For alot of people, the workplace can sabotage your best intentions.  From stress to not-so-health-minded co-workers, you can easily lose focus.  The good news is, there are simple strategies you can follow to fool proof your work and stay in the right mind-set!

First, let's talk about stress because let's face it; every job leads to it!  Many people keep a stash of candy or make a bee line to a co-workers desk for a treat, when they're stressed.  Doing this every day can easily lead to weight gain. not to mention a mid-day energy crash.  The solution is to have a few stress buster strategies on hand.  Make it a point to resort to something other than food when you feel the stress coming on. Our favorites?  Going for a five minute walk, call a friend to catch up, or take a 5 minute meditation/breather session (just keep your door closed!).  For many people, it's as simple as learning how to say "No" once in awhile.  Balance is key to success, whether it's with your nutrition or at work and if your constantly taking on more than you can handle because your afraid to say "no", your may be heading for trouble.  Remember, while you can't control all stressful situations, you CAN control how you deal with it.

Another great tip?  Arm yourself (and your desk and work bag and the company fridge) with quick and healthy snacks like string cheese and fruit, a protien bar (great for those 3 pm pick me ups), fruit, nuts and protein powder.  By having something simple and tasty on hand, you can easily avoid that vending machine or your co-workers candy.  Which leads us to our next point...

How to deal with a co-worker who insists on unhealthy lunch spots or that you share their candy? Food is and always has been a wonderful form of bonding.  The challenge is when your lifestyle differs from those around you; it can feel awkward to explain your healthy choices.  The key is politely explaining that your working towards a healthy lifestyle and trying to save any "treats" for the weekend, when you really have time to enjoy your indulgences.  No one wants to come off as too "strict" with their food rules, and you don't have to be.  By explaining that your just trying to make healthier choices (without judging anyone else for their choices), and you prefer to indulge in a big dinner on Saturday night, you come across as a motiviated individual who still likes to have fun.  If your having trouble finding healthy choices at the local handout at lunch with your co-workers, limit it to once or twice a week, and look up healthy choices on their website ahead of time.  Sometimes you just have to remind yourself  that your goals are your own and stick to them.

And lastly, plan, plan, plan!  When we work with clients one on one in our offices or during phone coaching sessions, we always ask questions like, what time do you have breakfast?  What time do you take  your lunch break?  When can you fit in an afternoon snack at work?  The reason for this is so we can map out a simple food plan that works for your lifestyle.  If you don't plan ahead of time, you may have to miss a meal, which will only cause you to overeat later on. 

Living a healthy lifestyle while having a career can happen with the right tools and strategies in place.  Good luck!

Although weight can be a factor in health and overall results, it is one of the most inaccurate markers for true success!  So many people are slaves to the scale and weigh themselves excessively, thus setting themselves up for dissapointment.  If your weight is up a few pounds, does it ruin your day?  Do you stress about the number on the scale? If so, this blog is for you.

As a nutrition and fitnesss expert, I do my best to teach my clients how to "step away from the scale" and understand their body to truly measure their progress.  What many people don't realize is the human body naturally fluctuates in weight anywhere from three to five pounds a day depending on water retention, if you ate a high sodium meal, lack of sleep, and even menstrual cycles. 

The most effective way to measure your physical progress is to understand Your body.  Is the waistline of your pants a little looser?  Does your coat or shirt button easier?  Are you looking slimmer in the mirror? Do you feel lighter on your feet?  All of these are indications of your body shifting and the fat melting away.

Another key point to recognize is that blood sugar stabilization is an incredibly unique scientific process in which you will lose body fat while building and protecting your lean muscle mass.  If your not losing muscle mass (which is your metabolism- you want to keep it and build it!), then the overall number on the scale sometimes doesn't change as much as it would if you were just "dieting".  Of course this varies depending on how much weight you have to lose but so often I hear a client say, "my clothes fit so much better and I look leaner, but the scale hasn't changed drastically."  My response?  "Great, your right on track!"

So my best advice is to "step away from that scale".  If you must weigh yourself do it only once a week, at the same time of day each time.  And keep in mind, it's only one small indication of success!

Valerie Cogswell

Head Chef and Nutrition Coach

There's a new place in the party scene for us so called "health nuts".  They're called "healthy cooking parties.".  I recently read a great article about this new phenomenon and even found out that a few of my clients do this regularly.  What's it all about?  Rather than friends getting together at restaurants, groups are gathering at someone's home with homemade and healthy dishes (recipe in tow to share) for a delicious and fun night.  Each party varies group to group but the overall theme is the same; share healthy and tasty food in hopes to motivate eachother to be fit without sacrificing fun.   Some creative ideas for your own healthy cooking party: hiring a chef to teach the group, pairing heart healthy red wines with various dishes and passing out binders for everyone to keep the recipes they accumulate.  Has anyone else held or been to a healthy cooking party?  If so, please share.

Thanks,

Valerie Cogswell

Nutrition Coach and Head Chef

As a nutrition coach and fitness enthusiast, one of the questions I am most often asked is, "How do I get great abs?".  Just ask anyone with a perfect six pack or flat and toned abdominals that question, and the one answer you WONT get is "Just do more crunches".  Sadly, that's one of the biggest mistakes I see; people  needlessly over-training their abdominals in hopes of fast results.  As many of you know, the only thing this method does is waste alot of precious time! 

Here's what you need to know to get great abs.  For starters, your diet is everything when it comes to getting flat and built abdominals.  I know you've heard us say it time and time again.  Stabilize your blood sugar consistently and your body will become a fat burning machine.  Improve your quality of foods (see your quality of food chart under your help support tab) and your body will become an even faster fat burning machine.  When your body is a fat burning machine, you lose body fat all over, including your mid section.  In all my years in this industry, I've yet to meet anyone with a six pack that has a terrible diet (unless you count the lucky few "genetically gifted" individuals out there.  Sadly, I'm not one of them!).

Next, cardio is critical to reveal any abdominal muscle you do have.  The trick with cardio is to train both your red and white muscle fibers for optimal results.  See your help support tab within your program for details on how to perform cardiovascular activity correctly.  Remember you can build great abdominal muscles and without the right cardio routine to melt the fat on top, no one will be able to see them! 

Next, crunches and abdominal work are very effective.....if done correctly.  A strong core routine will provide the foundation you need not only for great looking abs and also for injury prevention.  Invest in a personal trainer or a good book on abdominal training to learn  how to train your entire core in a variety of ways. There is a whole big world of ab exercises out there besides the traditional crunch!

What else do you need to know?  A big secret those who do have envy-worthy abs know:  Abdominals are like any other muscle; they must be properly exercised and PROPERLY RECOVERED to grow. Translation: train abs every other day or a total of 3 times per week so that your muscles have time to recover.  You wouldn't train your hamstrings every day so why over-train your abs?  Without proper recovery, your abs will never reach their full potential.

Sleep is another one of those overlooked but critical components to great abs; and a great body for that matter!  Restful, consistent sleep aids in recovery and is the foundation for a toned mid-section.  Again, see your help support tab for tips on how to create a good night's sleep.  Don't forget to check out this blog too- there's plenty of great tips here that will help.

And lastly, add what I like to call the "extras".  Being properly hydrated will flush out water weight and give you a flatter midsection.  Avoiding sodium and high sodium foods will help eliminate excess water weight and bloat too. 

Great abs are typically a combination of an optimal nutrition plan centered on blood sugar stabilization, a great ab routine, an efficient cardiovascular plan that includes both fat burning and interval training, consistent sleep and the "extras".  One thing to remember; though genetics determine alot of how we look, we each have the control to make the most of our bodies by the choices we make.  Good luck!

Valerie Cogswell

Head Chef and Nutrition Coach

Many of our nutrition members and clients have children and once they learn how to stabilize their own blood sugar, they are eager to teach their families how to do the same.  The challenge with children is they don't have the same tastes as adults or the same amount of disclipine (and they shouldn't, after all they're children!).  One of our clients who has a fussy family decided to invent a "game" in hopes to get her young children to recognize and aim for balanced meals.  As she and her husband make plates for their kids at dinner time, they actually ask their kids questions like, which food on the plate has protein?  Their kids have a fun competition with eachother trying to get the answer right.  This type of learning is effective because it's repetitive and engaging, and this particular family swears by it!

One of our goals at Venice Nutrition is to teach you how to use your time efficiently, particularly when your working out.  Let's face it; time is precious and if your taking an hour out of your day to invest in your body and health you should learn how to make every minute count. 

So why is a heart rate monitor so important?  Have you ever seen someone at the gym who trains every day yet their body never changes? Maybe he or she slaves away on the treadmill or in an aerobics class with no noticable results?  This is a great example of someone not using their time efficiently.  A heart rate monitor can help you to avoid this!

A heart rate monitor is typically a chest or wrist strap along with a "watch" that reads your heart beats per minute.  By monitoring your heart rate and staying in your individual "heart rate zone" you can ensure that you are breaking down body fat and protecting your hard earned lean muscle mass.  This is called red fiber of fat burning training, meaning training at a pace that you are breaking a great sweat but not out of breath.  Your individual target heart rate is given to you inside your personal plan.

We also need to train our "fast twitch" muscle fibers otherwise known as white fiber training.  This includes interval training; which can have a major and positive affect on your results, but only if done correctly.  Your heart rate monitor ensures that you are hitting the right intervals and making the most of the workout. 

See your personalized plan to get your target heart rate and make sure to read the cardiovascular sections in your online manual to learn how to perform both fat burning and interval training corrrectly.  Remember your time is important, and your results depend on it!

This time of year alot of my clients, myself included, travel for pleasure.  All too often, I see people try to go into "strict mode" with their nutrition and fitness leading up to their vacation and as soon as they get to their destination, all bets are off!  We are all guilty of this; we eat and drink to excess and blow off exercising altogether.  The challenge is how sluggish, discouraged and heavy we feel once we get home.  To counter this, I like to give my clients the "fast four" tips to bring with them on their trip so they stay in control and maintain their results while away.  First, I recommend to pack the right "tools"; plenty of protein bars, nuts, dried fruit, protein powder, and water for the plane or car ride and for quick snacks inbetween meals.  The second rule of thumb is to drink more water than usual to ward off bloating and fatigue and to prevent overeating.  The third rule is to have only one "off" meal per day.  For example, if you know that you plan on having a big dinner with drinks, aim to eat a balanced breakfast and lunch with snacks inbetween (for ideas look through your meal plan book and don't be afraid to ask your server for healthy suggestions).  Lastly, aim for "fun" exercise every other day. Maybe it's a walk on the beach or kayaking lessons; take advantage of your new surroundings!  The "fast four" will keep you in control of your body and your health even while having the time of your life on vacation!  Remember, your goal is not necessarily to achieve any new goals while away, but to simply maintain all that you have worked so hard for.  Have a great trip!

Valerie Cogswell

Head Chef and Nutrition Coach

We were recently working with one of our phone coaching clients and he brought up an excellent issue when it comes to nutrition.  One of the meals in his plan called for chicken tacos. He frequently goes to a casual fast food mexican themed restaurant where he tries to order a healthy version of the taco dish described in his meal plan.  We immediately recommended that he go online to the restaurant's website to view the nutrition information.  Most restaurants, particularly chain restaurants and fast food joints now include the nutrition information on their menu items so their customers can make healthy and informed choices.  Going out to eat is a fact of life for most of us, and a fun one at that!  We highly recommend that you check out your favorite restaurant's websites for nutrition data so you can make the best choices possible.  Often times there are simple and healthy substitutions that can make all the difference in your results.

A balanced diet is critical for everyone, including children, for long term health and weight management. By learning how to stabilize your blood sugar and eat correctly, you can easily pass on your knowledge of great nutrition and health to your family.

Teaching your children how to balance their meals by showing them examples of protein, carbohydrates and fat, is a simple and fun way that you can educate him or her on how to eat correctly. Please keep in mind that a child does not need to count grams of protein, carbohydrate and fat or follow strict nutritional parameters. The goal is to teach them how to create somewhat balanced meals. For example, instead of a handful of crackers as a snack, teach your child to include a string cheese on the side for protein and fat. Also encourage your child to eat frequently to keep energy high and prevent low blood sugar.

Another great exercise to teach children is how to incorporate higher quality foods into their every day diet. For example, whole wheat bread in place of white bread will add a boost of fiber, vitamins and minerals and will keep your child satisfied longer. Low sodium and low fat deli meats, such as low sodium turkey and ham, are great replacements for bologna and salami. Lunchbox snacks such as fruit and nuts are healthy options that pair nicely with a sandwich.

Water and low sugar drinks will keep your child hydrated without elevating their blood sugar levels. Protein Smoothies made with skim milk and fruit and peanut butter or nuts are a quick and tasty snack for children as well.

Dinner with the family is the perfect time to create a balanced meal. If for instance, you have prepared pasta and marinara sauce for dinner, please make sure to add a high quality protein such as grilled chicken, to the meal. Please see the Forum Tab for great recipes that you can share with your family.

I’m a huge fan of eggs because they are a great source of protein and fat, they’re inexpensive and quick to make.  I find that so many of my clients don’t utilize eggs enough in their diet so I wanted to share some creative ways to enjoy them.  Breakfast is obvious- scrambled, omelets, sunny side- up, etc.  But how about a breakfast burrito?  Wrap cooked eggs in a whole wheat tortilla with cheese, veggies, and salsa.  Roll in foil and you’ve got a meal on the go.  I also love to scramble eggs with brown rice, low sodium soy sauce, a little peanut oil and chopped carrots, onions and peas for a quick “fried rice”.  And who says you can’t serve a big omelet with whole wheat pancakes for dinner?  Kids love it, and it’s an easy meal anyone can make.  Please share your favorite egg recipes!

-Venice Nutrition  Head Chef,   Valerie Cogswell   

As much experience as our team of nutrition and fitness professionals have working out in the gym, we know that the same old routine day in and day out can get stale, both mentally and physically.  By changing your workouts and trying new classes and endeavors, you can avoid the dreaded “plateau” that so many of us get caught up on.  How do you find something new that you’ll actually enjoy?  Re-discover what you loved as a kid.  Maybe it was dancing, roller blading or swimming.  Chances are these are still activities that you’ll thrive in to this day.  Find a new workout trainer or friend to keep your workouts fresh.  Some of the easiest ways to scout out a new partner is to speak to your gym and ask if they have a “buddy” system or could suggest someone to pair you up with.  Talk to people in your health club to see what trainers have the best track record and are a good match for you.  And don’t forget to grab a copy of the fitness class calendar that comes out each month and give a few new classes a try.  Many people find that a fun and structured class is just what they need to get to that next level.  Change can be intimidating for many of us and it always gets easier.  Keep your mind open to exploring new activities and your body will thank you for it.

We all know how challenging it can be to fit in a half- hour to an hour a day of exercise. And most of us also know how important that hour of exercise is both mentally and physically.  That hour is your “me time” and it is incredibly important.  It’s your time to unwind and relax.  Physically that hour keeps your bones healthy, strengthens your muscles and immune system and brings you one step closer to the physique you’re trying to achieve.  So how can we all find the time to fit exercise into our hectic day?  The first step is considering your workout a “necessary” part of the day, just like brushing your teeth or paying bills.  Take the time each day to add it to your appointment book (in ink!) and you will be more likely to stick to it.  Most of our members find that even if they promise themselves to workout for only 15 minutes, they will keep going because of the endorphins they feel.  Will you have days, even weeks, when your workout schedule becomes irregular, and working out falls a notch on the priority list? Absolutely.  Our best advice for fitting in your “me time” is making yourself a promise to make it happen.  We all have 24 hours in the day; it’s up to us how we choose to use them. 

Did you know that the number one way to reach your nutrition and fitness goals is as simple as getting enough sleep?  Most of us will notice that we are much hungrier than usual and craving sweets like crazy when we are sleep deprived.  Not to mention, we lack the energy to get up and get moving.  For any of you out there who have experienced sudden changes in life (a new baby, a new job, family, stress), you know how much skipping sleep can hurt.  Here are a few excellent tips to help you get the sleep you need and deserve.  It begins with accepting the fact that life will get crazy at times and letting some of the worry and stress go.   If you missed out on an hour of sleep last night, make it a point to get to bed an hour earlier tonight with a good book to relax.  At the end of the day, try writing your to-do list of everything that needs to get done the following day.  Taking all the stress off of your mind and putting it on paper will clear your head for the night and allow you to relax. Make sure to create a comfortable sleep environment, an incredibly important (but often overlooked!) factor.   Invest in a quality bed (shop around to see what feels best for you) soft sheets, along with a dark curtain to keep the morning sun out of your eyes.   Remember, the quality of your sleep is just as important as the quantity.  For more effective tips on learning to improve your sleep, please see your online member handbook.

Nicole Hilburt, RD,CNSD Director of Dietetics