Empower Personal Training
Posts Tagged ‘nutrition counseling’
Last Chance to Detox before the Holidays!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
It’s chilly today which reminds me that the holiday season is not far away. As much as I love the holidays, I always dread the very real potential for weight gain during a month of what seems like non-stop eating and merriment.
In preparation for the caloric onslaught I like to do our 21 Day Cleanse before the third week in November. This simple three week regimen serves several purposes. One is the obvious weight loss. The average participant who has 10 or more pounds to lose will lose around 10lbs. That’s a great head start on evening the weight management playing field during the temptation filled end of the year. Second, due to the supplements which support us through this simple regimen, we are able to truly nourish our cells bringing a sense of well being, balance and renewal. Third, because the eating plan is very straightforward for three weeks, you get to realize where your “problem” eating areas are (ie. Wow, I would be mindlessly eating in front of the tv or at my desk at work right now. That’s a lot of extra calories. No wonder it’s been so hard to lose weight. I didn’t even know I was doing this!). This sudden awareness is a valuable tool you will carry with you well after the cleanse is over. Finally, the fourth point is that because you have eaten nothing but whole foods in moderate quantities for 21 days, your stomach is smaller which means that you are satisfied while eating less. This way you can go into the holidays mentally and physically prepared to eat less without feeling deprived. It’s such a bonus!
So rather than getting on the scale on January 1st to feel regret or disappointment, take on a simple three week cleansing program before Thanksgiving week approaches. It can set you up for success during the holidays and a give you great jump start for the New Year.
Cheers!
Cara
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
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.
Empower Celebrates 5 Years in Business
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Co - Owners of Empower Personal Training
Before we look forward to the future of Empower, I wanted to take just a few minutes to look back at the last 5 years. For those of you who were around in 2005 you may remember how it all started, but for those of you that have joined the Empower team in the last few years you may not know much about our history. So here it goes
The concept of Empower Personal Training is the long time vision of Jessica Bottesch and Ronda (Michaels) Williams. We started way back in 1993 as freshmen year suitemates at UNC (Go Heels) and we became fast friends and study partners. We used to spend late nights studying together and our study sessions would often drift to conversations about opening a sports medicine facility once we were out of school. Fast forward a few years ñ Jessica received her Masterís degree in Sports Medicine, and I went on to get my Masterís degree in Sports Management. In 2003 our vision really started to come together and we started to brainstorm having our own facility. By this time our experiences had taken us both in the direction of personal training and overall wellness so our concept shifted a little from an outpatient rehab facility to a studio environment that focuses on total health and wellness.
The next year or so we brainstormed names for our company and worked with a close friend to design our logo. Finally in early 2005 we got really serious about realizing our dream. We cranked out a business plan and began searching for an ideal location. We found our current location, and it immediately felt like the right fit for our business. We went through the process of lease negotiations and studio up fit and by Sept. 2005 we opened our 3000 sq. ft. studio with two employees ñ Jessica and me.
If you were around in 2005, youíll remember that Jessica and I did everything ourselves ñ we trained, we marketed, we answered phones and we even served as the cleaning crew (albeit for only one week). You might remember that we used to schedule appointments the old fashioned way ñ with good ole paper and pencil and date book at the front desk. My how things have changed and we are now able to leverage technology and provide online scheduling and billing services through our state of the art, industry leading software MindBody.
Slowly things started to pick up and we were in need of additional staff to handle the increased business. Let me just throw in a side note here, but Jessica and I personally think we have the best staff in the area. If it were not for our dedicated team of professionals we would have never made it this far, and we are eternally grateful for the loyal staff members weíve had over the years. At this point we have 12 personal trainers, 2 registered dietitians, 1 massage therapist and 2 group fitness instructors on our staff for a total of 17 employees.
At our two year mark in 2007 it started to become apparent that we were running out of space in our current digs so we expanded into the contiguous 1000 square feet. We added a few more pieces of equipment, but mostly what we needed was more space for our expanding client base. If you currently train at Empower you know that the long runway in front of the cardio equipment can seem endless if you are pushing the sled or doing inchworms or walking lunges the entire way. Again we owe it all to our wonderful clients for making the first expansion a reality.
Jessica and I are excited as we pause and reflect on Empowerís growth and success over the past 5 years. We thank you – clients, staff, family and friends for supporting us as we realize our vision to ìEmpower people and communities to lead stronger, healthier, happier lives.î
Stay tuned for more details about the 5 year Red Carpet Celebration and for more information about Empowerís plans for growth as we pass this milestone anniversary.
Packing Tasty and Healthy Lunches for the Whole Family
Tuesday, August 24, 2010Packing your meals used to be a must if you wanted to eat while you were away from home. Nowadays, many people leave their homes without giving a second thought as to what theyíll eat during the day. While there are many options out there, Iíll bet not many people can claim their drive-through experiences are anything to rave about.
Same goes for our kids who eat from the school cafeteria. Few of them can say they love the food options they have. Is it worth it to rethink your lunch situation?
I think so, if :
1. You enjoy a good meal ñ definition of a good meal: satisfying, flavorful, and with a fresh look and taste.
2. You look at meals as the perfect pick me up for your day ñ wondering why your energy level heads for a nose dive in the middle of the afternoon?
3. You are health-minded ñ you want to eat better to feel better and promote optimal health.
Letís take a fresh look at packing our meals first by breaking out of the mindset that packed lunches are ëwhat I do when Iím dieting or trying to save moneyí.
While you may lose weight and save money if you go from a drive-through lunch to a packed lunch, Iíd like you to consider packing your lunch primarily because you like to eat well. Eating well should be something we experience most days of the week rather than something reserved for only a couple of days of the week. After all, eating well nourishes our bodies, leaves us feeling energized, mentally alert, and ready to continue our day with a good attitude rather than a heavy stomach.
Iíll give you two other reasons why packing your lunch is the way to go. First, you get to eat what you like or at least what you say you like and how you like it. What am I talking about? So many of my clients report liking to eat good tasting, fresh food yet their days are filled with heavily processed meals in which weíd be hard-pressed to find a fresh veggie or a piece of fruit.
Second, you can enjoy more of your lunchtime to EAT, TAKE A BREAK, AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. In our hurried lives, we find ourselves yearning for ways to carve out a little bit of time to take care of ourselves. Have you considered doing this in the middle of the day? Try it and you may find how renewing it is. Think of what you can do with that extra time during the middle of the day – you can go for a walk, schedule a workout, spend some time in thoughtful meditation or simply just BE. Packing your lunch could give you more time to enjoy eating your meal and take an actual break during lunch free of driving or waiting in line.
Join me on Saturday, August 28th at Noon to get fresh ideas on how to pack a satisfying meal for you and your family, what to pack, and most importantly how to tailor this practice to fit into your life. Reserve your spot by registering online or call the studio at (919) 401-8024.
Monica Gulisano, LDN, RD
Monica is a registered dietitian and licensed nutritionist at Empower Personal Training. She has extensive experience formulating evidenced-based nutrition interventions for people of diverse backgrounds, varying health status, and across the lifespan.
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