WEIGHT MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP AT RENEW PILATES STUDIO

WHO: Anyone who wants to learn more about weight management and get help filtering through all of the information that's out there.


WHAT: A weight management workshop that helps you customize your dietary plans to reach and maintain your goals. We will discuss the latest weight loss research, including genetic testing for weight management, the facts about many fad diets, and help you determine and implement the guidelines that work best for you.


WHEN: 7:15-8:15pm Wednesday, January 18th


WHERE: Renew Pilates Studio, Eastworks Building, 2nd floor, Studio 254, Easthampton
http://www.renewpilates.com/


HOW: This workshop is offered free of charge, yet registration is required. Register by emailing info@renewpilates.com or sign up at the studio.


BRING YOUR QUESTIONS!

When to eat around your workouts

Perhaps you have made a New Year's Resolution to begin exercising or start working out more. Maybe you've just always wondered, "when is the best time to eat? Should I eat before I work out? Should I eat after? Both?"

Well, it depends!
The three main variables are:

• Your comfort level
• Your exercise goals, and
• The timing of your work out

When you eat, more blood moves to your digestion system to help absorb and process your meal. Some people experience cramping, nausea, and/or discomfort if they eat before they exercise. If this is you, it is likely best to work out in the morning BEFORE eating. Let your body focus on your heart, lungs, and muscles while you are active. If you feel more comfortable and better fueled for your workout if you eat before, go for it.

If you are exercising to try to lose weight, the timing of your meals doesn't really matter. Do what feels best so that you have strength for your workout and feel comfortable doing it. If you are trying to gain weight/gain muscle, you should try to eat right after you workout. Immediately after is best. The sooner you eat after a workout, the more glycogen you store. By maximizing the amount of glycogen you have stored in your muscles, you increase your endurance for your next workout. Same rule applies if you are an athlete. Eat asap after practice or a game. Keep bars or dried fruit and nuts with you if you can't get to a kitchen right away.

Transitioning into fall

With summer coming to an end, you may find your schedule changing. If you are a parent or a teacher, it's for certain. For many others, the shorter days and end of the vacation season mark a change in your daily routine as well.
Why not begin this fall with the best routine possible?

Try to implement the following tips into your day in order to optimize your health and feel your best:

1. Commit to going to bed at a specific time and getting up at a specific time. Most people need 7-9 hours of sleep nightly. Catching up on the weekend and changing your sleeping pattern has been shown to negatively affect food choices.
2. Eat breakfast, or at least something within 2 hours of waking up. If you're not a big breakfast person, at least have a snack to get your body going and then follow it up with another snack a few hours later.
3. Pack your lunch. Food you bring from home tends to have less calories, be more balanced, and be more affordable than meals you buy out.
4. Plan ahead to avoid getting too hungry or too full. Try to eat something at least every 4 hours. For example, if your lunch was a reasonable size and you ate it at noon, you will probably be hungry again by 4:00, so have a snack ready.
5. Keep food at work or bring balanced snacks. Depending on when you eat meals, you may need an additional 1-3 snacks during the work day.
6. Incorporate a high-protein food into your meals and snacks. Foods that are high in protein include yogurt, milk, eggs, cheese, nuts, nut butters, soy products like veggie burgers, beans, meat, seafood, and poultry.
7. Eats lots of vegetables. They are low in calories, high in fiber, and packed with vitamins and minerals. Strive to eat a variety of different colors.
8. Limit sugar. Sugar can spike and drop your blood sugar causing spikes and drops in energy, prematurely age you, and make you crave more food when you don't need it.
9. Drink plenty of fluid, preferably water. Try to stay hydrated by drinking throughout the day. Shoot for drinking half of your body weight in pounds. If you weigh 150#, that's 75 oz or about 9 cups (4 2/3 pints) a day.
10. Take steps to destress. Whether it's meditating, reading, journaling, yoga, knitting, or going for a walk, incorporate time to wind down daily.

For help planning a new eating routine, call 584-2200 to set up an appointment with one of our Registered Dietitians to customize a plan just for you. We will help you brainstorm meals and snacks and reach your health goals. We accept most health insurances, yet coverage varies depending on your specific plan.