As the obesity epidemic grows in scope, so too does the “blame game.” Lack of exercise, over-consumption of food, sedentary work environments, lifestyle choices, biological predispositions, genes…the list of possible culprits for America’s fatness goes on.

Fast food is a common target. Earlier this month, an advocacy group launched a campaign petitioning 26 hospitals across the country to remove a major fast food restaurant from their cafeterias with the aim of sending a “better message” to consumers.

Some of the reasoning behind the group’s initiative comes from a 2006 study published in the journal Pediatrics that concluded that allowing fast food centers to operate in hospitals not only affects guests’ consumption of fast food on the day of their visit, but also unintentionally boosts the perception of the “healthfulness” of fast food in general. Here’s more research that supports the initiative:

• The prevalence of obesity-related diseases has risen sharply over the past thirty years, and the number of fast food restaurants in America has more than doubled over the same period (The National Bureau of Economic Research).
• Studies have shown that “consumption of fast food among children in the US seems to have an adverse effect on dietary quality in ways that plausibly could increase risk for obesity.”
• Studies have shown that increased proximity to fast food restaurants is linked to an increase in obesity.

Courtesy of wagnerfpa.wordpress.com.

So being near to fast food increases the likelihood of obesity, but will removing fast food from hospitals (and other institutions and neighborhoods) help solve the problem?

Consider this:

• The New York Times recently reported that studies have shown that “there is no relationship between the type of food being sold in a neighborhood and obesity among its children and adolescents.”
• Restrictive “diets” and the “diet mentality” in general do not lead to long-term effective weight-loss. What does work, according to a recent study by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, is eating less fat, exercising more, using prescription weight loss medications, or participating in commercial weight loss programs.
• Calling for removal of fast food from hospitals sends the message that fast food restaurants are “bad” and can be blamed for obesity, lessening personal responsibility for our own health.

Blaming fast food restaurants for obesity can place us on a slippery slope.  Should we remove buses from our streets to force people to choose the less convenient, but “healthier” walking or biking options?  After all, sitting for long periods of time is correlated with obesity, and most adults do not get the recommended level of exercise.

Similarly, while we should limit consumption of fast food, we can’t eliminate it from the American diet as long as there is a demand for convenient, inexpensive, and (arguably) tasty food.  We need to improve health through education and develop incentives that encourage healthy lifestyle decisions, proper nutrition, and exercise.

Perhaps a partnership between hospitals and Weight Watchers (or other proven commercial weight loss programs), or the establishment of walking groups or active events within hospital walls, could promote lasting change.

We won’t make any progress in the fight against obesity by playing the blame game at the expense of taking responsibility for our health into our own hands.

Courtesy of www.topnews.in.

What do you think? Will restricting fast food lead to a decrease in obesity? How can we as individuals, families, and institutions promote a healthier America?

Courtesy of eatright.org.

March is National Nutrition Month, and this year, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is urging Americans to “Get Your Plate In Shape.” With the help of the “My Plate” model, which replaced the Food Pyramid in June 2011, the experts are giving us a reminder of the healthy nutrition goals we have heard before:

• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables
• Make at least half of your grains whole grains
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat dairy
• Vary your protein choices
• Cut back on sodium and empty calories from solid fats and added sugars
• Eat less
• Exercise more

February is here and with its arrival comes the opportunity to evaluate the success of health-related resolutions. If you’ve resolved to lose weight in 2012, and find yourself struggling, here are three tips to set you back on track.

Start a Food Diary

One of the tips you hear most often to help you change your nutritional lifestyle is to start a food diary. But what does that mean really? And why is it helpful?  Won’t it be depressing to see everything you’ve eaten? 

Allow me to de-mystify it for you. Here’s why you need to keep one:

1. You become accountable for what you are putting in your mouth. I don’t ask my clients to write a food diary just to yell at them about everything “bad” they ate.  It’s not about “bad” and “good.”  It’s being honest about what you’re eating and seeing where you can make small changes in your everyday nutrition that will add up big at the end of the month and year. 

2. You recognize emotional triggers or habits that you’ve created.  I like to see why my clients are eating what they are eating.  This may sound silly but we don’t always eat for energy.  Maybe we snack in front of the TV at night or always order dessert when we have lunch with our mom.  These are habits and triggers that affect our better judgment when it comes to nutrition.

3. You realize why you are starving  before dinner and snack on chips while you cook.  It’s important to note what time you wake, eat, and go to bed.  How soon you eat breakfast, how often you eat, and when your last meal is before you snooze are important.  If you wait too long to eat your next meal you’ll be starving and end up snacking on an entire meal before you sit down for dinner.  Or you’ll stop at a fast food drive thru. Both habits are not good.

Here’s an example of a thorough food diary:

7:30 a.m. – Woke up

8 a.m. – 1 apple, 2 tbsp. peanut butter, 1 glass water, 1 cup coffee w/1 tbsp. cream (breakfast, hungry)

10 a.m. – 1 Kashi bar and water (140 calories) (a little hungry before workout)

12 p.m. – sandwich w/2 slices of 35 cal bread, low-fat mayo and reduced sodium turkey lunchmeat (3oz.), 1 serving fat-free pretzels and ¼ cup hummus, water (lunch, hungry)

12:30 p.m. – 8 Hershey kisses, water (needed chocolate )

2 p.m. – 1 cup grapes, 2 slices provolone cheese, water (snack, hungry)

3 p.m. – 1 apple, small bottle Coke Zero (hungry)

5 p.m. – spinach salad w/craisins, blue cheese, mushrooms, candied walnuts & balsamic dressing, water (starving, had to go to Whole Foods)

8 p.m. – one glass red wine, one small 96% lean hamburger w/o bun, one handful M&M’s (wanted wine and chocolate, hubby made dinner)

10 p.m. – bed

This was my food diary for a day and I was totally honest!  Times, exactly what I ate, why I ate what I did, and when I went to bed.  So try one for a week, even better two weeks, and see how you do.

Include a Fruit or Vegetable in Every Meal and Snack

These pure and clean foods add more vitamins and minerals with the least amount of calories than any other food. With all of the fiber, water and nutrients that occur naturally in fruits and veggies, you’ll feel fuller longer and will have better health overall.  Pair them with lean protein for a well rounded meal or snack.  Apples and peanut butter, pears and walnuts, broccoli and low-fat cheese, or baked potatoes and salsa all add up to feeling satisfied without a ton of fat and calories.

Pay Attention to the Calories You Drink

The calories in fancy coffees, pop, juice, protein shakes, smoothies, and alcohol are all included in your calorie total at the end of the day.  You can eat great, sticking within your calorie limit, but a Starbucks frappucino and two glasses of wine can add over 350 calories to your total. Over a week’s time, that’s ¾ of a pound.  In a month’s time you have almost three pounds!  Yikes! 

So stick with water, black coffee and tea, and diet drinks, and count those special drinks as a meal to stay on track.

Which of these tips has worked best for you?

The New Year is approaching and along with it comes the hope of new beginnings, new promises, and new possibilities. Included in this sometimes very personal and lengthy list are the new and exciting things that are coming to Midtown. 

One of the first things you might have noticed is the big green flag hanging outside the Group Exercise studio that says “Group Core.”  Group Core is the newest addition to our Body Training Systems class line-up.  It’s a 30-minute class that focuses exclusively on your mid-section (abdominals and back). 

Since they work as a unit, it’s important to work them together and that’s exactly what this class helps you do.  The class launches the week of January 9, 2012.

Another new program coming soon is ViPR. ViPR enables full-body movement so you are entirely unified as you move.  Whole-body integrated exercises are tailored to your body and fitness level.  Members of our Atlanta club have been enjoying this workout for months. Here’s a sneak peek.

The personal trainer training class will be held January 14, 2012, and sessions for members are soon to follow so be on the look out!

We also have a few cool events planned to get you on the right track to health and fitness in 2012. 

Nutrition 101: New Year, New You! takes place on January 9, from 6-7 p.m

During this hour I’ll talk about some nutritional basics you can incorporate into your every day life, the benefits of a food diary, and we’ll answer any questions you may have about how to make small changes in your eating habits. 

F.I.T.-Functional Interval Training on January 16, from 6-7 p.m

F.I.T. teaches the muscles to work together rather than independently, using your core to hold your body, and not relying on a machine to do it for you.  Guy Petruzzelli will help you incorporate this into your workouts and show you how it can benefit you more than traditional weight training.

Raw Food Demos on January 19, at 6:30 p.m. and January 23, at 9:30 a.m

Guest instructor Heidi Geiger will speak to the advantages of a raw food diet and will have a few dishes for you to try. Raw food is a great way to eat a more pure and natural diet.

Want more? Here is the entire event list for January so mark your calendars today!

Remember, there is always a newer and better version of yourself just waiting to be discovered.

Happy New Year from Midtown!

Ahh, the holidays. Such a joyous time: themed parties, family get-togethers, surprise presents. 

But all of these “fun” times can wreck havoc on waistlines. So how do you stay within your happy weight range and still have fun through the new year?  Here are a few tips to help you stay an active and smart party-goer!

Purchase Halloween Candy on October 30th

This holiday is fast approaching and the biggest temptation is not the candy your kids get when they trick-or-treat, but the candy you buy to give out!  

The stores advertise their HUGE sales weeks in advance, so not only are you tempted to buy candy at these stores, but you’ll buy it, eat it all, and have to buy more. So wait until the last minute and it won’t be sitting in your cupboard calling your name when you sit down to watch that DVR’d episode of Parenthood.  I promise, it will still be on sale.

If you must have a few pieces, steal them from your kid’s loot.  Just don’t tell them I told you to do that.

Buy Opposite Your Taste Buds

Another idea is to buy candy you don’t really enjoy. Nerds and Smarties just don’t do it for me so I’m not going to eat half a bag before the doorbell starts ringing. If you buy candy you’re not crazy about, you’re less likely to pig out when you’re giving the candy away. 

Use this tip throughout the season. If you stock-up on hostess gifts such as boxes of candy or tins full of nuts just in case you have a last-minute event to attend, buy treats that you won’t eat by the handful. If you’re not a popcorn person, buy three-flavor tins of popcorn for hosts, or if you prefer red wine, buy a few whites to have in your stockpile. You’ll be less likely to open one of these “gifts” if you don’t like them.

Plan Your “Cheat” Meals

So now Thanksgiving is drawing near followed by Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s. Your calendar is filling up with parties to attend and you can already feel your pants getting tighter. 

How do you enjoy your friends and family without having to buy new clothes next year?  Your first step is to check your calendar every Sunday for the upcoming week and see what function(s) you’re attending.  Plan your “cheat” meal to be that event.  That way you’ll have something to look forward to when you’re eating ”good and clean” all week. 

Scan and Plan

When you arrive at the event, scan the party for the entire spread before you start noshing.  Pick one or two treats that you’ll indulge in (such as mini beef wellingtons or chocolate chip cheesecake) and fill the rest of your plate with vegetable-based appetizers, shrimp cocktail, and anything without puff pastry. 

Drink Smartly

Pick a lower-calorie beverage such as wine (100 calories per 4 oz. serving), or a light beer; preferably one that has the amount of calories in the name, such as Budweiser Select 55 or MGD 64, so you can easily track your alcohol calories.

It’s also best to stop after one alcoholic beverage, not only for the calorie count or to be a safe driver, but because the more tipsy you get, the more your inhibitions go down and the more mindlessly you’ll end up eating. You don’t want to ruin your entire week’s worth of workouts on a whole bottle of wine and in turn eat the entire bowl of chips! 

Get Grooving

Lastly, if there is dancing at any of these events, then bust a move!  Getting some cardio in will help you burn off your extra treat pounds so when 2012 comes, you can slip back into your skinny jeans just like it’s 2011.  Or maybe 2001 if you REALLY break it down!

So what are your holiday healthy tips?  Do share!

Motivation comes in many forms. Whether it’s used to get somewhere or to stay far, far away from something, motivation drives us to Midtown every day. 

Some may think we are all here to lose weight or to be a certain size but that’s just not the case. 

There are many reasons why we are here, getting healthier, and making changes.

As a trainer, most people think working out, eating right, and making goals comes easier for me than you. 

Let me assure you, it doesn’t! 

Sure, I may have more overall knowledge, but applying it to my life can be just as challenging.  And after having a baby almost a year ago, it’s even harder!  So yes, I’d love to have my pre-baby body back exactly the way it was (mainly so I could fit into all of my old clothes), but that’s not always possible. 

So instead of focusing on the number on the scale, I decided to focus on fitness-based goals.  This is more motivational for me than stepping on the scale because it puts a positive spin on getting where I want to be.

So what are fitness-based goals? 

Well, instead of weighing yourself and feeling disappointed with what you see, focus on “upping” one aspect of your workout. 

Add a bit more weight than you always do on your favorite exercise, or two more reps than last time, or burn an extra 100 calories in the same amount of time doing cardio. 

That way feeling stronger or faster will help you towards your ultimate goal. 

After my son was born, and I was back working out, I would try to get to a certain block faster than I did the last time on my run, or ahem, jog.  And I was super-excited when I could finally do 12 full, (not “girlie”) pushups on the ground, so much that I posted it on Facebook to make sure everyone knew! 

That’s when I knew I was getting closer to the old me and I didn’t need the scale to tell me so. 

Now some people don’t care about weight or size.  That’s just not why they they are regulars at the Club.  They are here to get their insides healthier.  One of my clients’ dad passed away from heart disease and she knew that if she didn’t make a change she’d meet the same end. Now she uses exercise as a stress-reliever and also recognizes she sleeps better since she’s been working out. 

Our sessions have made a huge difference in her daily life. 

My dad also has his health as a goal. After telling him numerous times (he’d probably call it harping, I am a trainer you know), that he needs to work out and stop relying on medicine to cure his ails, he started coming in regularly and in less than a year, he was on lower doses of his cholesterol and blood pressure medications. 

So, find a way to gauge your health by either your energy level, quality of sleep, or whether you are spending less on prescriptions.  These are huge benefits you may not see right now, but when you’re 70 and want to spend the afternoon with your grandkids without having to sit down to rest, you’ll be glad you worked hard now!

Another reason you might come to Midtown is the social aspect of the Club.  We pride ourselves on being your “third place,” after home and work, and on creating a fun and welcoming atmosphere. 

So knowing there is a group of people waiting for you in a group ex class or that your lifting partner needs a spotter, gives you another reason to show up.  Sometimes they help you work hard even though you’d rather be doing anything other than working out.  And sometimes you just like hanging out with them and may even hit the M-Cafe for a bite to eat after class.  Either way, they motivate you to keep going and getting healthier!

So, what motivates you?  We’d love to know what brings you back to Midtown day after day.  And how can we help you stay motivated?