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When "Being Fat" Runs In Your Family

I work out most days of the week depending on my work schedule, eat a balanced diet full of fruits and vegetables, and make sure I get all the recommended preventive screenings. Yet even with that healthy preventive routine I still fight the "Battle of the Bulge". Recently, at my annual doctor's wellness visit, I was told I have Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), pre-diabetes and high cholesterol, a major change from my normal numbers 6 months ago. My stomach hit the floor. Do you know what the main treatment is for it? Diet and exercise! My doctor said he will give me another 6 months before we talk medicine intervention. I cried to my husband, feeling frustrated that the main line of defense of diet and exercise wasn't keeping me healthy.

What puts us at-risk for these type of health conditions? Age. Can't change that! Gender? Nope can't change that either! Diet and Exercise. Yep doing that! Alcohol. Mostly on vacation or once on a weekend, non significant. Family history and genetics. Yep that was my issue. A long line of family genetics of diabetes, cancers, obesity, NALD and high cholesterol. So basically I have put off my genetics for as long as I can, at age 39, my family medical history has caught up to me. I started thinking back to Sunday dinners at my grandmom's house in South Philly. No one had a body mass index under 30 (which is clinically obese). In fact, I recall people literally breaking chairs on Sundays as we sat down for our traditional Sunday Italian dinners. But then there was my grandmom. Always a healthy weight. Always ate fruits and vegetables, mostly vegetarian. She walked every where, probably logging 6 miles a day going to the produce stands and doing her errands. She always had a model physique. She never smoked or drank alcohol. I remember those Sunday dinners, she never had bread on her plate or large portions of pasta. Half her plate was always dark leafy greens. She always ate a small dessert, sometimes just fruit after dinner. My grandmom lived until the age of 97, with not one of these chronic health conditions that the rest of the family experienced. Maybe she didn't have the "bad genes". Maybe she did and her healthy lifestyle won out over those chronic health conditions.

My grandmom with myself, my oldest daughter, and the iconic family dinner table in the background. This was her at 97.

All of my friends are extremely healthy. They exercise and eat balanced, rarely dine out, and they do not smoke. I often feel jealous when we are at the beach and I see their six pack abs. We eat and work out pretty much exactly the same. Everyone has a set point with their weight. I have to realize that I'm at my set point. I continue to strive for defined abs every summer, only feeling disappointed every year. Now I realize, its my genetics. No one has abs in my family, in fact I should be content that I'm able to maintain a healthy weight. Don't get me wrong, I'm not overweight or obese. But I work extremely hard at keeping that way. Being around people who look like they should be on Sports Illustrated is tough. It's tough not to compare yourself to others around you. BUT WE NEED TO STOP. We are not like are friends or our neighbors. We have our own unique body and genetics that define what we look like.

I've retired the idea of abs. Now I want to change my lab results. Inner health is more important now so I can play on the beach with my future grand babies at my retirement beach home (hopefully that happens!). I encourage you to go to the doctor annually for prevention. If I didn't do that, I would be in bad shape. I have a new focus now. I'm exercising more consistent and my diet has shifted to more plant based, working to decrease animal fats in the diet. I feel better. This new focus of diet and exercise, might be the intervention to push those genetics a few more years away.

Do you battle the bulge? Do you have a horrid laundry list of family illnesses? A registered dietitian can personalize your meal plan so that you can be the healthiest you can be. We even offer a genetic test to help us define what you should eat. Check us out at wwww.downingtownnutrition.com.

Cheers,

The Dieting Dietitian

https://www.facebook.com/downingtownnutrition/

Nature's Gym

You name it, I’ve tried it. Beach Body, Orange Theory, Body Pump, Spin and Strength, CX, the list goes on and on. The past 5 days I’ve taken the most epic family vacation to Colorado traveling from Denver to Southern regions in the state. We have hiked through Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, The National Sand Dunes, San Juan River, Durango and the San Juan National Forest. I have challenged myself, and my poor children, through physical challenges I have never encountered in any gym.


One of our last family hikes was through Sheep Creek Trail in San Juan Forest. The drive alone to get to the top of mountain was breathless. A 6 foot wide dirt trail that hugged the mountain on one side and the other side a 1000 foot ravine that I could barely look at it was so terrifying. After a 12 mile journey that felt like an hour, we made it to the parking lot. We took out our gear and started our trek to find the hidden natural springs at the base of the mountain. It was easy at first. Completely downhill, breathtaking views of San Juan River and untouched rocks kissed by sunlight. After about 1 ½ miles we found what fellow hikers blogged about, the natural springs. Hot and relaxing, perfect after our hike. Our children played in the 100 degree waters while we hopped along the rocks. It was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever laid eyes on. After a picnic lunch and frolicking in the waters, we journeyed back up the mountain. It was the most difficult trek I have ever experienced. The air felt thick and the incline was so high, my 9 year old and 7 year old had to take a break. The sun was hot, perhaps as we were closer to the horizon. Did we go right or left at this fork? We chose left and thank goodness because it lead us back to our car. Imagine hiking up at 60 degree angle for a mile with elementary aged kids. It was hard! My calves burned. My mind was focused on our kids who were slipping and sliding along the ravine. One wrong move could have been a devasting life changing maneuver. The trail said easy, yeah right!
On our way home, I sat on the passenger side looking down at the most untouched earth I have ever seen. It was terrifying. At one point our car slid off the dirt path towards the ravine, a cold sweat drenched my tired body. In the end, I am so proud of my little ones and my husband and the beauty we got to bask in, on the other end, I realize no gym or workout or training program could prepare myself for today. It was marvelous and grueling all in the same time. This family vacation has pushed my physical limits more ways than I could have ever imagined. I am so thankful to have the time and opportunity to experience Colorado for it’s beauty and splendor. We are halfway through our journey and have more to go. I encourage families to go off the beaten path of family vacations and try Colorado. You will not be disappointed. Among the red casted mountains exist an opportunity to challenge yourself physically past what you thought you can do. A point where you think you have to quit but you can’t because others depend on you. Where rivers run deep, cold and fast and nature dances on the horizon. It’s a sun kissed region that welcomes you to explore and find your inner self that is strong and undefeatable.

New Years and Healthy Lifestyle Goals

As 2016 comes to a close, it gives us time to reflect on the past year. This past year Downingtown/Kennett Nutrition and Weight Management Centers grew adding one more nutrition expert to our family and changing the lives of 200 more patients in our community. Thank you for choosing us to help guide you on your healthy journey to good health and eating. We are truly privileged to be apart of such a great community and have such great patients.

This past year I dealt with my own weight management challenges including a thyroid disorder and yet another spinal injury. It's hard to manage your weight when you are dealing with medical issues, right? The importance of daily movement and eating balanced is vital to managing your weight. It helped to test my metabolism with our metabolic tool, the MedGem, so I was able to determine how much movement and caloric intake I needed. As for movement, it helped our family adopted a dog, Stella, from La Mancha. She truly has blessed our lives and adds almost 4,000 more steps to my day! Stella loves carrots, yogurt and pumpkin-she loves her veggies!


We will be offering more new services in 2017 including a Lifestyle Medicine Program online, at medical offices and worksites in the area. According to the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine "involves the therapeutic use of lifestyle, such as a predominately whole food, plant-based diet, exercise, stress management, tobacco and alcohol cessation, and other non-drug modalities, to prevent, treat, and, more importantly, reverse the lifestyle-related, chronic disease that's all too prevalent". We are excited to add another new addition to our practice to head this amazing new component, which we will be announcing in August 2017.


Additionally, we have added evidence-based food intolerance testing, including lactose, fructose, and leaky gut tests. These new additions will enable us to provide more precise meal planning and diet navigation so that you may lead a healthier life. Last, we have a new meal plan offered: 12 Weeks of Healthy Clean Eating. The plan includes breakfast, lunch, dinners and snacks to help you eat healthier and manage weight. All plans include a shopping list, colorful recipes that include once a week preparation, and nutrition/cooking tips to help you navigate the grocery store, dining out, and on the go eating. Our plans can be individualized at the VIP package rate. For more information, follow this link to sign up http://nutritionandweightcenters.setmore.com/class.

Wishing you and your family a healthy New Year in 2017!

Cheers,

The Dieting Dietitian

21 Day Vegetarian Challenge Starts next Tuesday

Want more energy? Want to lose weight? Want to feel healthier?

I know I do! I'm also doing the challenge with you to help me get back to my goal weight and just feel better!

Did you know eating more plant-based foods can lower your risk of heart disease, cancers, and shrink your waistline? Vegetarians also live longer! It is not hard to follow a plant based diet, join us for our 21 day Vegetarian challenge. Let us help you on your journey to help!


Includes detailed family based meal plans, including recipes and a shopping list.
Plans are vegan (no animal) or ovo-lacto vegetarianism (includes eggs and diary-no meat).

We will individualize your meal plan if you are trying to lose weight as wel

Access to a private Facebook page, where support, questions, and additional recipes/tips will be shared.

General-$45 for 21 day challenge
VIP -$99 includes a 1/2 hour phone/Skype/Facetime appointment to help you reach your goals with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Start changing your life today!




https://www.eventbrite.com/e/21-day-vegetarian-challenge-tickets-27430890532