I have the pleasure of training some awesome clients at a boutique gym in Jersey City, Hamilton Health and Fitness (HHF), that has an on-site pool. Pools are coveted in urban areas, so there are a lot of swimming programs at HHF – including many for kids. As a result, these kids briefly walk near the training floor on their way to the pool. I’m always amused at how they look at all of the weights and machines in wonder. Sometimes they’ll just stare and other times they ask th

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

This is the third and final part of the Seven Questions series designed to help you chart a course to your own path to sustainable fitness.  There’s 10,000 ways to lose weight and get fit, but only one matters: the one that works for you. In Part 1, you determined why you want to improve your health or fitness. In Part 2, you determined which habit(s) to change as a step in the right direction.  You’ve even detailed the steps needed to take action on changing your habit. The

The first two questions, which can be found in Part 1, focused on the “why” – whether you’re ready to change your habits, and if so, what your motivations for change are.  There’s a saying: With a strong enough “why,” the “what” and “how” make themselves clear.  These next three questions will focus on exactly that: the what and how to achieve sustainable fitness. Questions 3 & 4: The Past Leaves Clues Question #3: Which of your habits do you think have contributed to your cu

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

I’m excited to share The Seven Questions.  I will ask these questions to uncover clients’ true motivations for change and create a realistic action plan to achieve sustainable health and fitness – and I hope they can do the same for you! Here are the first two questions to get you started on the path to permanent health and fitness results. Don’t water down your thoughts – be as honest as possible.  Try to keep your answers to these, and all of the other questions, on the sam

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

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

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

While pregnancy is a wonderful time for an expecting family, it can also be very challenging physically for the mom-to-be. The growing baby (with his/her weight), hormonal swings, impaired thermoregulatory ability (sweating) and altered metabolism can all work together to make climbing a flight of stairs difficult, let alone working out five days a week. By the end of nine months, you will have a happy baby, but potentially a deconditioned body as well.  While the best defens

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

Image: sakhorn38 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Over the past couple weeks I’ve received a few responses and inquiries as to what aspects of yoga I dislike – it seems that more people have gotten hurt performing yoga than I thought. I hope this post sheds some light on the dangers of improperly performed yoga so you can take steps to minimize your injury risk while still enjoying a practice that you love. Take a breath…this is a long post. What Looks Right is not Always Right When p

Image: sakhorn38 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Inspired by the NY Times article, “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body”, I took a moment and began to reflect on my experiences with yoga: as a class attendee, an exercise physiologist working with clients and as an anatomy and physiology instructor, training groups of soon-to-be yoga teachers in Jersey City. My gut instinct is one of thankfulness that I have learned enough about the human body to have a basic understanding about what it can…

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

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

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

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

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

Berry Delicious, Berry Tempting? Photo Courtesy of dusky, FreeDigitalPhotos.net *Download a complimentary copy of the Death of the Diet Indulgence Journal here to determine your triggers and start fighting food cravings today.  Want to discuss your triggers further?  Comment below.* You’re minding your own business at work, watching TV, being stressed out, or lounging around after dinner and BAM you find yourself craving something sweet.  Or salty.  The craving may general, o

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