Empower Personal Training
Archive for the ‘Events’ Category
Now on to the 21 Day Detox
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Congratulations to this determined group for completing the Vegan Challenge Week! I’m hoping that you all learned a little something about alternative diets and your ability to function well on such diets. Since you made it a full seven days without animal products you can probably tell if you would ever be able to or even want to take on such a challenge again.
If you are up for it, you might consider taking on the 21 Day Cleanse offered at Empower. The first ten days of the cleanse consist of a vegan diet so you already know what to expect. This cleanse is all about blasting the body with nutrients in order to correct any biochemical misfirings which often lead to pesky symptoms such as less than optimal sleep, aches and pains and digestive discomfort, to name a few. This is not a deprivation regimen or anything that encourages extreme dietary behaviors. Here you follow a simple diet of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean sources of protein and further support the body with a nutritional shake and two supplements which help the liver ìresetî your body’s chemistry.
We introduced the cleanse last fall and participants have had great success. Weight loss is what most folks are looking for and I must admit that this happens rather incidentally. Although everyone does lose weight, the more exciting cleanse results are the increases in stamina, better blood sugar control, better quality of sleep, less cravings and the absence of aches and pains. So take the challenge to the next level and really feel your body awaken to the effects of optimal nutrition. All it takes is 21 days!
Find out more HERE
A Motherís Day Thought from John
Thursday, May 12, 2011This post is written by John about his life partner Kerri . . . very sweet~
Motherhood implies togetherness. The first dinner Kerri and I sat down to have with Kaleb in our new home began with several small laughing fits, followed by a round of drumming and nonsense chatter. Kaleb declared we were probably the weirdest family ever, and all of us were okay with that. It was our first movements and dialogue as a new family and I lost all pretenses about being an adult. The togetherness we share has Kerri, my very-soon-to-be-wife, at its core.
Kerriís strength as a mom is her ability to practice peace, empathy, and patience with everyone she meets. She instills in her son the confidence to grow into himself without being ashamed or self-conscious, to be himself unapologetically. She treats Kaleb as an equal, capable person and, therefore, allows him engage in our new familyís processes. Her love is relentless as it is curious and her willingness to be part of the world is inspiring. And she just goes with it if Kaleb and I starting doing break-beats and chooses to be a part of us every moment of the way.
Both John and Kerri offer massage services at Empower. To schedule a massage today click HERE
Empower is Celebrating Moms the whole month of May. Call to find out about our Mother’s Day Specials!
919 . 401 . 8024
Kitchen Pantry Makeover – March Special
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Do you ever look into your kitchen pantry, see a bunch of items youíre not inspired by, wonder how long theyíve been there, take a deep breath, turn around and order take-out? Weíve all had that experience. What could help with these kitchen doldrums? Empower to the rescue! This month, Empower nutritionists are offering a promotion designed to spiff up your pantry and inspire you and meet your wellness needs. In March schedule an Empower Pantry Makeover Service with one of our dietitians and each family member who participates in the makeover session will receive a complimentary three-day food diary analysis.
The great thing about the food diary analysis is that the dietitian will get a very clear picture of what your family likes to eat, the quality of what you are eating and will make suggestions on how to improve your familyís diet based on your specific preferences. Keeping a food diary is easy, all you have to do is record what you eat and at what time you eat it each day of the three-day period. The benefit of recording your food intake for three days is that this information gives the dietitian an overview of your eating habits. Do you eat breakfast? Or do you wait until lunch to get your first meal? These questions and others may seem irrelevant but from a nutritional perspective they make a lot of sense and give the dietitian insight into your likes and dislikes.
In the pantry makeover the dietitians will take a look at what items you have on hand, look at the ingredients, determine what is helpful to your wellness goals and what is not and then use your dietary preferences to suggest specific products that are better suited to your needs. Once you get rid of unhealthful products and replace them with better options your pantry will seem a lot more attractive to you and in turn inspire you to prepare more meals at home with nutritional confidence. Take advantage of our March special and Empower your family to make better eating an easy choice.
Durham Ranks 11th in Fattest Cities!
Monday, March 7, 2011
The article titled ìWeíre not fat, weíre Rubenesqueî in this weekís Triangulator was a bit disturbing to me, a registered dietitian with a degree in public health working in Durham. It stated that Durham ranks number 11 in Menís Healthís 100 Fattest Cities in America list. Raleigh ranked 47, Greensboro, 70 and Charlotte 74 while San Francisco came in dead-last.
San Francisco came in last. I used to live in San Francisco. I was thin when I lived in San Francisco. I am not thin now and am sitting in Durham. Iíd like to explore why that is. For starters San Francisco is a walking town ñ a very manageable 7 mile by 7 mile chunk of land bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west, a hilly Marin County to the north, the San Francisco Bay to the east and more hills to the south. San Francisco is famous for its hills making driving a pain and walking a pleasure. Eventhough I had a car, I rarely drove it. You had to have magical ìparking karmaî if you drove anywhere without an attached garage and fines were always stiff if you decided/were forced to be non-compliant. Plus the public transportation system is excellent. So walking was always the best option.
Let me note as well that San Francisco ranks last on this infamous list yet it is an eating town. Food is a major driving force in that city, from the farmerís markets to the high end, celebrity chef restaurants. There is not a bad meal in this town. Whether you pay $5 (like for Taqueria Cancunís vegetarian burrito with huge chunks of fresh avocado) or $200 (dinner at Jardiniere, for example) you will be equally satisfied. I didnít cook much when I lived in there, it just wasnít worth it. I could get good, fresh food at a reasonable price in any ethnic version at a momentís notice. One would think that this is a recipe for obesity, evidently not.
In the fifteen years since I left the City by the Bay I have gained 40lbs. How did that happen? I certainly donít blame Durham, but leaving a walking town to live in a driving one certainly has had its impact. I went from walking to and from work, a vigorous 45 minute walk each way (burning up about 600 calories total) to driving to and from work (calories burned = ZERO!). So now Iím absorbing those 600 calories into my system every day. That alone turned into 15lbs almost immediately. Then I got married, which apparently makes you fat without eating, another 10lbs, thanks to newlywed bliss. Eventually I started working out so my weight stabilized but then I went to grad school and that just put me over the edge. It was a stressful time and the remaining weight packed on to comfort me through exams and presentations. Somehow being a dietitian and helping others meet their weight loss goals does not translate into weight loss for me, so here I am fat in the 11th fattest city in America.
So what can we do to make Durham a more healthful city? Aside from the numerous socio-economic issues at hand that warrant their own serious commentary, I think awareness is one important key. Many of us are not aware of what or how much we eat nor of how little we move our bodies. In todayís society being healthy is a conscious decision, it is not an automatic state of being like it might have been 100 years ago. We are bombarded with countless messages everyday encouraging us to make unhealthful choices and although we all know what the healthful choices are, we do not make them often enough to derive consistent benefit. This contradiction between what we know and what we do exists because many of us have never experienced health in a conscious way. It is so difficult to imagine what life would be like as a normal-weight, fit person that it requires a leap of faith in oneself to actually go for health (or a move to San Francisco!). This is why places like Empower exist, to help guide us through the leap. We need the help of trainers, nutritionists and other wellness professionals in order to create new habits consciously so that we may stand healthfully on our own. With proper guidance and motivation we can achieve our health goals and in the end contribute to a svelte silhouette for our chubby little town.
Have a HEALTHY Heart
Friday, February 25, 2011
Healthy Heart for Everyone!
What is the secret to remaining young (at heart) and having long-lasting vitality and health?
Having a healthy heart!
A healthy heart depends on several factors: blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood glucose, whether or not you smoke or have ever smoked, how physically active you are, your weight, and eating a healthy diet. If youíre an Empower Personal Training client youíre already working on the physical activity aspect of this equation. Having a healthful eating pattern that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, along with low intake of added sugars and moderate alcohol consumption is also beneficial and another important piece of the pie.
But how do you tackle unhealthy blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels with everyday FOODS to nearly wipe out your risk (that is if you donít smoke!)?
Join me on Monday, February 28th at 7:00 pm to learn food based strategies to keep your heart healthy for years to come. This seminar is tailored for anyone who eats AND has a heart!
REGISTER HERE FOR THIS IMPORTANT SEMINAR
Healthy regards,
Monica
