Category Archives: Nutrition
Kids and Veggies
Veggie Delights
by Joyce Bauer.
Q: What’s the best way to get my kids to eat vegetables?
A: Trying to get children to eat their vegetables can be frustrating — and parents often resort to bribery: “Eat your broccoli and you can have ice cream for dessert.” Unfortunately, this technique teaches our kids that broccoli and other vegetables are less appealing, because their consumption requires a reward. At the same time, this approach positions dessert as the prize, something to be valued over other foods.
Instead, encourage your kids to try at least one small bite each time vegetables are offered, and continue to offer them over and over again. Eventually, as vegetables become more familiar to them, their distaste may wear off. The most important thing you can do, though, is to model good eating behaviors yourself. Pile plenty of vegetables onto your own plate, and let your kids know how much you enjoy them.
by Joyce Bauer.
A Delicious Holiday Treat
A Delicious Holiday Treat
(From the South Beach Diet- Phase 2)
This tasty twist on the traditional apple crisp is the perfect ending to any holiday meal. Made with fresh apples and dried cherries, it’s a healthy way to enhance the holidays.
Holiday Apple Crisp
Description
Warm and fruity, this seemingly familiar apple crisp is spiked with sweet and tangy dried cherries. Fresh or dried, cherries contain impressive amounts of antioxidants, as well as soluble fiber and potassium. Ounce for ounce, dried cherries are higher in nutrients than their fresh counterparts, but they also have more calories, so it’s best to enjoy them in moderation — as you will here.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Makes 12 (1-cup) servings
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsweetened dried cherries
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup trans-fat-free margarine
1/2 cup whole-grain pastry flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granular sugar substitute
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
9 Granny Smith apples, sliced (9 to 10 cups)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9″ by 13″ baking dish with cooking spray.
Place cherries and water in a bowl, and soak cherries until ready to use. Meanwhile, combine oats, margarine, 1/4 cup of the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar substitute, and 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl; stir until mixture is crumbly.
Toss apples and lemon juice together in a large bowl. Add remaining 1/4 cup flour, 2 tablespoons sugar substitute, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon; stir to combine.
Place apples in baking dish. Pour cherries and soaking water over apple mixture; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle oat topping evenly over fruit. Bake until apples are tender, about 40 minutes. Serve warm.
Nutritional information
Per (1-cup) serving:
150 calories
7 g fat (2 g sat)
23 g carbohydrate
1 g protein
5 g fiber
60 mg sodium
Adjust Your Weight-Loss Strategy With Age
I thought this was a great article. :)
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Adjust Your Weight-Loss Strategy With Age
Learn how aging affects weight loss and the best ways to modify your fitness plans to adjust to changes in your metabolism.
By Madeline Vann, MPH
As you get older, your body doesn’t respond the same way to weight-loss efforts. This aggravating phenomenon occurs primarily because your metabolism is slowing down and you need fewer calories each day. Here’s how to adjust to get back on track.
Weight Gain and Aging: What’s Going On?
“The 40s are very different from the 30s, and the 50s are very different from the 40s as far as your metabolism,” observes longtime dieter Frances Simon of New Orleans. Simon turns 55 this year and says that number is causing her to get serious about achieving her weight-loss goals. “It seems like it’s harder and harder. But, boy, I remember when I was in my 20s — admittedly I was a lot more active, but I had a lot more energy then, too. I would go out dining and drinking a lot when I was in my 20s, but now in my 50s there is no way I would do that. It’s easier for the weight to come on than to try taking it off.”
Simon’s experiences are not unique. With menopause you may find your waist expands a bit, your muscles lose their tone, and you get new fat deposits. Researchers have yet to uncover the reason for these physical changes, but suspect that rapidly shifting hormones affect your body’s makeup.
While the factors that lead to weight gain as we age are the same for men and women (with the exception of menopause), national health data shows that men over age 65 are slightly more likely than women to be overweight. In fact, 76 percent of men ages 65 to 74 are obese, compared to 71.5 percent of women in that age group.
Weight Gain and Aging: Your Changing Body
Here are some of the contributing factors to your unwanted weight gain:
You’re burning less energy. “As you get older, you don’t need as many calories. Part of that is a little bit slower metabolism, but part of it is you’re not rushing around as much. You can’t believe how many calories you don’t need,” says Donna L. Weihofen, RD, MS, health nutritionist at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
Weihofen says that learning to adjust your diet to your body’s changing needs is a gradual process. She gives her clients guidelines like switching to smaller portions and sharing at restaurants, especially if dining with a spouse who is having his own problems with weight gain.
You’re less active. Many people find they have less energy as they age, but you may also find that life is less demanding than it was in earlier years. Simon says that eating a Mediterranean-style diet, with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, keeps her feeling full and gives her more energy to exercise.
However, she notes that there is another significant barrier to exercising for older women. “For people my age who want to exercise or get started exercising, I think it’s discouraging to go to a gym where there are lots of younger people,” she says. Simon’s goal is to attend Jazzercise three times a week, a class she enjoys because the participants are her age and older. “Some of those 60-year-olds look pretty fine, too!”
Weight Gain and Aging: How to Fight Back
A study of weight gain prevention in 284 women showed that women who maintained a healthy weight over a three-year period were more likely to:
- Carefully monitor food intake
- Avoid a loss of control of their diet (binging, for example)
- Not feel hungry
The strategies for combating weight gain as you age are the same you’ve used before:
- Count your calories
- Eat a hunger-busting diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats
- Keep fat intake below 30 percent of your calories
- Be physically active, at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week (more if possible)
Aging doesn’t mean you are destined for weight gain — just step up your diet and exercise routine to stay on track!
Weekend Splurging Done Right
By Madeline Vann, MPH
Medically reviewed by Christine Wilmsen Craig
Researchers tracking 48 adults in a weight program for a year found that they ate, on average, 200 calories more on Saturdays, the most dangerous day for weight management. Over time, those 200 extra calories add up to a few pounds gained over the course of a year — not the goal of a maintenance program!
While everyone deserves a day off, you need to be careful not to overdo it. You don’t want to consume too many calories and slip back into the patterns that caused your weight gain in the first place. Maintaining a healthy weight means keeping up with the smart eating habits and lifestyle changes that enabled you to drop those pounds in the first place. The lion’s share of your daily maintenance calories should be spent on nutritious foods every day.
Weekend Calories: Indulge in Moderation
“Sometimes we need it. If you have been really good during the week, it helps to know that at least one day a week you can eat those foods you are avoiding on those other days,” says Donna L. Weihofen, RD, MS, health nutritionist at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisc.
So how do you splurge without destroying your healthy habits? Weihofen, who admits to having a sweet tooth, advises keeping an eagle eye on calorie counts. Your reward can make or break your weight-management plan. A rich chocolate fudge sundae, for instance, can easily add up to 1,000 calories or more — calories that probably equal half of your daily allotment. That’s a large number to compensate for with extra exercise or cutting back on calories at other meals.
Don’t let your weekend turn into a food wasteland. A few smart steps can help you indulge without the calories or guilt:
- Share that fudge sundae with your spouse or kids.
- Go for tiny tastes, like a mini-cheesecake instead of an entire slice, or a single square of chocolate instead of a whole bar.
- Eat a healthy breakfast to control your appetite.
- Eat more whole grains, fruit, and veggies as your day gets started so that you’ll feel full longer and feel satisfied with small splurges.
- Split an entrée or skip the bread basket when eating out, especially if you want a taste of dessert.
- Limit your alcohol — drink water or another calorie-free beverage between drinks — or apply those calories to a food you’d enjoy more.
Weihofen adds that it is important not to allow yourself to feel so deprived of the foods you love that you throw calorie caution to the wind come Saturday. “If you really have a taste for something, budget it in,” she says. This may require a little research in terms of calories and portion sizes, but is worth it in the long run if you are able to stick to your game plan seven days a week.
I thought this was a very good article and some tips to keep in mind on that splurge day!
Clifta Coulter Perez
Reno Personal Fitness Trainer and Nutrition Coach
Win FREE Nutrition & Training with Clifta
Buy Raffle Tickets and Help Clifta get to the USA and represent TEAM PHAT!
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You’ll get a Training Program and Nutrition Plan from Clifta!
In ONLY 4 months…
Go from this… 121 lbs.
To This… 102.2 lbs.
Nicole Did! And YOU can too!
**Winner will receive 3 months of Nutrition Plans and 3 months of On-line training!
(If you live in the Reno area… you have a choice to do either on-line or personal training. If you choose personal training you will get 2 sessions per week for 1 month. Equals 8 sessions.)
(If one of my current clients win… you can’t use these sessions in place of what you already do. You can add them as extra sessions per week.)
Click on links below to purchase your TODAY!
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Lose Body Fat with this Basic Nutrition Plan!!!
Just wanted to list some really clean & healthy sources of proteins & carbs.
Follow these nutrition guidelines & tips and watch the body fat melt away! Good nutrition is about 70% of it. The rest is your cardio and your training regiman. All combined together in a 3 tier approach… gives you results like these!
Nicole Augustine- 30 years old and Mother of 3! (April 2010 to August 2010)
Before photos= 121 lbs. —- After photos= 102.2 lbs.
Me, Clifta Perez- 42 years old (February 2010 to August 2010)
Before photos= 23.6% Body fat —— After photos= 8.2% Body fat
This approach below will get you headed in the right direction!
Proteins
Egg Whites
Egg Beaters
Chicken Breast
Turkey Breast
Salmon (can)
Tuna (can)
Orange Roughy
Tilapia
Cod
Flank
Carbs
Oatmeal
Plain Ricecakes
Brown Rice
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Yams
Pasta (occasionally, as a treat)
My Favorite Veggies
Broccoli
Spinach
Carrots
Zuchinni
Green Beans
Asparagus
*I eat about every 2.5 to 3 hours and usually have a protein, carb, & veggie with every meal except my last meal before bed… no carbs.
Examle:
Meal 1: Protein + Carb + Veggie
Meal 2: Protein + Carb + Veggie
Meal 3: Protein + Carb + Veggie
Meal 4: Protein + Carb + Veggie
Meal 5: Protein + Veggie Only
Meal 6: Protein + Veggie Only (or sometimes just a low carb, low fat protein drink)
Another Option (if the above seems like too much)
Meal 1: Protein + Carb + Veggie
Snack
Meal 2: Protein + Carb + Veggie
Snack
Meal 3: Protein + Carb + Veggie
Meal 4: Low fat, Low carb Protein Drink
More Notes…
*I also use stevia, ketchup, bar-b-que sauce, fat free dressing, & spices that contain NO SALT.
*I don’t use butter, mayonaise, or sugar.
*I drink about 1.5 to 2 gallons of water per day. If you’re not used to drinking water, a good rule of thumb is to drink 1/2 your weight in ounces. I also use crystal light, tea, coffee (1 cup in A.M.), & diet pepsi (maybe 1/2 to 1 per day).
These nutrition guidelines should get you started and moving in the right direction! If you’d like a nutrition program designed for your specific needs with proper supplements… email me at cliftafit@yahoo.com and we’ll get you set up on your own program tailored just for you!
Individualized Nutrition Programs are very reasonable and are as follows…
$75 for the initial Plan and $30 for updates. If you take one of my bootcamps or personal train with me you get a discount on the nutrition plans… then it’s only $50 for the initial Plan and $15 for updates. Updates are done about every 3-5 weeks. This keeps you from getting bored and also keeps your body constantly changing.
Thank you,
Clifta Coulter Perez
Reno Fitness Trainer
Reno Bootcamp Instructor (teaching 2 locations now)
Phat Physiques in Reno
The Secret to the Body of Your Dreams!
EstraCort – The Secret to the Body of Your Dreams!
Estrogen, cortisol, hormonal imbalance… Chances are you have heard these terms and they probably either confused or scared you. Estrogen is quite a word. To some it might mean femininity and signify the essence of being a woman. But to someone interested in getting in shape, it might mean something altogether different. Estrogen is not bad, but excessive estrogen can lead to fat gain, cause difficulty losing fat, water retention, mood swings, cravings….and the list goes on and on! Combine that with excessive cortisol—the STRESS hormone, and reaching your goals and feeling your best will be extremely difficult to do! In todays fast-paced, stressful world it is not uncommon for estrogen and cortisol levels to get out of whack, creating a hormonal imbalance. Knowing this, PGN Nutrition with the help of world renown fitness trainer Chuck Rudolph, MEd, RD, and Two-Time Miss Olympia and Miss Fitness International, Jen Hendershott, created the PERFECT supplement to help women control estrogen and cortisol to help achieve their goals and get the body they have always dreamed of! The future of the fitness-minded woman’s supplement is here, and it is PGN Estracort™. The FIRST supplement designed to specifically address this essential need!
PGN EstraCort – Estrogen and Cortisol Support for Women
Hormones are chemical messengers that signal the body to perform certain actions. For example, after you eat carbs, the hormone insulin is released to signal the body to absorb these carbs from the blood stream. The body releases various amounts of insulin depending on the type and amount of carbs you eat. Controlling insulin levels through smart diet choices is important since high levels of insulin lead to fat gain. Insulin is not the only hormone that contributes to controlling your weight, there are many. Of prime importance are the hormones estrogen and cortisol.
Estrogen is the primary female hormone (comparable to testosterone in men). Estrogen gives women their feminine characteristics and testosterone gives men their masculine characteristics. Estrogen has numerous actions in the body. Estrogen is needed for normal functioning of the body but too much or the wrong types of estrogens can have negative effects on your body. The same holds true for another hormone called cortisol.
Cortisol is called the “stress hormone” because it is released in response to stress and anxiety. When released at a normal level cortisol helps restore homeostasis after stressful events. But, like estrogen, when too much cortisol is released or cortisol levels are elevated for too long negative affects arise.
Knowing all of this PGN has created a formula to control estrogen and cortisol levels, leading to increased fat loss, less water retention and an overall leaner figure.
PHAT GIRL NUTRITION ESTRACORT INGREDIENTS
Summary Of EstraCort Ingredients:
- 250mg DIM (Diindolylmethane)
- 200mg Calcium d Glucarate
- 500mg PhosphatidylSerine (250mg)
- 500mg Green Tea (50% EGCG/95% PE)
DIM (Diindolylmethane)
DIM, a phytochemical found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, is an estrogen metabolism modulator, meaning it favorably shifts estrogen metabolism. Estrogen is not a bad hormone, it is needed for normal functioning of the body, but certain metabolites of estrogen have more positive actions while other metabolites have more negative actions. DIM increases the amount of “good” estrogens (2-hydroxy) and decreases the amount of “bad” estrogens (4-hydroxy and 16-hydroxy). The good estrogens protect the brain and heart due to potent anti-oxidant activity, along with other positive actions, while the bad estrogens promote weight gain and are linked to cancer (breast and uterine). By supplementing with DIM your body’s natural estrogen metabolism becomes primed to create more of the good and less of the bad estrogens, leading to a health-promoting estrogen balance.
Calcium D Glucarate
Calcium D Glucarate is a botanical extract found in fruits and vegetables that promotes the removal of toxins and excess estrogens from the body. Calcium D Glucarate helps detoxify the body through a process called glucuronidation. The body naturally tries to removes toxins and excess estrogens through glucouronidation, but this process can become reversed by the enzyme beta-glucuronidase, which releases the toxins back into the body. Calcium D Glucarate increases the detoxification process by inhibiting the beta-glucuronidase enzyme, allowing the glucouronidation detoxification process to work its magic. Supplementing with Calcium D Glucarate increases the elimination of cancer-promoting toxins and estrogens.
PhosphatidylSerine
Phosphatidylserine is a phospholipid found in the membrane of all cells, particularly in the brain. Phosphatidylserine keeps cells flexible and primed for nutrient absorptive. Supplementing with phosphatidylserine has been shown to improve cognition, memory, and mood and decrease blood concentrations of cortisol. Excessive cortisol levels can lead to suppression of the immune system and the accumulation of abdominal fat. Supplementing with Phosphatidylserine not only will improve brain functioning but will also help control cortisol levels.
Green Tea
Green tea is a type of tea leaf (black and oolong are other types of teas). Green tea has been used by the Chinese to treat a variety of disorders for years. Green Tea has powerful antioxidant properties, specifically from the active EGCG, and has been shown to help protect against various cancers. EGCG has thermogenic effects and has been shown to assist in weight loss by decreasing dietary fat absorption, appetite suppression, and catechol-O-methyl-transferase (COMT) inhibition. COMT is involved in the breakdown of catecholamines (i.e. NE). By inhibiting COMT, NE breakdown is slowed and it is able to activate the adrenergic receptors to a greater degree and enhance lipolysis (fat breakdown). Supplementing with green tea extract improves overall health and helps promote fat loss.
Summary
- DIM positively shifts estrogen metabolism to produce more good estrogens and less bad estrogens.
- Calcium D Glucarate increases the elimination of cancer-promoting toxins and estrogens.
- Phosphatidylserine not only will improve brain functioning but will also help control cortisol levels.
- Green tea improves overall health and promotes fat loss.
Supplementing with DIM, Calcium D Glucarate, Phosphatidylserine, and Green Tea together will optimize a women’s hormone levels, promoting a leaner, more healthy figure.
Not only will Estracort support your overall health, but it might just be exactly what you need to shift your body into the DREAM ZONE – obtaining the body you have always dreamed of having! So stop wasting time and letting estrogen and cortisol spoil your results. Get the body you have always wanted with Estracort today!
Clifta Coulter Perez of PHAT Physiques
Reno Personal Fitness Trainer
Reno Bootcamp Instructor
775-996-7183
8 Foods That Fight Stress
I thought this was a good article By Sara Reistad-Long
Dark Chocolate
High in flavonoids, which are lauded for their relaxing properties (chamomiletea is another great source), chocolate also contains phenethylamine, a chemical that enhances your mood. The darker the chocolate, the more healthy substances you’re getting in your diet, so look for bars that are 70 percent cacao or higher.
Skim Milk
Turns out that a glass of warm milk really is calming. One study found that women who drank four or more servings of lowfat or skim milk every day were about half as likely to experience stress-related PMS symptoms than those who drank less than one serving a week.
Oatmeal
Carbs help you produce serotonin, a calming hormone that helps fight anxiety’s negative effects-which is probably why many of us crave them when we’re stressed. Go with the craving and choose healthy sources. Oatmeal is high in fiber, which means that your body will absorb it slowly. In one fell swoop, you’ll prolong the serotonin boost, keeping yourself feeling full for longer (and on less) and making sure your blood sugar’s in check.
Salmon
Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids-abundant in fish like salmon-can help reverse stress symptoms by boosting serotonin levels, and that an omega-3-rich diet can also help suppress the production of the anxiety hormones cortisol and adrenaline.
Walnuts
They’ve been shown to help lower blood pressure, which is critical for those whose hearts are already working overtime thanks to high adrenaline levels. In fact, research so strongly backs their health benefits that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration goes so far as to recommend 1 1/2 oz per day.
Sunflower Seeds
A good source of folate, which helps your body produce a pleasure-inducing brain chemical called dopamine.
Spinach
Studies show that magnesium, which you’ll find in leafy greens like spinach, improves your body’s response to stress.
Blueberries
Their antioxidants counteract the effects of stress hormones like cortisol on your body.
Lose Body Fat with These Good Sources of Proteins and Carbs
Just wanted to list some really clean & healthy sources of proteins & carbs.
These are what I’ve been eating for the past 5 weeks.
Proteins
Egg Whites
Egg Beaters
Chicken Breast
Turkey Breast
Salmon (can)
Tuna (can)
Carbs
Oatmeal
Brown Rice
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Pasta (occasionally)
My Favorite Veggies
Broccoli
Spinach
Carrots
*I eat about every 3 hours and usually have a protein, carb, & veggie with every meal except my last meal before bed… no carbs.
*I also use stevia, ketchup, bar-b-que sauce, fat free dressing, & spices that contain NO SALT.
*I don’t use butter, mayonaise, or sugar.
*I drink water (1/2 my weight in ounces), crystal light, tea, coffee (1 cup in A.M.), & diet pepsi (maybe 1/2 to 1 per day).
*You can see my supplements here.
Thank you,
Clifta Coulter Perez
Reno Fitness Trainer
Reno Bootcamps
Better Bodies Bootcamp in Reno
Honor God with Your Body 