Hey everyone! I finally had some down time today to post a blog. It has been a crazy, busy the last couple of months. As some of you may know, I have been currently interning at the Be Well Solutions Distance Dietetic Internship. I am two months away from graduating. My internship is 10 months long, but I have been surviving! Almost there! So exciting!

I am almost done with my eight month in my Wellness Rotation. This has been by far one of my favorite rotations. I have been interning at A Healthy Balance located south of Boston. I am very interested in wellness, and sports nutrition, so I finally have been in a rotation that suits my interests.

I definitley can say that throughtout a majority of my rotations during my internship  (food-service, community, clinical, and wellness), I have aquired better time management, communication skills, and problem solving skills, and better critical-thinking skills. The best part was that I got through all of this with the help and support from my family, friends, and my boyfriend. It has not been easy, and most of the time I felt the pressure and stress getting the best of me. A lot of times I had to step away and remind my self why was I doing this and what was the end goal. 

I would not change a thing regarding where I am in life. I am where I am in life for a reason and I am not giving up with a good fight. I must say I have had to fight through many hurdles, but it was all worth it. The dietetic internship is remarkably competetive and there is only a 49% acceptance rate each year. I did not get accepted into an internship during my senior year of college and feared where my life would end up from there. I honestly cannot complain. I feel like once I graduated from college, everything seemed to fall into place over time. I had the chance to figure out what I really wanted to do with my career, and believe it or not this time last year I finally became ACSM certified as a personal trainer and took a vacation in Germany and met long distance relatives that I have never met! Most importantly I really researched internships that I felt my chances were higher. And here I am! Sometimes you need to step back and let life take its course, eventually everything falls together one way or another with perserverance, faith, and courage. 

Starting in September, I will be finishing my last rotation doing my Emphasis which will be entrepreneurship, and mainly working with a registered dietitian who has their own private practice. This will be great experience for me considering a possible interest of mine is to someday have my own private practice focusing on wellness, nutrition counseling, and personal training. I definitley like to keep an open mind for big oppuritunities towards things I can see myself doing.

My moto for today is always keep an open mind, and never settle. We live in a big world, and no one, including yourself know what you are even capable of doing. Dream big!

 

 

 

Most nutritional guidelines indicate an approximate percentage of macronutrients-carbohydrates, proteins, and fat-humans required for optimal health. Following  a work out plan also affects these numbers.  In general, to maintain a healthy weight, wome need 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day, and men need 2,000 to 3,000 calories. Age, sex, and level of activity along with diet and fitness goals are among the factors that determine how these calories are portioned among the macronutrients.

Keep in mind, a registered dietitian can answer a varietyof questions for you on suggested intake amounts based on your goals, whetheryou’re working towards weight loss, body building, or general fitness.  Whatever breakdown of nutrients you follow, focus on variety, nutrient density, and healthy amounts of all food groups. Limit calories from sugars, saturated fats, and reduce salt intake.

So here is your breakdown!

1.) Choose your Carbohydrates: Carbs are one of the main nutrients in our diets, and the most important one for those who are following a workout regimen-they are not only the top food source for energy, but they are also a source of recuperation.  The digestive system turns carbs-most commonly sugars, starches, and fiber-into glucose (blood sugar), which the body then converts to energy that supports bodily functions and physical activity.  When choosing carbs, remember, the more complex the better.

Simple Carbs: Simple carbs, such as white bread, white rice, or refined sugars, interfere with fat metabolism, may contribute to weight gain, decrease the body’s energy needed for prolonged activity, increase hypertension (leading to high blood pressure) and can create an energy roller coaster as blood glucose levels fluctuate.

Complex Carbs: These carbs, found in natural , high-fiber foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and beans, are far better for you than refined foods because they get absorbed more slowly into the system, avoiding spikes in blood sugar and offering sustained energy.  They also make you feel more satiated after a meal and less likely to snack.

2.) Pick your Proteins: Proteins are organic molecules made up of amino acids-the building blocks of life-that produce enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters, and antibodies that enable the human body to function.  Proetins also aid in growth of muscle tissue. As food is digested, proteins break down in the bloodstream into individual amino acids that trade with other amino acids already located in our cells. This provides a supply of frequently replenished amino acids that are ready when needed.  Some fitness buffs believe that if you beef up on protein-which contains 4 calories per gram-you will gain muscle. Although it’s true that proteins rebuild and repair muscles, your body can only handle a certain amount; the rest turns to waste. So limit your intake to six to seven ounces of protein daily-even if you are an athlete.

Complete Proteins: These generally come from animal sources and include beef, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, cheese, and yogurt. Plant-based soy is also a complete protein.

Incomplete Proteins: This group is made up of vegetable sources that don’t contain all nine essential amino acids, or don’t have sufficient quantities of them. They include nuts, seeds, beans, and grains. They should, ideally, be combined with each other to complete the essential amino acid profile-for example, you can pair rice with beans, toss some almond silvers over a leafy spinach salad, or spread peanut butter on whole-grain toast.

OPT for Vegan Protein: If your a vegetarian or vegan, there’s no need to become protein deprived.  There are plenty of plant-based foods that supply the necessary protein needed for a healthy diet.

Low-Calorie Sources: Foods made from soybeans offer some of the highest amounts of protein: tempeh and tofu contain 15 and 20 grams per half cup, respectively. Actual soybeans, known as edamame, are also a rich source. Legumes, like peas, beans, and lentils, make an excellent meat substitute. Peas contain 7.9 grams of protein per 8 ounces, about the same as a cup of milk. Although grains contain a relatively small amount of protein, quinoa (a type of seed) offers more than 8 grams per cup, as well as all nine essential amino acids. Also, known as the perfect protein.

High-Calorie Sources: Nuts, whuch provide healthy fats and proteins, are invaluable in a plant-based diet. They can be high in calories-roasted almonds, cashews, and pistachios contain 160 calories per ounce along with their 5 to 6 grams of protein-so choose varieties that are raw or dry roasted. Nuts and seeds make an ideal protein-based snack for those times at work when you skipped lunch or when you’re heading to the gym and need a nosh. Sesame, sunflower, poppy, chia, hemp, and flax are especially good choices because they also contain fiber, minerals, vitamin E, and omega-3 fatty acids. With all those calories, however, stick to recommended portions.

3.) Don’t Fear the Fat: Fat often gets a bad rap as the culprit behind unwanted weight gain. However, a balanced diet requires this macronutrient: fat supports some body functions and helps dissolve certain vitamins. It is important to know which of fats are beneficial and which are the ones to avoid.

Saturated & Trans fat: Although it is okay to have in diet, too much is not good. Can come from animal sources like red meat, poultry, etc., and has been linked to higher levels of cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (LDL), which can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Trans fat occurs naturally in many foods, but most are made from oils using a process called partial hydrogenation. Trans fats also increase LDL levels and lower beneficial high-density lipoprotein (HDL). They are typically solid or semi-solid at room temperature.

Monounsaturated & Polyunsaturated fats: There are healthier fat options, including monounsaturated fats (MUFA), which improves cholesterol levels, and polyunsaturated fat (PUFA), found mostly in plants or oils. Healthy fats, like olive, safflower, peanut, and corn oil, remain liquid at room temperature. Additionally, heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acid is a PUFA that can actually decrease the risk of coronary artery diesease. Sources include oily fish like salmon, tuna, sardines, and herring, as well as avocados, flaxseed, canola (rapeseed) oil, nuts, and many spices.

 

Get those macro’s!

 

 

Hi everyone! My apologies for not posting latley. But I am happy to finally have some time to catch up and share what has been going on recently.  I am currently enrolled in a dietetic internship! Finally!  It has been keeping me so busy but I am more than blessed to have gotten to this point.  I was accepted into The Be Well Solutions Distance Dietetic Internship.  I am loving it so far.  The program is fairly new and there is only 11 interns.  I definitley feel like this program was a perfect fit for me.  This program has an emphasis on Health Promotion and Corporate Wellness, two areas that I have great interest in.

For those of you who are not familiar with the dietetics field, getting accepted into a dietetic internship is extremely competetive, with only a 49% acceptance rate every year.  Applying is a long, and stressful process.  In order to become a registered dietitian, you have to go through the internship process.  I was accepted into an internship the second time I applied.  I firmly believe that I was accepted the second time I applied because I made smarter decisions during the application process.  After I graduated with my Bachelor’s in May 2016, I decided to obtain valuable work experience for a little over a year, figure out what I actually wanted to do with my career by finding a specific focus, obtain my ACSM CPT, and research dietetic internship programs that I felt were realisitic for me to get accepted into.  I knew the distance route was better for me because unfortuantley these internships are unpaid.  Moving out of state was unrealistic financially.  During my senior year I applied to a lot of the dietetic internships in the MA area, but sadly, these programs are super competitive.  Looking back, by limiting my options I can see why I did not get into any internships.

It was harder and even more emotional for me.  Throughout college, I was told that my chances of ever getting into an internship were very slim.  It hit me hard.  But I hit back even harder. I proved these people wrong.  And there is nothing sweeter than that victory.

They say everything happens for a reason, but everything eventually falls into place.  It did for me.  I am happy and content with where I am today.  It was not easy, but what is! As long as you get to where you want to be, that is all that matters.  I am advancing in my career and I know God has plans for my life.  I came back stronger and I know there are bigger things beyond what I can even imagine lying ahead for me.  I hope the same for all of you.

My goal after completion of my internship and passing my RD Exam is further my education and get my Master’s in Exercise and Sport’s Nutrition.  I intend to utilize both my Master’s education, my CPT, and Registered Dietitian licensure to become a Sports Dietitian with my own private wellness facility, focused on providing counseling for both individuals and groups on optimal nutrition for performance and health.

 

Get those gains!

Nutritional science studies and interprets the interactions of nutrients, and other substances in food, in relation to their effects on the maintenance, growth, reproduction, health, and disease of an organism.  Nutrition is a key element in fitness, health, and in exercise-you can’t out-train a bad diet. Food is made up of macronutrients-carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and water-that are required in large quantities, along with micronutrients-minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and intestinal flora-that are needed in smaller quantities. A balanced human diet is composed of these different nutrients in the right proportions.  The wrong ratios can affect both physical and mental health. Exercise may be a big part of fitness, but up to 75 percent of your gains in the gym are also going to be based in your intake of macronutrients and micronutrients.

Let us rethink a bit.  Your workout plan should be based on two factors-eating smart and getting fit, in that order.  Before achieving a better external physique through exercise, you need to start building your body from the inside.  This requires an awareness of the types of foods you should eat, those you need to avoid, and the supplements you may require. Smart nutrition also means rethinking the ways you eat, the times and places you eat, and your attitude toward food in general.  As your fitness regime advances, you will likely find that many of your cravings have altered.  You’ll less likely to indulge in salty or fatty snacks and become more concerned about the nutritional value of meals rather than simply the levels of satisfaction.  Food will eventually become the ally rather than opposition.

Make some simple changes. It only takes three simple ideas to change the way you think about eating -planning, fueling, and recharging.

1.) Plan ahead- When you are involved in a weekly fitness program, you not only want to keep hunger at bay, you also need to keep energy levels steady. (Think the primary energy systems aerobic and anaerobic energy systems).*  Balancing the right proportions of dietary macronutrients will allow you to maintain both your weight and energy levels.  Try to create menus that are heavy on the vegetables, fruits, and healthy, whole-grain carbohydrates, with considered amounts of lean protein and polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats.  Also be sure to stay hydrated, because a healthy diet combined with proper hydration will positively affect your workouts-and your daily life.

2.) Fuel up- Always eat before you exercise.  This helps to prevent low blood-sugar levels and hunger pangs during a workout, as well as provide energy to your muscles.  Three or four hours before your workout, prepare a small meal of complex carbs- a whole-wheat waffle with yogurt and blueberries, whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk and banana slices, or a parfait of kiwi and orange slices over low-fat vanilla yogurt topped with low-fat granola.  You can also have a light snack one to two hours before your workout.

3.) Recharge- Any intense workout that’s lasts longer than an hour will deplete your body of carbs and fluids.  A small meal soon after will remedy this, as well as help aid in muscle repair and recovery- muscles are the most receptive to replacing glycogen within the first two hours after hard exercise.  Indulge in a protein drink at the gym bar, and follow that after with a full balanced meal two hours later.  Try a baked sweet potato topped with chili, white-meat turkey in a whole-wheat wrap, past with chicken and veggies, or eggs scrambled with peppers, onions, and spinach.

Feel free to utilize these tips and recommendations! Remember to get those gains!

 

***Stay tuned for my next post of how to make sense of macronutrients!

Today I officially became a certified personal trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine. What seemed nearly impossible to achieve became possible.  I am so proud of my accomplishment.  If any of you did not know, a couple of months ago I decided to pursue my goal of one day becoming a Sports Dietitian. That is a goal of mine in the near future.  As someone who believes in the importance of  obtaining a healthy lifestyle, nutrition as well as exercise is equally important to me. I hope to use my knowledge and skills in the field in nutrition and fitness to help make a difference in the lives of people who want to achieve a happy and healthy lifestyle.

ACSM stands for is the American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. ACSM is dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine. If anyone considers becoming a certified personal trainer, ACSM is considered the Gold Standard and you would benefit the most with this organization.

In order to become certified you essentially have to register to take the test, which contains 150 questions and is about 2 and a half hours long. You need at least a passing score of 550. From my own experience, this test is not the easiest nor the hardest but worth the time and effort to put a lot of studying in.  Remember, hard work pays off and then the impossible becomes achievable. =)

 

 

Some might have heard of carbohydrate loading, but what is it exactly. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, it is defined a as a system of ingesting large quantities of carbohydrates before endurance activity that will last more than half an hour.

I have a friend that is into strength training and marathon runner, and spends at least two hours at the gym a couple of days a week.  My friend was explaining to me that they usually load up on carbohydrate dense foods in the morning before they go to the gym.  It is typical for marathoners to do carbohydrate loading.  This is done because this type of activity uses a high percentage of the body’s stores of glycogen.  If there is insufficient carbohydrate available and the glycogen stores are used up, a bottoming-out effect can occur.  By carbo-loading, the body can reinforce its glycogen stores, doubling its available energy stores.

A carbo-loading diet typically occurs over several days.  First comes four days of lowering glycogen stores by eating few carbohydrates and engaging in heavy exercise activities.  Then, the person recuperates for three days and ingests up to 10 grams of carbohydrates for each kilogram of body weight.

Traditional carbo-loading consisted of four days of exhaustive exercise and limited carbohydrates followed by three days of recuperation and maximal carbohydrate intake. This method can be hard on the body by adding extra stressors right before an endurance event, which can lead to increased injury risk and cause blood sugar levels to slip too low, causing fatigue and crankiness.  An alternate carbo-loading routine, aimed at increasing the bod’s stores of glycogen, was formulated in the early 1980’s.  The client ingests four grams of carbohydrate for every kilogram of body weight on the sixth, fifth, and fourth days before an endurance activity.

If you ever work with a client as a personal trainer, and they intend on doing more than an hour of intense exercise, ingesting carbohydrates during the training session may be advisable.  This would help keep available energy in reasonable range, prevent an exhaustion of glycogen stores from muscle tissue, and increase endurance and performance for up to an additional hour.  If the exercise or training requires endurance, hourly intake of carbohydrates is recommended.  The best recommendation would be through sports beverages; these not only replace fluids, but they also give a balanced stream of carbohydrates to the body without filling the stomach with the bulk that accompanies solid food consumption.

Ingesting carbohydrates after working out can have several benefits: It helps the body replenish glycogen stores that were depleted in training; ingesting carbohydrates after exercise also helps the body repair itself after strenuous workouts.  It is vital that carbohydrates to be ingested quickly after exercising to maximize benefits.  It is advisable to consume between 1 to 2 grams of carbohydrates for every kilogram of body weight within 30 minutes of completing a workout.

If you are working with a client who is looking to loose fat and gain lean muscle, carbohydrates should be the most plentiful aspect of the diet.  Carbohydrates intake should be mainly ingested by a good deal of dietary fiber in that 50 to 75 percent.

So, carb it up!

 

 

 

 

I recently turned 24 years old a couple of days and I bought myself a tea steeper as a gift.  The funny thing is for the longest time I have always wanted to buy myself one but never did until now.  I am absolutely in love with it! I have been using my tea steeper pretty much everyday.  You can do so much with it, like using it to make hot tea, tea lattes, tea pops, etc.  There are so many different types of loose leaf teas.  I feel like it will take me forever until I get around to trying  many of them.

The best part of making this purchase is knowing that there are so many health benefits associated with drinking tea. A few of these health benefits are that tea contains antioxidants, has less caffeine than coffee, may reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, may help with weight loss, may boost your immune system, etc. The best part of course is that it helps to relax you, especially or me after a long day of work I enjoy coming home and sitting down to a hot cup of delicious tea. The little things.

 

 

Strength. A word that is defined differently by so many people. Most of the time we look at this word as something that means being built, having these crazy bulky arms, etc. To me I look at it being defined as having that strength from within. Mentally, and physically. It all comes from the heart.

I looked in the mirror tonight after a long day of work and after a vigorous workout at the boxing gym, I saw a strong female inside and out.  Lately, sometimes I find myself falling short on this. There are days where I feel like I am turning the boxing gloves to myself instead of where I should be hitting them, my insecurities, anxiety, life’s pressures, and so on. I get hard on myself and become my worst enemy. I think most of us can relate to this. We all have to  realize that everyday we are putting on our boxing gloves to fight through a hard day of work, school, and other responsibilities in front of us. But the key to fighting this is to keep a positive mind set, keep our heads up everyday, and by this we are winning, and becoming stronger by doing this.

Since I have been consistently training endlessly at the boxing gym every week making time after work, I noticed how much improvement I began to see in me physically. Also, even mentally despite that it might not show on the outside I have been seeing it in myself.  My passion to train, and to continue living a healthy lifestyle has helped me to grow and become a stronger person. There has not been one day I have backed down to not continue striving to be at my best and not leave room for more growth.  Eventually I will work up to where I want to be in life. Everything takes time, but it is up to us to take matters into our hands and make the best out of it and grow everyday. I am proud of who I am and who I become as a young, confident, and strong woman. We should all feel the same way about ourselves. So keep your gloves up and whatever life throws at you be ready to take a hit at it. Remember you are the champion at the end winning the last fight and that will make you all that much stronger.

Do you ever just crave carbs, pasta, bread, all of the above? Oh believe me, I do.  Especially coming from a huge Italian family we live off of eating the carbohydrates.  Pasta is our big delicacy.  I was running some errands today and stopped at the grocery store to do some food shopping.  My biggest rule in my family is that I do all of the grocery shopping because I like to buy all of the healthier food options and slowly but gradually have helped my family become more aware of incorporating a healthier diet and overall lifestyle now.  Luckily they appreciate it!

When I was at the grocery store making my way towards the produce department I found these vegetable based noodles.  I was so fascinated by them.  They had zucchini, sweet potato, and butternut squash noodles.  I could not resist and bought them.  It was not your typical noodle, or traditional pasta product but a healthier modification to that.  I could make many delicious dishes that are equally filling and something to go noodles about after.  I purchased the zucchini and sweet potato noodles.  You get so many health benefits from both.  Zucchini contains high fiber and protein content, full of Vitamin C, eye health, anti-inflammatory, full of minerals, etc. Sweet potatoes contains beta-carotene, rich in Vitamin C and E, high levels of B6 and potassium, fiber, iron, Magnesium and Vitamin D, etc. Who new you could get so much of these rich nutrients from actually eating these yummy noodles.

Growing up my family excessively incorporated so much simple carbohydrates into our diet.  That being said, that is why obesity and type 2 diabetes runs in my family.  There was not much awareness as today about choosing healthier versions of carbohydrates, such as simple versus complex. Both are used in the body for energy. Simple carbohydrates are broke down quicker in the body to be used as energy and should be limited in your diet. They can be found in fruits, milk, milk products, and in many processed and refined sugars. Complex carbohydrates are better for you because they are not broken down in your body as fast.  Such can be found in food sources such as beans, peas, whole grains, and vegetables. The fiber in fruits and vegetables changes the way that the body processes their sugars and slows down their digestion making it complex for your body to break down.

Overall, use your noodle next time you make a pit stop at the grocery store and choose what foods you buy wisely. Make sure whatever you decide to grab with your hands off the shelf is something that will benefit you, and your health. Remember, healthy living is in your hands, literally.

Food for a happy life is how I think of it!

The other day I made myself berry chia seed pudding as a snack.  I do not know about most of you, but I like to experiment around and put time into the types of foods I like to make for myself. Especially considering I try to keep most of my meals/and snacks on the healthier end.  I came home from a vigorous boxing class and was starving after.  I decided to experiment by using chia seeds and using it to make for a pudding.  I love chia seeds because you can pretty much use them for a lot of different meals, dishes, and snacks. Best of all they are packed with nutrients, and considered a super food. They contain Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, fiber, protein, and they are antioxidants.  Sounds like something that cannot be beaten!

I used my Ninja Bullet and blended kale, cherries, strawberries, and blueberries with coconut milk until it became a smoother consistency and poured the mixture into a bowl.  I put in 2 tablespoons of chia seeds and mixed them into the mixed berries.  I let it sit in the refrigerator for two hours until it thickened up into a pudding consistency.  Once I took the chia seed out I got my berrylicious chia seed pudding that I devoured after.  It was very delicious!