TotalFit with CoachAbc

Look at Carbs to Protein ratio

        OK, first thing’s first. If it’s a “protein” bar, it should have at least 15 grams of protein per bar. Less than that and you really aren’t getting much bang for your buck. Also, you want be sure the protein content is higher than carbs. Remember, the protein content is what makes a protein bar a “protein bar.” So if there are more grams of carbs than protein, or even worse, more grams of sugar than protein, you’ll definitely need to upgrade.

Look at the source of protein

            Choose bars that contain high-quality sources of protein, such as hydrolyzed whey, whey isolates and micellar casein. Whey or soy concentrates are fine but not the best. Also, gelatin (or collagen) is often added to protein bars to improve texture. You will find the protein type or types in the ingredients, from highest to lowest concentration. So check the ingredients and ensure that proteins such as hydrolyzed whey, whey isolates and micellar casein are high up on the ingredients list. Everything else is going to be suboptimal, and as a result, should not be listed high up on the ingredients.

Look at sugar

            Bottom line: Too much sugar in your diet will make you fat. And ironically enough, many protein bars are loaded with sugar. So avoid protein bars that contain refined sugars, such as sucrose, corn syrup, and high-fructose corn syrup in the ingredients. These types of ingredients will make your protein bar no better than a candy bar.

Next let’s talk a bit about artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols. To make a protein taste good (because plain protein actually tastes pretty nasty), manufacturers often add things like artificial sweeteners (i.e. Sucralose) and sugar alcohols (i.e. xylitol, maltitol and sorbitol, also found in gum). Sugar alcohols will be listed along with sugars and dietary fiber under the Total Carbohydrate section on the nutrition label. Sugar alcohols have gained popularity as sweeteners because they have fewer calories, don’t affect blood sugar as much as sugar, and also don’t cause tooth decay. However sugar alcohols do have a downside because they may cause bloating and intestinal discomfort in some people. Also, because sugar alcohols do contribute calories and affect blood-sugar levels to variable degrees, they will need to be accounted for by the low-carb dieter.

Here’s my stance when it comes to sugar (artificial, alcohol or otherwise): If you have a lot of weight to lose, I’d stick to protein bars with no more than 6g net carbs per serving. Net carbs are your total carbs minus fiber. The only exception to this is if you’re using the bar immediately after a workout. In this case you can allow more carbs since your muscles will be more primed to absorb and burn those carbs quickly.

Look at fat

            It’s a good idea to find a bar that does contain some fat since this will slow digestion and the release of the carbs into the blood stream. However you want to avoid any bar that contains trans-fat, and watch out for bars with palm oil and palm kernel oil- which are types of saturated fats. Note: Not all saturated fats are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, but palm oil is.

Look at fiber

            Look for bars that contain at least 6 grams of fiber. Fiber will help promote regularity, control blood sugar spikes, and help you feel full longer.

Look at total calories relative to the size of the bar

            Last but not least, if you’re restricting daily calorie intake as a means to lose weight, downing a tiny sized, high calorie calorie protein bar isn’t exactly going to make fat loss easy. Think about it, you could be consuming a chunk of your total daily calories in just 1 protein bar that may not even fill you up for a few hours. So pay attention to the total calories of your bar, as well as the overall size of your protein bar.

The choices that coachabc uses are Kind Bars, and Power Crunch bars (chocolate mint is her favorite)

After 20+ years of being a coach in health and fitness. I’ve heard all the misconceptions about women lifting weights. I used to also use these same excuses until I realized its better to have 5 lbs of muscle instead of 5 lbs of fat. Don’t believe me? See the diagram below:

Wouldn’t you rather have the one on the right? I would.

And here are the 5 reasons why women SHOULD LIFT WEIGHTS!

Build a body that you want.  Women are often seeking ways to lose fat and tone their bodies… Lifting weights does both. Weather your goal is to get a lean athletic look, or you just want to change the shape of your body, strength training is the answer. You can lose fat and improve your health with cardio, but lifting weights is what changes your muscle definition and shape.

Focus on What Your Body Can Do.   We all want to look better, and it doesn’t help that society pressures us into feeling like we have to look a certain way.  Because of this, people obsess over their bodies – how they look, what size pant we wear and how much we weigh.  But lifting weights allows you to discover and be proud of what your body can do instead of worrying about how it looks.  Learn to love your body not just for its appearance but for the amazing things it can do.

Accelerates fat-loss when combined with cardio.  You get more fat-loss from cardio when you combine it with weight training. Having an exercise regiment that relies mainly on cardio for fat-loss will eventually lead to stagnation, as your metabolic rate will continue to drop as your body adapts to the demand you put on it.  Therefore the prudent thing to do is incorporate more bouts of weight training while keeping cardio as low of a frequency as possible; combining weight and endurance training greatly enhances the metabolic effect on your training.

Shapes your curves.  Most females feel that the best way to shape their body and achieve a more toned look is by spending hours upon hours of doing low-intensity cardio. The reality is that the best way to “bring out your curves” is to build strength and muscle. If all you do is constantly endure long bouts of low/moderate intensity cardio then you are basically lowering your metabolic rate. The more weight training you incorporate the more curved your body will be. Don’t give into the idea that you need to be a “cardio bunny” in order to be lean and toned.

Weight training with heavy resistance, WILL NOT make females bulky. One of the greatest myths that pervade gyms everywhere is the idea that females who train with relatively heavy weights will suddenly transform into the female equivalent of “The Incredible Hulk.” Reality is that females should train with heavy weights just like their male counterparts often do, and no it won’t make you “bulky” and deepen your voice.

So there you have it, 5 reasons women should stop fearing weights and give the cardio room a break.  Of course it would be remiss not to mention that some cardio is worthwhile in almost any woman’s exercise regiment, but weight training should be the focus; don’t worry, you won’t magically get bulky overnight, but you will have sexier curves and a lean body…. That’s’ not so bad, is it?

See you next week!

Coach ABC

Tips for those who MAY need Supplements!!!

For those that maintain a healthy and balanced diet, individuals may still need nutrient supplements depending on their situation.  For example, older adults, pregnant women, and people who are food insecure are at increased risk of nutrient deficiencies, thus the word SUPPLEMENT, we take supplements as an addition to the foods we eat, because you are not able to get all that you need from the foods.

Some individuals are limited in their food choices due to allergies, or because they are following a vegetarian or vegan diet. For example, animal foods are the main source of vitamin B12, so people who follow a vegan diet need to eat fortified foods and/or take a supplement.

Other groups who may require additional supplementation include people who are taking certain medications or have a health condition that changes how their body uses nutrients, and individuals who have been told by their doctor they have a specific nutrient deficiency.

Your doctor can order tests to help determine if taking SUPPLEMENTS would benefit you. The results might show that you are low in a certain nutrient or you might discover that you’re doing just fine. Additionally, review your current diet.

Remember, when we take a nutrient out of a food and concentrate it in a pill, it’s not quite the same thing, but adding supplements, such as vitamins, and minerals, are a great way to get those added nutrients.

Be sure to consider your individual situation and consult a doctor before considering supplements.