For those of you interested in earning a Nutrition Certification and becoming a Certified Nutrition Coach you may have been wondering if you can legally teach/coach nutrition even though you do not have a Bachelor's degree in Nutrition.  The answer is Yes you can, through Venice Nutrition and the IBNFC.

Since each state views Nutrition like a Licensed service, the Dietetic Association of each state created a Law to confirm that all nutritional advice was being given by qualified health professionals. Below is a link to the website that provides additional information regarding the Dietetic Laws of each state. You will also find the Exception to the Law that a Nutrition Coach Certification by the IBNFC and Venice Nutrition falls under.

Because of the Credential’s of the Venice Nutrition Medical Board, the Advanced Certification Course Curriculum & the Robust Venice Nutrition Software System, any individual that becomes Certified as an IBNFC Nutrition Coach & utilizes the Venice Nutrition Software System CAN Legally Teach Nutrition throughout the Continental US.

This is the link that describes the Nutrition Laws of each state:

http://www.cdrnet.org/certifications/licensure/index.htm

For states that have this law in place, below is the necessary requirement and the exception to the law that Venice Nutrition, LLC and IBNFC certified Nutrition Coaches fall under. The IBNFC governs and confirms all Certifications and content of the entire Venice Nutrition System. The Title below is taken from Georgia Licensure Law, the same exact law, with the same verbiage, is used by the other states that enforce the Dietetics Practice Act.

TITLE 43, PROFESSIONS AND BUSINESSES CHAPTER 11A. DIETETICS PRACTICE ACT.

43-11A-18 Exceptions

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect:

7. PERSONS WHO PROVIDE WEIGHT CONTROL SERVICES, provided the weight control program has been reviewed by, consultation is available from, and no program change can be initiated without the prior approval of either a dietitian licensed under this chapter, a dietitian licensed in another state which has licensure requirements which are substantially equal to the requirements contained in this act, or a registered dietitian

_________________________________________________

For more information on becoming a Certified Nutrition Coach through Venice Nutrition please visit our Certification page on our Health Professionals website.

Thank you for your interest in Venice Nutrition.

We’ve all seen the commercials.  A perfectly fit and toned woman is lying down (clearly not exercising!) in the tiniest pair of short shorts with a pair of bright pink and silver sneakers on.  Her legs are long and toned, her glutes contain no cellulite and her calves are perfectly formed.  And she got all of this from her sneakers?  What gives?

If you’re like me, you’re probably a skeptic.  After all, I get more inquiries about the newest fitness gadgets from my clients and friends than I can keep up with.  I watch the newest trends come and go daily and like I tell everyone, “Trends come and go but eating correctly and working out correctly always works!”  That being said, these new “magic sneakers” have intrigued me enough to do a little research.

So how does these shoes work?  Though I don’t own a pair (they’re expensive!), I can speculate.  If you’ve ever used a bosu ball (that half ball type contraption most likely located in the stretching area at your gym), then you get the idea.  There is almost a mini-bosu ball under the ball and heal of the shoe, forcing your balancing muscles to work harder.  As a health professional, this makes sense to me.

According to Reebok, “Easy Tone is designed to give definition to your legs and butt.  Simply walk and let the balance pod under your shoes do the rest.  The slight instability created by the pod forces your muscles to work a little harder, toning you up as you strut.  The more you walk, the more you’ll tone.  Technically speaking your gluteas maximus muscles will get 28% more of a workout.  And your hamstrings and calves will have to try 11% harder”.  Even I have to admit, I’m a little impressed.

According to the ratings I found on the site and elsewhere on the internet, these shoes are incredibly comfortable, like walking on sand.  Others said they could “see a difference in their legs and glutes” and really felt that difference while walking and doing their daily activities.  The one interesting fact I noticed while reading the reviews is that the majority of women said that they are now walking more.  I’m wondering if the actual purchase of the sneakers has encouraged and motivated them to walk more and perhaps is responsible for the tighter legs and glutes? 

In my opinion, I would have to guess that these shoes would force you to target your balancing muscles, thus creating more of a burn and possibly increased tone.  Buying the shoes won’t bring results, walking in them and using them might!  Which brings me back to my original belief of eating correctly and working out correctly and regularly is what works, always!   Will I try them? Probably not.  As someone who struggles with SI Joint, back and hip problems, constant instability is the last thing I need.  That being said, if you’re interested in using these sneakers and have any health issues such as back or hip problems, I would recommend that you speak to your doctor or physical therapist first. 

If anyone out there has tried the Easy Tone sneakers, I would love to get your feedback! 

My best,

Valerie Cogswell
Lead Nutrition Coach and Head Chef

*info derived from www.Reebok.com/EasyTone and www.examiner.com

If you’ve ever struggled with digestive disturbances like gas, bloating, constipation or diarrhea, then you know how easily these symptoms can ruin your day.  Dealing with the strains of a turbulent stomach is uncomfortable to say the least, and if your symptoms are chronic, it’s even more of a pain.  For those struggling with more severe bowel problems such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and even Chron’s disease, it’s a daily struggle to keep a handle on symptoms and live a normal lifestyle.  The positive news is many are able to help regain balance within the digestive system the natural and easy way with the help of a certain bacteria known as probiotics.

You may be thinking, “But isn’t bacteria a bad thing?”  The answer is not necessarily, in fact, certain bacteria are helpful in balancing the colon.    Approximately 100 trillion microorganisms already live in our bowels, helping us to better absorb nutrients, guarding against bad bacteria and even helping to improve our immune function.

As experts continue their research in bacteria, it has been proven that live bacteria like probiotics work with us, not against us, in combating digestive disturbances.  According to experts, there are many health benefits of probiotics.  These may include assisting those with lactose intolerance, enhancing the immune system, re-balancing one’s digestive system after the use of antibiotics, managing relapse of certain inflammatory bowel conditions, decreasing the risk of some types of cancers, and even may improve vaginal health in women. 

As research continues, the market for probiotics has exploded in both supplement  and dairy form (yogurt is a great source of live bacteria).  As a Nutrition Coach who has been using probiotics for two years, I can honestly say that my digestion has never been better.  I’m less bloated with fewer instances of “stomach woes” and all the happier for it!  After struggling with “issues” for years, my new GI doctor recommended probiotics (for me, he specifically recommended Accuflora) as a natural therapy and it has been incredibly effective.  If you are struggling with digestive disturbances, or a bowel disease, or just interested in living a healthier lifestyle, I recommend that you speak to your doctor and see if probiotics can help you.  He or she can help determine what kind and how much probiotics will be most beneficial for you.

Live well.

My best,

Valerie Cogswell
Lead Nutrition Coach and Head Chef

At Venice Nutrition, we’ve written quite a few blogs and articles over the years on how to survive Thanksgiving while maintaining your health goals.  We’ve talked about how to best prepare for this food-filled holiday while providing you with realistic tips and tricks on how to enjoy the festivities without going overboard.  And of course we highly recommend that you read those blogs (“Thanksgiving- How To Stay On Course With Your Nutrition” and “Holiday Secrets From A Nutrition Coach and Chef”) to help arm yourself with realistic ways to feel your best this Thanksgiving.

As important as these blogs are, this year we decided to do something a little differently.  We wanted to help you on how to not only survive Thanksgiving, but provide you with a game plan for the next day!  For some, it takes only one day of indulging to fall off track, and that is why this blog is so important; use it as your blue print to stay committed to your health and get back on course to achieving your goals.  Here’s your day-after survival plan.

1.        When you over-indulge (as most of us do on Thanksgiving), your blood sugar levels spike, only to crash a few hours later.  It’s important to be aware that when your blood sugar levels raise and dip, you will feel the effects the next day (and possible for a few days after).  You may feel tired, cranky and crave carbohydrates more than usual.  If you’ve had alcohol, you may be feeling even worse.  Rather than give in to the crash and fuel up on more fat and carbs, the best thing to do the next day is to eat balanced meals one hour within waking and every 3 or 4 hours until you go to sleep.  The sooner you eat balanced meals again, the quicker you’ll get back into fat burning mode.  This will allow you to re-stabilize your blood sugar and get your body back into a balanced state, making you feel better sooner.

2.        If you’re the host of Thanksgiving dinner, you probably have a lot of not-so-healthy leftovers.  Try storing some of these leftovers in the back of the fridge (or in another fridge away from the main kitchen if you have one).  This will help you to avoiding “picking” out of the fridge.    Another option is to send home leftovers with guests.  The old saying, “out of sight, out of mind” really applies here!

3.       If you do want leftovers, aim for the healthier ones such as white breast turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and vegetables.  Watch portion sizes and try to create a balanced plate of protein, carbohydrates and fat.

4.       Drink extra water.  Chances are, you probably consumed more salt than you normally would at Thanksgiving, and may be experiencing some bloating.  Increasing your H20 intake slightly can help to alleviate this and ward off carb cravings.

5.       Don’t forget to exercise.  Even if you have only 20 minutes the day after the holiday, take the time to work out.  A power walk outdoors or a quick lifting session will rejuvenate you, burn excess calories and get your body back in fat burning mode.  If you’re feeling stressed from the holiday, a yoga video, meditation or a pilates class is a great way to re-center yourself.

6.       Make an extra effort to stay on track the following week.  If you’ve consumed too much on Thanksgiving, avoiding excess cheat meals and eating cleaner the following week can help balance the equation.

And lastly, remember Thanksgiving is meant to be enjoyed.  Even the fittest and healthiest people indulge occassionally!  The key is to get yourself right back on track as soon as you can.  Balance is always key to long term success.

We wish you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.  Enjoy!

Our best,

The Venice Nutrition Team

If you’ve got picky eaters who don’t like the taste or texture of traditional whole wheat bread, the new white “whole wheat” breads may be a great solution.  After all, what’s better than bread that looks and tastes like the traditional white bread variety but has the nutrition of whole wheat?

Unlike regular white bread, white “whole wheat” bread contains all of the whole grain and has the same fiber and nutrients as regular wheat bread.  The difference is, it is made of a certain variety of wheat that is paler in color and has a milder flavor, and there for well tolerated by white bread lovers!

When shopping for bread, aim for a product with at least two grams of fiber, and preferably three per slice.   Take a moment to read the ingredient list as well.  The most nutritious products will list “whole” (whole grain or whole wheat) as the first ingredient.

Eat well.

The Venice Nutrition Team

*info derived from www.mayoclinic.com

Chances are if you’ve sat in front of your television lately, you’ve watched more than a few commercials promoting the health benefits of vegetable juice.  After all, we know we need veggies and isn’t it easier to gulp them down in 30 seconds then actually peel, chop, cook and prep them?  As a Nutrition Coach and health nut who enjoys anything convenient that helps me to live a better lifestyle, I decided to do a little research.

According to V8, the most well known vegetable juice company, 7 out of 10 adults don’t get their daily recommended amount of vegetable servings.  In order to help address this concern, V8 has a new mission; to create a diverse line of products to make it easier for adults to reach their recommended 2-3 cups of veggies per day.  The result?  In addition to their line of 100% vegetable juices, V8 has also introduced a new line of vegetable and fruit juice combinations that are more sweet than savory. 

According to experts, 100% vegetable juice can help you to increase your daily servings of veggies.  Vegetable juice is also an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.  The only drawback?  Vegetable juice can also be high in sodium (a concern for those with high blood pressure) and lacks the amount of fiber found in whole vegetables in their natural state.  It’s important to note, however, that V8 does make a low sodium version of their famous vegetable juice.

So what’s the bottom line?  In my opinion, I believe that the occasional glass of vegetable juice is a great way to load up on your vegetable intake, but should never completely replace whole vegetables in your diet.   In addition to being lower in sodium and higher in fiber, whole, natural vegetables are also digested more slowly in your body compared to a liquid.  This helps to keep your blood sugar more stable, allowing you to reach your goals faster.    So enjoy the occasional glass of vegetable juice but keep your fresh veggies as the front runner!

Eat well.

My best,

Valerie Cogswell
Head Chef and Lead Venice Nutrition Coach

*information derived from www.v8.com and www.mayoclinic.com

Did you know that beef is the #1 protein source of Vitamin B12 and Zinc?  Although beef is sometimes unfairly thought of as unhealthy, the truth is, beef is one of the most nutrient rich foods available.  The key is choosing the leanest cuts of beef to gain the extraordinary health benefits while avoiding any unnecessary fat.  Below are the best of the best to choose from.

Extra Lean Beef (3.5 ounce portion containing less than 5 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol)

Eye of Round Roast
Top Round Steak
Mock Tender Steak
Bottom Round Roast
Top Sirloin Steak

Lean beef  (3.5 ounce portion containing less than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol)

Round steak
95% lean ground beef
Chuck shoulder roast
Arm pot roast
Shoulder steak
Strip steak
Tenderloin steak
T-bone steak

While shopping for beef, pay careful attention to the cut.  “Prime” is typically higher in fat while “Choice” or “Select” are leaner.  And of course, beef should be eaten in moderation.   For most healthy individuals, it’s fine to eat beef a couple of times a week.

Our best,

The Venice Nutrition Team

*research found on ask.com  © 1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER).

The holidays are well on their way (it’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is just around the corner!).  This time of year the average person gains only a few pounds.  The challenge is, most of us don’t lose those few extra pounds and over the years this weight gain really adds up. 
 
So what’s the solution?  How can you avoid gaining even a few pounds over the holiday season?  The trick is to prepare yourself NOW.  By creating a healthy game plan today, you can avoid that seasonal weight gain by the time Thanksgiving rolls around.  We asked a few of our most successful members how they prepare for the festivities.  Here’s what they had to share.

“Because most of the parties take place over the weekend, I try to eat cleaner, more natural meals during the week.  This way, if I over-do it a bit during a holiday meal, it’s not as big of a deal.  I also try to not cheat during the week and save my indulgences for the actual holiday meal or party.”      Janine, 38 years old

“I increase the intensity of my workouts to help off-set the holiday food.   I also add in more interval training."  Devin, 45 years old

“I can’t stress enough how much journaling helps me during the holidays. I stay accountable to myself and seeing my choices on paper is always a real eye opener.”    Michelle, 27 years old

“Working with my nutrition coach saves me every holiday season. I’m happy to say that I don’t gain over the holidays, just maintain, which is exactly what I need.  My coach helps me to set goals and stick to them.  Without the extra support and motivation, I probably would gain weight.”    Annie, 58 years old

“My belt keeps me in check.  If it’s getting tight, I cut back on the cheating.  Always works for me.”  Nick, 27 years old

Let us know your best tip to get you through the holidays.  We’d love to hear from you!

Our best,

The Venice Nutrition Team

Whether your long term goal is to increase your energy, drop a few pant sizes or lose 40 pounds, it truly is an amazing feeling once you reach it.  If you’ve been successful in reaching even one of the goals you have set for yourself, then you know what I’m talking about.  There is nothing like that powerful sense of satisfaction in knowing that you set a goal and worked diligently towards achieving it.  But finally reaching your goals can often lead to another emotion you may not be prepared for…… anxiety!  The “Well, now what do I do?” can lead some people to worry how to actually maintain their new lifestyle and the results they’ve achieved.  As a Nutrition Coach and proud success story myself, I understand.  Here are some alternative ways to keep the momentum going!

1.  Congratulate yourself constantly.   Remind yourself on a regular basis of all that you have accomplished.  Never downplay how hard you’ve worked or put yourself down.  If you’ve made the commitment to prepare meals ahead of time, eat out less, work out more, etc., then you deserve accolades and the most powerful ones come from within.  Acknowledging all that you have accomplished can help prevent you from going backwards and propel you to move forward.  After all, once you’ve achieved even one of your goals, you just know you can accomplish anything!

2.  Inspire someone else.  You may notice that once you’ve become a success story, you’re  likely to inspire someone else (a coworker, friend, spouse, family member) to want the same thing.  This is a fantastic opportunity to help someone else to feel as great as you do, while also keeping yourself on the right track.  Buddy up, workout together and discuss healthy meal options.  As a mentor, you are more likely to keep up with your healthy lifestyle….because someone may be counting on you to inspire them to keep up with theirs!  Love the idea of being an inspiration to others?  Interested in becoming a licensed Venice Nutrition Coach?  Check out www.venicenutrition.com/healthpro .  Many of our coaches nationwide started off as clients just like you!

3.  Keep it fresh.  So you’ve reached your goals.  Now’s the time where so many people become complacent and stop challenging themselves or learning new things.  My invitation to you is to continue to switch it up.  Try a new class at the gym or a new form of cardio.  Try a cooking class or a new healthy recipe (for new and delicious meal ideas, see your Recipes tab).  Keeping it fresh keeps you challenged and that keeps the momentum going!

4.  Stay involved.  At Venice Nutrition, our entire team prides ourselves on providing our members with the most cutting edge information and the highest level of support.  Stay involved by taking advantage of these tools and support.  Talk to other members and coaches nationwide on the forum.  Listen to a webinar with creator of Venice Nutrition, Mark MacDonald, and learn from the best!  Keep up with the blogs and health articles and stay on top of the e-newsletters.  Even as a Nutrition Coach, I recognize that I can always learn something new that keeps me going, and so can you.  You can find the webinars, blogs and articles under your Education Tab in your personal online system.  To speak to members and nutrition coaches nationwide to share tips, success stories and get advice, check out the Forum Tab.

5.  Set new goals.  If you’ve already reached your goals, it’s time to make new ones.  Take a few moments to figure out what’s important to you.  Perhaps you would like to increase your cardio endurance and plan to add interval training into your weekly routine.  Maybe you would like to increase core strength or eat higher quality, more natural foods.  Establish your goals and make a plan towards achieving them…… I have no doubt you’ll reach them!

Congratulations on achieving your goals.  Keep reaching for the stars and never forget to reward yourself along the way!

My best,

Valerie Cogswell
Lead Nutrition Coach and Head Chef