Healthy Halloween Round-Up

You've probably seen some cute Halloween food and candy ideas floating around on Pinterest this month. We have, too, and we've filtered through all of them to find some fun and healthy Halloween activities for the whole family!

Here are some of our favorite things that make a healthy Halloween fun:

1. Paint a pumpkin teal.

Through the Teal Pumpkin Project (launched by FARE), painting a porch pumpkin teal (and displaying a sign like this one) allows trick-or-treaters to know your house has Halloween offerings safe for those with allergies! Now that's fun!

2. Make munch-able, yummy mummies.

Try some recipes like these to make yummy Fall and Halloween treats for lunch boxes and weekend get-togethers that don't revolve around cookies, candy, and cavities.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/madinapapadopoulos/26-healthy-halloween-snack-hacks-ehw3?bfpi#.oxzrRPGXRO

http://www.marcicoombs.com/2012/10/halloween-leadership-treats.html

http://www.danyabanya.com/cheese-monsters/

http://www.twohealthykitchens.com/2014/10/09/apple-mummies-a-healthy-halloween-treat/

3. Serve a little boo for breakfast.

Using this delicious, veggie pancake recipe, make these adorable spiderweb pancakes!

4. Focus on the walking, not the collecting.

Make a map of the neighborhood and see how many houses you can cross off in a certain amount of time! Rather than collecting candy from your neighbors when they answer the door, ask if they'll initial the map on their house. Offer a fun toy or coloring book for the winners!

5. Make sure everyone is on the same page.

According to the CDC, one of the most challenging parts of Halloween for parents is feeling they are not in control when another caretaker is involved. Between spouses, grandparents, and child care, have the conversation of what you feel is acceptable when it comes to Halloween treats. Worried about yourself and the peer pressure at work? Have the same conversation with your team: make sure everyone is on the same page in regards to reaching goals and having a safe and healthy Halloween.

Here are some more tips from the CDC on having a healthy Halloween!

6. Pump out the pumpkin!

From pumpkin seeds to pumpkin dip, this slightly sweet and gourd-geous squash makes it feel like Fall. Try one (or all) of these:

Pumpkin Dip from Health

http://www.health.com/health/recipe/0,,10000000549850,00.html

Spicy Pumpkin Seeds from She Wears Many Hats

http://shewearsmanyhats.com/toasted-pumpkin-seeds/

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Garlic and Shallots

Photo: Charles Masters

For two full vegetable exchanges for each 2/3 cup serving, this treat for your taste buds, found on MyRecipes will seem too good to be true! And, because it's an easy dish, it goes great on busy days or days when you don't feel too much like cooking (think: day after Thanksgiving)! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

6 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
1/2 cup sliced shallot (about 1 large)
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and sauté for 5 minutes or until bacon begins to brown. Remove pan from heat. Remove the bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan (discard the remaining drippings).

2. Return pan to medium-high heat, and stir in bacon, shallot, and Brussels sprouts; sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic, and saute for 4 minutes or until garlic begins to brown, stirring frequently. Add the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes or until the broth mostly evaporates and the sprouts are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in salt and pepper.

Test your Iron IQ with this quick quiz (answers below):

What is the main purpose of iron?

To remove oxygen
To carry oxygen
To remove damaged cells
To carry glucose

What are signs you aren't getting enough iron?

Fatigue
Weakness
Difficulty maintaining body temperature
All of the above

How many types of iron are there?

One
Two
Three
Four

How much iron do you need each day?

8-18mg
8-18g
800-1800mg
None of the above

What vitamin aids in the absorption of iron?

Vitamin A
Vitamin B
Vitamin C
Vitamin D

Which of these are natural food sources of iron?

Poultry, Red Meat, and Fish
Whole Grains
Beans, Seeds, and Lentils
All of the above

Answers:

The main purpose of iron is to B. carry oxygen (iron binds to oxygen and together they "hitch" a ride on the hemoglobin of your red blood cells) to your cells so that they can produce energy. Iron also happens to carry the carbon dioxide away from your cells so that your lungs can properly dispose of it. By not consuming enough iron each day, the body will have a hard time getting enough oxygen to function at its highest ability. This can drastically reduce a person's metabolism by slowing the function of cells.
Some signs that you're not getting enough iron are D. All of the above, which makes sense if your cells are not able to produce energy, you would certainly experience weakness and fatigue. The sensation of cold, especially in hands and feet, often results from not enough hemoglobin to reach these extremities.
There are B. Two types of iron: heme and non-heme. Heme iron simply means when it is ingested, it's already in the form needed to create/complete hemoglobin and is much easier to absorb and use than non-heme. Heme is found in animals and non-heme is found in plants.
Depending on your age and gender, most people need between A. 8-18mg of iron per day. Here are the current recommendations (as per the NIH):

Table 1: Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for Iron
Age	Male	Female	Pregnancy	Lactation
Birth to 6 months	0.27 mg*	0.27 mg*
7–12 months	11 mg	11 mg
1–3 years	7 mg	7 mg
4–8 years	10 mg	10 mg
9–13 years	8 mg	8 mg
14–18 years	11 mg	15 mg	27 mg	10 mg
19–50 years	8 mg	18 mg	27 mg	9 mg
51+ years	8 mg	8 mg

The vitamin that aids the absorption of iron is C. Vitamin C, particularly with plant-based iron sources.
Iron can be found in D. All of the above. It's important to get a variety of iron sources to ensure your body will have what it needs when it needs it to be available. To give you an idea of how much iron certain foods contain, here is part of the chart developed by the NIH that shows some of the top iron-rich foods:

Table 2: Selected Food Sources of Iron
Food	Milligrams per serving	Percent DV*
Breakfast cereals, fortified with 100% of the DV for iron, 1 serving	18	100
Oysters, eastern, cooked with moist heat, 3 ounces	8	44
White beans, canned, 1 cup	8	44
Chocolate, dark, 45%–69% cacao solids, 3 ounces	7	39
Beef liver, pan fried, 3 ounces	5	28
Lentils, boiled and drained, ½ cup	3	17
Spinach, boiled and drained, ½ cup	3	17
Tofu, firm, ½ cup	3	17
Kidney beans, canned, ½ cup	2	11
Sardines, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with bone, 3 ounces	2	11
Chickpeas, boiled and drained, ½ cup	2	11
Tomatoes, canned, stewed, ½ cup	2	11
Beef, braised bottom round, trimmed to 1/8" fat, 3 ounces	2	11
Potato, baked, flesh and skin, 1 medium potato	2	11
Cashew nuts, oil roasted, 1 ounce (18 nuts)	2	11

For a completely customized nutrition plan that helps you reach your daily iron needs (and considers your likes, dislikes, intolerances, allergies, medications, and more), contact your local TNT Health Educator today!

Could supervised exercise help you train your body's internal signals? Researchers at Duke University are aiming to uncover just how true is the "exercise as medicine" adage. In an upcoming study, researchers will monitor participants' heart rates during one-hour, supervised exercise routines and how those heart rates effect interoceptive signals and interoceptive responsivity of adults with and without a diagnosis of anorexia spectrum disorder in an attempt to collect enough pilot data to justify a much broader clinical trial.

Prior research has already determined that interoceptive awareness is a big player when it comes to managing both healthy lifestyles and disordered eating. If awareness of hunger is key, then the next step is learning how we can re-train the body, that it would continue to communicate that hunger.

The long-term goal of this study is to determine whether supervised exercise can play a bigger role in behavioral intervention for those diagnosed with eating disorders. Ultimately: is it possible to utilize natural methods, such as exercise, to re-train your body's energy needs signals and, in-turn, your response to those signals?

Here at TNT, we look forward to keeping you up-to-date on the outcomes! In the meantime, it's well-known that re-training your taste buds is a viable option to coping with your interoceptive responses to energy needs, that is - even if you cannot control when you feel hunger, at least you can control how you respond to it. We are happy to help you figure out the first (or next) steps to managing your personal hunger response - contact us today!

To learn more about this study, click here.

An article posted on Women's Health reviewed a handful of studies regarding the connection between genetics and obesity and here's what they had to say:

1. Your DNA plays a role, but does not determine your weight.
2. Your predisposition to obesity can be reduced 40% with exercise.
3. Your exercise routine may need:

an increase in frequency, time, or intensity
a change in style (Crossfit, yoga, running, etc.)
an addition in style (strength training AND cardio)

4. Your nutrition plan may need:

a customized approach from a Registered Dietitian
a reduction in refined sugar intake

5. You are NOT powerless to change your weight!

To learn more about customizing a nutrition and exercise program to help you overcome your genetic disposition, contact Total Nutrition Technology today or visit www.tntgetfit.com for more information!

Resting Metabolic Rate Measurements Produce Realistic Expectations

Cute middle age woman on vertical weight scale looking disappointed at her current weight

At a recent conference, I listened as Dr Thomas Wadden presented a portion of what was learned in the decade-long Look Ahead Study. In examining attrition or drop-outs rates of weight loss patients, one statistic stood out to me. 60% of those patients who drop out of a program attribute unmet expectations as a contributing factor as to why they dropped out. Simply put, when the numbers a patient sees on the scale are not in line with what they imagined going into their weight loss journey, they are likely to quit.

As I was pondering Dr Wadden’s lecture, I was reminded of a study published in the Annals of Surgery January 1983 by Feurer et al, “Resting Energy Expenditure in Morbid Obesity.” This NIH funded research examined 112 morbidly obese adults prior to gastric bypass surgery. One of the most significant conclusions of this study was that estimating post-surgical weight loss using predictive formulas is inadequate and that “in view of the inability to generate a valid predictive equation for the morbidly obese, measuring energy expenditure is the only viable alternative.”

So if the intent is to put a patient on a standard VLCD post-operatively (ie,700 Kcals), why would a RMR measurement matter? The answer ties back to Dr. Wadden’s findings: managing expectations. If equations don’t give you (the practitioner) adequate predictions of weight loss, then you can’t give your patients a realistic expectation of how to measure what “success” will look like.

Look at these 3 patients from the Feuerer study. With the same estimated energy expenditure of 1900 Kcals a day, predictive formulas would suggest they should be losing at the same rate post operatively. But an actual RMR test shows completely different metabolic rates that will lead to drastically different results.

This study shows that even with relatively controlled intake, their metabolic rate will significantly affect the results patients will experience. An actual RMR test would prepare each of these patients for realistic results, rather than viewing these variations as personal failure or a failure of the program. This principle applies not only to surgical candidates, but any patient entering a weight loss program.

Disappointment is a difficult emotion to deal with. Don’t set yourself up to be disappointed with goals based on outdated formulas. Let us help you set reasonable, personal expectations with a baseline RMR test and regular re-testing. We'll determine your ability to burn calories with an RMR test, then we'll estimate how much weight you can expect to lose the first month or two on our program. An RMR measurement is scientific information about each individual that allows us to give you realistic goals you cannot conjure up from any other source. Contact us today or visit our website to purchase and schedule your RMR today!

To read the Feurer study, click here.

Julie Kofoed

Julie Kofoed is the VP of Marketing at KORR Medical Technologies. She has experience in the healthcare industry as a registered nurse for over 25 years and has spent the past 15 years specializing in metabolic health and wellness.

Is hot yoga dangerous to your health?
By Stacey Gretka

According to many studies conducted over the last few years, yoga is not only a fast-growing trend in the workout world, but boasts many positive outcomes for its participants. The list of benefits to yoga lovers includes "lower perceived stress levels, improved cardio-respiratory endurance and improved balance (Hewett et al., 2001), as well as increased dead lift strength and shoulder flexibility, and modestly decreased body-fat percentages (Tracy and Hart, 2013). In addition, Hunter and colleagues (2013) found that Bikram yoga improved overall glucose tolerance and insulin resistance in older adults who were at high risk of developing metabolic disease." There is no question that performing yoga can result in a healthier life for most. And yet the question remains: is hot yoga dangerous?

The question stems mainly from the hot yoga practices, like Bikram, that rely on intense heat and humidity, lengthy class times, and restricted water intake. Since we know that core body temperatures above 104 degrees Fahrenheit result in a higher risk for heat-related illness, the real question is are you putting yourself at risk for heat stroke or heat exhaustion when you take a hot yoga class?

The answer: yes.

A study published this year in The Gunderson Medical Journal reviews the core body temperatures, heart rates, and more of participants (of both genders) of hot yoga classes. And the results were of concern: participants' core body temperatures continued to rise, no matter the difficulty of the poses, and no amount of sweating was able to bring their temperatures down. Furthermore, their heart rates increased, again in relation to the time not the difficulty, despite little to no movement which suggests the heart was under duress in its attempt to cool the body. The good news: none of the study's participants exhibited signs or symptoms of heat-related illness, even though one participant's core body temperature did exceed 104 degrees. Keep in mind that it's well-known that exercising during extreme heat is risky and yoga is not an exception to this rule.

The main take-home message was simple:

Keep class times below 90 minutes, preferably closer to 60 minutes.
Stay hydrated.
Know the signs and symptoms of heat-related illness and leave the room if you begin to experience them.

For more information, or to read the entire study, click here.

Does your workout order matter?
By Stacey Gretka

A study published by the American Council on Exercise has come up with the answer to the question many have asked: "Which do I do first: Strength Training or Cardio?"

For years this has flip-flopped and even, in the early to mid-2000's, the recommendation was cardio-strength-cardio, so why should this study stand out from previous claims? They came up with a more customized approach to the proper sequence in a sort of if-than scenario:

If you occasionally have limited time, start with strength training, then finish with cardio.

If your strength-training plan is low-intensity, do cardio first.

If you're planning on burning fat, try cardio-strength training-cardio.

If you're planning on building muscle, try strength training-cardio-strength training.

To read the entire article, visit acefitness.org

Is air-frying healthier than deep frying?

By Stacey Gretka

One of the latest gadgets on the market claims to offer you healthy fried food! It's called the Air Fryer. It's a counter top cooking device, much like a deep fryer, that is supposed to provide chefs with the crisp you love without the fat. Could it be true? Let's see...
Air Fryers work by having the user coat the food with "a small amount of oil" and then it blasts hot air over the surface of the food. Versus traditional frying which dunks the food in super hot oil. Either way, we know that food can absorb up to 42g of fat, depending on how much water can be displaced (the more water content a food has, the more oil it can absorb), and we know that the higher the temperature, the more water can be displaced. In theory, if you were able to keep the amount of oil you added to the air fryer no more than the fat you might add via "healthier" methods, we would initially expect no difference in calories or fat content between the air fryer and baking/roasting with olive oil drizzled over top. Making it healthier than deep frying. However, to take this a step further, we also know that by slow-cooking food at lower temperatures, less water is displaced, and therefore less oil is actually absorbed. By baking or roasting the food at a temperature lower than the air fryer, even if you used the same amount of oil (2 Tbsp) the food would not absorb it all, you could pat the excess oil off, and achieve a crisp without the extra fat. Thus making baking or roasting still the best alternative to deep frying.
Some other things to keep in mind:
1. Oils deteriorate at different temperatures. Using a "healthy" oil like olive oil under such high heat would be dangerous to her health in other ways, as the oil would reach its smoking point and release carcinogens into the food, even if there is little to no visible smoke coming out of the fryer. This is one of the reasons drizzling olive oil over food before putting it in the oven or on the grill drives me nuts. It's safest to use an oil that can handle higher heat, such as peanut oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil.
2. The results from an air fryer are (according to the reviews I've read) not much different than using the broiler setting on your oven - it's not the same as fried food, but you do get a pretty good crisp. Only with an oven you don't need to use oil, and what you do use may not get absorbed. I'm not sure what would happen if you didn't use oil in the air fryer.
3. For many people, the fried food is actually more about the batter - which consists of flour, egg, spices, and either more flour, or breadcrumbs. This is going to add a substantial number of calories. Leaving the skin on meats is also popular with frying and can also add to the caloric value of the food.
Might be beneficial to brainstorm some alternative recipes to help target the true attraction to fried food, and combat the issue at its root, rather than trying to replicate fried food entirely.
But, just to help you get started, here's an excerpt from cookingscienceguy.com:
"The recipe for easier French fries developed by Cook’s Illustrated calls for adding the raw potatoes to cold oil, and heating the oil over high heat for 25 minutes until the temperature of the oil reaches a little less than 280° F. The French fries cooked this way are just as golden brown on the outside, and creamy soft on the inside as the French fries cooked by the classical two-stage method. Laboratory analysis of the fat content of fries cooked by the two methods showed the fries cooked at the lower temperature, but 2.5 times longer, contained 30% less oil."

Could exercising for charity result in better overall health?

By Stacey Gretka

A clinical trial that began recruiting participants today, October 13, 2015, aims to find out the answer! Through a series of specialized outcome measures, the University of British Columbia plans to compare "prosocial" exercise with "personal" exercise by having participants log their miles in either a charitable app (like Charity Miles) where users earn donations for each mile they walk or run or in a personal tracking app (like Nike + Running) where there is no charitable reward to determine if working out for others is more effective than working out for oneself.

The general assumption is that if you sign up for a program such as Run for Your Life or Relay for a Cure, since others are relying on your engagement, you're more likely to continue consistent exercise as opposed to starting an exercise routine on your own. It's long been known that accountability is a major factor in consistency of habits, could it be possible that the guilt of letting down a charitable cause or the pride of being able to help also encourages people to continue their own improved health habits?

To learn more about this study, and to see if you qualify, visit ClinicalTrials.gov

So what do you think? Are you more likely to stick to your exercise routine when you know someone else is counting on you? If you tend to be more of a prosocial exerciser, try some of these tips to keep you motivated:

Form or join a running club, basketball meet-up, or other favorite exercise/activity group
Sign up for a 5K or 10K that benefits a local charity
Download a Charity Fitness App (like Charity Miles)
Sign up to coach or help out with a local youth sports team to lead by example

Here at TNT, we're always expanding upon our education. Seeking more knowledge and reinforcing old truths to make sure that we bring you the most up-to-date and reliable information, products, and services available for your health. Many of our team members recently renewed their Sports Nutrition certifications and as we re-read Nancy Clark's sports nutrition guidebook, we came across this gem (our thoughts are in italics):

Ten steps for successful fat loss: (Page 273-277)

1) Write it down: keep accurate food records

Did you know TNT offers an amazing food journal and activity log to help you keep track of your intake and output?

2) Front load your calories: ex) if you eat lightly during the day and excessively at night, experiment with having a bigger breakfast and lunch and lighter dinner

Just like you cannot expect a car to reach its destination and then put in fuel, you must fuel the car before the drive. We recommend thinking, "what is my next activity, and about how much energy do I need to complete it."

3) Eat slowly

Health Educator, Stacey Gretka, recommends putting your fork or sandwich down between each bite and completely clearing your mouth before you take the next one. The mindfulness required to do this completely changes the eating experience, making each bite more enjoyable and satisfying - requiring a lot fewer bites to feel full.

4) Eat your favorite foods: if you deny yourself permission to eat, you are likely to binge

Within reason, it's important to offer yourself an "allowance" to enjoy the foods that mean the most to you. Better yet, factor them into your daily needs. No foods should feel "off-limits" to you.

5) Avoid temptation

You're at a party, you already ate dinner, but you linger by the food table. You have a workout scheduled, but you peruse Facebook to see if any of your friends have anything "better" going on. You go to the grocery store hungry. All of these are examples of how you can set yourself up for serious frustration. You're human, you're going to be tempted, but try not to put yourself in those situations.

6) Keep a list of non food activities: when you are bored, lonely, tired, or nervous, you need to have strategies in mind that have nothing to do with eating

Make this list now, before the feelings hit you. You'll be amazed at how wonderful these can make you feel. Try blowing bubbles, coloring, or finally organizing all of those digital pictures. You'll love what you can accomplish when food isn't your go-to answer.

7) Make a realistic eating plan

This is where a TNT Registered Dietitian and Health Educator can help you big time. They can sit down with you, learn about your real life schedule, likes, dislikes, habits, needs, and goals and help you formulate a game plan to which you can actually stick. Highly unlikely you'll stick to a plan made for working out at 5am if your schedule doesn't have you going to bed until midnight. Equally unlikely to get an afternoon snack in at 3pm if you're always in meetings at that exact time. Plan for your life, not some unrealistic ideal.

8) Schedule appointments for exercise

And honor that time. In the same way you schedule important meetings, block off your schedule for workouts and respect that schedule. Don't forget to include things like drive-time or getting ready time if these are necessary.

9) Make sleep priority

Sleep is necessary for your body to repair cells and reset your systems. If they never get the rest they need, they'll wear out much more quickly during the day, and be a lot less productive than they could be - just like you! Try TNT's PM Fat Burner which helps you fall asleep, increases your sleep quality, and provides you with more natural energy for the next day!

10) Think fit and healthy

You've heard the phrase "mind over matter" or how about "fake it 'til you make it." Many health gurus feel just as lost as you do in this big world of overwhelming information. The difference is that they tell themselves they're going to make healthy decisions today. And if they make one that's less than great, they move on from it quickly by addressing what the best decision would have been and making a mental note to change it up next time. Use kind and positive words with yourself and think like a fit and healthy person. Eventually it will become second nature!

To get your own copy of this amazing, easy-to-read guide, click here!

Behind every healthy person is a snacker - something that can hold them over to the next meal, prevent over consumption, provide a steady energy source, and simply make them feel good. And yet it seems that navigating the snack aisle is one of the hardest skills to master. And despite the need for a great go-to snack, finding solutions for each person without getting to know them can be a serious challenge since Health Educators and Dietitians don't know what the meals themselves look like. For example, if your meals all contain veggies, it's probably not necessary that your snacks consist solely of them. If your meals consist mainly of grains or starchy vegetables, it's probably best to avoid the notorious granola bars. And yet the majority of our team no longer counts exchanges or plots their every food move (a goal we hope to help each client reach as well).

So how do they snack? Well, I polled the team and compiled some of their favorite go-to snacks:

Rick Belden: "Almost every day, I eat a small handful of raw unsalted almonds mixed 50/50 with "Chile Lime" flavored cashews, 1 apple, and 2 cups of skim milk."

Sue Compitello: "I'm a green apple and PB or almond butter girl, especially mid-am - always feel full and have good energy to make good choices at lunch."

Stephanie Hollands: "An apple with 2 teaspoons of natural peanut butter. Gets me through that late afternoon slump."

Meghan Neary: "For my afternoon snack I choose rice cakes with peanut butter & jam, and for my morning snack - cottage cheese with hot sauce, minced onion and chives !! Yummm!!!"

Darnell Jones: "I go for an oatmeal smoothie: 1/4 cup steel oats, as much spinach as you want, 1 serving of PB2, 3/4 cup coconut milk or coconut water, and (optional) 1 medium Banana."

Susanne Ware: "I eat a Think Thin bar when I'm on-the-go, or a mixture of fruits, like pineapple, grapes, cantaloupe."

Kim Norton-Krecker: "Pine nut hummus and raw sugar snap peas and red peppers. Satisfies need for crunch, fat and extra veggies. Plus, it's quick and easy."

Stacey Gretka: "I typically go for an ounce of low-fat cheddar cheese, 6 almonds or cashews, and 2 tablespoons of whatever dried fruit I have - usually raisins or dried apricots, but I like dried blueberries and cranberries, too. Top it off with a glass of water."

Angela Gallo-Wilkinson: "I go for Greek yogurt - easy to pack and satisfies my sweet tooth or a handful of nuts or seeds for same reason... and right now Trader Joe's has yummy spiced pumpkin seeds - to die for.. and I even add these to my Greek yogurt!"

By: Stacey Gretka

The basic strategy is the same as tightening any body part: combine proper nutrition with appropriate arm exercises. For most women, the actual area of concern , when referencing the arms, is the tricep: i.e. the wings. Avoiding those flappy arms is certainly possible, but it does take a triple threat approach. Before making any changes to your diet, ensure that these suggestions are appropriate based on your current medical regiment - GO TALK TO YOUR DOC FIRST.
1) Stay properly hydrated:
skin begins to sag when it loses elasticity. Most of us lose that ability to bounce back with age, but we definitely lose it faster if a) you've been a lifetime yo-yo dieter or b) you don't stay hydrated. Hydration does go beyond drinking water. You need to make sure that the water can actually get into your skin cells by encouraging your electrolytes to stay in balance with one another (reduce diuretics (unless otherwise directed by your physician), consume a balanced intake of sodium and potassium (2x the potassium as sodium), and drink enough water that your urine is only slightly colored.
2) Consume enough calories:
so many people, women especially, restrict their caloric intake for the purpose of weight loss and forget that calories are simply a measure of energy! And that energy is needed to help your body build muscle, repair cells, and generate new healthy ones! Contact your Health Educator (I'm partial to the ones at Total Nutrition Technology) to find out how many calories you should be consuming.
3) Honker down on the right moves - Commit a certain amount of time a specific number of a days per week to arm exercises. Try 15 minutes every other day and give these a look-see:
tricep kickbacks, bicep curls, dips, side plank, push-ups, tricep swings, lateral arm raises, and more. The real trick is picking a set of exercises or workout routine (like the guns, buns, and abs one on http://tntfitbits.blogspot.com) and sticking to it!

Health Educator, Stacey Gretka, posted an answer on her Q&A that is getting a lot of attention. We wanted to share her budget-friendly health tips here:

My family of five (two adults, two children under 5, and 1 dog) eat on an average of $500 per month. This includes paper goods, dog food, and cleaning supplies as well as our food. We have an eating out budget of $100 per month, and rarely reach, let alone exceed, that amount. Saving money is important to us because we love to entertain. We want to be able to provide unforgettable hospitality to our friends and family without worrying about how we’re going to pay for it, and yet, obviously, good health is equally as important to me. It makes no sense to be able to feed my friends and family if we cannot enjoy their company with energy and enthusiasm. I offer you my tips, but depending on your situation, you may need a more intense “fix” – please feel free to reach out if you need me to expound upon any of these or if you need a customized plan to help you reach your health and financial goals.

The real keys to healthy eating on a tighter or stricter budget are:

1) Planning – this allows you to eat only what you purchased (no extra, unplanned outings means no extra, or unexpected spending), and purchase only what you’re going to eat (rather than extras that will either go bad, or encourage unnecessary snacking). Try making a chart for the whole family, that indicates when and what they’ll be eating for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner. If they’re over 7, they should participate in the planning process. The most important part of the planning process is execution. Stick to your plan at all costs. The consistency of doing so is what will save you big bucks in the long-run.

2) Prepping – making healthy foods easy to use means they’ll be less likely to go to waste, which means a) you won’t waste your money on spoiled produce, or buying new produce and b) you’ll be filling up on less expensive foods rather than pricey, pre-made snacks. Try washing and cutting peppers, carrots, celery and jicama in sticks and store in plastic containers in the fridge for up to one week. If you intend on having salad for lunch or dinner, wash, cut, and thoroughly dry salad greens (like spinach, mesclun, romaine, etc.) and store in a plastic container lined with paper towel for up to 5 days. Wipe out the excess moisture or condensation and remove any rotting or wilting leaves as soon as you see these signs.

3) Portions – pay attention to your (and your family member’s) portions. Some people eat 8 ounces of meat/poultry for dinner, when in reality each night they should only be having four (possibly five or six depending on the person). By recognizing proper portions, you can literally double, sometimes triple your money. Equally as impactful, by consuming the right amount of starches/grains, fruits, and dairy (not to mention snack foods), you’ll save a ton! To determine your specific needs, contact your local Health Educator. This always seems to be the big surprise for my clients: how much money they save simply by eating the amount their bodies actually need of the foods their bodies actually need.

4) Process your own – pre-processed foods are actually more expensive than their homemade counterparts, if a) you have the time to do it yourself and b) you have the proper tools and spices already on hand. When people buy all of the ingredients they need for one fancy meal or one go at homemade protein bars, they’ll definitely end up overspending and they’ll definitely believe the myth that healthy eating is more expensive. However, I can make a complete, homemade meal for under $2.00 per serving – you can’t even beat that with fast food. This comes from paying attention to sales, investing in great deals, and dividing/repackaging/freezing when appropriate. It also means setting aside a couple of hours each week for, you guessed it, planning, prepping, and portioning.

I also strongly recommend the following:

1) Set a deadline and goal – Have a specific goal in mind: to save x amount of dollars by y date so that we can do z. A common example: save $1000 dollars by March so we can go on a beach vacation. (This one works well because in addition to having the money for a new swimsuit, you’ll have the body to rock it!). Another great goal: “save $500 by December so we can pay off our credit card.” Either way, the first step here is to look back at your bank statements (most online banking will have a summary by category) and determine how many dollars you need to cut back each month to reach your goal. For example, if you typically spend $1000 per month on groceries, and you want to save $1000. In ten month’s you’ll need to cut off $100 from your monthly grocery bill. Then set a realistic deadline for yourself.

2) Set reasonable expectations – Note that in the example above, I did not try and cut $500 from each month over two months. If you’re used to eating and living a certain way, it’s not reasonable to cut that budget in half. You must also consider: the number of eaters in your household, the ages of those eaters, the cost of living for your area, and your current schedule (if you have three vacations scheduled this month, you’ll need to consider that the eating out budget will likely be a bit higher). It is pretty reasonable to expect a 10% cut as do-able.

3) Don’t forget to take advantage of subscription services and sales – Many people get their toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, napkins, etc. from the grocery store, yet with a little math, you can determine your family’s needs for these items and commit to a subscription service which can save you up to 15% on these items. Amazon Subscribe and Save is a great option and you currently do not need a Prime Membership to utilize this service. We get our diapers, wipes, napkins, toilet paper, paper towels, and even Goldfish crackers from Amazon! Keep your eyes open for circulars, store coupons, coupon books, and even Kids Eat Free deals!

4) Don’t be brand loyal for no reason – I get the commitment to brands you respect or believe in, but if it’s just for taste, or worse - for habit, this is sucking your wallet dry. For example, we believe that brand name paper towels are more effective than store brand (we actually use the store brand faster, and therefore end up spending less with the brand name), but for the most part, for example, Uncle Ben doesn’t have anything special in his rice that Food Lion doesn’t. For nearly a dollar difference per box, this sort of swap adds up very quickly.

5) Be veggie savvy – certain veggies simply don’t last all week and if you can’t make a second dedicated trip (without stocking up on unnecessary extras), you’ll need to come up with another option: frozen or canned veggies (check for no added sodium). I love throwing frozen peas into pasta, canned carrots into smoothies, and frozen green beans (with a little lemon pepper seasoning) make a fantastic stand-alone side!

If you need more help on any of these items, don't hesitate to reach out to our amazing team of RDs and Health Educators. We're here to support you - contact information@tntgetfit.com and we'll get you on the right path to a healthy, affordable lifestyle!

Success stories are a regular occurrence here at TNT, although not always are the results visible (We have many athletes who shave time off their miles, add wins to their record, and reduce injury. We have many clients who lower their cholesterol, lower their grocery bill, and increase their energy levels), so we're super excited when we get to share pictures that paint a much clearer picture of what TNT stands for.

Honored to work with someone as goal-oriented as Megan, and proud of what she accomplished, we wanted to share her story:

Here's what she had to say:

"I have always been active and relatively fit. However, like most people, I gained some weight during college (20 pounds) and just couldn't seem to lose it no matter what diet and exercise program I tried. I decided to try TNT to kick off the new year and saw incredible results within 2 weeks! After 5 months, I went from 25% body fat to 16%. People ask me how I did it and the answer is simple - I started to EAT. This goes against everything most "diets" and weight loss programs stand for. The best part about this program is that I never feel deprived, and therefore, it is sustainable. It provides you with a blueprint to follow but allows you to exchange and choose foods you enjoy eating. Sue taught me how to properly fuel my body which kicked my metabolism into a serious fat burning mode. Now I look leaner than ever and feel great! Choosing to join TNT was one of the best decisions I have ever made and I highly recommend it!"

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