Friday, September 17, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Jason' Top 10 Beach Body Secrets
- excerpted from the July, 2010 Smart Fitness Newsletter by Catalyst Fitness
If you know me by now, you can probably guess that the first thing I’m going to say is that anything that promises quick weight loss can quickly be tossed out the window. However, there are a few things that I would recommend if you want to drop a few pounds of body fat the right way… and possibly quickly. So, here is the list of my Top 10 Beach Body Secrets:
#1 - Get Your Mind Right
Focus and commitment are the number 1 prerequisite if you would like to change your body. Ask yourself, “If you could achieve anything with your body and you got everything you wanted physically, what would be different?”
Honestly folks, what would that look like? How would it feel? If this is truly what you want for yourself physically, then what is stopping you from wholeheartedly committing to yourself? I suggest that you write it down. Put it on paper. Let’s stop dreaming and start achieving!
#2 - Remind Yourself Daily
You know as well as I do that we all have moments of weakness. We are human after all! Committing to a goal one day will not feel or look the same the next day. If you want to lose body fat, remind yourself daily about your goal. If you are a visual person, take a picture of yourself and hang it where you will see it every day. Or maybe a picture of what you want to look like will be better for you. Either way, at the beginning of the day, tell yourself exactly how the day will unfold in terms of physical activity and your eating. Otherwise, the day will get away from you and decisions will be made on the fly… and very often, those type of decisions are not the best.
#3 - Drink Water
Fat “burning” is affected by how well you are hydrated. Water is the single most important thing that you need to ingest. Every moment, a countless number of chemical reactions are taking place in your body. For each one, water is needed. Without the proper amounts of water, these reactions become inefficient. This can drain you of energy, cause your body to function poorly, lead to sickness, and your body may go into a water retention mode. Plus, dehydration can slow your metabolism (your body’s calorie burning processes) by nearly half of what it would be otherwise. A good, quick calculation would be to multiply your bodyweight (lbs.) by 0.5. This number would be the minimum amount of ounces of water per day that you should intake.
#4 - Exercise Vigorously
I should probably clarify this a little bit. What is vigorous for me may not be the same for you and vice-versa. You should exercise as vigorously as you can more days per week than you are not. Some days, this could be a longer duration workout. Other days, it may only be a 15 minute mini-workout. Either way, when you choose to do it, challenge yourself. There are people that I know who will be greatly challenged by standing up and down out of a chair 10 times and then walking a lap around the room. If that is you, so be it….but do it daily until it becomes easier. Then, increase the challenge. Others that I know can exercise much harder than that for 15 minutes and find a quick, beneficial workout that will burn a bunch of calories. Either way, challenge yourself to improve. If you want your body to change, you have to make it change! There are very few excuses for not being able to find time for a workout.
Which brings me to…
#5 - Be Consistent!
This could quite possibly be the most important bit of fitness advice that you will ever hear. Those who are the most consistent are the most successful. Exercise is not an “only when it is convenient” thing. The same applies when it comes to making good eating choices. Exercise and eating properly are not something that can be effective when approached with an “all-or-nothing sprint to the goal” mentality. Be the tortoise and not the hare. Your beach body can come faster than you think when you adopt this approach. However, progress is progress no matter how fast it comes. When using the correct methods, the only thing that will stop you from reaching your goal is quitting! The philosopher Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” I agree.
#6 - Eat Food, Not Products
Our bodies were designed to eat, digest, absorb, and utilize food. The problem lies in the fact that most of us are completely confused on what food actually is. What is food? Is corn food? What about corn chips? Is a pork chop food? What about a hotdog that contains pork? Food that will give your body the nutrients it needs as well as allow you body to digest and absorb properly is very hard to find in a box or a can. If you want to get your body functioning well and are looking for that beach body, then eat foods that are as close to their natural source as possible! When trying to choose what to eat, the question to ask is “where did it come from?” The best choices are the ones that have an easy answer to that question. “It came from the ground!” “It came from a tree!” “It’s a fish from a river!” The worst answers would be something along the lines of, “well, this ingredient came from a food processing plant, this one came from a chemical plant, this one...well I’m not really sure what this one is, but this one is a berry extract!” So often today, we are given products to eat and are told that they are food. Don’t believe it. Not only are they stripped of nutrients, but your body usually doesn’t have to work very hard to digest it. Then, you are missing out on a significant amount of calorie burning that would come from digesting real food. Processed, refined food is basically pre-digested; which means that it can absorb very quickly which can quickly cause body fat storage.
#7 - Eat Lean Protein At Each Meal
Your body utilizes protein for countless purposes in the body. Plus, protein is used to rebuild and repair muscle tissue. Muscle is the active tissue in your body. It is what “burns” body fat. The only location in your body where body fat is broken down and converted into energy is inside of each muscle cell. Thus, to lose body fat, you must optimize the muscle tissue on your body. In order to do this, you need protein. Also, the act of digesting protein plays a large role in your daily caloric burn rate. Your body has to work hard to digest protein. Foods like eggs, chicken, turkey, buffalo, ostrich, salmon, shrimp, and lean beef are an important part of improving your metabolism. Try to avoid commercially raised livestock as much as possible. Free range meat and wild caught fish are much better choices.
#8 - Eat Every 3 Hours
If you are eating lean protein and good, quality carbs about every 3 hours throughout the day, then your body will incinerate body fat at a high level. I know that this sounds contradictory to almost every diet and weight loss center claim. However, if diets and caloric deprivation worked, then there would be no such thing as an obesity epidemic. Diets don’t work. Proper exercise and feeding the body what it needs DOES. Think of your metabolism as a fire burning inside of you. You need to feed the fire to get it to burn hot! If you want to know the real effects that caloric deprivation has on the body, then stay tuned for my article in the August newsletter.
I suggest that, regardless of time of day, you should seek out and be prepared for a meal every 3 hours that consists of visually-equal serving sizes of lean protein, a starchy carb, and a fibrous carb.
#9 - Exercise With Resistance
There are many ways to exercise and challenge the body. Most of them are great. There is no one video, exercise machine, or program that is the universal answer for everybody. However, in order to lose body fat, resistance exercise must be included at some level. The resistance can come from weights, rubber bands, machines, a wheelbarrow full of rocks, or in some cases even your own bodyweight. Whatever the source, you need to challenge your muscles. This is key. The fear of “bulking-up” has prevented many people from realizing their beach body dreams because they have avoided strength training. I suggest weights first, cardio immediately after. Modern technology and conveniences have caused our population to challenge their bodies much less than ever before. We simply pick-up, carry, and lift much less than we ever did before. As a result, many of us are simply not used to challenging the body. The resulting weakness and less muscle development leads to lower metabolism, higher fat accumulation, and low energy levels. If you want to lose fat, then lift weights (just do it properly...hint… we would be happy to show you how.)
#10 - The Magic Bullet Only Shoots You In The Foot
Bottom line, there is no magic bullet. If there was, believe me, I would tell you! Starving yourself, wrapping yourself in a thermal body wrap, taking a pill, getting an injection, drinking a shake, electrocuting yourself, rubbing a cream on your skin, cleansing yourself, baking yourself in a sauna, and vibrating belts are examples of “Magic Bullets.” They DO NOT WORK. So stop wasting your time and money on them. Stop falling for them. Ignore them. Don’t give them the time of day. Stop grasping at straws and start exercising, feeding yourself properly, and stick to it!! Don’t stop!!
If you know me by now, you can probably guess that the first thing I’m going to say is that anything that promises quick weight loss can quickly be tossed out the window. However, there are a few things that I would recommend if you want to drop a few pounds of body fat the right way… and possibly quickly. So, here is the list of my Top 10 Beach Body Secrets:
#1 - Get Your Mind Right
Focus and commitment are the number 1 prerequisite if you would like to change your body. Ask yourself, “If you could achieve anything with your body and you got everything you wanted physically, what would be different?”
Honestly folks, what would that look like? How would it feel? If this is truly what you want for yourself physically, then what is stopping you from wholeheartedly committing to yourself? I suggest that you write it down. Put it on paper. Let’s stop dreaming and start achieving!
#2 - Remind Yourself Daily
You know as well as I do that we all have moments of weakness. We are human after all! Committing to a goal one day will not feel or look the same the next day. If you want to lose body fat, remind yourself daily about your goal. If you are a visual person, take a picture of yourself and hang it where you will see it every day. Or maybe a picture of what you want to look like will be better for you. Either way, at the beginning of the day, tell yourself exactly how the day will unfold in terms of physical activity and your eating. Otherwise, the day will get away from you and decisions will be made on the fly… and very often, those type of decisions are not the best.
#3 - Drink Water
Fat “burning” is affected by how well you are hydrated. Water is the single most important thing that you need to ingest. Every moment, a countless number of chemical reactions are taking place in your body. For each one, water is needed. Without the proper amounts of water, these reactions become inefficient. This can drain you of energy, cause your body to function poorly, lead to sickness, and your body may go into a water retention mode. Plus, dehydration can slow your metabolism (your body’s calorie burning processes) by nearly half of what it would be otherwise. A good, quick calculation would be to multiply your bodyweight (lbs.) by 0.5. This number would be the minimum amount of ounces of water per day that you should intake.
#4 - Exercise Vigorously
I should probably clarify this a little bit. What is vigorous for me may not be the same for you and vice-versa. You should exercise as vigorously as you can more days per week than you are not. Some days, this could be a longer duration workout. Other days, it may only be a 15 minute mini-workout. Either way, when you choose to do it, challenge yourself. There are people that I know who will be greatly challenged by standing up and down out of a chair 10 times and then walking a lap around the room. If that is you, so be it….but do it daily until it becomes easier. Then, increase the challenge. Others that I know can exercise much harder than that for 15 minutes and find a quick, beneficial workout that will burn a bunch of calories. Either way, challenge yourself to improve. If you want your body to change, you have to make it change! There are very few excuses for not being able to find time for a workout.
Which brings me to…
#5 - Be Consistent!
This could quite possibly be the most important bit of fitness advice that you will ever hear. Those who are the most consistent are the most successful. Exercise is not an “only when it is convenient” thing. The same applies when it comes to making good eating choices. Exercise and eating properly are not something that can be effective when approached with an “all-or-nothing sprint to the goal” mentality. Be the tortoise and not the hare. Your beach body can come faster than you think when you adopt this approach. However, progress is progress no matter how fast it comes. When using the correct methods, the only thing that will stop you from reaching your goal is quitting! The philosopher Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” I agree.
#6 - Eat Food, Not Products
Our bodies were designed to eat, digest, absorb, and utilize food. The problem lies in the fact that most of us are completely confused on what food actually is. What is food? Is corn food? What about corn chips? Is a pork chop food? What about a hotdog that contains pork? Food that will give your body the nutrients it needs as well as allow you body to digest and absorb properly is very hard to find in a box or a can. If you want to get your body functioning well and are looking for that beach body, then eat foods that are as close to their natural source as possible! When trying to choose what to eat, the question to ask is “where did it come from?” The best choices are the ones that have an easy answer to that question. “It came from the ground!” “It came from a tree!” “It’s a fish from a river!” The worst answers would be something along the lines of, “well, this ingredient came from a food processing plant, this one came from a chemical plant, this one...well I’m not really sure what this one is, but this one is a berry extract!” So often today, we are given products to eat and are told that they are food. Don’t believe it. Not only are they stripped of nutrients, but your body usually doesn’t have to work very hard to digest it. Then, you are missing out on a significant amount of calorie burning that would come from digesting real food. Processed, refined food is basically pre-digested; which means that it can absorb very quickly which can quickly cause body fat storage.
#7 - Eat Lean Protein At Each Meal
Your body utilizes protein for countless purposes in the body. Plus, protein is used to rebuild and repair muscle tissue. Muscle is the active tissue in your body. It is what “burns” body fat. The only location in your body where body fat is broken down and converted into energy is inside of each muscle cell. Thus, to lose body fat, you must optimize the muscle tissue on your body. In order to do this, you need protein. Also, the act of digesting protein plays a large role in your daily caloric burn rate. Your body has to work hard to digest protein. Foods like eggs, chicken, turkey, buffalo, ostrich, salmon, shrimp, and lean beef are an important part of improving your metabolism. Try to avoid commercially raised livestock as much as possible. Free range meat and wild caught fish are much better choices.
#8 - Eat Every 3 Hours
If you are eating lean protein and good, quality carbs about every 3 hours throughout the day, then your body will incinerate body fat at a high level. I know that this sounds contradictory to almost every diet and weight loss center claim. However, if diets and caloric deprivation worked, then there would be no such thing as an obesity epidemic. Diets don’t work. Proper exercise and feeding the body what it needs DOES. Think of your metabolism as a fire burning inside of you. You need to feed the fire to get it to burn hot! If you want to know the real effects that caloric deprivation has on the body, then stay tuned for my article in the August newsletter.
I suggest that, regardless of time of day, you should seek out and be prepared for a meal every 3 hours that consists of visually-equal serving sizes of lean protein, a starchy carb, and a fibrous carb.
#9 - Exercise With Resistance
There are many ways to exercise and challenge the body. Most of them are great. There is no one video, exercise machine, or program that is the universal answer for everybody. However, in order to lose body fat, resistance exercise must be included at some level. The resistance can come from weights, rubber bands, machines, a wheelbarrow full of rocks, or in some cases even your own bodyweight. Whatever the source, you need to challenge your muscles. This is key. The fear of “bulking-up” has prevented many people from realizing their beach body dreams because they have avoided strength training. I suggest weights first, cardio immediately after. Modern technology and conveniences have caused our population to challenge their bodies much less than ever before. We simply pick-up, carry, and lift much less than we ever did before. As a result, many of us are simply not used to challenging the body. The resulting weakness and less muscle development leads to lower metabolism, higher fat accumulation, and low energy levels. If you want to lose fat, then lift weights (just do it properly...hint… we would be happy to show you how.)
#10 - The Magic Bullet Only Shoots You In The Foot
Bottom line, there is no magic bullet. If there was, believe me, I would tell you! Starving yourself, wrapping yourself in a thermal body wrap, taking a pill, getting an injection, drinking a shake, electrocuting yourself, rubbing a cream on your skin, cleansing yourself, baking yourself in a sauna, and vibrating belts are examples of “Magic Bullets.” They DO NOT WORK. So stop wasting your time and money on them. Stop falling for them. Ignore them. Don’t give them the time of day. Stop grasping at straws and start exercising, feeding yourself properly, and stick to it!! Don’t stop!!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Exercise and Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
For those who have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), understanding what you can and cannot do is often challenging. MS is thought to be an autoimmune disease and is described as a progressive demyelinating disease of the white matter of the central nervous system. This means that the body’s own defense system attacks the substance that surrounds and protects the nerve fibers in the body. Plus, the nerve fibers themselves can also be damaged. Scar tissue is formed and nerve impulses traveling throughout the body are distorted. Since nerve impulses are the means by which our bodies communicate with themselves, this can cause a wide variety of symptoms and each person’s experience with MS can be quite different. Some of the clinical features commonly associated with MS are general fatigue and muscular weakness, as well as spasticity, ataxia, sensory disturbances, and cognitive dysfunction. 1,2
In the last 15 years, there has been quite a bit of activity and progress in the pharmacological arena. Although there is still no cure, numerous drugs have been and will continue to be tested for all stages of MS. However, it is important to take a look at what else can be done to improve the quality of life of patients diagnosed with MS. According to information provided by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, there are many effective strategies available to modify the disease course, treat flare-ups, manage symptoms, and improve function and safety. One of the more commonly suggested strategies is to exercise. Exercise has been shown in numerous research studies to significantly improve the quality of life in MS patients. One such study took a look at how structured exercise affected MS patients both physically and psychologically. Considerable improvements were found in those who exercised when compared to a control group. Depression, anger, and fatigue were reduced while social activity, emotional behavior, and recreational pursuits increased. 3 In fact, excessive fatigue is commonly mentioned as one of the most frequent symptoms of MS patients and has been shown to be significantly reduced by controlled exercise.
What does all of this mean? Well, it means that if you have been diagnosed with MS, it is recommended and even encouraged that you exercise. Exercise can be a vital component of your treatment strategy. However, take it slow! Don’t overdo it. Progress yourself a little bit at a time. Pushing yourself to your limits or beyond them can have the opposite effect from what you desire. Remember, your nervous and muscular systems are already strained.
Before you begin an exercise program, check with your doctor to see if he or she has any recommendations for you. You may find that there are certain types of exercise that you should avoid. However, for many MS patients there are typically a wide variety of types of exercises that can be done such as light strength training, cardiovascular exercise, Pilates, balance training, swimming, Gyrokinesis, and even some basic yoga.
Some things to consider when planning your exercise are:
Another important point to mention is that MS can often cause sensitivity to heat. Of course, an increase in body temperature occurs during exercise, thus try to be careful not to overheat. Some common recommendations include exercising during the cooler parts of the day, drinking plenty of cool fluids, and wearing cool and loose fitting clothing. If you are exercising indoors, try to have fans available to create some air movement. In the event that you feel disoriented or experience increased symptoms, stop exercising and allow yourself to cool down.
Keep in mind, if you have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, exercise can play a large role in maintaining the quality of life that you desire. MS affects the nervous system and exercise has been proven time and again to have a positive impact on the nervous system. When you are ready to start an exercise program, I highly recommend contacting your physician right away to inform them of your intentions. Once you have clearance from your physician, contact a qualified Fitness Professional to begin putting together a program that suits your needs. Lastly, relax and have fun with it!
References
1. Kesselring J. Multiple sclerosis. Cambridge Univ. Press, UK, 1997.
2. Krupp LB, Alvarez LA, La Rocca NG, Scheinberg LC. Fatigue in multiple sclerosis. Arch Neurol 1988; 45: 435-37.
3. Petajan JH, Gappmaier E, White AT, et al. Impact of aerobic training on fitness and quality of life in multiple sclerosis. Ann Neurol 1996; 39: 432-441.
In the last 15 years, there has been quite a bit of activity and progress in the pharmacological arena. Although there is still no cure, numerous drugs have been and will continue to be tested for all stages of MS. However, it is important to take a look at what else can be done to improve the quality of life of patients diagnosed with MS. According to information provided by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, there are many effective strategies available to modify the disease course, treat flare-ups, manage symptoms, and improve function and safety. One of the more commonly suggested strategies is to exercise. Exercise has been shown in numerous research studies to significantly improve the quality of life in MS patients. One such study took a look at how structured exercise affected MS patients both physically and psychologically. Considerable improvements were found in those who exercised when compared to a control group. Depression, anger, and fatigue were reduced while social activity, emotional behavior, and recreational pursuits increased. 3 In fact, excessive fatigue is commonly mentioned as one of the most frequent symptoms of MS patients and has been shown to be significantly reduced by controlled exercise.
What does all of this mean? Well, it means that if you have been diagnosed with MS, it is recommended and even encouraged that you exercise. Exercise can be a vital component of your treatment strategy. However, take it slow! Don’t overdo it. Progress yourself a little bit at a time. Pushing yourself to your limits or beyond them can have the opposite effect from what you desire. Remember, your nervous and muscular systems are already strained.
Before you begin an exercise program, check with your doctor to see if he or she has any recommendations for you. You may find that there are certain types of exercise that you should avoid. However, for many MS patients there are typically a wide variety of types of exercises that can be done such as light strength training, cardiovascular exercise, Pilates, balance training, swimming, Gyrokinesis, and even some basic yoga.
Some things to consider when planning your exercise are:
- Prepare your environment. Whether you choose to exercise at home or in a public setting, make certain that your surroundings are safe and not distracting. Remove objects that you could trip over or surfaces that you could slip on. Ensure adequate lighting and avoid blaring music.
- Consider exercising with a friend or family member that understands MS and what challenges it represents to you. Plus, they could help to motivate you to stay consistent with your exercise program.
- Begin with a short-duration workout and add to it a little bit each week.
- Always warm-up before beginning exercise and cool-down when finished. Warming up prepares your body for exercise and helps to prevent injuries.
- Stop if you begin to feel sick or experience pain.
- Consult a Certified Fitness Professional that is experienced in working with those who have been diagnosed with MS. An understanding, qualified Fitness Professional can help you put together a program that is right for you.
Another important point to mention is that MS can often cause sensitivity to heat. Of course, an increase in body temperature occurs during exercise, thus try to be careful not to overheat. Some common recommendations include exercising during the cooler parts of the day, drinking plenty of cool fluids, and wearing cool and loose fitting clothing. If you are exercising indoors, try to have fans available to create some air movement. In the event that you feel disoriented or experience increased symptoms, stop exercising and allow yourself to cool down.
Keep in mind, if you have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, exercise can play a large role in maintaining the quality of life that you desire. MS affects the nervous system and exercise has been proven time and again to have a positive impact on the nervous system. When you are ready to start an exercise program, I highly recommend contacting your physician right away to inform them of your intentions. Once you have clearance from your physician, contact a qualified Fitness Professional to begin putting together a program that suits your needs. Lastly, relax and have fun with it!
References
1. Kesselring J. Multiple sclerosis. Cambridge Univ. Press, UK, 1997.
2. Krupp LB, Alvarez LA, La Rocca NG, Scheinberg LC. Fatigue in multiple sclerosis. Arch Neurol 1988; 45: 435-37.
3. Petajan JH, Gappmaier E, White AT, et al. Impact of aerobic training on fitness and quality of life in multiple sclerosis. Ann Neurol 1996; 39: 432-441.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Fat Free Food? Are We Being Legally Lied To?
I love breakfast food! Breakfast is absolutely the best meal of the day. I thoroughly enjoy mornings that involve no pressing commitments to rush off to, a nice hot cup of coffee, and a hot meal. Those mornings don’t come often enough.
This morning was one of those mornings. The house was quiet and my stomach grumbled as I tried to decide between hot oatmeal and my favorite….eggs. Sure enough, the refrigerator light soon flashed on as I reached in for the carton of eggs. Now, did I write this article to tell you all about my day and favorite breakfast food? No, not at all…in fact, I’m sure most of you are either completely bored right now or have stopped reading this altogether! However, for those of you still hanging on, I wanted write this to clear the air on one of the many fitness-related topics that I encounter daily. Namely, fat free food products and their labels.
I was about to crack open my first egg when the can of fat free cooking spray caught my eye. After I gave the pan its usual quick spray, I stared at the can of cooking spray, once again, amazed at how food product manufacturers are allowed to get away with making the claims that they are legally allowed to make. I decided it’s time to write about one of the many things that we teach our fitness clients each day…that is, food labeling law and how the loopholes are used to influence us to buy various products.
Today, I want to reveal a few truths about dietary fat and its presence on a food label. By now, we all should know that healthy eating is a vitally important piece of the puzzle that we need for our bodies to look and feel great, and to function at their very best. As a result, most of us know that we should limit the amount of fat that we ingest. (If you are interested in knowing why we should limit our fat intake, you can find that information in another article or stop by our studio and ask!) As a result, many of us opt for products labeled as “fat free.” Let me skip any further formalities and list for you the FDA’s law on how a product can legally make the claim “fat free.”
This term means that a product contains no amount of, or only trivial or "physiologically inconsequential" amounts of, one or more of these components: fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugars, and calories. For example, "calorie free" means fewer than 5 calories per serving and "sugar free" and "fat free" both mean less than 0.5 g per serving. Examples of synonyms for "free" include "without," "no" and "zero." A synonym for fat-free milk is "skim."
Source: Excerpted from FDA Backgrounder, May 1999: The Food Label.
That is great! This law can help us to quickly choose between foods to find those that have no fat in them. Stop!! Did you catch the loophole that many product manufacturers use to make their products seem healthier than they really are? Granted, there are many very responsible food manufacturers out there. However, most of them take the phrase “…and “fat free” both mean less than 0.5 g per serving” to its most literal sense. Many products simply adjust the serving size of a food to be small enough that the fat content in that particular serving is less than 0.5 grams.
I love to use fat free cooking spray as a perfect example of how this law can be abused. The cooking spray that I used this morning reads “Fat Free Olive Oil Cooking Spray” and “For Fat-Free Cooking.” When I flip over the can the Nutrition Facts chart reads “Total Fat 0 g”, “Calories 0”, and “Calories from Fat 0.” This type of labeling leads many of us to believe exactly what it states. “I can use this product freely because there are no calories or fat.” The fact is 100% of what comes out of this can IS fat! Every gram of fat brings with it 9 calories. Now granted, olive oil is a great choice when compared to other oils, but this product is anything but calorie and fat free!
If you have a can of Fat Free Cooking Spray, take it out of the cupboard and look at the back. Most of them (including mine) have adjusted the serving size to be so small that very little product comes out of the can with each serving. My can puts a serving size at 1/3 sec. spray. Can anyone press and release the nozzle that fast? Either way, this is how they can legally call the product fat free. Supposedly, only 0.25 g of olive oil comes out in 1/3 sec. spray. This is less than 0.5 g and falls within the FDA’s definition of fat free.
Do you only use 1/3 sec. of spray each time? I certainly don’t. I would assume that there are 0 calories in this can of cooking spray. Actually, by doing the math on the contents of my can, there are approximately 1,044 calories in it. Big difference.
Am I telling you not to use cooking spray? Not at all! I’m simply trying to tell you to not believe everything a label tells you. Don’t be fooled by hype on a package. Cooking spray is merely a clear example. Rather than relying on the big print on the front of the package or even the Nutrition Facts chart, try to learn to recognize what is in the ingredient list underneath the Nutrition Facts chart. Fact is, olive oil cooking spray is a much better choice than many of the other ways to grease a pan. I guess we just need to learn to push the nozzle a little faster!
This morning was one of those mornings. The house was quiet and my stomach grumbled as I tried to decide between hot oatmeal and my favorite….eggs. Sure enough, the refrigerator light soon flashed on as I reached in for the carton of eggs. Now, did I write this article to tell you all about my day and favorite breakfast food? No, not at all…in fact, I’m sure most of you are either completely bored right now or have stopped reading this altogether! However, for those of you still hanging on, I wanted write this to clear the air on one of the many fitness-related topics that I encounter daily. Namely, fat free food products and their labels.
I was about to crack open my first egg when the can of fat free cooking spray caught my eye. After I gave the pan its usual quick spray, I stared at the can of cooking spray, once again, amazed at how food product manufacturers are allowed to get away with making the claims that they are legally allowed to make. I decided it’s time to write about one of the many things that we teach our fitness clients each day…that is, food labeling law and how the loopholes are used to influence us to buy various products.
Today, I want to reveal a few truths about dietary fat and its presence on a food label. By now, we all should know that healthy eating is a vitally important piece of the puzzle that we need for our bodies to look and feel great, and to function at their very best. As a result, most of us know that we should limit the amount of fat that we ingest. (If you are interested in knowing why we should limit our fat intake, you can find that information in another article or stop by our studio and ask!) As a result, many of us opt for products labeled as “fat free.” Let me skip any further formalities and list for you the FDA’s law on how a product can legally make the claim “fat free.”
This term means that a product contains no amount of, or only trivial or "physiologically inconsequential" amounts of, one or more of these components: fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugars, and calories. For example, "calorie free" means fewer than 5 calories per serving and "sugar free" and "fat free" both mean less than 0.5 g per serving. Examples of synonyms for "free" include "without," "no" and "zero." A synonym for fat-free milk is "skim."
Source: Excerpted from FDA Backgrounder, May 1999: The Food Label.
That is great! This law can help us to quickly choose between foods to find those that have no fat in them. Stop!! Did you catch the loophole that many product manufacturers use to make their products seem healthier than they really are? Granted, there are many very responsible food manufacturers out there. However, most of them take the phrase “…and “fat free” both mean less than 0.5 g per serving” to its most literal sense. Many products simply adjust the serving size of a food to be small enough that the fat content in that particular serving is less than 0.5 grams.
I love to use fat free cooking spray as a perfect example of how this law can be abused. The cooking spray that I used this morning reads “Fat Free Olive Oil Cooking Spray” and “For Fat-Free Cooking.” When I flip over the can the Nutrition Facts chart reads “Total Fat 0 g”, “Calories 0”, and “Calories from Fat 0.” This type of labeling leads many of us to believe exactly what it states. “I can use this product freely because there are no calories or fat.” The fact is 100% of what comes out of this can IS fat! Every gram of fat brings with it 9 calories. Now granted, olive oil is a great choice when compared to other oils, but this product is anything but calorie and fat free!
If you have a can of Fat Free Cooking Spray, take it out of the cupboard and look at the back. Most of them (including mine) have adjusted the serving size to be so small that very little product comes out of the can with each serving. My can puts a serving size at 1/3 sec. spray. Can anyone press and release the nozzle that fast? Either way, this is how they can legally call the product fat free. Supposedly, only 0.25 g of olive oil comes out in 1/3 sec. spray. This is less than 0.5 g and falls within the FDA’s definition of fat free.
Do you only use 1/3 sec. of spray each time? I certainly don’t. I would assume that there are 0 calories in this can of cooking spray. Actually, by doing the math on the contents of my can, there are approximately 1,044 calories in it. Big difference.
Am I telling you not to use cooking spray? Not at all! I’m simply trying to tell you to not believe everything a label tells you. Don’t be fooled by hype on a package. Cooking spray is merely a clear example. Rather than relying on the big print on the front of the package or even the Nutrition Facts chart, try to learn to recognize what is in the ingredient list underneath the Nutrition Facts chart. Fact is, olive oil cooking spray is a much better choice than many of the other ways to grease a pan. I guess we just need to learn to push the nozzle a little faster!
Monday, February 15, 2010
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