Renew

Stress is one of the biggest pitfalls in weight management.  Your body views stress as anything from meeting a deadline to skipping a meal or even just emotional distress.  Knowing your limits, managing your time, and including time to relax allow your body to refresh.  Mindfully eating by smelling, chewing, savoring, and eating guilt-free not only minimizes your digestive efforts but also nourishes the body to support your daily activities.

Energize

Your body is working every second of every minute of every day and requires an enormous amount of support.  Staying hydrated with a cup of water per hour keeps your muscles and joints flexible and your blood flowing.  Controlling your hunger hormone, Grehlin, by eating every 3-4 hours, not delaying or skipping meals, and combining your food groups will keep your blood sugar level and your brain and body at peak condition.  Your meals should uplift and energize you.

Sleep

Sleep is just as important as exercise.  Lack of sleep has been shown to increase weight.  Studies have shown that those who sleep less than 5 hours per night have a 73% chance of becoming obese and those who sleep 6 hours per night have 27% more likelihood of becoming obese.  Those who sleep least, weigh the most!

Time for You

Cooking, chopping, slicing, and planning meals – sorry, but there is just no way out of it!     Many times when clients tell me they exercise 6 days a week, 1-1.5 hours each day and don’t have time to sleep, cook, or shop, my response is to cut their exercise time in half and use the extra time to sleep more and to shop, cook, prepare and eat their meals.  Let go of the idea that preparing and eating is a chore.  If you do not prioritize your health, your health will not prioritize you!

It may come as a surprise, but the Eating Free movement aims to bring eating back!  Eating Free to health and weight loss involves self-care practices in renewal, energy, sleep and time.  Eating and living well was never meant to be separate.

Check your FreeQ Score and start Eating Free.

Eating is for survival, but Eating Free is your choice!

The ADA is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, which is committed to improving the nation’s health and to advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education, and advocacy.  The ADA’s vision is to “optimize the nation’s health through food and nutrition.”

The ADA’s nationwide volunteer spokesperson network consists of 30 registered dietitians who annually conduct thousands of print, TV, radio, and online interviews about nutrition and healthful eating on behalf of the organization.  These registered dietitians representing the 25 largest media markets as well as specialty nutrition areas are the news media’s best resources for expert commentary, and are considered some of the country’s leading experts in nutrition.

“I feel very honored and privileged to have been chosen by the ADA to fill one of these important positions,” says Manuel.  “I look forward to communicating important messages about wholesome food, proper nourishment, and sensible weight management to people across America and throughout the world.”

Manuel will serve a very specific function within the network, since he is:

• one of the leading weight loss and behavior and lifestyle modification specialists in the country;
• the only West Coast spokesperson who is a board-certified sports dietitian;
• one of only three bilingual (English and Spanish) spokespersons in the U.S., and the only bilingual spokesperson on the West Coast; and
• one of only two male ADA spokespersons nationwide, and the only male spokesperson on the West Coast.

Expect to see more of Manuel and his truly effective Eating Free program!

For those of you currently using the earlier version of the website, be rest assured.  Your transition will be more than gentle.  You’ll still be able to enjoy all the wonderful features you’ve grown accustomed to, such as our unique and invaluable coaching, but in a friendlier format.  Plus, you’ll love all the additions and improvements, such as your freeQ score, new training videos, and the groundbreaking philosophy behind Eating Free.  So dive in, poke around, and get to know Eating Free.  If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, we’re here for you, as we’ve always been.  Give us a call at 866.881.1006 or email us at customerservice@eatingfree.com

For those of you who have been taken some time off from Nutrition For You, this is the best time to return and discover all the latest, exciting things happening in our world.

We hope you’ll get as much joy and satisfaction from Eating Free as we’ve had creating it.  But no matter what, as always, together, we can make sure that the weight is finally over!

20% Off on all Nutrition Coaching for a Limited Time

To celebrate our relaunch we are giving a discount of 20% to anyone that wants to use our incredible one-on-one personalized coaching.

Use discount code EatingFree to get 20% off on all coaching.

Existing members follow this link to add more coaching to your plan!

New members follow this link to take advantage of this discount.

What happened to elegance in eating? When did the concepts of “eating-on-the-go” or devouring plastic-wrapped or boxed meals become appropriate methods of dining? How did eating in front of the TV or in the car become alternatives to the dinner table? Our modern lives are often hectic and mindless; jumping from work to family to social and community obligations. Running down the long to-do list, barely crossing each item off, even exercise has to be scheduled. Many of us have lost touch with what food is and what it does. For many, it is merely a means to quench hunger, rather than to nourish. Our health and meals have sadly become an inconvenience.

Elegance in dining brings to mind fresh, whole foods and ingredients and the time to touch, smell, and taste flavors. Chopping, slicing, cooking, putting love into your foods is elegance. Presentation on a plate with silverware and cloth napkin at a dinner table with candles and the scent of flowers in a nearby vase is elegance. Spending time and nourishing yourself and those you love is elegance. Welcome back elegance and mindfully prepare and eat your next meal.

Nutrition is key in long-distance running and is just as important as a good training regimen. The number of calories you need for running depends on a number of factors: your body weight, how fast you run, how long you run, and your training frequency. A recreational runner will have very different calorie needs than a competitive runner who logs 100 miles per week while training.

For example, a 150-pound recreational runner burns 10 calories per minute while running a 12-minute mile, and a 110-pound competitive runner burns 14 calories per minute while running 6-minute mile.

Carbohydrate is the most important fuel for runners, so consuming adequate carbohydrate on a daily basis is necessary to replenish your energy stores. When you train, eat whole grains, fruits, and vegetables at every meal.

When training hard every day, runners need 3.6 to 4.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight per day. For recreational runners, 2.3 to 2.7 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight per day is enough.

How about proteins and fats? Distance runners need 0.55 to 0.64 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day as well. The typical American diet provides plenty of protein, so runners usually get enough protein without adding protein drinks or supplements.

Good sources of protein include fish, chicken, turkey, lean cuts of beef, low-fat or nonfat milk, yogurt, low fat cheeses, eggs, nuts, and soy.

Distance runners burn more fat than people who don’t exercise. Calories from fat should make up about 20% to 25% of the calories in a runner’s diet. Choose heart-healthy fats, such as canola oil, olive oil, and nuts.

How to fuel before, during and after running

Before Running. Your pre-exercise goal is to be fueled for your training. The ideal pre-exercise meal should be carbohydrate rich and well tolerated. The number of carbohydrates you need depends on your weight and the timing of the meal prior to exercise. Generally, you should consume 0.5g to 2g per pound of body weight of carbohydrate 1 to 4 hours prior to exercise.

An hour before a run, consume 0.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight. For a 145-lb runner that’s 145 lb x 0.5 g/lb or 72.5 grams of carbohydrates.

Sample meal:
1. one small banana (15g of carbs) + one slice toast (15g of carbs) + one Tbsp of jam (15g of carbs) + 16oz of Gatorade (30g of carbs) = 75 grams of carbohydrate
2. one cup of cooked oatmeal (30g of carbs) + 4 Tbsp raisins (30g of carbs) + 8 oz Gatorade (15g of carbs) = 75 grams of carbohydrate

During Running. Consuming 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates every hour has proven to improve performance in exercise lasting longer than 90 minutes. Your pre-workout meal will provide enough energy for exercises lasting less than 90 minutes. Try gels, energy drinks, or anything that you can tolerate.

After Running. If your exercise lasts longer than 90 minutes, you should consume 0.7 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight immediately after exercise, followed by 0.7 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight 2 hours later, which will enhance your muscle recovery rate.

Consume carbohydrates that are quickly absorbed into your bloodstream. You may prefer a high carbohydrate drink if your stomach does not tolerate solid food immediately after exercise. Adding a small amount of protein (about 6-15grams) will also provide amino acids for building and repairing muscle tissue.

For a 145-lb runner that’s 145 lb x 0.7 g/lb or 101 grams of carbohydrates plus 6-15 grams of protein.

Sample meal:
one bagel (60 grams of carbs) + 8 oz chocolate milk (45 grams of carbs) + 2 oz of low fat cheese (14 grams of protein)

Manuel Villacorta’s #1 San Francisco Weight Loss Clinic MV Nutrition and DIAKADI Body Personal Training and Wellness Center are looking for obese residents of the San Francisco Bay Area who have a desire to lose weight and embrace a healthier lifestyle in 2010.  As part of the Commit-to-Fit Contest, one winner will be chosen to receive a year’s worth of one-on-one personal training and nutrition coaching.  To apply, applicants must send in a three-minute video of themselves explaining how a total body transformation would change their life.  For complete guidelines and deadlines, please visit this link and click on “Commit to Fit”.

“With over 30 percent of Americans suffering from obesity, DIAKADI and MV Nutrition are setting out to teach people that making the proper lifestyle and nutritional choices in coordination with an appropriate exercise program can lead individuals from an unhealthy state into a leaner, stronger and energized body,” says Billy Polson, founder of DIAKADI Body and recently named one of America’s top personal trainers by Men’s Journal magazine.  “One very lucky Bay Area resident is about to transform their life for the better.  All we ask is that they are ready to Commit-to-Fit!”

DIAKADI Body and MV Nutrition have seen success in their premiere 2009 Commit-to-Fit program with San Francisco resident, Kevin Johnson.  Since starting his program one year ago, Kevin has lost over 120 pounds, changed his lifestyle and has truly found himself!

As part of this year’s Commit-to-Fit program, the winning applicant will receive three personal training sessions per week ($15,000 value) from Polson and Mike Clausen, co-owners of DIAKADI Body, as well as nutritional coaching every other week ($10,000 value) from renowned Bay Area registered dietitian Manuel Villacorta. “Health is not a diet plan, but a lifestyle,” says Villacorta. “I empower you to understand your body, your strengths, and your limits and to use this knowledge to make a change.  Stop dieting, start living!”

Entries for the Commit-To-Fit Contest must be received by Friday, January 29, 2010.  Winner will be selected and notified on Monday, February 15, 2010.  For complete guidelines and deadlines, please visit this link.

Nutrition for You is the online weight management program developed by acclaimed Registered Dietitian and weight-loss specialist, Manuel Villacorta, that provides all the independent expertise of a Registered Dietitian, all the power of regular coaching, and all the interactive capacity of the finest nutrition tools on the web.

What is the new trend in nutrition?  Is it organic, local, low-carb, high carb, or low-fat?  Is it wine and chocolate or some other fabulous quick fix for health?

When it comes to food, we are all too familiar and confused by the various trends that have popped up over the years.  Do we choose to eat local or pick that organic and exotic fruit picked from a thousand miles away?  And what is the real story on carbohydrates?  How does wine, chocolate, and fat really affect us?  It seems that past trends often leave us without much choice at all!  In addition, the last few decades have seen a movement towards “quick fixes” in weight, health, and food.  Research shows that eating out of convenience (rather than nourishment) has led to higher intakes of fast or processed foods, furthermore leading to increases in chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer along with heart disease and inflammation.

Based on this data, nutrition has now taken a turn for the better through clean eating. Clean eating is the idea of consuming local foods in their most natural, fresh, and whole food state.  Ingredients are unadulterated and minimal.  Clean eating also avoids preservatives, additives, artificial sweeteners and colors, and trans-fatty or hydrogenated fats.  But the spectrum of “clean food” only starts with the fruit or vegetable picked directly from the garden.  Whole grains, fresh meats, canned or frozen vegetables, breads, and cereals, minimally processed and with little to no added salt or sugar, can also be considered a clean food.  Highly processed foods are those farthest away from their natural state; poked, prodded, and mixed with various other non-foods.

Nutritious and tasty whole foods are good for our bodies, our wallets, and the environment.  Clean eaters will find themselves eating fresher and thus more nutritious foods along with eating less processed, salty, sweet, and fatty foods.  Cooking at home increases and whole foods, such as uncut vegetables or whole chickens, are preferred over prepackaged foods, lowering food costs.  Eating fresh whole foods also calls for less of an environmental impact as there is less to process, less waste in packaging, and less miles traveled.

Trends have come and gone but the traditions of yesterday have held strong.  Clean and simple whole foods, processed minimally and prepared with love in our own kitchens, return to the forefront of nutrition and bring us back to the basics.

During these tough economic times, do not be lured to eating at fast foods and eating junk, which may initially seem cheap! Such foods waste money on empty calories and come with a heavy price on our health. Good, clean food, prepared with just a little time and a lot of love has always and will continue to see us through both the good and bad times.

Be careful where you invest your money. It may be safer to invest in your health!

Here are some tips to keep your health and spirits up and costs low.

• Eat out less. Prepare your meals at home and as our clients always tell us when following our program, “I am saving so much money because I’m eating at home!”
• Make things from scratch. Bring lunch to work and save your lunch money or save time by cooking large meals and freezing portions for the week.
• Eat plenty of local fruits and vegetables and shop at farmer’s markets. Local produce is often cheaper than produce traveling long distances and you are helping to build the local economy.
• Buy seasonal. It is cheaper and more nutritious to buy produce that is in season.  It is also very good for the environment as well.
• Eat whole grains. Whole grains such as brown rice and quinoa along with starchy vegetables like beans and legumes can go a very long way.
• Buy whole animals such as a whole chicken with skin and bones. Be sure to remove the skin to reduce saturated fat; throw the bones in a pot with water and make your own high-mineral chicken broth. Lastly, partition the chicken yourself because there’s no need to pay for butcher costs!

Read more useful tips in our previous post on Eating Healthy Will Save You Money.