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How To Stay On Track When Eating Out and On Vacation

  Eating out will likely make up a majority of your meals while on vacation. Many hotels will have a small fridge and microwave which can create the opportunity to make small meals in your room, but for the most part most meals will be from restaurants. For some, this can be stressful when trying to stay on track. Keep in mind that it is totally ok to head out to your favorite restaurant or to travel and eat a meal that isn't tracked. You are allowed to enjoy yourself. Whether you choose to stay on track or indulge a little is entirely up to you and you can learn to plan both options while on vacation. Here are a few strategies that can help you stay on track when eating out: -Research the menu ahead of time -Don't go out when you're starving (this is where a high-protein snack comes in handy about an hour before you go out) -Prioritize protein and veggies -Watch your beverages (limit alcohol and sugary coffees and sodas) -Watch your portion size (sharing can be helpful) -A...
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Travel Snack Tips

When we travel, there are many different problems that may derail us from our goals. Carbs and fats are easy to come by, and it can be more difficult to get in enough protein. Eating out will most likely make up a majority of your meals. I find it handy to pack a supply of my favorite portable snacks so that I'm not limited to gas station snacks or fast food along the way. Some of my favorite travel-friendly snacks are protein bars, protein chips, beef and turkey jerky, popcorn, almond and peanut butter packets, nuts, trail mix, seaweed snacks, and smart sweets.

Sarcopenia

  Did you know that you can start losing muscle mass as early as your 30's? As part of the natural aging process, we gradually can begin losing muscle and strength in our 30's and 40's. This process amplifies around age 65. Rates vary, but you can lose around 8% of your muscle mass each decade! People with sarcopenia will lose it more quickly. Sarcopenia is the gradual loss of muscle mass, strength, and function. This condition commonly affects the senior population due to aging, and it can greatly impact quality of life. It affects the musculoskeletal system and is a major factor in increased frailty, falls, and fractures. Some causes of sarcopenia include physical inactivity, obesity, malnutrition, loss of mobility, reduction in hormone levels, and chronic diseases. The most common symptom is muscle weakness but other symptoms include poor balance and falls, walking slowly, loss of stamina, decrease in muscle size, and difficulty performing daily activities. You may not ...

Daily Energy Needs Explained

When daily food intake is matched to energy needs, people are said to be in an energy balance, which allows them to maintain a stable body weight. When energy intake is higher than needed to support the total daily energy requirements it can lead to an increase in body weight. Similarly, if you eat less than you need to support daily energy requirements, you lose weight, as your body will fuel itself through your internal stores. The amount of daily energy varies greatly across populations and can be impacted by age, sex, pregnancy, muscle mass, hormone function, medications, and genetic factors. The total number of calories that a person expends in a day is called the Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). The calories that are burned throughout the day are used for exercise, maintaining your metabolism, digestion and absorption of food, and general activities. The combination of BMR, TEF, EA, and NEAT combine to form TDEE. Let's break this down: -Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is th...