#nutrition

Use Nutrient Density to Lose Weight by Eating Better, Not Less – Part 2

jasonmachowsky

5 min

Use Nutrient Density to Lose Weight by Eating Better, Not Less – Part 2

In my previous post I reviewed the idea of nutrient density: a food’s nutrient bang for its calorie buck. If we classify foods based on their caloric and nutrient content, we arrive at four options: Low Calorie, High Nutrient Foods: Most fruits and vegetables High Calorie, High Nutrient foods: High starch vegetables (potato, sweet potato, corn, etc.), whole grains, avocado, nuts, seeds, legumes, beans, minimally processed oils, low-fat dairy, lean meat, fish Low Calorie, Low

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Use Nutrient Density to Lose Weight by Eating Better, Not Less – Part 1

jasonmachowsky

4 min

Use Nutrient Density to Lose Weight by Eating Better, Not Less – Part 1

It is entirely possible to eat all day and lose weight. The key is what you choose to eat. When you eat, your body’s goal is to get all of the necessary nutrients (carbs, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals and water) into your system regardless of the number of calories you consume. Of course you must consume a minimum number of calories to keep your body functioning properly, but the calories themselves are just one variable. The other important factor is the nutrients each fo

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jasonmachowsky

2 min

Curb Your Holiday Eating Cravings

There will be cake. Pie. Butter-loaded mashed potatoes. Juicy ham (or Tofurky). Cheese and crackers. Wine. And then all of the free holiday food at work. Holiday parties. Times when you feel, “oh what the hell, it’s the holidays!” Holiday eating cravings will be there, but you have a choice. Will you be like the average American who gains a pound during the holiday season (and never loses it)? Or will you be different? A colleague recently asked me if it’s ok to in

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Stuck? An Activity to Overcome a Chronic Dieting or Defeated Mentality

jasonmachowsky

4 min

Stuck? An Activity to Overcome a Chronic Dieting or Defeated Mentality

Overcoming Chronic Dieting: How About Half a Burger and a Big Salad? I frequently work with clients who have “tried every diet” and feel stuck, frustrated, and sometimes even defeated by their excess weight or declining health. They keep trying the latest fad diets – eating like a caveman, avoiding all gluten, drinking endless juices – gain a little traction and then lose it, sometimes slipping back further than when they started. Lose 20 pounds, regain 30. Wash, rinse, re

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Revolutionizing the Resolution…Set Health and Fitness Goals that Stick!

jasonmachowsky

2 min

Revolutionizing the Resolution…Set Health and Fitness Goals that Stick!

Guest post by Dwayne Brown, CSCS The date is January 1st. Today is the day when most people are trying to put into action the resolutions that they hastily made on New Year’s Eve. Gyms across the nation will be bursting at the seams with new members and I’m pretty sure Weight Watchers’ business is always at its best right after the New Year. For the next couple of weeks people will make a valiant effort to keep those resolutions. Then after the New Year buzz wears off (pun in

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jasonmachowsky

2 min

In the Mind of a Nutritionist

I originally wrote this post for the Hospital for Special Surgery blog, which you can find here. From the HSS On the Move Blog, “In the Mind of a Nutritionist” (me!) – “I eat chocolate. And I eat salads. I don’t count calories, but I pay attention to my portions (i.e. I know when I’ve eaten too much). I try to eat slower, a constant battle considering my genetics. I drink diet soda a couple times a week, but I drink a lot of water every day. I drink a glass of wine or beer on

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Healthy Indian Meal Mods: Keep the Taste, Cut the Calories

jasonmachowsky

3 min

Healthy Indian Meal Mods: Keep the Taste, Cut the Calories

Many thanks to my friends and colleagues Kuber Bhalla and Kristine Schweitzer for heavily contributing to the creation of this article! Indian meals are world-famous for flavor and richness. They leave you feeling comfortably stuffed, yet still craving one bite more. But behind all that delicious comfort are some less-than-healthy ingredients that can add up to weight gain and heart trouble in the long run. So let’s take a second look at a few traditional favorites. I asked m

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The Olympic Pursuit of Health and Fitness

jasonmachowsky

5 min

The Olympic Pursuit of Health and Fitness

As I watched some of the world’s best athletes compete last month, I started thinking about all of the time, energy and resolve they devoted over the past four years to earn a brief, but well-deserved moment in the spotlight. Spotlights that may last as little as a few minutes (think skiing, ice skating, or snowboarding). And from there, only three of the top eight or ten competitors from across the world actually win a medal. Considering odds like that, I am amazed that anyo

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jasonmachowsky

5 min

What’s Your Why?

The New Year is rapidly approaching. Reflections on the year passed, looking forward to new beginnings and a big shiny ball falling from the sky. While discussions about New Years’ Resolutions are overplayed, the underlying drive that creates them, year after year, remains of great interest to me. Everyone knows that a resolution made on New Years’ technically has no greater chance of sticking than one made on May 27th, but for some reason our minds like neat definitions when

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Is Saturated Fat Healthy? A Conversation Between Me and My Mom

jasonmachowsky

3 min

Is Saturated Fat Healthy? A Conversation Between Me and My Mom

About a month ago my mom emailed me asking about whether fat in the diet, particularly saturated fat, is healthy. Her interest was piqued due to her recent visits to an Ayurvedic physician and an article by Adam Bornstein for Shape.com. Below is my conversation with her about the question “Is saturated fat healthy?” – I’m interested to hear everyone’s thoughts: From My Mom – Quoting Bornstein’s article: 7. Eat saturated fat. Books like The China Study and movies like Forks

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‘Tis the Season: 3 Tips to Prevent Holiday Weight Gain

jasonmachowsky

3 min

‘Tis the Season: 3 Tips to Prevent Holiday Weight Gain

A big worry on peoples’ minds during the holiday season is about whether they will gain weight. Unfortunately, most people do…about one pound. While one pound does not sound like much, most people also keep that pound until the following holiday season…when they add another pound. So pound after pound, year after year…those pounds can add up fast. Here are three great ways to keep your cool and avoid being part of the “one pound majority” during this holiday season. Eat Small

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Four Key Post-Pregnancy Fitness Tips: Part 2

jasonmachowsky

4 min

Four Key Post-Pregnancy Fitness Tips: Part 2

The first part of Key Post-Pregnancy Fitness Tips discussed getting the right muscles firing again and returning to exercise gradually and safely. Part 2 goes a step further by discussing how to re-balance your body physically and nutritionally in the weeks and months following giving birth with the goal of promoting long-term post-pregnancy fitness. Get to know your body…again Photo Courtesy of: http://zachdechant.wordpress.com/ Your body may have locked down into new, less

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jasonmachowsky

7 min

The Epic Quest for Six Pack Abs

In Death of the Diet, I stress the importance of determining your Why – the true motivating force driving you to improve your eating and physical activity habits. While many people “would like” six pack abs, not everyone realizes the amount of effort required to not only attain, but sustain such a low percentage of body fat (likely in the mid-to-high single digits for men, and the low double digits for women). However, I understand some people still want to give it their al

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Measuring Fitness Results Beyond the Scale

jasonmachowsky

2 min

Measuring Fitness Results Beyond the Scale

Weight: Only One Marker of Fitness Results Image Courtesy of Microsoft Images The one instrument that most people use to measure health and fitness progress – the scale – is the one that we have the least amount of control over. Lots of other things influence weight (i.e. time of day, recent meals, what you’re wearing, the scale you use, the time of the month, maybe you’ve gained muscle, etc.), and it’s usually the last to respond to the progress we make compared to many oth

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jasonmachowsky

5 min

Do You Eat to Live, or Live to Eat?

Image courtesy of: FreeDigitalPhotos.net Use the Healthy Food Preference List and Indulgence Frequency Questionnaire to determine how you can strike the right balance between Eating to Live, and Living to Eat. When you ask this question to someone, it can definitely elicit a reaction. They usually pick a side and talk about what food means to them (fuel or comfort or family). Or they will talk about how they started on one side of the statement and switched to the other. Or t

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jasonmachowsky

3 min

Crucial First Steps to Eating Healthier

Apples are one of her preferred healthy foods. Discover Yours! Image courtesy of Microsoft Images An assessment I previously created exclusively for clients, you can get your own personal copy of the JM Wellness “Healthy Food Preference List” by clicking here. Eating healthier is a clichéd term that benefits from greater specificity. In previous posts (Part 1 & Part 2) I’ve discussed the idea of organizing foods by nutrient density: “the amount of nutrient bang for your calor

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Weight Loss Success Stories: Pulling Inspiration from Jealousy

jasonmachowsky

5 min

Weight Loss Success Stories: Pulling Inspiration from Jealousy

Weight Loss Success: Choose Inspiration Photo: Microsoft Images In many ways, jealousy and inspiration are fundamentally opposite emotions. They are yin and yang. Why does one story of success make us feel inspired to do better ourselves, while another makes us feel jealous and say, “what the hell – why them, not me?” The success can be the same, but the interpretation yields two different feelings. A story first, then three steps and three questions you can use to turn j

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Combat Food Cravings, Part 2: When to Fight and How to Indulge

jasonmachowsky

4 min

Combat Food Cravings, Part 2: When to Fight and How to Indulge

Berry Delicious, Berry Tempting? Hopefully you’ve taken the past week to identify your food craving triggers (Step 1). Feel free to use the Death of the Diet Indulgence Journal. And as promised, here’s the second part, which contains steps 2 and 3 to combating cravings. How will you be combating your food cravings? Comment below. Step 2: Determine How You Fight Back Best Against Food Cravings Once aware of your triggers, you can take steps to fight them. While there are

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What does Wellness and Saving for Retirement Have in Common?

jasonmachowsky

4 min

What does Wellness and Saving for Retirement Have in Common?

Image: Grant Cochrane / FreeDigitalPhotos.net With the age of pensions and Social Security on the way out (or so we’re told), there has been a large push from parents, employers and others to “sacrifice a little today, for a better tomorrow”. Whether it be IRA’s, 401K’s or 403B’s, the idea is to consistently save a small percentage of your income and invest it, so over time that short-term savings becomes a long-term nest egg. And to boot, the government will give you some ta

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Want to Eat Better or Lose Weight? Write on!

jasonmachowsky

2 min

Want to Eat Better or Lose Weight? Write on!

Do you spell spaghetti with one “t” or two?!? Image Courtesy of Microsoft Images Keeping a food record, independent of other factors, can lead to better weight loss across a wide range of people. Click on the link and check out figure #4 a little more than halfway down the page – the more food records kept, the more weight lost. Why does food journaling work? Because it gives you a moment to pause and consider what you’ll be eating…and why you’re eating it. Journaling also

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