Recently I was introduced to a fascinating author and fellow wellness enthusiast, Harry Gaines. He has penned a book called, 'Fitness Beyond 50. Turn Back the Clock'. After reading the book in a matter of a few short days I knew I had to get this into the hands of some of my coaching clients. One of the biggest struggles we all face at one point in our lives or another is motivation. "I want to lose weight, but I just can't, I have no motivation". I have heard that time and time again. I deal with motivation, or the lack thereof on a daily basis in my coaching business. We all want to live our lives more fully, have more energy, and have a greater sense of purpose. However, finding and keeping the motivation to change and evolve is our biggest hurdle.
As a general rule, I am looking for a client that has intrinsic motivation. That's the motivation that comes from within. Wanting to lose weight because you want to feel better, live longer. External or extrinsic motivation is the one we get from the outside, generally these are fueled by winning a reward, or based in fear. Extrinsic motivation can be good, but generally only works in the short term. This book provides great motivation and is illustrated by ordinary people going out of their comfort zone to change their lives. It shows you how you can change your life by making small lifestyle changes.
Gaines uses lots of anecdotes to show what is possible when you just make the effort. These are everyday people in his community making lifestyle changes to not only prolong their lives, but feel better on a daily basis, for as long as possible. Gaines is not an MD, or a personal trainer, or a nutritionist. He is a 70 year old man who looks incredible, feels great, and shows what each and every one of us is capable of doing. What is more motivating than that? It should also be noted there is a ton of complex and interesting science based material in the book. It is well researched and cross checked with experts, but written in an easy to understand fashion.
If you are looking to start taking control of your health for the first time, or just need a nudge to get back in the game I highly recommend this book. Who knows, maybe this is the day you stop putting off feeling great? You can get your copy now at Fitness Beyond Fifty Website, as well as Amazon
Monday, April 23, 2012
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
What is the deal with these NuVal scores?
Depending on where you live and what grocery store chain you use you may have become familiar with or will soon become familiar with the NuVal scoring system for food.
I have been reviewing the NuVal website as well as piecing through articles related to the subject and have found some interesting as well as entertaining information.
First off, NuVal is a Nurtitional Scoring System based on a proprietary algorithm developed by an independent panel of nutrition and medical experts. The idea is based on this formula which takes into account more than 30 "generally favorable nutrients" and "generally unfavorable nutrients" dividing them out to an answer that equals "good nutrition".
It also measures the quality and density of each nutrient which can factor into the food's score. The foods are scored by brand which allows you to compare say 1 oat cereal to another oat cereal. Foods receive a score of 1-100 with 1 being the worst nutrition while 100 is the highest nutrition.
As mentioned above this was developed by an 'independent' panel of scientists ranging from ivy league medical school professors/doctors, to top rated nutritionists, as well as former presidents of the American Diabetes Association and the American Cancer Society. Additionally, as I understand it there was also some governmental oversight, which always makes me slightly suspicious of the data and intent. As with some numerical food programs in the past this is not sponsored or linked to any food manufacturing brand and has been funded by the Griffin Hospital.
So, is this the new, next best thing in a country obsessed with food? My short answer is maybe, sort of? What I like is that for the on the go parent who has little time to put thought into grocery shopping it is a quick and easy way to compare brands without reading labels and weeding through the general muck of information out there as well as misleading food packaging. It appears to be a nice jumping off point, particularly for those who know little to nothing about nutrition. It is better than nothing.
That being said, it is also confusing and limited in it's ability to really give good information for parents feeding their children. For example, if you stick to all foods that are 80-100 you will ultimately be cutting out major food groups that are needed for a well rounded diet like whole grains. This is particularly problematic for individuals with health conditions that require a specific diet. For example, if you are on a low salt diet this will not help you at all. This scoring system also doesn't speak on portions. Therefore, the regular, uneducated consumer will think for a snack I will have the all natural Garden of Good Eatin Tortilla ships with a score of 40. Let's face it when we have chips, we aren't eating the recommended portion size unless we count it out, put it in the bowl, and put the bag back in the pantry. On the flipside, the all natural dark chocolate is given a score of 10 and a diet soda is a 15. It seems slightly misleading and arbitrary when it all shakes into place. Similarly, and I just had to mention, the iceburg lettuce and the spinach are given the same score. Phew, that is a mind blower to me.
Additionally, and probably my biggest criticism, is this system gives higher scores in some instances to processed food over natural food items like eggs, cheese, and meat. I know many people are committed to a vegan diet. However, ultimately, I believe unless your system doesn't do well with animal products as I understand many don't, or it's a socially driven decision, they are still a healthy and important staple of a natural diet in moderation. I could also go on to the conflicting studies of choloesterol in food may or really may not being related to your blood cholesterol, but that is for another time.
All in all, my thoughts are this. It is worth noting these scores, and it may even help you in certain situations. However, this is yet again another band aid and gimmick that ultimately doesn't paint a whole picture to your nutrition. My advice has been the same for years and I don't see it changing. Eat a well balanced diet consisting of a good base of fruits and vegetables with moderate amounts of protein and grains, and good fat, exercise daily, and keep moving. The answer is so easy, but we try to reinvent the wheel. So, what do you think? You can read their arguement and decide for yourself at NuVal.
I have been reviewing the NuVal website as well as piecing through articles related to the subject and have found some interesting as well as entertaining information.
First off, NuVal is a Nurtitional Scoring System based on a proprietary algorithm developed by an independent panel of nutrition and medical experts. The idea is based on this formula which takes into account more than 30 "generally favorable nutrients" and "generally unfavorable nutrients" dividing them out to an answer that equals "good nutrition".
It also measures the quality and density of each nutrient which can factor into the food's score. The foods are scored by brand which allows you to compare say 1 oat cereal to another oat cereal. Foods receive a score of 1-100 with 1 being the worst nutrition while 100 is the highest nutrition.
As mentioned above this was developed by an 'independent' panel of scientists ranging from ivy league medical school professors/doctors, to top rated nutritionists, as well as former presidents of the American Diabetes Association and the American Cancer Society. Additionally, as I understand it there was also some governmental oversight, which always makes me slightly suspicious of the data and intent. As with some numerical food programs in the past this is not sponsored or linked to any food manufacturing brand and has been funded by the Griffin Hospital.
So, is this the new, next best thing in a country obsessed with food? My short answer is maybe, sort of? What I like is that for the on the go parent who has little time to put thought into grocery shopping it is a quick and easy way to compare brands without reading labels and weeding through the general muck of information out there as well as misleading food packaging. It appears to be a nice jumping off point, particularly for those who know little to nothing about nutrition. It is better than nothing.
That being said, it is also confusing and limited in it's ability to really give good information for parents feeding their children. For example, if you stick to all foods that are 80-100 you will ultimately be cutting out major food groups that are needed for a well rounded diet like whole grains. This is particularly problematic for individuals with health conditions that require a specific diet. For example, if you are on a low salt diet this will not help you at all. This scoring system also doesn't speak on portions. Therefore, the regular, uneducated consumer will think for a snack I will have the all natural Garden of Good Eatin Tortilla ships with a score of 40. Let's face it when we have chips, we aren't eating the recommended portion size unless we count it out, put it in the bowl, and put the bag back in the pantry. On the flipside, the all natural dark chocolate is given a score of 10 and a diet soda is a 15. It seems slightly misleading and arbitrary when it all shakes into place. Similarly, and I just had to mention, the iceburg lettuce and the spinach are given the same score. Phew, that is a mind blower to me.
Additionally, and probably my biggest criticism, is this system gives higher scores in some instances to processed food over natural food items like eggs, cheese, and meat. I know many people are committed to a vegan diet. However, ultimately, I believe unless your system doesn't do well with animal products as I understand many don't, or it's a socially driven decision, they are still a healthy and important staple of a natural diet in moderation. I could also go on to the conflicting studies of choloesterol in food may or really may not being related to your blood cholesterol, but that is for another time.
All in all, my thoughts are this. It is worth noting these scores, and it may even help you in certain situations. However, this is yet again another band aid and gimmick that ultimately doesn't paint a whole picture to your nutrition. My advice has been the same for years and I don't see it changing. Eat a well balanced diet consisting of a good base of fruits and vegetables with moderate amounts of protein and grains, and good fat, exercise daily, and keep moving. The answer is so easy, but we try to reinvent the wheel. So, what do you think? You can read their arguement and decide for yourself at NuVal.
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