KTK-Nutrition

Want to lose a few pounds before swimsuit season starts?   If so, losing fat, not muscle should be the goal.   Many fad diets proclaim losing 5 or more pounds in one week.   Yes, that may be possible but along with some fat loss you will be losing some muscle and a lot of water.   Often people find when they go off the crash diet, the weight piles back on.   And losing muscles means you slow your metabolism as muscle burns more calories than fat.   So, how can you drop some pounds with more of the loss being fat and not the muscle you want to keep?   An article on “ 4 Rules for Losing Fat, Not Muscle ” has some suggestions.        1.    Cut the calories but do it gradually To lose weight you do have to cut back on calories in versus calories out.   But cutting back on too many calories at once can slow your metabolism, make it hard to get the nutrients you need, and cause you to lose muscle mass along with some...

Exercise.   Who has time to fit exercise into their day during the holiday season?   And what are the guidelines for how much exercise we should get each day?   A frequently asked question from my students is “How much exercise do I need each day?”   Well, recently, November 2018 to be precise, the federal guidelines on physical activity were updated.   So, what are the latest recommendations and who sets those guidelines anyway? Who sets the guidelines for exercise? The federal government sets guidelines for what we should eat at MyPlate.   A number of federal agencies worked together to update the physical activity guidelines including:   Centers for Disease Control, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, National Institutes of Health and the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.   The guidelines were first issued in 2008 and November, 2018 is the first time the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans have...

Who doesn’t want to stop father time?   We can’t turn back the clock, but we can establish some habits that will keep us healthier as we age.   WebMD has some good advice in their article, The Secret to Healthy Aging .   They acknowledge there is no fountain of youth but establishing some healthy habits can make your life more enjoyable and extend your life span.   What tips do they offer?      1. Keep Moving – keep exercising and stay physically active.   So many health benefits to exercise:   reducing heart disease risks, you sleep better, have a better memory, less depressed, stronger bones and you are less likely to fall when you are older.          2. What kind of exercise? Aerobic or Cardio is a good way to strengthen your heart and to get fit.    But one doesn’t have to go to the gym to get some aerobic exercise.   Walk at a faster pace, go for a bike ride or ride a station...

In honor of American Heart Month, this week we will look at heart health and what you can eat for a healthier heart.   The Centers for Disease Control notes even small changes in your diet and lifestyle can lead to healthier changes for your heart.   Why be concerned about heart health?   CDC states, “heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women”.   Another great source of information is The American Heart Association, the go to place for questions about heart health and how to adopt a heart healthy lifestyle.   What are some of their recommendations in terms of healthier eating and exercise?   Eating for a healthy heart:   Small steps to take Eat at home at least 3 times a week.    By skipping the fast food and restaurant meals you can prepare meals that are lower in fat, especially meals lower in saturated fat, and lower in sodium. Use more herbs and spices when cooking – keep the flavor while cutting back on the a...

Last week we talked about people who start off on a diet, lose weight and then seem to stop losing.   Why?   I noted that SparkPeople had an interesting article on “8 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight” written by a personal trainer.   We covered 4 of these reasons last week and this week we cover the personal trainer’s other 4 reasons.     Reasons for Not Losing Weight –   based on SparkPeople and good nutrition advice from a registered dietitian. 5.        Y ou are not being consistent –you need consistency to establish good habits. You start out strong, sticking to your diet and exercise routine.   Then you step on the scale and haven’t lost the weight you wanted and you fall into the trap of going off the diet and skipping the gym.   You say, “What’s the point?”   to justify going off the diet and exercise regimen.   Or you have that one dessert and then say you’ve ruined your diet and stop all ...

      Many people start off on a diet, lose weight and then seem to stop losing.   Why?   SparkPeople had an interesting article on “8 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight” written by a personal trainer.   She said it is one of the most common questions she is asked.   She noted that those on a diet may thing they are doing “everything right” but still plateau.   So why are there no changes on the bathroom scale?   This week we’ll review 4 of the reasons and next week continue with the other 4 reasons.          Reasons for Not Losing Weight –   based on Spark People's 8 Reasons Why You're Not Losing Weight and good nutrition advice from a registered dietitian.   You are eating back the calories you burn. Yes, working out is great but then eating everything in sight when you get home, is not so great for weight loss.   When I first started a spinning class, I would come home ...