The wait is finally over!  After months of hard work and careful consideration, the Nutrition For You website will transform into the new and improved Eating Free website on June 22nd.
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 …

1. Eat before you go. If you eat about thirty minutes to an hour before dining out, it will make sticking to your meal plan much easier. When your stomach is growling, making good food choices is hard. A good example of a premeal snack is a small piece of fruit, a yogurt, and a bit of low fat cheese.
2. Avoid skipping breakfast and lunch to “save up.” Skipping meals will definitely make you overeat and will slow down your metabolism.
3. Eat the lower-calorie foods first. Order …

Myth.
Eating before you exercise will help you improve your performance and help you attain your exercise goals. Exercising on an empty stomach will only leave you feeling tired and sluggish for the rest of the day. Remember the car analogy: your car will not run without gas in the same way that your body will not run properly without food.
The ideal pre-exercise meal should be carbohydrate rich and well tolerated.  For example,  a small banana, a slice of toast with a tablespoon of jam and a bottle of Gatorade is …

Myth.
This is one of the most commonly used phrases in the fitness world and it is incorrect. One pound of fat and one pound of muscle both weigh one pound. One pound of feathers and one pound of rocks both weigh one pound.  That being said, muscle is denser than fat and takes up less space. One pound of muscle also burns more calories than one pound of fat. Estimates indicate that one pound of muscle burns roughly fifty calories per day, while one pound of fat burns approximately two …

It’s a myth.
In order to lose fat you must lose weight and to lose weight you must eat fewer calories than you are expending. Cutting just carbohydrates is not the solution. Carbohydrates are needed so you can function properly and be able to sustain your exercise plan. Plus carbohydrates actually help you burn fat as you lose weight by transporting fat cells to be metabolized. So if you are lacking carbohydrates you may stop burning fat cells. Carbohydrates, such as whole grains, are rich in B vitamins which are key …

We’ve recently just opened our entire Nutrition encyclopedia up to everyone. Check out some of the great nutrition information that was previously only available to our members!

Exercise is an important component for weight loss and for maintaining a healthy weight. However, if you are really planning to lose weight, there is a limited amount that you can do. Too much exercise may cause excessive stress and strain, and too large of a caloric deficit interferes with normal metabolic functioning and will accelerate muscle loss and slow fat loss. However, cardio and strength training in the proper amounts greatly benefit weight loss by boosting your metabolism and helping you to burn more calories.
In addition, strength training will …

by Kate Haisch
You might wonder, once the weight is off, how do I maintain my hard earned achievement? The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) is a website dedicated to answering this very question. They have a large registry of people who have lost a substantial amount of weight and kept it off for a long period of time. The average weight loss is 60 pounds, maintained for an average of 5 to 7 years. These registered people then participate in ongoing research, which surveys their habits, successes and difficulties. This …

What really happens in our bodies when we feel stress? When something stressful occurs in our lives, the pituitary gland in our brain releases the adrenocorticotropic hormone, which sends a signal to the adrenal glands located above the kidneys to release cortisol and adrenaline. Adrenaline increases our breathing and our heart rate, tenses our muscles, and raises our blood pressure preparing you for “fight or flight.” Cortisol triggers the release of glucose or sugar into the blood stream. The increased concentration of blood sugar becomes available for our brain to think faster and for quick power in our muscles.

by Kate Haisch
We continue our five part series where we talk about the five biggest conclusions of the National Weight Control Registry’s research.
5 Proven Behaviors for Long Term Weight Management:

Follow a low-fat diet
Record keep
Monitor weight frequently
Eat breakfast daily
Exercise

Exercise
One of the most important factors in weight maintenance is exercise.  90% of the National Weight Control Registry members participate in 60-75 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week (on average).  Over half of these people walk.  For weight loss, we recommend doing at least 30 minutes of some kind …