2013: New Year, New You from New York City!

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Well the good news is we're already one step ahead! We made it to 2013 (apparently the Mayans weren't as prophetic as we thought)! Phew.

So now that things are back to business as usual, it's time to get on with the business of resolutions. If you're like most people, your resolutions probably involve some sort of weight loss goal. You're not alone. Many Americans will jump on the diet bandwagon, most likely in the form of a fad diet, a diet promising instant results so you can fit into that bathing suit you wore in college.

I'm here to save you the trouble. You can thank me later.

The word diet is confusing. On one hand, it refers to a way of eating, a pattern often dictated by culture. On the other end of the spectrum, a diet can refer to a restrictive way of eating in hopes of dropping a few pounds. Here's the problem with looking at diets in this restrictive way. Are you ready for this? Are you sitting down?

They don't work.

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It doesn't take a genius to figure this out. The statistics speak for themselves - almost 95% of all people who lose weight through dieting gain the weight back within 1-5 years, with many gaining back more weight than they started with. Here's why...

Your body is smart. It's meant to survive. It instinctively knows how to do that. When you begin to drastically restrict your caloric intake, your body goes into survival mode by slowing your metabolism. The more you cut back, the more your metabolism slows. It's a nasty catch-22, making it nearly impossible to lose weight and keep it off permanently. You know as well as I do that it's already hard enough to stick to a diet! Intense caloric restriction just makes it that much harder because as your metabolism slows, you have to eat less and less to keep losing weight. Talk about discouraging.

In addition to metabolism issues, many fad diets specifically lack the nutrients that your body needs to function properly, support your weight loss efforts and maintain your health. Just take the high protein diets for example. Many people lose weight eating in this way, but the consequence in packing your body with so much protein (and lots of animal protein at that, which is extremely high in saturated fat) is a sharp increase in your cholesterol, which could lead to heart disease or stroke. In addition, consuming too much protein puts a major strain on the kidneys, making you much more susceptible to kidney disease. Your body needs carbohydrates, and when you're restricting this important part of your diet, you're losing important vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.

Most people look at their New Year's diet as a short-term action plan. They hold to a particular way of eating until the weight is lost, then 'wa lah!' they are right back to their old patterns of eating. If you had high cholesterol and took medication to lower it, would you just discontinue using the medication as soon as your cholesterol came down? Probably not! Your cholesterol improved for a reason - because you took your medicine every day. The same goes for a diet. Instead of looking to a fad diet for a quick, short-term fix, being to think of your diet as a long-term, sustainable, healthy eating plan for life - a plan that makes you feel good, satisfies you and keeps your body in tip-top shape.

You only get one body, and it's your job to take care of it. When you start to treat your body like you would your child - feeding it, nurturing it, making sure it gets the rest and care it deserves  - you will automatically begin to see the changes you desire in your waistline, not to mention drastic changes in your energy levels and well-being.

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Instead of going the fad diet route, I encourage you to explore the concept of 'crowding out'. Instead of telling yourself you 'can't have this/can't have that', focus on what you CAN have. Start to 'crowd out' your temptations with things that are good for you. A great place to start would be eating one big salad per day. This is a simple goal. If you make room for one big salad every day, I guarantee you won't have room for all the other calorie-dense foods that you're accustomed to eating. As you adopt this one simple addition on a daily basis, your taste buds will begin to change and so will your cravings. Your body knows what's good for it and when given the chance, it will begin to crave healthy options like it's instinctively wired to do. Fruits and vegetables are low in calories, but very filling due to their fiber content. I'll bet that you can eat much more of them without ever coming close to your previous caloric intake. Why eat less when you could eat more?

Whether your goal is to eat a salad every day or just to add a side of vegetables to every meal, your resolution for the new year should center around nutrition, not weight loss. When you feed your body the proper things, your body will do you one better and reward you with the physique you spent years trying to attain through fad diets and the empty promises behind them.

Let your resolution this year be to nourish your body through nutritious eating and daily physical activity. It's as simple as that!

Happy New Year from New York City!

Oh...and P.S. If you need help reaching your weight loss, nutrition or healthy living goals in the new year, I am a student at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and I will be officially accepting clients in April. Please feel free to email me at laurenyarbrough@gmail.com to inquire about my services.

Label-Reading 101: Odwalla and Naked Brands

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A few years ago, I worked as a real estate agent on the Upper East Side. I started my day at 9 am and sometimes didn't leave work until 9 pm. Clients would meet me at my office, but by the end of our appointment, I'd find myself halfway across the city in Tribeca, Harlem or the Upper West Side. Having lunch at a specific time each day was just not an option, and I often found myself grabbing food on the fly because 1) I needed to close the deal quickly (NYC real estate is right up there with 'The Amazing Race') or because 2) I was experiencing a major blood sugar crash, leaving me with no energy to bust it to my next appointment and make that money, honey.

Most of my lunches on the fly were an Odwalla Brand protein smoothie or a Naked Brand juice (That's right, I didn't even have time to chew). Yes, they were expensive (as a drink alone), but if you considered them a meal, they were quite affordable. I justified it and chugged those drinks like it was my job, feeling especially proud of myself for choosing something so healthy when I could have easily opted for the fast food option.

I should have saved the self-praise for another day. Odwalla and Naked are not horrible for you in the grand scheme of things, but if you take time to look at the labels, you'll notice a few things...

1) The nutrition label can be deceptive. The label for Naked usually reflects 1 serving size, when there are often 2 servings in the bottle. In essence, you have to double everything listed. This is a Naked issue, more so than Odwalla. Take a look at Naked's Blue Machine label (taken from their website www.nakedjuice.com). If you are drinking this along with a meal (which I can only assume many people are), you're adding 340 calories to your meal (almost enough calories to equal a light meal).

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2) Much of the fiber is lost when processed into the drink form. When you consider how many fruits and vegetables are included in one bottle, you'll be disheartened to see how low the fiber content is in comparison. Fiber plays a major role in making you feel full. So if you're using this as a meal replacement, then you'll probably find yourself hungry shortly thereafter, causing you to consume more calories by having another snack or an additional meal.

3) These drinks are PACKED with sugar. Yes, it is natural sugar derived directly from the fruit itself (vs. the big bad alternative, processed sugar), but that still doesn't make it healthy to consume that much sugar in one sitting. At 40 grams per 12 oz. bottle, Odwalla's C Monster Smoothie packs more sugar than a can of Coke (39 grams per 12 oz. bottle). Granted, it's not processed sugar, but your body won't notice the difference. You'll get the same sugar rush, followed by the same hard crash afterwards. 

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4) If you're not a fan of big corporations, you'll be disappointed to hear that Naked is a subsidiary of Pepsi and Odwalla is a subsidiary of Coke. They put out products that are wrapped in 'good-for-you' labels, but at the same time have no problem producing drinks that are completely lacking in nutritional content and natural ingredients. Now, don't get me wrong, I love a good Diet Coke every once in awhile (I am from the company's hometown after all), but even I can recognize that Coke and other soda products are not that good for you - bottom line.

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Before I come off as a raving lunatic, I'd like to point out that I WOULD recommend these drinks in a few specific situations...

1) If you hate vegetables and absolutely refuse to eat your fruit in its natural form, I'd suggest these drinks as a last resort to get the nutrients that your body needs. These drinks provide a decent variety of the vitamins that your system requires to function, and they are an easy, on-the-go option for those who need a fast, non-messy alternative to eating actual fruit and vegetables.

2) If you have a sugar craving after dinner but don't want to indulge in the usual cookies, ice cream or cake, I can support drinking a few sips of Naked or Odwalla. It will appease your sweet tooth in a healthier way, keeping you from the processed ingredients and empty calories of a traditional dessert. 

My point is this: Be aware of what you are consuming and consume with moderation. These drinks are not ALL bad, but they are definitely over-indulgent and should be 'rationed' accordingly.

I'll get off my soapbox now before Coke and Pepsi come looking for me.

What's The Big Deal?: Grass-Fed vs. Grain-Fed

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If anyone should say 'NO' to red meat, it's this girl. I was once chased down by a pack of angry cows in a pasture in North Georgia (no, I didn't deserve it), I'm dating a guy who hates hamburgers (I know, I know, so un-American) and I recently watched the documentary 'Forks Over Knives' (yikes!). After watching it, I actually tried to be a vegetarian, or more specifically a pescatarian, but it was just too hard! I grew up eating my dad's amazing grilled hamburgers... I now date a committed carnivore... and I live in the restaurant capitol of the world! 

Give me a break!

Although I still eat meat, I have made a conscious decision to watch my intake, choosing the fish or veggie option when I'm not having an intense craving for that beefy goodness. I also try to buy (or order) grass-fed beef, since becoming more knowledgeable about the differences between grass-fed and grain-fed. 

Here's the quick breakdown so you can understand what you're eating and buying...

In the olden days of yore when children walked to school uphill both ways, the cows were grass-fed. They were placed in a pasture, and they did what they knew best - graze. But in more recent years, farmers got hip to the idea of feeding the cows grain - usually corn, soy, and other grains with LOTS of added hormones and antibiotics (not good for you, obviously). It was all about making money and making it fast! The corn fattened up the cattle faster, which meant they sold more meat each year. It also cost much less to feed cows grain because they didn't need to purchase and care for so much land. They were able to house more cows in a smaller space; thereby, increasing their profits.

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This all sounds lovely for the farmers' wallets, but what does it mean for us?

When we eat grain-fed beef, we are losing out on nutrients AND consuming more fat. It's as simple as this... grass-fed cows are ingesting grass and clover, which is where they obtain their omega-3's. According to studies, your grass-fed beef will have double the amount of heart-healthy omega-3's than the alternative, grain-fed beef. 

In addition to nutrient-content, your grass-fed beef is more lean, meaning you are consuming less total fat and calories. This of course will change the flavor profile slightly, since most of the flavor comes from fat, but I, for one, don't think the taste is noticeably different if the beef is cooked well. Even adding more butter to flavor your grass-fed beef will put you in a better position than choosing grain-fed because most of that butter won't cling to the meat. It will still add less saturated fat to your meal overall than if you went with the grain-fed option.

On the downside, grass-fed beef is slightly more expensive to purchase (with often a $2-3 price difference), but when you consider what you're doing for your body, in my opinion, it's worth the cost. If you consciously invest in your health then you will actively reap the rewards.

What do you think? Can you taste the difference? Are you willing to pay more? Leave a comment below!

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And... if you're in the NYC area, you can try one of my favorite grass-fed steaks at Gustorganics, the first and ONLY certified organic restaurant in New York City. They even have a USDA certified organic bar...now that's crazy talk!

GUSTORGANICS

519 6th Avenue (at 14th St.)

New York, NY 10011

212.242.5800