Archive for January 2014
Part 3 of 5: Why a TNT Health Educator is the Right Choice for Those Looking for Permanent Success
By: TNT Health Educator - Stacey Gretka
Part 3 of 5
Americans spend an estimated $42 billion annually on weight loss foods, products and services. So it's not surprising with so much money at stake, that there are an overwhelming number of "fad" diets and other weight loss products on the market. In part 3 of our 5 part series we are going to take a look at to more of those options: weight loss shakes and weight loss pills. Remember, it is important to get the whole picture about what these diets involve and whether or not they are a truly healthy lifestyle change.
The Movers and The Shakers: Shakeology/Body by Vi
The Good: Again, they tend to work. I separate shakes from fad diets because they do tend to pay attention to replacing the vitamins and minerals lost from eliminating food groups (keep in mind that nutrients added in this way, like supplements, while helpful are not as effective as the real food source). Science has some of these shakes tasting pretty good, too.
The Bad: What do you tell your seven year old, who still worships the ground you walk on and wants to do everything you do and be everything you are when she sees you drinking a chocolate shake instead of the dinner you made for the family? What are you telling her about her body? What are you telling her about real food?
The Ugly: If you are successful at maintaining a shake diet (and avoiding the temptations of real foods) until you reach your goal weight, what’s your next step? How do you keep the weight off? You might do this in a group and support each other, but honestly, no one is really learning anything in the process, making it super challenging to maintain any success you do reach, again fostering dependence on their products. Plus, some of these shake diets don’t even let you eat any meals at all during their program! So what happens when your body has to digest solid food again? I advise you to check out pediatric websites on introducing solids because your digestive system will definitely revert.
Pill Promises: Green Coffee Bean/Garcinia Cambogia
The Good: Dr. Oz endorses them? Okay, actually, I can’t find anything really good to say about taking pills as your sole means of weight loss or muscle gain. If anything, all I can really say here is that it is true Green Coffee Bean and Garcinia Cambogia, in studies, tend to help people burn fat or prevent the storage of it.
The Bad: If you learn nothing, don’t change your poor eating habits and inactive lifestyle, you’ll be popping these pills regularly for as long as you can remember to. And don’t get me started on the detriment to our environment trying to cultivate these gems and process them into something humans can “safely” consume (safely is in quotes to remind you of incidents like Phen Phen), and ship them to your medicine cabinet.
The Ugly: Green Coffee Bean consumption raised homocysteine levels in those who took the pills regularly (which you’ll likely be doing) in concentrated doses (if your pill choice’s only active ingredient is Green Coffee Bean). Increased homocysteine levels are linked to increased rates of clots, and therefore heart attacks and strokes. Is there a Doctor (Oz) in the house?
Is your head spinning yet? It'a a lot to take in...and tomorrow there will be a tiny bit more when we take a look at 2 more popular"diets" ~ Cleanses & Detoxs and Mail-In Meals such as Nutrisystem/Jenny Craig. So be sure to tune in tomorrow for more of the good, the bad, and the ugly!
Shake
Supplement
Part 2 of 5: Why a TNT Health Educator is the Right Choice for Those Looking for Permanent Success
By: TNT Health Educator - Stacey Gretka
Part 2 of 5
Part 2 of our 5 part series takes a look at 2 additional "popular diets". As you will see, it is important to get the whole picture about what these diets involve and whether or not they are a truly healthy lifestyle change.
Elimination Diets: Paleo/Whole-30/Wheat Belly
The Bad: False advertising makes this type of eating a big no-no for those looking to lose weight, specifically. The Paleo and Whole-30 lifestyles are just that: Lifestyles. They were not created as a way for people to lose weight (although as that trend started the “creators” did not shy away from the added press). Read: Real vegetarians don’t just not eat meat, they also don’t carry leather hand bags. Anyway, a big downside here is that whenever you eliminate an entire food group from your consumption two things will happen: you will lose weight because of less calories (assuming you don’t replace those calories with something else) AND you will lose very important nutrients that can only be found in those groups. Elimination diets are healthy under the supervision of a doctor or nutritionist in attempts to determine an allergy or intolerance. Unfortunately, buying a Whole-30 book or joining a group of Paleo-ites does not qualify as supervision of a doctor.
The Ugly: Often, people try Elimination diets under the pretense of eliminating a food that “isn’t made for human consumption.” Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately, depending on how you look at it) our bodies were designed to be incredibly adaptive. Many of us stop producing the enzymes needed to break down certain food molecules (and therefore use them as energy in our bodies) when we stop consuming certain foods. It’s the main reason that much of Earth’s population is lactose-intolerant. Breast milk, after all, is mainly lactose, so lactose-intolerance is nearly unheard of at birth. However, once we wean, many populations cannot afford dairy milk or lack the education regarding its benefits. That means that if you eliminate a food group, like grains for example, thinking that you might have a particular food intolerance, by the time you decide that you can’t keep up and/or you simply want to enjoy a holiday treat, your body actually cannot tolerate it! That means that following elimination diets without the proper support and timing can actually CAUSE intolerances. To worsen this problem, many people misinterpret their gassy indigestion at the reintroduction of that food as finally “discovering their problem” and “support systems” simply feed into this misconception by sharing their “success stories.”
Fad Diets: Fast Diet/Sacred Heart Diet/HCG Shots
The Bad: They can be nearly impossible to stay with long enough to lose substantial amounts of weight, if that is your goal. People cite side-effects to include the likes of irritability, shakiness, fatigue, painful hunger, lack of satiety, binge eating, and more. To be straight-forward, those are the opposite of how you should feel when you’re finally achieving true healthfulness! A real healthy lifestyle gives you MORE energy and a feeling of satisfaction that many people cite as being emotional and mental as well as physical. At least that’s what my clients tell me on one of our programs!
The Ugly: Not only are most people unable to stick with a fad diet long enough to reach their goals, and often lose major nutrient stores in the process, almost all fad dieters become yo-yo dieters, i.e. you gain it back and then some. Some of these diets also mess with your hormones, making it, AT BEST, even harder for you to lose weight the next time around… again, they tend to foster dependence rather than true success. And let’s get real: are you honestly going to eat soup for the rest of your life? Now get out of the sheep mentality and try something that’s made to support you.
Alot to take in right? Now tomorrow we are going to take a look at 2 more popular"diets" ~ The Movers and The Shakers: Shakeology/Body by Vi and Pill Promises: Green Coffee Bean/Garcinia Cambogia. So be sure to check back for the good, the bad, and the ugly!
Alot to take in right? Now tomorrow we are going to take a look at 2 more popular"diets" ~ The Movers and The Shakers: Shakeology/Body by Vi and Pill Promises: Green Coffee Bean/Garcinia Cambogia. So be sure to check back for the good, the bad, and the ugly!
Wheat photo
Syringe photo
photo credit: Thomas Weidenhaupt via photopin cc
Why a TNT Health Educator is the Right Choice for Those Looking for Permanent Success - Part 1 of 5
By: TNT Health Educator - Stacey Gretka
Part 1 of 5
Let’s be honest for a moment: most of you have said, “this year, I am finally going to get in shape.” How many of you have had to make that resolution more than once? How many of you have achieved that resolution and yet have had to make it again this year? You’re not alone. And if we’re still being honest, figuring out where to start is most likely the hardest part about that goal. How many Facebook comments have I seen asking, “Has anyone tried x?” or “Who knows the best way to lose weight?” or “What gym do you recommend in this area?” And so on. I’m going to provide a quick review for you of several health and fitness products/programs so you can make an educated decision for your resolution this year. There’s one catch though: I’m reviewing these to help you find the one that will ensure you will never need to make this resolution. Ever again.
First, let me start by saying almost any diet will work for weight loss if you can stick to it. Almost any muscle building regimen will add the bulk you’re seeking if you can push through it. Almost any statin can lower your cholesterol if you want to keep taking it. But very few of the above options create a healthier body in the process of achievement, and even fewer allow you to maintain your newer body for life. So don’t mistake me, if you wish to find a quick fix that you’re planning on dumping money into time and again, most options will work for you, and this article isn’t really going to help you. If however, you are looking for a permanent solution to your health goals, read on, my friend.
The Book Attempt: Way too many examples to list
The Good: There is something for everyone and you can read their research before taking action.
The Bad: When you pay for the book, you send them the undeniable message that you support their diet plan whether you do or not. And not to be overlooked, but just about anyone can write a book and spread their claims, with or without truth.
The Ugly: Even the legitimately researched diets lack one HUGE component – there is no support or customization to the reader. Who is going to tell you to read the next chapter? And who’s going to answer your questions – you’re bound to have some? And most importantly, who’s to say that this person who wrote this book had you, in all of your uniqueness, in mind?
The Group Approach: Weight Watchers/LA Weight Loss/Jenny Craig
The Good: You’ve got a support team! A lot of people are going through the same thing you are, and it’s great to have people to share/trade stories and secrets with. In fact, for women, sharing your resolution with someone majorly increases your chances of succeeding!
The Bad: They tend to be pricey and often create a sense of dependence on their services. Many of them develop their own counting systems where you have to rely on their products (or get a calculator to figure out the conversion) for food and drink. What happens if you do reach your goal? Do you have to use their products forever to maintain?
The Ugly: The focus is on weight loss. What if you are looking to gain some muscle tone, too? If you’re doing it right, there will be some weeks when the scale doesn’t budge, but your pants are way looser and you can finally open that pickle jar. In some of these programs, you’ll still be responsible for paying per pound! Other measures of success are often overlooked in these group programs, too. Sometimes their goal is to get as many people in the program at one time so they can make as much money as possible per hour, which means you’re not likely to get one-on-one attention should your goal be different than the person sitting next to you.
Be sure to check back tomorrow when we talk about Elimination Diets: Paleo/Whole-30/Wheat Belly and Fad Diets: Fast Diet/Sacred Heart Diet/HCG Shots!
Total Nutrition Technology Announces Sponsorship of Professional Figure Skater Danielle Logano
Total Nutrition Technology, an industry leader that provides customized nutritional programs, health management, and sports performance enhancement, is pleased to announce it’s sponsorship of professional figure skater Danielle Lagano.
Logano has trained, performed and competed in the sport of figure skating for 20 years and will be one of Total Nutrition Technology’s featured Athletes for their new TNT ProFit Line due to launch in February 2014. Logano grew up in Middletown, Connecticut where she began skating at the age of 5. At the age of 18, Logano turned a professional show skater and for the past 7 years has been traveling around the world performing in numerous ice shows with many talented Skaters & Artists. Now living in Charlotte, North Carolina, Logano trains for professional shows & coaches power skating/artistry for all ages & levels of figure skaters and hockey skaters at Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail, NC.
“Danielle is an accomplished and ambitious athlete, which makes her a perfect fit with the TNT ProFit Line,” said Rick Belden, Vice President and Director of Marketing Product Development. “We are thrilled to have Danielle as a champion for TNT ProFit.”
Danielle is enthusiastic about her new partnership with Total Nutrition Technology. “I am proud to represent the company of TNT ProFit and as an athlete I highly recommend the program for so many different reasons,” said Logano. “Many athletes focus on their game/performance but forget to focus on the most important part that can make a huge difference all around in an athletes performance which is...HEALTH! With the TNT ProFit program, they can guide you to your specific needs to help fuel your body and feel great on & off the ice,” she added.
Logano is currently producing a new skating show called “Skating Dreams” which will take place on Saturday, February 1, 2014 at 6:00pm at Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail, NC. “With the 2014 Winter Olympics just around the corner, I wanted to design an Olympic Themed ice show to get everyone in the spirit, and what better way to do this with having Silver Olympic Medalist, Paul Wylie Host the show,” said Logano. “The show will include National Competitor Alex Aiken, Aerialist Jana Colgin, Professional Show skaters, 2014 Regional Competitors & speciality fire acts,” she added.
Total Nutrition Technology continues to provide the highest level of nutrition and fitness programs. In 2014, the company will be introducing a new program to enhance athletic performance with it’s TNT ProFit Line. Visit the new TNT ProFit product line at www.tntprofit.com and @TNT_ProFit on Twitter.
Please visit the Total Nutrition Technology website (http://tntgetfit.com/index.html) to learn more about customized nutritional programs, as well as up-to-date company news, new products and much more. And join the conversation on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/totalnutritiontechnology) and @TNT_getfit on Twitter.
For additional information on Danielle Logano and the “Skating Dreams” Show, please visit: http://extremeice.homestead.com/coaches/danielle_logano.html and @DanielleLogano
on Twitter.
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About Total Nutrition Technology
Total Nutrition Technology provides comprehensive nutrition and exercise programs for individuals interested in achieving optimal health and specific sports performance goals. They also offer specialty programs that target unique health needs for youth, pregnant and nursing moms, adults 50+ and corporate businesses wanting to improve the health of their workforce.
Total Nutrition Technology has eight locations in the Greater Charlotte, NC area and licenses its proprietary program to health professionals across the country. Please visit www.tntgetfit.com or call (704) 549-9550 for more information.
TNT 2014 Spartan Workout Challenge
Ok...ready to add a Spartan-sized challenge to your workout routine? TNT Founder, Angela Wilkinson and TNT client Jean Wassenaar have put together a killer high-intensity workout. We are strong believers that the more often great challenges are undertaken, the chance to succeed when another challenge rises is increased. When we push our own limits we are become best prepared when a new challenge presents itself. So whether you are training for the upcoming Spartan Sprint or looking to change up your workout routine...this TNT Workout is ready to put you to the test. Are you ready to the details? Here you go...
The '2014' part of the workout comes from the 20 minute warm-up followed by 14 exercises...thus 2014! So start with doing exercise 1. Then move to exercise 2 followed by 1 again. Then move to exercise 3, followed by 2, then 1. Continue adding the next highest number and repeating down the list of exercises. All exercises are done without scheduled rest between moves. So it would look something like this...
Breakdown:
1
2,1
3,2,1
4,3,2,1
5,4,3,2,1
6,5,4,3,2,1
7,6,5,4,3,2,1
8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1
9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1
10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1
11,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1
12,11,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1
13,12,11,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1
14,13,12,11,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1
Here is the list of exercises. Each number is the quantity you will do of that exercise.
1 - 100 meter sprint
2 - 2 squats
3 - 3 Jumping Lunges
4 - 4 Mountian Climbers
5 - 5 Push Ups
6 - 6 Man Makers
7 - 7 Tricep Dips (off step or bench)
8 - 8 Walking Lunges
9 - 9 Sit Ups
10 - 10 Burpees
11 - 11 Squat Jumps
12 - Jog in place, knees high
13 - 13 Step Ups (use chair or find a step)
14 - 14 Jumping Jacks
So are you ready to take the challenge? Is there a Spartan inside you? Take the challenge and let us know!
If you have questions about exercises or the overall workout flow please contact us at info@tntgetfit.com.
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photo credit: MiamiFitnessTV via photopin cc
Meet TNT Client - Helen
For over 20 years, Total Nutrition Technology has been helping men and women realize their health and fitness goals. Whether you are looking to lose weight or take your health and fitness to the next level, TNT has the knowledge and passion to get you there.
Helen had been an athlete her whole life and always led a healthy lifestyle. Then at the age of 56, she decided to start competing in Body Building shows. She was at a total loss in the nutrition department. That's where Total Nutrition Technology and her Health Educator, Carol Goodwin, came into play. With Carol's expertise and knowledge, Helen's athletically tones body became extremely fit and lean in just 12 weeks. Helen then went on to win 3rd place at a National Body Building Competition.
The Health Educators at Total Nutrition Technology are truly your partner to success. "Carol's warm and personable disposition also made it such a pleasure to work with her and I was sad to see our partnership end after my program was completed." added Helen. "I will never forget and will always be eternally grateful to Carol and the entire TNT team!".
For more information on how TNT can help you realize your health and fitness goals contact a TNT Health Educator and schedule your FREE health assessment today!
Photos by Greg Briley Photography
Easy Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken Enchiladas
Servings: 4
Serving Size: 2 Enchiladas
Ingredients
1 pound skinless,
boneless chicken breast halves
1 can reduced fat, reduced sodium cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup mild salsa
1 4 ounce can diced
green chiles
1 teaspoon chili
powder
1/2 teaspoon ground
cumin
8 6 - inches wheat flour tortillas, warmed
1 cup shredded
Mexican-style four cheese blend
Directions
In a small bowl, combine soup, salsa, chiles,
chili powder, and cumin. Put chicken in slow cooker and pour mixture over chicken. Cover and cook on low heat setting
for 4 to 5 hours.
Remove chicken and shred. Put chicken in a large bowl and coat with 1/2 of the sauce in the slow cooker. Reserve balance of sauce.
Put 1/3 cup of chicken mixture and about 2 teaspoon of the shredded cheese down the center of each tortilla and roll up.
Arrange enchiladas on the prepared serving platter. Spoon remaining sauce over
enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Exchanges: 1.5 Starch, 3 Lean Meat. 0.5 Fat
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Start January Off on The Right Foot with #TNTgetfit2014
Well we're finally here...January 2014! And whether you have made a New Years Resolution or not, there is no refuting that January is the perfect time to start anew and get routines back on the right track. That's why we are introducing a challenge for the month of January: #TNTgetfit2014!
With the #TNTgetfit2014 challenge we encourage you to pick one goal to focus on for the month of January. The purpose of picking just one goal is so that you can start the year off with a clear, focused and achievable goal that you can then build upon as the year progresses. Then throughout the month of January we will post tips and motivational encouragement in social media to help you along the way. And don't be surprised if we throw a few little mini-challenges into the mix. So be sure to look for #TNTgetfit2014 on Facebook , Twitter and Pinterest and tell us your goal for the month.
It's easy to join in on the challenge. Simply:
1. Post to Facebook and Twitter using #TNTgetfit2014 and tell us your goal for the month. Keep us posted on your progress and we'll be there to help keep you motivated along the way.
2. Comment on our #TNTgetfit2014 Pinterest board or create your own #TNTgetfit2014 vision board on Pinterest to help keep you motivated and on track to reaching your goal.
So who's ready to #TNTgetfit2014? If you need help creating your achievable goal her are some tips to help you get started:
Be Specific - Setting goals such as "working out more" or "eating better" are to general and don't have enough substance to keep you focused. It is important that you define some very specific, detailed and measurable steps that will help you track your progress toward reaching these goals for the New Year.
Make It Challenging - Your goal should be realistic and within your current abilities AND should also push you beyond where you currently are.
Make Sure Your Goal is Attainable - This is a carry-over from the Challenging tip we mentioned above. Make sure what ever that challenging goal is - that is is achievable. Don't set yourself up for failure by setting goals that are truly out of your current abilities. You can always adjust your goals and set new ones as you make progress and successfully reach each step.
Set Deadlines - Goals need to have time-limits otherwise they will lose priority and fade away from your daily routine. If you have set a long term goal that will take awhile to reach make sure you create short-term or intermediate-goals. Setting these smaller goals will help that long-term goal seem less daunting and keep you focused and on track along the way.
Keep It Positive - Keep it up beat. Instead of NOT doing things approach your goals from the stand-point of what you DO want to do.
Be Flexible - Keep in mind that setting goals are not set in stone. Sometimes unforeseen circumstances come up in life and cause things to have to change. The key is to be flexible...change...don't stop.
To read more here about setting an achievable New Year's Resolution.
What is your #TNTgetfit2014 goal for January? Tell us today!
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