Better Than a Gym!

Nutrition

Food, Recipes and Restaurants

Don’t Miss this Special Low Carb – San Diego Meeting!

  • If you know someone dealing with cancer or a friend or relative of someone, this interview is for them! Don’t miss this inspiring, informational live interview with Jean, a Keto cancer survivor.
  • If you want to see Doug Reynolds and Pam Devine in person in San Diego for the last time for a while, please come and wish them well!
  • If you want to check out exciting new products and meet other LCHF metabolically conscious people, Please Come!

It’s best to SHOW UP IN PERSON!!! SO PLEASE ATTEND THIS MEETING the old school way – actually be there.

The Meeting will be held at the TriSystem Center, 8898 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Suite J, San Diego, Ca 92123. The front entrance is in the inside corner of our L-shaped building.

Please Share this post with all who you think may benefit!

on Facebook the event is here:

https://fb.me/e/CBXRWHES

Dr. Ben Returns to San Diego!

Join us for another San Diego Low Carb Meeting!

San Diego Metabolic Health Meeting Sponsored by Low Carb SD

You saw him at the Low Carb USA Symposiums. You saw him at previous Low Carb San Diego meetings before covid. Now, back by popular demand is your opportunity to see exactly how Dr. Ben Bocchicchio’s innovative and unique training program has continued to help people in various metabolic conditions. Come with your note pad. Learn from this double Phd. and his 45 years of experience and wisdom. He started fitness for low carb before low carb was even a thing!

This is a FREE event!

Low carb vendors welcome with previous approval.

Choose your Thanksgiving Menu the TriSystem Way! Nutritious, Beneficial, and Tasty!

The day is approaching and the choice is ultimately yours.  What are you going to fill your plate with?  How are you going to enjoy your day?

Following up on my “Battling Those Holiday Pounds” posted article, I’ve compiled the nutritional information for two traditional Turkey-day meals.  One has more calories and fat than most should consume in a whole day.  The other has 75% less calories and 90% less fat.  Both are traditional meals containing specific holiday foods.  The larger meal will most definitely cause fat to be stored.  The larger meal will cause drowsiness and discomfort for hours after the meal.  The smaller meal is balanced and fulfilling, leaving you energized and room for a small dessert meal two to three hours later.

What are you going to do on Thursday?

 

  Meal 1   Amt Description

Protein

Carbs

Fat

Calories

High Calorie Thanksgiving Day Meal, 42% of Calories from Fat
0.20 – turkey, bone removed Turkey, all classes, dark meat, meat and skin, cooked, roasted

88.85

0.00

37.30

714.27

0.75 – cup Potatoes, mashed, home-prepared, whole milk and butter added

2.96

26.32

6.66

166.95

0.33 – cup Gravy, turkey, canned

2.04

4.01

1.65

40.06

0.75 – cup Bread stuffing, bread, dry mix, prepared

4.80

32.55

12.90

267.00

1.00 – serving STOUFFER’S, Creamed Spinach, frozen

3.50

9.00

13.13

168.75

0.25 – cup Cranberry sauce, canned, sweetened

0.14

26.94

0.10

104.57

1.00 – roll (pan, dinner, or small roll) (2″ square, 2″ high) Rolls, dinner, plain, commercially prepared (includes brown-and-serve)

2.35

14.11

2.04

84.00

1.00 – pat (1″ sq, 1/3″ high) Butter, with salt

0.04

0.00

4.06

35.85

1.50 – glass (3.5 fl oz) Alcoholic beverage, wine, table, white

0.15

1.24

0.00

105.06

Meal 1

Total Grams

104.83

114.17

77.84

1686.51

Total Cal

439.57

452.8

698.63

Total Cal %

26.06

26.85

41.42

 

  Meal 2   Amt Description

Protein

Carbs

Fat

Calories

Better choice Thanksgiving Day Meal, only 20% Calories from Fat
4.00 – slices Turkey breast meat

19.35

0.00

1.36

94.60

1.00 – cup Beans, snap, green, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained without salt

2.01

8.71

0.23

37.80

1.00 – small Sweetpotato, cooked, baked in skin, without salt

1.03

14.56

0.07

61.80

0.25 – cup Gravy, mushroom, canned

0.75

3.25

1.61

29.75

1.00 – oz Bread stuffing, bread, dry mix, prepared

0.91

6.14

2.43

50.37

1.00 – roll (1 oz) Rolls, dinner, whole-wheat

2.44

14.31

1.32

74.48

0.25 – oz GFA Brands, Inc. Smart Balance

0.00

0.00

2.25

8.02

4.00 – fl oz Apple juice, frozen concentrate, unsweetened, diluted with 3 volume water without added ascorbic acid

0.17

13.80

0.12

56.21

8.00 – fl oz Carbonated beverage, club soda

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Meal 2

Total Grams

26.66

60.77

9.39

413.03

Total Cal

106.9

238.67

84.12

Total Cal %

25.88

57.79

20.37

 

 

 

 

 

How “NATURAL” is this ingredient in the food you’re eating?

A client just asked me about this Almond Milk Creamer. Check it out…

SilkAlmondCreamer2

There it is again that ambiguous ingredient “natural flavor” Research shows that even with all the regulations and new organic certifications it’s a confusing and misleading mess!

The definition of natural flavor under the Code of Federal Regulations is: “the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional” (21CFR101.22).

Certainly a mouthful!

In other words, it could include beef by-products, but not necessarily.

Any other added flavor therefore is artificial. (Although monosodium glutamate, or MSG, used to flavor food must be declared on the label as such, similar additives or derivatives of MSG that are not exactly that chemical could be listed as natural flavoring.  Example of these are autolyzed yeast extract and hydrolyzed soy protein). Both artificial and natural flavors are made by “flavorists” in a laboratory by blending either “natural” chemicals or “synthetic” chemicals to create flavorings.

Gary Reineccius, a professor in the department of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota, explains that  the distinction between natural and artificial flavorings is based on the source of these often identical chemicals. In fact, he says, “artificial flavorings are simpler in composition and potentially safer because only safety-tested components are utilized.

 “Another difference,” says Reineccius, “is cost. The search for natural sources of chemicals often requires that a manufacturer go to great lengths to obtain a given chemical.  This natural chemical is identical to the version made in an organic chemist’s laboratory, yet it is much more expensive than the synthetic alternative.”

End result: Consumers wind up paying the price for natural flavorings, and according to Reineccius, these are in fact no better in quality, nor are they safer, than their cost-effective artificial counterparts.

So what about the flavorings used in organic foods? Foods certified by the National Organic Program (NOP) must be grown and processed using organic farming methods without synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes, petroleum-based fertilizers and sewage sludge-based fertilizers. Organic livestock cannot be fed antibiotics or growth hormones. The term “organic” is not synonymous with “natural.” The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) defines “natural” as “a product containing no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed (a process which does not fundamentally alter the raw product) may be labeled natural.” Most foods labeled natural, including its flavorings, are not subject to government controls beyond the regulations and heath codes.

The NOP food labeling standards (effective October of 2002) include a National List of Allowed Synthetic and Prohibited Substances. This list has a section on allowed non-synthetic substances, some with restrictions (205.605(a)) for products labeled “organic” or “made with organic ingredients.” Four categories of organic labels were approved by the USDA, based on the percentage of organic content: 100% Organic, Organic, Made with Organic Ingredients, and Less than 70% Organic. Natural flavors, then, can be considered NOP compliant as “organic” when used under the 95% rule (flavorings constitute 5% or less of total ingredients and meet that meet the appropriate requirements) if their organic counterparts are not available. “Made with organic ingredients” can be used on any product with at least 70% organically produced ingredients.”

According to the National List, under section 7CFR205.605(a)(9), non-agricultural, non-organic substances are allowed as ingredients that can be labeled as “organic” or “made with organic,” including “flavors, non-synthetic sources only, and must not be produced using synthetic solvents and carrier systems or any artificial preservative.” Other non-synthetic ingredients allowed in this section include: acids such as microbiologically-produced citric acid, dairy cultures, certain enzymes and non-synthetic yeast that is not grown on petrochemical substrates and sulfite waste liquor.

So, the bottom line is that you have to read those labels carefully. “Natural” might not be so natural, and that even some organic foods might contain some of these “natural flavors.” There are still many grey areas for consumers and producers alike.

Research is being done and attempts are being made to produce more organic flavorings, but the process is slow. We as consumers need to be more aware of what ingredients go into our foods and also demand that the government sticks to its responsibility to regulate these ingredients and make sure that the information is discloses on EVERY label.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.ehow.com/list_7409993_fda-regulations-natural-flavors.html
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5088008
http://www.scientificamerican.com
http://www.kisswebpage.com/msg/

It’s time to stop the lies and actually do something better! Go to betterthanagym.com and see!

It's time to stop the lies and actually do something better!  Go to betterthanagym.com and see!
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Your Thanksgiving Day Strategy

The Bird

Battling those Holiday Pounds!

Studies show the average weight gain around this time of year among those who are weight conscious is five to ten pounds. Those who are not concerned about weight could gain a whole lot more. So what’s the answer? Avoid all the delicious, good food surrounding the various holidays this time of year. Dramatically cut back on everything else. If this was the answer, the holiday weight gain statistic would not exist. Forgo the food connected with our holiday celebrations and you might as well skip the whole holiday season. Since becoming a hermit is not the healthy answer for weight and body composition maintenance, we must find another answer.

That solution, in a nut shell (pardon the pun) is variety and moderation. Specifically, the number of meals you eat per day will definitely influence pending weight gain. Even the most meticulous calorie counters realize that they need a specific amount of calories per day. So they save up their calories for that one special meal. Have you every skipped breakfast or only had a light snack to eat before Thanksgiving? It seems to makes sense. If your limit your calories to 1,500 a day, why not in one delicious, holiday splurge. The problem with this calorie math is your body is only capable of processing food at a specific rate. For example: if a man is dying of dehydration, it will not benefit him to connect a fire hose to his mouth. The water just can get in that fast. Therefore, to be in energy balance, over the time it takes to consume a meal and the time it takes to digest and absorb that meal, we should be burning close to the same amount of calories.

It is not the amount of calories we eat per day that matters but, the amount of calories and nutrients we consume per meal.  So how do we apply this to the holiday season. Don’t think you’re doing well by sleeping late, skipping meals, waiting for that one big meal. Don’t set your body up for laying in the couch, watching television while it attempts to process this breakfast-lunch-and-dinner-in-one. You’ve just lowered your daily calorie expenditure, increasing the chance that your body will store most of what you’re eating as fat.

Skipping meals and then exercising very hard, right before the big meal increases calories burned but, if you haven’t eaten very much since the night before, you could actually slow your metabolism, burning muscle. Exercise helps curb the appetite in some people but, actually increases it in most because of the temporary calorie deficit.

The right way:

Your body likes routine. If you normally get up at a certain time, get up at that time. Try and eat as soon as you wake and eat breakfast, snacks and lunch like you normally would. If exercise is part of your routine, then keep it there. If it is not, this is not the day to start. Eating meals at the time you normally eat them will actually raise metabolism (compared to skipping) and give you nutrients and calories when your body needs them. This will reduce cravings and hunger before your holiday meal, especially if you have a snack or meal right before you get together. Don’t deny yourself the traditional holiday foods. Fighting to avoid them usually ends up in one or two melt downs that are worse than if you served yourself with various samples.

Thanksgiving DinnerThe key is portion control and variety. A plate that has a little of everything is better than a plate that only has the biggest baked potato. Try and put a little of everything on your plate, even if you don’t particularly care for something. The more you try new and different foods, the more likely you are eating a balanced meal. Don’t use the biggest plate, either. Choose to fill a smaller plate or, when given a larger one, fill your plate out to the sides. Try not to stack food high. Keep it all the same level. If there is a boarder or pattern in the china, attempt to serve yourself within the lines. Be sure to get some protein, carbohydrate, vegetable and a little fat. Drink between eight and sixteen ounces of fluid with your meal, water being the first choice.

With a snack before, a full day of eating, routine exercise and a well balanced plate, we should all survive the holidays with little weight gain and a good taste of everything. Having a little of everything eases the pressure of trying to decide what to eat, satisfies your taste buds and balances your meal. Have fun with family and friends this holiday season but, not at the expense of growing out of those jeans around New Year’s resolution time. Good luck and God Bless!!

Comparison of traditional Thanksgiving Day meals.  See This link

Choose your Thanksgiving meal

Jeff Kotterman is the recommended Sports Nutritionist for several fitness based businesses. He is an experienced instructor whose research has benefited the health of thousands clients. If you have questions or would like a program developed specifically for you call (858) 694-0317, e-mail: jeff@trisystem.com

Back To School Means Back to Fitness

Hey, guess what’s been happening at the TriSystem Center over the summer.  The new Human Trainer and other workout tools have been added to make our workouts the most contemporary, fun and effective routines for progress.  We’ve also had some great interns this summer and Kathy Schlientz even got a new foot!  Yes, her new foot is totally different than the old one.  She can walk on this one.

We’ve seen clients successfully battle multiple sclerosis, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, drop-foot, spinal lesions, back surgery, open heart surgery, angioplasty, muscle damage all during this last summer.

It’s amazing what the right, specific combination of targeted nutrition and customized exercise can do for people that want to be better!

We’ve really developed a reputation for being the plateau busters,  the problem solvers and the solution finders with God’s help.  If traditional diet and exercise are not working for you, we have the answer!

This short video shows some of the exercises, clients and most of all, it talks about how my good friend Chuck Hicks  and his wife cheated the Grim Reaper with radical changes in their body over the last few months.  Check it out…

It’s a perfect time of year to get in here and get started or even restarted before things get even further from where you want them to be.  If not now, when?  Set up a free consultation in the form below.

Initial Consultation Form

 

Verification

Did you Miss the Nutrition Seminar? Well Here it is….

Thank you all for coming back on the 12th to listen to me talk again on nutrition.  If you missed it, you can watch it or re-watch it below.  I got a lot of positive feedback from those who attended.  They say they were motivated by it.  The talk was called, “Eating for Pleasure and Benefit.”    Here is a flyer that was my second choice.  It is a good graphic of what is explained in  the presentation:

Challenge Nutrition Seminar

Watch the seminar here: http://youtu.be/lgKmaQ1ho2c

Tonight’s Seminar: Eating for Benefit and Pleasure!

Hey, just in case you’ve been hiding under a rock, shut off from all emails, Facebook, the TriSystem website, texting, Twitter, Instagram and all other forms of modern social life, here is a News Flash….  We are going to have a great hour talk TONIGHT about how you can “Get Your EDGE” when it comes to eating.  Nutrition can be complicated and confusing.  Food seems to be so polar.  Good food that tastes good, has no harmful stuff in it and actually does something good for your body seems to be really hard to find.  If it tastes bad, it is not necessarily good for you and if it tastes good, it is not necessarily bad for you.  Come by tonight and let’s talk about this and sort it all out!  Please repost, send and share this event with everyone!

Free Seminar 6:30 pm,

7710 Balboa Ave, Suite 322,

San Diego, CA  92111

Last Chance

Tonight is the Last chance you have to enter the TriSystem EDGE Challenge.  Don’t Miss This.  It is a great opportunity to set the tone for your attitude and outlook for the summer and the rest of 2013.  See more information here.  If you pre-register, you get a discount code for all things TriSystem!

To better prepare you for the evening, Challenge participants should already be logging what they are doing.  From last week’s seminar, we learned that key tools in really making a difference are:

  • assessment
  • accountability
  • progression

Therefor, don’t forget to use your logging tools.

  • Today is the last day for  your initial body fat.  Call 858-694-0317. We can do some last minute ones tonight.
  • If you don’t already have a TriSystem online account, go to http://platinumclub.trisystem.com and put your name, phone and email to start the process.  I  will make it FREE.
  • Download more your Activity log sheets here.

You must keep an accurate log of all your points.  There are 3 ways to verify your points will be counted.

  1. Go to a TriSystem Affiliate and have them log your event in their log sheet.
  2. Take a screen capture or photo and text it to a TriSystem Affiliate.  The main text number is 619-757-7388
  3. THE NEW AND PREFERRED WAY: text or email proof of your event to trisystemchallenge@yahoo.com where you will have your own personal folder of all events sent to this account.

That’s all for now, more to come. later today about your TriSystem online account.

Is There Really Brain Food?

For those of you who missed it, here is the April 2nd news spot on San Diego Living, Channel 6

 (see the video here)

We’ve all had those days when we just feel like our brain is in a fog.  And while there’s no magic pill (or is there?) to bring us back to the height of our cognitive powers, there are some foods and nutrients that have been shown to improve brain function, protect against age-associated cognitive decline and encourage focus and clarity.  But before you dismiss the diet-brain connection let me tell you there has been study after study that has found a relationship between what we put in our mouths and how well we can perform important thinking and memory tasks. While certain nutrients may specifically assist brain function, there is also the totality of our diets to consider. Also, several well-regarded studies have shown that meal timing is an important predictor of performance.

For example, research shows that eating breakfast can improve the memory and acquisition skills of schoolchildren. In a finding sure to fuel the debate over the harms of saturated fat, researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital published a study last year suggesting that saturated fats — found in red meat and full-fat dairy products — causes the brain to age more rapidly than other kinds of fat. Olive oil, avocado, and other monounsaturated fats appear to slow brain aging.

I’ve put together the top brain foods — tell me Friday if any have made a difference for you. We all could use a little extra oomph up there?

·         Walnuts help promote blood flow, which in turn allows for efficient delivery of oxygen to the brain.

·         Olive oil is a great source of monounsaturated fat, which has been shown to actually slow brain aging.

·         Berries –  Neuro-research found that a diet high in blueberries, strawberries and others were linked to a slower mental decline in areas like memory and focus in a large sample of middle-aged women.

·         Fatty fish like sardines and salmon are a well-known brain booster, thanks to the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, which have been linked to lower risk of dementia, improved focus and memory.

·         Spinach is rich in the antioxidant lutein, which is thought to help protect against cognitive decline, according to researchers from Tufts University.

·         Avocados are full of monounsaturated fats that improve vascular health and blood flow, making them another brain food.

·         Water – When a person becomes dehydrated, their brain tissue actually shrinks. And several studies have shown that dehydration can affect cognitive function.  Dehydration can impair short-term memory, focus and decision making.

·         Garlic may help stave off some forms of brain cancer, according to research published in Cancer, the medical journal of the American Cancer Society. Investigators found that the organo-sulfur compounds in garlic actually worked to kill brain cancer cells.

The key to successfully implementing these foods for effectiveness is in balancing them.  Remember, too much of a good thing is a bad thing.  At the Seminar Friday, we will talk about how to combine these foods and other herbs and botanicals for optimal brain function.

Over decades of study and working with thousands of clients, I’ve developed a single product that has a key all-natural combination affecting Mood. Metabolism and Recovery as it says on the bottle

It all starts on my birthday, this Friday, April 5th at a FREE seminar in San Diego where San Diego 6 viewers can get a chance to enter to receive all of this free.  All views have to do is register at www.trisystem.info/san-diego-6. That enters you in a drawing to be announced at the seminar.  More information about the location is on that page.  It starts at 6:30. I hope to see you there!