Hello Friends! This week’s blog is by our good friend and loyal member Lauren LaVecchia, RD, LD, CPT. We are very thankful for her expertise and support. She has shared with us some solid info that we can all use to stay healthy and fit. For more information, please contact Lauren at the number below.
If you’re interested in achieving simple and sustainable changes to gain muscle, while losing fat, you’ve come to the right spot. When talking about creating these habits long term, it’s vital that we recognize certain factors right off the bat. The good news? Everyone and anyone can achieve this goal. Here are my easy-to-maintain tips to start this journey and invest in your health:
- Create your mindset. Research continually shows that mindset is the key to success when achieving a health related goal, and YOU get to create your own personalized mindset. Think about your own individual health philosophy and then get it down on paper to help it feel like more of a commitment.
- Quality and quantity of food matter. Get ready to keep a pen and paper handy. A great place to start is to keep a mindful food log for at least three days. Log your meals, snacks, timing of food, beverages, portions, and hunger or fullness you experience throughout the day. This may not be a method you use long-term, but it helps reveal any areas that may need improvement. Often, it’s small changes that can lead to larger results.
- Examine your breakfast. During our sleep cycle, our metabolic system runs slower than usual, but once we’re awake our bodies need to speed up and break out of its fasting state. First, consume a good quality breakfast within two hours of waking up. Second, aim for 25- 30 grams of protein in that meal. So, what does that look like? For example, an egg omelet with ½ cup black beans, ¼ cup part-skim cheese, and pile with veggies. Or, a simple smoothie of one cup Kefir, two tablespoons chia seeds, one tablespoon almond butter, and ½ frozen banana. It doesn’t have to be a gourmet meal or even involve cooking. Start with these guidelines and have fun!
- Carbohydrates, proteins and fats are equally essential nutrients. While protein can help rebuild and repair muscle broken down during your workout, carbohydrates provide stored fuel for your muscles to use efficiently. Unsaturated fats help our bodies absorb essential vitamins and minerals that are key to repairing, maintaining and fueling our cells and muscles. To incorporate all of these concepts into your meal, simply picture your 9” plate divided up into ½ fruits and veggies, ¼ whole grains and ¼ lean protein.
Implementing these habits can be powerful. They bring about change one small step at a time, and help you ensure these changes are part of your life. Essentially, this is the key to equation of sustainable muscle gain and fat loss. Establish your personalized mindset, log the quality and quantity of your food choices and choose balanced meals daily to that ensure you’re on the road to success! For a more personalized approach, be sure to contact Lauren for a consultation.
Supermarket Shopping Tip: When choosing lean meats, look for labels with the word “loin” or “round”, this automatically means you’re choosing a leaner and satisfying cut of meat.
Lauren LaVecchia, registered dietitian and nutrition expert, is the founder and CEO of Food Connect. After years of providing personalized health and wellness services as supermarket dietitian, Lauren proudly created Food Connect with the goal of connecting food, nutrition and lifestyle into her clients personalized needs. Lauren holds a Level 1 and 2 Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management and Obesity from the Commission on Dietetic Registration. More recently, she was awarded Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year by the New Jersey Dietetic Association. Lauren now resides in Charleston, SC with her husband and their adventurous dog, Ellie. Contact Lauren at 908-868-5332 or info@foodconnectus.com.