Blog

 

How much cardio versus strength training for best results?

fatloss fitness Mar 21, 2023

Have you ever wondered how much strength training versus cardio you should be doing for optimal results?

As a dietitian and personal trainer, here are some questions that I get asked a lot:

  • Should I be doing cardio if I have a fat loss goal?
  • How much cardio should I be doing?
  • How many days a week should I do strength training?

I will answer all of these questions (and more!) in this post! 

As with most things that pertain to nutrition and fitness, there will never be a “one size fits all” approach or answer to these questions. These answers are also dependent on your goals, current fitness level, the amount of stress your body is currently under, and time that you can dedicate to exercise. Unless you are training for a specific event, like a half-marathon or marathon, sport, or crossfit competition, etc. then my general recommendations provided here will most likely apply to you. 

If you are a woman who simply wants to LOOK and FEEL good in your body (i.e...

Continue Reading...

Recommended At Home Workout Equipment

Uncategorized Feb 19, 2023

This post contains affiliate links. 

If you are just getting started with working out from home, it can be overwhelming to know what equipment you need to purchase! Fortunately, you can create a nice at home set up for less than $500. 

If you follow my workout programming, then you can get away with minimal equipment, which I will list below. 

 

Dumbbells

One of the most important pieces of equipment. It is a good idea to get a range of weights for different movements plus you will get stronger as you make strength training a habit, which will result in lifting heavier weights! 

This dumbbell set would be a great starter set. It has weights ranging from 5-25lbs, which is going to provide you with a good variety of weight for different exercises and allow you to increase in weight as needed. The heavier weights will be helpful for compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and presses, while the lighter weights will be good for accessory movements like...

Continue Reading...

Carbs and Insulin Resistance

Uncategorized Feb 17, 2022

Proponents of low carb diets will often use the argument that carbohydrates raise insulin levels and therefore cause fat storage. Insulin is considered an "anabolic" hormone, which in simple terms means it is a growth promoting hormone. Often times insulin is labeled as a "fat storage" hormone. 

I am getting ahead of myself, though. In order to understand the hormone insulin, it is important to have a basic understanding of metabolism. Don't worry, I will KISS (keep it simple stupid) this post :)

 

Understanding the Role of Glucose 

Glucose is the human body's main source of fuel or energy. Glucose is what feeds our cells. We NEED glucose. All of the food that we consume breaks down into smaller molecules through the process of digestion and absorption.

Protein --> amino acids

Fat ---> fatty acids

Carbohydrates --> glucose 

In very simple terms, carbohydrates RAISE blood glucose, whereas protein and fats do not. (Although, protein CAN be converted to...

Continue Reading...

Are You Eating Enough Protein?

Uncategorized Apr 16, 2021

Let's talk about protein!

Protein isn't just for macho body builders! While protein can be OVER EMPHASIZED by some health and fitness "professionals," it certainly has its place for women who are looking to achieve a lean and strong body. 

In this blog post, I will be discussing the functions of protein, how much protein you actually need, considerations when determining your protein intake, give you some example calculations, and discuss food sources!

 

Functions of protein in the body: 

Growth and repair of all tissue in the body

Protein is the most “thermogenic” macronutrient, which means it requires more of your body’s energy to break it down. This is why many weight loss plans will encourage high protein diets. Your body actually uses calories to digest and metabolize foods, a concept called the thermic effect of food.

Healthy hair, skin, and nails. 

Protein is necessary for the production of antibodies, which fight off infection in...

Continue Reading...

Intermittment Fasting

Uncategorized Apr 14, 2021

Intermittent fasting. A phrase with so much confusion, misinformation, and questions! I often get asked about intermittent fasting, so I wrote this blog post to provide some information as well as my professional opinion based upon the research. 

For simplicities sake, fasting can be defined as abstaining from food for a specific period of time. Intermittent fasting (IF) can be executed in many different ways, and you will find conflicting information on the internet about what strategy is most effective. This is why intermittent fasting can be misunderstood because there is no strict definition of what it actually is. There are many different ways that people implement IF.


Forms of Intermittent Fasting

Fast Days

A popular form of intermittent fasting is having “Fast Days” and “Non-Fast Days.” On fasting days, a person will restrict their calories significantly (sometimes as low as 500 calories or less.) Usually, these calories are consumed in one...

Continue Reading...

Rhabdo Reflections

Uncategorized Apr 06, 2021

Almost exactly 1 year ago, my perspective on health completely changed. 

 

Every year our gym does a workout called Murph in honor of  Navy Seal Lt. Michael P. Murphy, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2005. The workout consists of 1 mile run, 100 pull ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats, followed by another 1 mile run. It is to be completed with a 14lb weight vest. Sounds like a walk in the park, right?

 

May of 2020 was the first year that I completed Murph with the 14lb weight vest. Just to give you some context, gyms had been closed down the previous 3 months because of mandatory quarantine for COVID, so to say I was unconditioned for the workout is an understatement. 

 

In my mind, modifying a workout was out of the question. I thrive on a good challenge. Competitive runs deep in the Benight household. Actually, when my husband or I are complaining about something we jokingly tell one another to stop being a “little sissy...

Continue Reading...

Thyroid - Master of Your Metabolism

Uncategorized Feb 23, 2021

The thyroid a butterfly shaped gland situated near your throat. It might be hard to believe that this tiny gland is the control center for your metabolism, and frankly almost every physiological process in the body. Your mood, digestion, sleep, sex hormones, stress hormones, and body composition all are going to be impacted by the health of your thyroid. In my last blog post I discussed potential symptoms of a sub-optimal functioning thyroid. If you haven't read that yet, I would take a look!

In today's blog post, I will be discussing how the thyroid is impacted by chronic under-eating and/or overtraining, or a combination of both. I will be giving you strategies of what you can do to support your thyroid and what you need to know about getting your thyroid levels checked. 

Let me share an all too familiar story. Jane has been on and off diets her entire life. She grew up in the era of "100 calorie packs" and "low fat everything." Whether she followed a 1200 calorie diet or...

Continue Reading...

Can You Have a "Slow Metabolism?"

diet fatloss hormones Feb 17, 2021

Is it possible to have a “slow” metabolism?

I see it way too often. A woman comes to me who has been dieting on and off for years. Whether she followed weight watchers, calorie counting, or low carb, she has always been off and on some type of diet. Her first diet attempt she was able to lose 15-20lbs, but over the course of several months and years, the weight crept back on. 

Certain that what worked in the past will work again, so she puts in hours at the gym each week and “eats clean” but the weight just won’t seem to budge this time around. She thinks it is because she isn’t being disciplined enough and restricts further. She might lose a few pounds, but she feels like she is starving all the time and her energy sucks. When she isn’t seeing more results, she takes a “break” from her diet and binges on all the foods she had been restricting. 

If this woman was able to lose weight the first time she dieted, why...

Continue Reading...

Fast Fat Loss?

Uncategorized Feb 10, 2021

I recently submitted a response to a journalist asking for an expert opinion on "the fastest way to lose weight." While I am confident in my response, I am not so sure that my submission would be the one that is selected because no one wants to hear "there is no magic bullet." I thought I would share my response with you all, though!

The idea of "fast fat loss" is really a myth. The body can lose weight in the form of water, muscle, and fat. When people see rapid weight loss, they are oftentimes seeing drastic decreases in water weight. 

In order to lose 1lb of body fat, a person must be in a 3500 calorie deficit, period. There are no magic pills that will change this scientific fact. So, the idea that a person can lose 5lbs in 1 week is misleading, because this "weight loss" is mostly water! In order to lose 5lbs of actual fat, a person would have to be in a 17,500 calorie deficit, which is nearly physiologically impossible, without completely starving oneself.
 
The...
Continue Reading...

Top 4 Supplements for Active Women

supplements womenshealth Feb 07, 2021

Supplements 101

With the numerous amount of products available, it seems like there is a supplement for everything! As the consumer, it can be overwhelming to figure out which supplements actually provide what they claim as well as which ones are worth the money! How can you be sure what you buy is effective, and most importantly, safe? Let's dive a bit deeper into the topic of supplementation, so you can come away with insight into determining if a supplement is right for you.

Quality Control

As you may or may not know, supplements are not tightly regulated like pharmaceuticals. Most of the supplements that you can purchase at the grocery store have a high likelihood of having added dyes and fillers as well as being contaminated with heavy metals. Unfortunately, most of these products end up being a waste of money. Medical-grade or pharmaceutical grade supplements are brands that have been tested for quality by a third-party. There are some OTC (over the counter) brands that are...

Continue Reading...
1 2 3
Close

50% Complete

Two Step

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.