Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Protein? | QA

by DebbieJ MS RDN | Sep 12, 2019 | All, Ask Our Dietitian, Home, Nutrition

Question:

Hello LA Fitness! It seems a lot of people are mentioning Chronic Kidney Disease. I hear that this can be from a number of reasons, including consuming too much protein. If you’re on a renal diet, or have kidney disease, or want to avoid getting CKD, how much protein is too much?
– Darque O.

Answer:

Whether you need to restrict protein or not should be determined by your nephrologist, depending on the stage of your renal disease. Note that the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) states “Low protein and calorie intake is an important cause of malnutrition in chronic kidney disease¹” and “There is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against routine prescription of dietary protein restriction to slow progression of chronic kidney disease.¹”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that protein in the urine is a risk factor for developing kidney disease². While one might assume that dietary protein load is the culprit, it’s more likely from impaired kidney filtration due to diabetes. The CDC recommends two dietary improvements: eating more fruits and vegetables while eating foods lower in salt².

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, preventing diabetes and high blood pressure helps to protect your kidneys from chronic kidney disease (CKD)³. The organization advises cutting back on salt and added sugars and suggests a DASH eating plan³. Protein is not mentioned.

References:

1) National Kidney Foundation. K/DOQI clinical practice guidelines for chronic kidney disease: evaluation, classification, and stratification. American Journal of Kidney Diseases. 2002; 39(2 suppl 1):S1–266. https://www.kidney.org/sites/default/files/docs/ckd_evaluation_classification_stratification.pdf Accessed 9.3.2019

2) Prevention and Risk Management. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/kidneydisease/prevention-risk.html December 21, 2017. Accessed 9.3.2019

3) Preventing Chronic Kidney Disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/chronic-kidney-disease-ckd/prevention October 2016. Accessed 9.3.2019

– Debbie J., MS, RD

This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.

Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.

Ask our Dietitian

Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!

Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!

Finding Your Motivation When It Doesn’t Want to Be Found

by Sandra Koury | Sep 11, 2019 | All, Fitness, Home

Getting motivated to hit the gym isn’t always as easy as it looks. Even if you manage to get through the doors, you might find yourself reasoning your way out of your least favorite exercises.

We’re here to talk about what you can do to pull yourself out of that funk and either start working out for the first time or reignite the motivation that’s slipping away.

01.

Adjust Your Goals and Make Them Achievable

Your goals can make or break you. If you set unattainable goals, you will find a lot of frustration along the way. Break down your larger goals into small steps. The completion of each step will be a victory in itself because it means you are progressing towards your major goal.

Suppose your major goal is to lose an inch off your waist before your cousin’s wedding in a few months. With the guidance of your doctor, trainer, or nutritionist, you will know to what extent you can task your body while still losing weight healthily.

For example, you might add 20 minutes of a new exercise to your weekly routine or adjust your diet by choosing water over soda. Making micro-changes is much more achievable than attempting to adopt multiple changes at once. For more helpful tips, listen to our Goals vs. Resolutions Podcast to hear from Personal Training Director, Tristen Alleman, who shares his thoughts on how members can successfully achieve their goals.

02.

Make It Easy to Get Started

Depending on the other responsibilities in your schedule, you may not have much control over the time of day you have available to work out. What you can control, is how easily you can get started when the time comes.

Make sure your workout clothes are clean and accessible. Have your duffel bag equipped with everything you might need to work out already inside. Make it as easy as possible to start your routine and you’ll find that, with fewer obstacles between you and the gym, you may actually make it through those doors.

03.

Change How Often You Track Your Progress

Tracking your progress can mean logging changes in your weight, taking your measurements, evaluating changes in your overall cardiac health, assessing changes in your strength or flexibility, and more. Taking note of these different stats can sometimes be a huge motivation killer if we are looking for consistent improvement but getting fluctuating numbers instead.

The key to staying motivated as you track your progress is to space out how often you measure change. For example, try measuring your weight weekly or even monthly instead of daily. Because of the way weight naturally fluctuates from day to day, you’ll get a more accurate (and less anxiety inducing) picture of your overall progress.

04.

Stay Future Focused

Keep your eyes on the prize! If you can focus on how amazing you know you’re going to feel once you’ve accomplished what you started, you can help push away the feelings of doubt that eat away at your motivation.

We know how hard it can be to keep focused on the future. It’s unpredictable, it’s always changing, and it’s nearly impossible to know how each choice we make will impact tomorrow. There may even be a complete shift in what your goals are.

The main idea here is to be open to all the uncertainties. You might hit a plateau and need to switch up your routine or find that an exercise is too hard on your body and need to scale things back. The more comfortable you are with change, the easier it will be to focus on your goal rather than on the setbacks or difficulties you encounter along the way.

05.

Remember That the Gym Is a Supportive Community

Having the support of others is a huge game-changer, and here at LA Fitness we crave your success! You can join our Online Community and connect with other members who are also working towards their fitness goals, and even track your workout schedule. We are so excited for your success that we want you to tell your story to motivate others and share your achievement. You can read about members who have changed their lives on our Member Spotlight feature.

For more motivation boosts, read our blog on Muscle Building and Fat Burning Myths or our Meal Prepping Guide for tips and tricks to get you through your meal preps. To access our monthly blog post highlights, subscribe to our newsletter today!

Managing Menopause | QA

by DebbieJ MS RDN | Sep 10, 2019 | All, Ask Our Dietitian, Home

Question:

I have begun Menopause and have been gaining weight and having bad hot flashes. Is there anything you can suggest I do?

Thanks,

– Lisa D.

Answer:

Every woman will eventually reach the stage of menopause and the ovaries cease production of estrogen. (sigh) The transitional time, termed perimenopause, may take several years. Nutritionally, managing these stages involves responding to changing hormones and influencing energy balance.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine recommends a low-fat, vegetarian diet for women who are experiencing hot flashes. EndocrineWeb encourages “filling your meals with plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables.” Adequate protein is needed to support muscle-protein synthesis, with intake spread across the day. In regards to supplements, WebMD indicates that black cohosh, St John’s wort and flaxseed may help manage menopause symptoms.

Creating an energy deficit is necessary for weight loss, which can come from curbing caloric intake or boosting output. Regular exercise to the tune of 60 minutes daily also helps, particularly if it includes strength training to retain lean body mass.

Resources:

M Jacobsen. Midlife Nutrition — Helping Women Over 40 Overcome Nutrition Challenges, Today’s Dietitian March 2014 Issue Vol. 16 No. 3 P. 30

Pinkerton, JoAnn. “MenoPause Blog.” MenoPause, 2018, www.menopause.org/for-women/menopause-take-time-to-think-about-it. Accessed 8/27/2019.

– Debbie J., MS, RD

Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.

Ask our Dietitian

Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!

Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!

What You’ve Been Wanting to Know About Fad Diets (Paleo, Keto, and More) – Podcast Ep. 30

by Andrew Gabell | Sep 9, 2019 | All, Home, Podcast

Welcome to the 30th episode of the Living Healthy podcast, presented by LA Fitness.
We’re kicking off Season 2 and we’ve got some exciting content lined up!

On this episode of the Living Healthy Podcast, Debbie James, RDN, answers some frequently asked questions about some of the most popular fad diets: Paleo, Whole 30, Keto, Anti-Inflammatory, and Intermittent Fasting. She delves into each one to discuss the recommended foods, the Pros and Cons, and how it effects the body.

How Are We Doing?

Tweet us! @LAFitness using the hashtag #LivingHealthyPodcast
Email us at blog@fitnessintl.com.
Post a photo on our Instagram and using the hashtag #LivingHealthyPodcast

This podcast should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.

Timecard Markers – What You’ve Been Wanting to Know About Fad Diets (Paleo, Keto, and More) – Podcast Ep. 30

Intro     

Begins at 0:01    

   Season 1 Recap