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Have you ever been on a focused nutrition and/or exercise plan and it seems every where you go there’s an event? It could be wine tasting, beer tasting, parties (all kinds), work meeting and buffets, to name a few. Basically, every place you go is the antithesis of what you are trying to accomplish. To add on to this, every person in your life is trying to convince you to a) just have a little “taste” of this yummy dessert, b) join them wine tasting…one time during your healthy focus won’t hurt c) skip your workout, what’s the big deal? 4) quit being so picky on what you order because they think you would enjoy your life much more if you simply did what THEY did? Maybe someone ordering “different” might embarrass others?

Has this happened to you?

Often, I meet with clients who are so caring and giving, they simply don’t feel comfortable with saying “no” to the pressures of what everyone else is suggesting they do. They want their friends and family to be happy, so they work themselves into a frenzy on what to do for themselves vs. what to do to make someone they care about (or someone they work with) be “ok” with the dietary and health choices they are making.

As I write this…doesn’t this sound ridiculous? Why would someone else care if you don’t order dessert? Why would someone else be upset if you order a salad and fish instead of a burger and fries? Why would someone who cares about another feel disrupted if their loved one chooses to go to a workout instead of walking around the mall?

From my seat, I hear how HARD it is for some to start a new, healthy, lifestyle program. I hear how badly they want to improve their fitness, their energy, their moods, their blood work and the quality of their life. It can be incredibly difficult for many many people…but they are trying. What creates even more chaos for these folks is the pressure of work, events, family, friends and simply society. So for these folks, they try very hard to create new habits to support the lifestyle they know they want and deserve.

I’m writing this for two reasons. First, to let those of you who DO struggle like this~ know you aren’t alone. It’s hard sometimes and you are “normal” to face these obstacles. Second, to let those who love those who are trying so hard know that is is incredibly hard at first for those on a healthy path to do this. We know you might tempt them out of fun, or some kind of love, however, it makes it more difficult. They need your support and patience. They need your acceptance. For those who might not need this kind of discipline, you are lucky; yet realize many struggle, so in this moment, consider taking a step back and seeing if you can encourage and support their efforts. Consider going for a walk WITH them and/or of you go to dinner, asking where they might want to go in order for them to feel confident in what they choose to eat.

It’s an easy journey for some and a daunting journey for others. Either way, it’s a journey to a better quality of living. Let’s give our empower them by helping them succeed! Thank you, it’s appreciated on more levels than you can know.
To yours in health and wellness~

Tammy Parkinson CLC CNC CPT
Body Firm Personal Training and Nutritional Consulting
www.mybodyfirm.com

408 896 2639.

Sometimes I get my “ah ha” moments when I am struggling the most. Today in my workout I was focusing on a new movement pattern which I was rushing through. There was a lot of coordination and “core” needed to safely and effectively move through the exercise. As I was working so hard to finish the posture shall we say, I kept losing my balance and getting frustrated with myself.

It wasn’t until I slowed way down, took the movement slowly and deliberately and focused on what I wanted to accomplish that I actually “got it”.

I then went through the exercise again; one step at a time and didn’t get attached to the end, rather feeling every moment and every muscle being recruited. I understood what the exercise was all about at that point.

I thought about what I learned and it occurred to me that this is “life”. When we rush through life too fast, we rarely truly feel anything and quickly fall out of balance. When we slow down, we stay in balance and are able to focus on getting grounded so we can learn and enjoy and “get it”.

I practiced this all day. I slowed down when I wanted to rush. I stayed in balance when other times I might have gotten off track quickly.

During this time of year…especially this time of year…it’s incredibly easy to rush around like a crazy stressed out person. Consider this little thought of slowing down to stay in balance, even if it’s for a few hours and notice if you stay more grounded and in the real joy of the season.
Happy Healthy Holidays~

Tammy Parkinson CPT CNC CLC
Body Firm Personal Training and Nutritional Consulting
408 896 2639. www.mybodyfirm.com

How much protein should I eat? This is always a controversial topic involving how much a person weighs, their activity level, the type of activity one does, their health history and how old a person is, to name a few important pieces to a responsible answer.

The foremost important piece is realizing each person’s needs are different; however there are “guidelines” we can use as a starting point.

This is from Web MD:

You need protein for your muscles, bones, and the rest of your body. Exactly how much you need changes with age:

Babies need about 10 grams a day.
School-age kids need 19-34 grams a day.
Teenage boys need up to 52 grams a day.
Teenage girls need 46 grams a day.
Adult men need about 56 grams a day.
Adult women need about 46 grams a day (71 grams, if pregnant or breastfeeding)
You should get at least 10% of your daily calories, but not more than 35%, from protein, according to the Institute of Medicine.

This is from about.com

Other schools of thought indicate on the very low end, a person needs .37 % (in grams) of their body weight up to 1% (in grams) of their body weight.

Continuing my research, I asked several colleagues of their opinion towards protein recommendation. The answers always have a base line of getting a person’s health history, needs and goals and if possible their body fat. However even locally with a generalized answer and scenario in mind, I received a variety of answers from:

.5 grams of protein per body weight
.8 -1 gram of protein per body weight
roughly 50 grams of protein for females and 80 for males

I am fascinated by the different opinions and tried and true recommendations of respectable sources. We can see that it all comes down to what you…the individual human… needs for his or her own body based upon your goals and health needs.

Even so, we can see on the low end of .37% and on the high end of 1% in grams per body weight, at least we have a guide line!

It might prove interesting for you to sum up for a few days and see how much you have in your own diet.

What I do want to point out that furthers the dynamics is that not all proteins are digested and absorbed equally. For instance, meat protein ( like steak, pork, poultry) is harder for our digestive tract to break down. Studies show that we typically only truly absorb 50-60% of the actual amount of protein meat has because of the digestion process. Conversely, fish is easier to absorb and our bodies will intake closer to 80% of the protein. Take it a step further and vegetables are even more easily absorbed; our digestive tract really loves the plants and we tend to take in closer to 90% of vegetable based protein. In light of this, a 40 gram piece of steak and 20 grams of vegetable protein are nearly equal in what our system is able to utilize in protein grams. Interesting!

Keep in mind however that certain protein (animal) provides necessary amino acids whereas other protein (usually vegetable) needs to have amino acids supplemented. Nutritional yeast, food combining and amino acid supplements are easily obtained for this need.

Phew, that’s a lot of information!

Too little protein and your cells, muscles, tissue, hair, nails and energy systems will be effected. Too much protein and you could be taxing your kidneys and compromising nutritional intake of essential vitamins and minerals as well as over eating calories.

Essentially, I wrote this because I am asked all the time how much protein a person should have. My answer starts with…”tell me about your goals, your health history, and let me see what you are currently eating to see what your body is used to”…and we take in from there!

I personally am a huge fan of vegetable protein with a strong emphasis on amino acids and protein from the ocean (fish). I love the component of letting our bodies digest food easily. I do work with many however who love protein from steak, chicken and turkey and that’s fine too as long as there is enough vegetables in the diet to balance out nutrients and our delicate intestinal tract.

In short (or long) I hope this blog is helpful if you are at a loss of how much to have! Your journey should begin with “what are my goals, and do I have any health implications to factor in’…..

Enjoy the journey and stay healthy!

Happy Holidays~

Tammy Parkinson CPT CLC CNC
Body Firm Personal Training and Nutritional Consulting
www.mybodyfirm.com

Wait! It’s only the beginning of December…why would I want to write 2016 goals?

It’s true. We want to live in the present; especially this special Holiday season; however I want to encourage a little planning for future growth and a spectacular year ahead.

About this time of year, I take a look at what it was / is I wanted to accomplish in all areas of my life during 2015. You see, right around January 1st, I get my brand new journal out and I write down my intentions for the upcoming year in areas from fitness to finance. It’s not “main stream” goals, it’s deeply felt intentions. My personal categories I generally focus on are:

Family
Friendships
Nutrition (personal)
Fitness (personal)
Education (business)
Finance (business and personal)
Home
Activities/fun
Travel
Something completely out of the box I’ve never done before (I choose 2 things)
Spirituality

I like to start to jot down my focus towards the end of each year not only to prepare for the New Year, but to reevaluate what it was I started out creating 11 months earlier. Sometimes as I am reviewing I realize I completely forgot something important to me early on and I recommit to it. If I sit down in December to connect with my past, current and future goals; I tend to stay engaged in my own growth. It keeps me excited about learning and challenging myself as well as feeling accomplished that I am staying true to my intentions.

What I jot down in December is more of a rough draft so in January I feel confident in how I would like to journal.

Of course, as the year unfolds, I invite new ideas in and sometimes I let initial goals go as they might no longer be significant to me.

The process, however is empowering and has helped me, as well as many of my clients stay on the right path to success and happiness.

This doesn’t have to be fancy right now, quite the contrary! However, it is empowering to harness in what you want and know you can accomplish it with a focused intention.

Consider grabbing a note pad, journal, sticky note pad or your iphone and let your resolutions become your intentions in the months ahead. It can truly create dreams into realities!
Tammy Parkinson CNC CLC CPT
Body Firm Personal Training and Nutritional Consulting
www.mybodyfirm.com
408 896 2639

Last week I talked about the “ABC’s” of vitamins. Along with getting in essential vitamins, we need essential minerals as well. As always, please check with your Doctor if you are taking any medications to ensure you can safely add any extra minerals OR vitamins into your diet. It’s also an excellent idea to get blood work down often to see if you are deficient in any of the essential vitamins or Minerals. Here is a helpful list of Minerals needed:

Boron:

What it’s for: Necessary for bone building, cellular energy and enzyme function.
Where to find it: Apples, carrots, leafy greens, raw nuts, whole grains (unprocessed)

Calcium:

What it’s for: Essential for strong bones and teeth as well as healthy gums; needs to be balances with magnesium.
Where to find it: Fortified dairy foods, leafy greens, sardines

Chromium:

What it’s for: Helps glucose metabolism, enhances energy.
Where to find it: Brewer’s yeast, brown rice (unprocessed) organic meat

Copper:

What it’s for: Helps build blood cells, bone and collagen
Where to find it: Organic meat, seafood, non GMO soy beans, unprocessed whole grains

Iron:

What it’s for: Essential for blood cell production, growth, immune health and energy
Where to find it: Egg whites, wild fish, liver, organic meat, leafy greens

Magnesium:

What it’s for: Balances calcium; improves bone and cardiovascular health
Where to find it: Avocados, nuts, seeds, sea vegetables, unprocessed whole grains

Molybdenum:

What it’s for: Activates enzymes; promotes cell function
Where to find it: Legumes, beef liver, dark leafy greens, peas

Potassium:

What it’s for: Protects against high blood pressure
Where to find it: Fruits, organic dairy, wild fish

Selenium:

What it’s for: Anticancer antioxidant; works best with vitamin E, healthy for thyroid function
Where to find it: Brazil Nuts, brewer’s yeast, brown rice (unprocessed) organic meat, wild seafood

Silicon

What it’s for: Needed for formation of collagen for bones and connective tissue
Where to find it: Alfalfa, bell peppers, root vegetables, non GMO soy

Vanadium:

What it’s for: Necessary for healthy bones and teeth; improves insulin use.
Where to find it: Dill, wild fish, organic meat, olives, many vegetables

Zinc:

What it’s for: Important in immune and reproductive health
Where to find it: Egg whites and yolks, wild seafood, sprouted grains
To yours in Health and Wellness~

Tammy Parkinson CNC CPT CLC
Body Firm Personal Training and Nutritional Consulting
www.mybodyfirm.com
Selected sources:
Nutrient Recommendations : National Institutes of Health, An Evidence Based Approach to Vitamins and Minerals by Jane Higdon and Victoria Drake, Dietary Reference Intakes by Food and Nutrition Board Institute of Medicine

Sometimes I think a simple email, reminding everyone about the importance of certain nutrients and what they do for our bodies is extremely helpful and a fabulous reminder. Here are some basics to help you out:**

Fat Soluble Vitamins:
A, D, E, K, B1 (Thiamin), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6, Folic Acid of Folate (B9)

Water-Soluble Vitamins:
B12, Biotin, Choline, C

What they are good for…

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamin A…..Antioxidant needed for eye, skin health and immunity. Thought to help fight cancer. Find in Animal foods, fish liver oil, brightly covered fruits and vegetables (yellow, red, orange, green, purple)

Vitamin D…..Critical for bone and tooth health; may help prevent autoimmune diseases and some cancers. Found in Cod liver oil, fatty fish, egg yolks, fortified dairy.

Vitamin E…..Antioxidant that is thought to help protect against Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and heart disease. Found in Wheat germ, almonds and other nuts, cold-pressed vegetable oils.

Vitamin K…..Helps with blood clotting, bone formation and bone repair. Found in leafy green vegetables, green tea and alfalfa.

Vitamin B1…..Enhances brain function and energy. Found in brown rice, dairy (choose organic hormone free), egg yolks, legumes, soy (choose non GMO)

Vitamin B2…..Essential for energy and immune support. Found in wild fish, poultry (choose hormone, anti biotic free) spinach, chard, yogurt (choose organic hormone free; ideally kefir or Greek)

Vitamin B3…..Aids healthy circulation and nerves; lowers cholesterol. Found in Brewer’s yeast, broccoli, cabbage, artichoke, brussel sprouts, carrots, wild fish, nuts and wheat germ

Vitamin B5…..Fights stress; assists in stamina. Found in whole unprocessed grains, legumes, peas, leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, cauliflower, egg whites

Vitamin B6…..Needed for growth and maintenance, reduces high levels of homocysteine. Found in Bananas, brewer’s yeast, carrots, chicken, eggs whites, wild fish, unprocessed whole grains, yellow peppers

Folic Acid (Folate B9) …..Important for our nervous system and our metabolism. Reduces risk of some birth defects. Found in leafy greens, liver, asparagus, brewer’s yeast.
Water-Soluble Vitamins

B12…..Needed for blood formation and nervous system. Found in organ meats, clams, crab, wild fish, egg whites and egg yolks , organic hormone free dairy

Biotin…..Promotes healthy hair, skin and nails. Found in Brewer’s yeast, wild fish, egg whites, meat (choose organic hormone free) and rice bran.

Choline…..Helps transmission of nerve impulses; supports brain function and fat metabolism. Found in Egg yolks, legumes, meat and unprocessed whole grains.

Vitamin C…..Antioxidant for immunity as well as eye and skin health. Found in berries (all), citric fruits, all leafy greens.

**If you are on any medication, please check with your Doctor to ensure you can safely add more of any of the nutrients. In fact…its a great idea occasionally to get your blood tested to see if you are deficient in any vitamin.

Every body is different, so please use this simply as a guide for overall health.
To yours in health~
Tammy Parkinson CNC CPT CLC
Body Firm Personal Training and Nutritional Consulting
www.mybodyfirm.com
Selected sources: Dietary reference intakes RDA from Food and Nutrition Board institute of Medicine, National Academies 2010
Nutrient Recommendations National Institutes of Health 2015

About a week or so ago, I had someone ask me an extremely thought provoking, important questions…”why do people sabotage their diets” (or general life goals)? I sent out an email to a few different clients I work with and here are two I wanted to share which came back to me…similar in their reasons of sabotage:

Both of these clients have had huge success in their health goals (and are continuing to have success)…but occasionally trip up along the journey, causing each of them enormous frustration. Frustrations I know they wish never creeped in.

Email #1
“There are so many reasons sabotage happens. A child, a spouse, a co-worker hurts your feelings and you go for that comfort food or alcohol because your sad, you know you shouldn’t, but you do. You are doing really well, you have the mindset, your’e kicking @$!! at the gym, your’e nailing all of your food choices, but then you hit a wall because you are exhausted and that’s because you are over committing to everything, kids, job, exercise, social life, volunteering, caring for family, cleaning, gardening, shopping, etc etc and during all of that you forgot to feed your soul, so you feed it the worst way possible by grabbing that glass of wine, eating that donut at the office because it was just to much work to make that plant smoothie before you left. You know this is a bad idea, and a bad choice but you are so tired, you don’t care. Then the end of the sabotage cycle is the worst, because getting back on track is harder than all the above. You end up mad at yourself and mad at your choices, and mad at the larger road ahead of you now.

So how does one avoid the disastrous route of sabotage and stay true to yourself? I still don’t have that answer, figuring out why one lets it happen i guess is the biggest key. I think it’s a very personal journey for each person, but the one thing I know for sure is that you have to stay absolutely honest and true to yourself to get there.

It’s hard to stay true to yourself, but it’s an absolute must to accomplish my goals. I’m 100% sure of that. ”
Email #2
“I was so exhausted taking care of everyone else by the time it came to me I was too tired to think about making something healthy. I did poor planning on my meal preps and when the time came even though I had all the ingredients to make a nice salad. I still chose the convenient and easy route.

My ah ha moment(s): every time I lost my weight there was a goal in mind (wedding-white dress, honeymoon bikini, 1st baby, 2nd baby-didn’t want to add pregnancy lbs to existing weight) now this time around is taking a bit longer (no life changing events) but I haven’t given up. I just lost my groove. I like regiment, I like routine, I like order…and life isn’t always a straight arrow.”

I received a few more written and verbal reasons of why others thought they sabotaged their plans…and interestingly although all of these folks are wildly different…the common thread is lack of rest, listening to their hearts, their true goals and diminishing self care. Everyone got caught up in the unraveling of their own plans at the onset of taking on too much for others. The “taking care of” happened with family, friends, charities, work; you name it, it got in the way. The more involved they got in others, the more tired and imbalanced they became…and along came “sabotage”…

It’s those who have a goal, a TRUE deeply rooted value of their intentions who rarely go off track. This value is so deep that it embodies the foundation of where their roots grow from.

If you find this rings true to you and your nutrition, lifestyle, health plans take a back seat from time to time, maybe more often than you’d like to see…take a moment and be truthful with yourself. Ask if you are forgetting or compromising your deepest values for someone or something else…and if doing this actually hurts your own health. A big question, worthy of serious thought about your own sabotaging history. Your history doesn’t have to be your future…