not about programs, processes or policy – it’s about people. All too often we (as professionals) get too caught up in finding the ideal intervention. There are a myriad of cookie-cutter programs out there and the message is “your company can get results just like Company XYZ”. But you’re not Company XYZ, and people are not cookie dough. You can still follow industry best practice, but follow it in a way that makes sense for your people. What does wellness mean to your company? What does wellness mean to you. Perhaps the most important question. You won’t find the answer in a blog, a book or a binder so stop looking outside and start looking in. I found it years ago on a bike ride one glorious desert morning. I can see it right now in the soft petals of a cactus flower. It blooms for just a few hours, just one day - today. What a precious gift! Where will you find it?
April is my favorite month in Arizona, the weather is ideal, the sky is bright blue and the desert is bursting with color. Today is an incredible day! I’m so fortunate to be working from home because it’s just wrong to be trapped inside on such a day. I’m sitting on the back patio feeling the wind in my hair, hearing the birds sing and enjoying the vibrant colors of the spring flowers blooming in our yard. This is my own personal paradise. I feel peaceful, I feel happy, I feel alive and I feel connected to the universe. This is my vision of wellness today.
The word “wellness” is so overused in our society that I think it has lost meaning for a lot of people. When I entered the workforce after my undergrad degree I had to explain the word wellness on a regular basis, the words “health promotion” were easier for folks to grasp, so I often avoided the term wellness with those outside the profession. My, how times have changed! Although we see it, hear it and use it all the time, do we really understand what it is we are talking about when we say wellness?
Here’s a definition from my website:
“Wellness can be simply stated as the opposite of illness, but it is really so much more than that. Whether we realize it or not our own personal wellness, or sometimes the lack there of, affects everything we do on a daily basis. Think about it, how productive are you when you have a cold, a headache, are hungry or haven’t slept?
Our wellness is not only affected by physical needs but also by our self image, our relationships, our environment, our careers, our ability to learn, share, grow and connect with others. Most of us take our wellness for granted until something affects it, and then we choose to take action. Remember the words of Benjamin Franklin, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ Wellness is a balanced approach to life.”
The seven dimensions of wellness include: social, emotional spiritual, environmental, occupational, intellectual and physical. If you want a definition of each component, you can visit the AW Brooks site.
This definition works for me; I understand it and seem to have success when explaining it my audiences. But there is more to wellness than what I think. Wellness for you needs to be about what you think and how you feel both physically and emotionally. What does wellness mean for you in your own unique life at this unique moment in time? Who cares what I say, what the newspapers, magazines or infomercials say? Your voice is the one that matters. It’s all about you. There, I said it – haven’t you been longing for someone to tell you that?
In the professional world, away from the sales pitches, products and promotions wellness is often about behavior change. During the early part of my career, I wanted to help people change. Now I see things differently. Now I have a clearer mission: to inspire people to make informed decisions. Maybe you don’t need to change, don’t want to change or aren’t ready to change. Fine with me. When you do make a decision about your wellness, I hope it is your decision, based on sound information and free from commercial, media or even family bias. Free from guilt or fear. If you are feeling guilty about all of the things you “should be” doing for your health then how can you ever be well? When you’re perfect and you magically have the time and resources to do everything right? Wellness is not about perfection.
If you are in this profession, remember that wellness is not about programs, processes or policy – it’s about people. All too often we (as professionals) get too caught up in finding the ideal intervention. There are a myriad of cookie-cutter programs out there and the message is “your company can get results just like Company XYZ”. But you’re not Company XYZ, and people are not cookie dough. You can still follow industry best practice, but follow it in a way that makes sense for your people. What does wellness mean to your company? What does wellness mean to you. Perhaps the most important question. You won’t find the answer in a blog, a book or a binder so stop looking outside and start looking in. I found it years ago on a bike ride one glorious desert morning. I can see it right now in the soft petals of a cactus flower. It blooms for just a few hours, just one day - today. What a precious gift! Where will you find it?
Thursday, April 3, 2008
CBS News Casts a Dark Shadow on the Fitness World
Yesterday, the CBS Early Show aired a story called “Certified Trainers Ungoverned” which made some blanket statements questioning the validity of the entire fitness industry. The “certified” trainers responsible for the injuries reported in this piece should be questioned, but casting a shadow over the entire industry is uncalled for. Interestingly, not once did the story mention the facilities that hired these “certified” trainers. In fact, one of the trainers mentioned did not have any certification at all. Shame on the facility for not hiring qualified staff – and kudos to the many, many fitness centers, clubs, gyms and personal training studios who do hire real, certified, educated, qualified trainers and instructors.
What does certified really mean? As investigative reporter Susan Koeppen proved, anyone can get a “certification” as a personal trainer. She got one on the Internet in 45 minutes for less than $50 – scary!
When I entered the industry after completion of my undergraduate degree in health promotion/wellness, I obtained a certification from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) as a Health Fitness Instructor (HFI), a fitness degree (BA/BS) is required to sit for the test. When my professional career shifted more towards sports conditioning and I was working with more athletes, I obtained a certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). This certification also requires a degree. Both of these organizations require regular continuing education credits, publish professional research journals and are highly respected in the industry. There are other respected certifying bodies in the industry that also have rigorous standards for certification (and continuing education), but since I’m not a member of any other organization, I’ll stick to what I know to be true.
The word “certified” is not meaningless to me or to anyone who has worked hard to acquire and maintain this level of professionalism. I agree that the industry does need to be licensed. But even licensing does not guarantee the safety or the sanctity of the profession. Case in point, a Registered Dietitian (RD) is the only professional licensed to write a diet – but yet, the market is flooded with diet books written by people without the letters “RD” behind their name. I have seen people call themselves “nutritionist” without being an RD, DTR or even having a degree in nutrition and I think it stinks! In the CBS story, Marc Rabinoff, Ed.D., Chair of the Department of Human Performance And Sport at Metro State College said that the fitness industry is the “wild, wild west” and at the extremes, I guess he’s right. But there is something we can do!
A Call to Action! Business owners, club managers, hiring managers and anyone involved in the fitness industry – please consider industry best practice. Following the ACSM Health/Fitness Facility Standards and Guidelines is a must. Hiring degreed, certified (ACSM, NSCA or other large, known certifying agency) fitness staff is best practice, and should be the only practice. Contact your local college or university and find out what training programs and degree programs are available for would-be personal trainers in your area. In remote or rural areas, finding trainers with college degrees may not be realistic, but certified and qualified is still possible.
How to find qualified trainers. Please do your homework – don’t just hire someone because they look good or can talk a good game. Here’s a great place to look for highly qualified staff – your local YMCA or community college. In the Phoenix area, the Maricopa Community College District fitness centers are open to the public and all of the fitness instructors have a bachelor’s degree and many have a master’s in a fitness related field. I know other community colleges across the nation have similar programs. YMCA’s and community colleges are also affordable and don’t require long-term contracts. As far as clubs and gyms are concerned, find out if they are a member of the International Health and Racquet Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). IHRSA’s mission is to grow, protect and promote the health and fitness industry. If the club is not an IHRSA member, ask if they follow the ACSM facility guidelines – if the answer is no, walk out the door and don’t go back.
What does certified really mean? As investigative reporter Susan Koeppen proved, anyone can get a “certification” as a personal trainer. She got one on the Internet in 45 minutes for less than $50 – scary!
When I entered the industry after completion of my undergraduate degree in health promotion/wellness, I obtained a certification from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) as a Health Fitness Instructor (HFI), a fitness degree (BA/BS) is required to sit for the test. When my professional career shifted more towards sports conditioning and I was working with more athletes, I obtained a certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). This certification also requires a degree. Both of these organizations require regular continuing education credits, publish professional research journals and are highly respected in the industry. There are other respected certifying bodies in the industry that also have rigorous standards for certification (and continuing education), but since I’m not a member of any other organization, I’ll stick to what I know to be true.
The word “certified” is not meaningless to me or to anyone who has worked hard to acquire and maintain this level of professionalism. I agree that the industry does need to be licensed. But even licensing does not guarantee the safety or the sanctity of the profession. Case in point, a Registered Dietitian (RD) is the only professional licensed to write a diet – but yet, the market is flooded with diet books written by people without the letters “RD” behind their name. I have seen people call themselves “nutritionist” without being an RD, DTR or even having a degree in nutrition and I think it stinks! In the CBS story, Marc Rabinoff, Ed.D., Chair of the Department of Human Performance And Sport at Metro State College said that the fitness industry is the “wild, wild west” and at the extremes, I guess he’s right. But there is something we can do!
A Call to Action! Business owners, club managers, hiring managers and anyone involved in the fitness industry – please consider industry best practice. Following the ACSM Health/Fitness Facility Standards and Guidelines is a must. Hiring degreed, certified (ACSM, NSCA or other large, known certifying agency) fitness staff is best practice, and should be the only practice. Contact your local college or university and find out what training programs and degree programs are available for would-be personal trainers in your area. In remote or rural areas, finding trainers with college degrees may not be realistic, but certified and qualified is still possible.
How to find qualified trainers. Please do your homework – don’t just hire someone because they look good or can talk a good game. Here’s a great place to look for highly qualified staff – your local YMCA or community college. In the Phoenix area, the Maricopa Community College District fitness centers are open to the public and all of the fitness instructors have a bachelor’s degree and many have a master’s in a fitness related field. I know other community colleges across the nation have similar programs. YMCA’s and community colleges are also affordable and don’t require long-term contracts. As far as clubs and gyms are concerned, find out if they are a member of the International Health and Racquet Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). IHRSA’s mission is to grow, protect and promote the health and fitness industry. If the club is not an IHRSA member, ask if they follow the ACSM facility guidelines – if the answer is no, walk out the door and don’t go back.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Shopping Made Simple
Supermarket savvy could be coming soon to a grocery store near you…
Can it be – is it possible that there may soon be a tool available at grocery stores to help us understand the REAL health benefits of food? For most of us in the health education world, this seems like a far off dream. Whenever I start a weight management group I begin by asking participants if they understand food labels and how to make healthy choices. Most think they have pretty good label skills, but in reality they don’t because it is HARD to find the truth on the nutrition label.
Test your skills with this quiz:
How did you score?
Sodium makes food taste good and when it tastes good we eat more and when we eat more we need to buy more, which makes the food manufacturers happy. Do you really think they care about our health? Here’s the real ranking from least to most sodium: Cape Cod Potato Chips (73 mg per 100 calories), Fritos Corn Chips, YooHoo Chocolate Drink and saving the worst for last – Chex Cereal, with 233 mg sodium in a 100 calorie serving!
Added sugar can also enhance taste and add to the total calories of a seemingly “healthy” food. Yes, it’s true - Ragu Pasta Sauce has MORE sugar than the Smucker’s Ice Cream Topping, with 12 and 11 grams per serving respectively. There are 4 grams of sugar in a teaspoon, so that 100 calorie serving of pasta sauce has 3 teaspoons of sugar!
“Whole Wheat” or “Faux Wheat”? If a product is really made from whole grain “whole wheat flour” will be the first ingredient. “Unbleached enriched flour” is white flour in a fancy dress. Most breads with names like “multi grain, stone ground or wheat” are not made from whole-wheat flour. Read the ingredient list to be sure you are getting the real deal.
Help is on the way!
On Sunday, March 16, the Chicago Tribune ran an article “Food retailers hope to inspire loyalty, increase sales with their own nutritional labels…” about a nutrition score card system that will be appearing soon in Hy-Vee grocery stores across the Midwest. The scoring system is called the Overall Nutritional Quality Index (ONQI) and was developed by a team of experts led by Dr. David Katz of Yale University.
The ONQI will help shoppers choose foods based on overall nutritional quality and free from label claims made by the manufacturer. Personally, I’m really excited about this and professionally this could have a profound effect on public health. Eating the right foods could result in an “80% reduction in heart disease, a 90% reduction in diabetes, and a 60% reduction in cancer” according to Dr. Katz.
Currently the ONQI team is working with Topco, which provides procurement, quality assurance, packaging and other services to supermarket retailers, wholesalers, and food service companies. Hy-Vee is one of Topco’s 61 members, and so is Bashas’ which is located in the Southwest (where I live). Topco members serve over 60 million consumers and have over $100 billion in annual sales.
Other grocery stores are making attempts too. Safeway has a tool on their website called foodflex™ to help consumers determine the nutritional value of foods they have purchased.
I hope to see other grocery stores take an interest in consumer health too. It would be great to see the ONQI become a mainstream tool for us to evaluate food choices. Whether we realize it or not, most of our health decisions are made in the grocery store – not in the doctors office!
Can it be – is it possible that there may soon be a tool available at grocery stores to help us understand the REAL health benefits of food? For most of us in the health education world, this seems like a far off dream. Whenever I start a weight management group I begin by asking participants if they understand food labels and how to make healthy choices. Most think they have pretty good label skills, but in reality they don’t because it is HARD to find the truth on the nutrition label.
Test your skills with this quiz:
- Rank the following foods from highest to lowest based on SODIUM content:
- YooHoo Chocolate Drink
- Cape Cod Potato Chips
- Chex Cereal
- Fritos Corn Chips
- Which has more sugar: Ragu Pasta Sauce or Smucker’s Ice Cream Topping?
- What is “unbleached enriched flour”?
How did you score?
Sodium makes food taste good and when it tastes good we eat more and when we eat more we need to buy more, which makes the food manufacturers happy. Do you really think they care about our health? Here’s the real ranking from least to most sodium: Cape Cod Potato Chips (73 mg per 100 calories), Fritos Corn Chips, YooHoo Chocolate Drink and saving the worst for last – Chex Cereal, with 233 mg sodium in a 100 calorie serving!
Added sugar can also enhance taste and add to the total calories of a seemingly “healthy” food. Yes, it’s true - Ragu Pasta Sauce has MORE sugar than the Smucker’s Ice Cream Topping, with 12 and 11 grams per serving respectively. There are 4 grams of sugar in a teaspoon, so that 100 calorie serving of pasta sauce has 3 teaspoons of sugar!
“Whole Wheat” or “Faux Wheat”? If a product is really made from whole grain “whole wheat flour” will be the first ingredient. “Unbleached enriched flour” is white flour in a fancy dress. Most breads with names like “multi grain, stone ground or wheat” are not made from whole-wheat flour. Read the ingredient list to be sure you are getting the real deal.
Help is on the way!
On Sunday, March 16, the Chicago Tribune ran an article “Food retailers hope to inspire loyalty, increase sales with their own nutritional labels…” about a nutrition score card system that will be appearing soon in Hy-Vee grocery stores across the Midwest. The scoring system is called the Overall Nutritional Quality Index (ONQI) and was developed by a team of experts led by Dr. David Katz of Yale University.
The ONQI will help shoppers choose foods based on overall nutritional quality and free from label claims made by the manufacturer. Personally, I’m really excited about this and professionally this could have a profound effect on public health. Eating the right foods could result in an “80% reduction in heart disease, a 90% reduction in diabetes, and a 60% reduction in cancer” according to Dr. Katz.
Currently the ONQI team is working with Topco, which provides procurement, quality assurance, packaging and other services to supermarket retailers, wholesalers, and food service companies. Hy-Vee is one of Topco’s 61 members, and so is Bashas’ which is located in the Southwest (where I live). Topco members serve over 60 million consumers and have over $100 billion in annual sales.
Other grocery stores are making attempts too. Safeway has a tool on their website called foodflex™ to help consumers determine the nutritional value of foods they have purchased.
I hope to see other grocery stores take an interest in consumer health too. It would be great to see the ONQI become a mainstream tool for us to evaluate food choices. Whether we realize it or not, most of our health decisions are made in the grocery store – not in the doctors office!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Weight Loss Success
NEWS FLASH: Losing as little as 10 pounds can reduce your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes!
Recently, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) hosted a learning event featuring Dr. John Foreyt, Ph.D. of Baylor College. The following is a summary of tips for long-term weight loss success. These tips are based on data from weight loss studies done all over the world as well as research from the National Weight Control Registry (a database of over 5,000 people who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for long periods of time).
Successful “losers” have the following behaviors in common:
1. Eat a low fat diet consisting of 24% fat, 56% carbohydrate and 20% protein
2. Are physically active 60-90 minutes per day at a moderate intensity, walking is the most common activity
3. Use frequent self-monitoring techniques like weigh-ins, food records, calorie or fat gram counting
4. Eat breakfast, 78% report eating breakfast daily and 95% eat breakfast 5 days a week
In addition to the 4 common behaviors mentioned above, here are the other secrets to success from the long-term “losers”:
• Sleep 8 hours each night
• Write down everything you eat
• Find support in a weight loss class, group or with family & friends
• Never give up!
If every American would eat 3 fewer bites of a fast food hamburger (eat 100 less calories) and walk for an additional 20 minutes (burn 100 more calories) each day, our current trend of weight gain would be halted - obesity rates, disease rates and health care costs would all begin to drop. Imagine that!
Recently, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) hosted a learning event featuring Dr. John Foreyt, Ph.D. of Baylor College. The following is a summary of tips for long-term weight loss success. These tips are based on data from weight loss studies done all over the world as well as research from the National Weight Control Registry (a database of over 5,000 people who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for long periods of time).
Successful “losers” have the following behaviors in common:
1. Eat a low fat diet consisting of 24% fat, 56% carbohydrate and 20% protein
2. Are physically active 60-90 minutes per day at a moderate intensity, walking is the most common activity
3. Use frequent self-monitoring techniques like weigh-ins, food records, calorie or fat gram counting
4. Eat breakfast, 78% report eating breakfast daily and 95% eat breakfast 5 days a week
In addition to the 4 common behaviors mentioned above, here are the other secrets to success from the long-term “losers”:
• Sleep 8 hours each night
• Write down everything you eat
• Find support in a weight loss class, group or with family & friends
• Never give up!
If every American would eat 3 fewer bites of a fast food hamburger (eat 100 less calories) and walk for an additional 20 minutes (burn 100 more calories) each day, our current trend of weight gain would be halted - obesity rates, disease rates and health care costs would all begin to drop. Imagine that!
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