Nutrition Questions Answered: Video Q&A with a Registered Dietician (+ a FREE session for readers!)

Disclosure: this post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of American Well.  All opinions about the service and questions asked are my own - just like always!  Now let's talk nutrition!

Recently I was able to try out a new type of healthcare service called telemedicine provided by American Well.  Telemedicine is becoming the newest way to see a doctor for sick visits or chat with a nutritionist when you have questions about your diet.  Basically, it's the ability to see a doctor (yes, actually SEE them) via video chat for small things that you don't necessarily have to be physically present for, like a diagnosis of the common cold or just answers to general health questions.

Amwell makes it easy to set up an account and get chatting in no time.  All you need to do is enter your name and email address.  You then create a password and your account is made.  You have the option to choose between a variety of visit types such as medical, diet & nutrition, or psychology (screenshots below).  For my visit, I chose diet & nutrition since I had a lot of questions in that area as you'll see in a minute.  

Amwell Diet & Nutrition Homescreen

When you're creating your account, you DO have the option to add any medical history, lab results, list of medications, primary care physician contact info, etc. all so they can better assist you.  However, none of this is required to schedule a visit.  Once you've chosen your area of service, you can choose a provider from the list available.  You then select a few general topics that you'd like to discuss, and enter payment info.  Note: Amwell does accept most health insurance, so your visit could be partially or totally covered.  Otherwise, it's $25 for a 30-minute visit with an RD, and $49 for a medical or psychological visit (also 30 minutes).  From there, you enter the payment information (FREE SESSION CODE BELOW!) and you're connected with the specialist in no time. 

Option to choose a provider

During my session, I got to speak with Maika Luongo, one of Amwell's Registered Dieticians.  She was very nice and quite knowledgeable, and made me feel instantly comfortable asking any questions I had.  At the end we also chatted a little bit about the fitness industry and certifications, which was fun and a nice way to round out the convo.  But, time for the real information... here's what I asked her.

MY NUTRITION & DIETARY Q&A

1 | Juice cleanses & detox diets: can you really "detox" the body and are these so-called diets actually healthy?

The short answer is no to both.  The longer answer is that our kidneys do an amazing job of detoxing the body on their own and flushing out "toxins" from our system.  Juice cleanses and "detox" diets don't flush anything out, but rather are looked at as a "quick fix" for weight loss.  Now, if you're looking to go on a juice cleanse for a day or two as a way to kickstart your healthy eating habits, that's alright. But these "diets" aren't sustainable long term, and actually lack a lot of nutritional value (think overall calories and protein).  Bottom line: when it comes to long term weight loss success, there's no quick fix. Don't give in to the hype. 

2 | Is gluten sensitivity real and what differentiates it from Celiac disease?

Call me naive, but I'll be completely honest - I always assumed that unless someone was actually diagnosed with Celiac disease, sensitivity to gluten was all in their head.  Well, I was wrong.  Gluten sensitivity IS a real thing.  It's different from Celiac disease though, and here's why.  Celiac disease causes the villi of the small intestine to be destroyed upon digesting gluten, and as a result, the body can't absorb nutrients properly.  Because of this poor digestion, people with Celiac disease often have symptoms ranging from abdominal cramps and bloating, to diarrhea, gas, and even constipation.

Similarly, people with a gluten sensitivity experience many of the same symptoms, but their diagnosis does not show intestinal damage.  The only way to be diagnosed with Celiac disease is to have a biopsy of the small intestine to show this damage.  So, yes, gluten sensitivity IS real, and if you are sensitive to it (or have Celiac disease), opting for a gluten-free diet is in your best interest.  But if you're looking for yet another "quick fix" for weight loss, gluten-free isn't the way to go.  It won't help you lose weight and it's not going to magically get you that 6-pack.  It will, however, make you fit in with the LA it-crowd in a heartbeat.

And, if you don't know what gluten is by now, read this article and educate yourself on what exactly ISN'T in those gluten-free foods you buy at the store.  (Read: please don't be these people.)

3 | Can you describe the difference in macronutrient intake for someone looking to lose fat vs. gain muscle?

Depending on your fitness goals (whether you're looking to lose fat or gain muscle), the recommended daily amounts (RDAs) for protein, carbohydrate, and fat can vary.  Basically, if you want to gain muscle, you need more protein and less carbs and a moderate amount of healthy fats.  The exact breakdown will vary from person to person, but a good metric for daily macronutrient intake is somewhere along the lines of 45-50% carbs, 30% protein, and about 20-25% healthy fat.

For someone looking to lose fat, those RDAs can change.  It's said that decreasing the carb and fat intake and increasing the protein will help.  The RD I spoke with didn't give me exact numbers here and she really emphasized that these amounts will vary from person to person.  So, in that vein, I encourage you to talk with your own doctor or nutritionist before making any changes to your diet.

The bottom line though, if you're looking to gain muscle, protein is your friend.  If you're looking to lose fat, protein is also your friend.  Decreased carbs are good for both and the fat intake will vary.

4 | What is the recommended daily amount of sugar for the average person?  What are your recommendations for someone looking to decrease their added sugar intake?

This was more of a personal question for me, because as of lately I'm finding myself consuming a lot of sugar.  It's mostly from healthy sources - flavored greek yogurt, fruit, granola... and yes, I'll admit, the occasional hunk of chocolate or ice cream (yeah, not so healthy, but what's a girl gonna do?).  I definitely think I overindulge in sugar, though, and I'm trying to slowly quit the habit.  So, I thought I'd find out what the recommended daily amount of sugar is for the average person, and get some guidance on ways to slowly decrease my intake to that amount.

Dr. Luongo told me that the average RDA for sugar is less than 25g per day.  (Say what?!  I must consume double that at least!)  She also told me that equates to less than 5g of sugar per serving (for reference: 1 pomegranate flavored greek yogurt cup has 18g of sugar).  So, check those nutrition labels!  (You should be doing that already...)

Her recommendations for someone wanting to decrease their added sugar are:

• Stay away from sodas (drink flavored seltzer or water with fresh or frozen fruit)
• Have a snack like plain greek yogurt and/or a piece of fruit to curb sugary cravings
• If you really need an ice cream fix, opt for greek frozen yogurt instead - reason being it has more protein so your satiety level will be reached sooner and you'll stay fuller longer
• Her favorite treats when craving sugary snacks: sliced bananas with honey and cinnamon, greek yogurt, or a piece of fruit.

Luckily I do almost all of those things already, but I do eat a lot of fruit plus a flavored greek yogurt every morning, not to mention the other snacks I have throughout the day plus a few chocolate squares at night.  Guess I better start weening myself off to get at or below that 25g per day limit!

FIRST VISIT IS FREE FOR BLOG READERS!

Yep!  That's right!  YOU all get a 30-minute session with an experienced RD for FREE!  And by free, I really mean free.  You don't have to enter any credit card information whatsoever.  Click the image above to go directly to the sign up form.  All you need to enter is your name, email address, and a password.  You don't need to provide any other personal information if you don't want to.  Upon check out, enter the code FITFORLIFE and you'll be talking to a nutritionist in no time.  I hope you guys take advantage of this awesome service - if you've ever thought about talking to a nutritionist about ANYTHING, now is your time to do it!

Readers: chat with me!  Have you ever talked with a nutritionist before?  Do you think you'd take advantage of this opportunity?  What types of questions are on your mind?  Did the answers to my questions above help clarify anything for you?

Walking The Talk: 7 Benefits of Walking + The Surgeon General's Call to Action

Today I'd like to take a step away from the more difficult workouts on the blog and talk to you a little bit about regular simple physical activity like walking.  How often do you get outside and walk?  Maybe you take your dog for a walk every morning?  Or perhaps you take a walk with your family in the evening after dinner?  What about during the workday?  Do you make it a point to get up and go for a walk midday to beat the workday slump? 

There are so many benefits of regular movement of your body, and walking is one of the easiest ways to move your muscles and joints (infographic below).  This post was inspired by information from the American Council on Exercise (ACE) in their support of the Surgeon General's recently announced campaign: Step it Up! A Call to Action to Promote Walking and Walkable Communities.  This campaign helps promote individual walking and walking groups within communities all across the nation in its efforts to reduce sedentary lifestyles and help raise awareness about the importance of daily physical activity.

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Infographic c/o ACE's Walk the Talk Fitpro Toolkit

We've heard it time and time again - heart disease is THE leading cause of death in this country, with over 611,000 deaths reported in 2013 alone.  And the most contributing risk factors for heart disease are a lack of physical activity, and, in combination with a poor diet, obesity.  Let's just think about that for a minute.  Over a half a million people (HALF A MILLION) die each year because their heart failed to do its job.  Their hearts were put under too much stress carrying around extra weight due to poor diet, remaining sedentary, and dare I say, just plain laziness.  Let this be a wake up call to you.  If you are sitting on your couch, in your desk chair, or wherever you are right now reading this, I want you to get up.  Stand up.  Seriously.  Go stretch your legs and walk around for just 1 minute.  Don't worry, I'll wait...

(Insert Jeopardy theme song here...)

Back from your walk?  How was it?  Do you feel like you have more energy?  Good!  One of the easiest ways to combat obesity and start a daily physical activity habit is to walk, like you just did.  Wasn't that bad was it?  This reminds me of a pretty inspiring story I heard on ACE's 15 Minutes to Wellness Podcast about a man named Lee Jordan who started his fitness journey by walking 30 seconds (30 SECONDS!) a day.  Lee started this journey at 450 pounds.  He lost over 275 pounds and it all began with putting one foot in front of the other for 30 seconds a day.  I highly recommend that episode of the podcast, in addition to all the others in the series.  Really, check it out!  Click here to listen to Lee Jordan's interview and learn more about his journey.

The Surgeon General's Goals for the Campaign

Okay, back to the campaign and what this means for you.  The Surgeon General is putting out a call to action for all Americans to get involved in this campaign.  The goals of the campaign are simple and most of which you can help with by simply getting active yourself and in your community.  The number 1 goal is to make walking a national priority by encouraging individuals, families, and communities to get out there.  Other goals include making communities safer and more walk-friendly by installing sidewalks and streetlights, as well as providing education to the public on the benefits of walking and to professionals on how to engage their communities.  For a full list of the campaign goals and details of each, click here.

Walking Fun Facts

All that was pretty doom and gloom (sorry!), so how about some fun facts for a more light-hearted approach!  These facts were taken from the list of 52 Fun Facts in the American Council on Exercise Fitpro Toolkit.

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Walking facts c/o ACE's Walk the Talk Fitpro Toolkit

How Can You Get Involved?

You might be thinking this is all well and good, but I'm too busy to go for a walk in the morning or after dinner.  To that I say remember Lee Jordan's story.  Small increments.  The walks don't have to be hour-long endeavors.  To all the readers of this blog, I challenge you to join me in a 10-minute walk every day for 2 weeks (starting today) wherever you can find the time.  Take your dog out in the morning before work.  Take a walk with your kids after school.  Go for a walk with coworkers on your lunch break at work.  Take a walk by yourself whenever you need to clear your head.

If you're on social media, particularly Twitter and/or Instagram, I'd love it if you joined me in using the hashtag #StepItUp to show your support!  You can tag me (@infitinhealth) and ACE (@acefitness) and join us all in creating a healthier nation, one step at a time.

Readers: chat with me!  How was your weekend?  Do you get a walk in frequently during your day?  If not, where can you find the time to add in a walk?  Do you walk to work, school, or elsewhere usually?  What about around your neighborhood?  Will you join me in the #StepItUp campaign?

Note: This post is not sponsored by ACE in any way.  I received the Walk the Talk Fitpro Toolkit because I am an ACE professional.  This post is simply my way of sharing that information with all of you and encouraging us all to get up and be active!

Injuries, Rest Days, & Guilt: A Letter to The Woman Who Said She Felt Worthless

I was inspired to write this post after subbing a strength training class a few months ago.  I was chatting with the ladies before class got started, and one woman came to me to say she had injured her shoulder as well as her knee and would be taking it easy during class that day.  As she was explaining her injuries, tears started rolling down her face, and my heart broke listening to her story.   She said she felt worthless since both injuries were on the same side of her body, and guilty because she hadn't been able to work out as much as she "needed to" the past few weeks.

Worthless.  Guilty.  Those words gave me pause and the pain in her voice really made me think.  Do we put too much stress on ourselves with negative self-talk and feeling like we "need" to work out?  What will people think if we don't show up to class for a week?  How are we supposed to know when to push ourselves and when to lay off?  And if we do lay off the workouts because we're injured or need a break, are we any less of a person? 

Of course not.  But in a society where peak physical fitness and an athletic physique are touted as signs of a successful life, it's no wonder we push ourselves to the breaking point and then some.  It's all around us.  Just scroll through any social media outlet and you're bound to find a couple dozen articles on the best ways to get that 6-pack or toned backside like Beyonce.  These articles tend to conjure up feelings of being "less than," and if you don't make it to the gym, you're going to be looked down upon.  How ridiculous is that?  But you know what?  Things happen.  LIFE happens.  You can't work your body to the breaking point day in and day out without some negative effects.  

The human body wasn't designed to be pushed without a recovery period.  In fact, that's how you gain muscle in the first place.  Yep - muscle growth happens outside of the gym.  When our muscles are placed under significant load, e.g. by lifting heavy weights, the muscle fibers are damaged and need time to repair, strengthen, and grow.  If you don't give them adequate time to rest (typically a day or two depending on how hard you worked), you risk overtraining, which can lead to serious injury and complications later down the road.  So taking a rest day once or twice a week is not only a good thing, but also necessary to see improvement in performance and aesthetics. 

Still, injuries happen, whether in or out of the gym, and when they do, you have options.  If the injury is minor, you might opt to work different muscle groups altogether, or stick with as little resistance as possible.  If the injury is major, allow yourself the time off.  There is nothing wrong with listening to your body and recognizing when you need a break.  After all, isn't that a major sign of self-respect?  

So, dear woman, I hope you know that injuries are a part of life.  They happen to the best of us, no matter how careful we are.  You did the right thing by taking it easy during class that day, and don't you for a second feel guilty that you did so.  Taking it easy shows everyone around you that you value yourself.  You know what you need and when.  It shows you listened to your body.  You're recovered now, I know, but if an injury or setback happens again, please know that you are not worthless if you need to take time off from your fitness routine.  You are anything but.  You have nothing to feel guilty about, and you, my friend, did just the right thing at the right time for YOU.  There's nothing wrong with that.

Readers: chat with me!  Have you ever had an injury that put your fitness routine on hold?  How did you handle it?  What are some ways you stayed active and healthy while you were out?  I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject!