AAT: Ep. 33 – Is It Healthy to Lose 15 Pounds in One Month?

AAT: Ep. 33 – Is It Healthy to Lose 15 Pounds in One Month?

by | Nov 16, 2018 | All, Ask A Trainer, Fitness, Home

Ask A Trainer: Featured Question of the Week

On this episode of ‘Ask A Trainer’ we speak with LA Fitness Pro Results® trainer Morgan C., and get her expert advice on how much weight is too much to lose within a month. 

Do you have a fitness question? Ask one of our certified Pro Results® trainers here! Your question may be featured in an upcoming Ask Our Trainer video.**

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**Selected submissions will be featured on the LA Fitness blog and possibly other LA Fitness digital media entities & websites. By making a submission, you hereby grant LA Fitness a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, irrevocable license to use and make copies of the contents of such submission for any purpose and in any medium whatsoever, and you hereby waive and relinquish any copyright or other intellectual property right you may have in the contents of such submission and your right to pursue any claim for LA Fitness’s violation of those intellectual property rights.

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AAT: Ep. 33 – Is It Healthy to Lose 15 Pounds in One Month?

AAT: Ep. 32 – How to Lose Body Fat for People with Cerebral Palsy

by | Nov 2, 2018 | All, Ask A Trainer, Fitness, Home

Ask A Trainer: Featured Question of the Week

On this episode of ‘Ask A Trainer’ we speak with LA Fitness Pro Results® trainer Morgan C., and get her expert advice on how to lose body fat for those afflicted with cerebral palsy.  

Do you have a fitness question? Ask one of our certified Pro Results® trainers here! Your question may be featured in an upcoming Ask Our Trainer video.**

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**Selected submissions will be featured on the LA Fitness blog and possibly other LA Fitness digital media entities & websites. By making a submission, you hereby grant LA Fitness a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, irrevocable license to use and make copies of the contents of such submission for any purpose and in any medium whatsoever, and you hereby waive and relinquish any copyright or other intellectual property right you may have in the contents of such submission and your right to pursue any claim for LA Fitness’s violation of those intellectual property rights.

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Should You Count the Caloric Value of Fiber?

Should You Count the Caloric Value of Fiber?

by | Sep 11, 2018 | All, Ask Our Dietitian, Home, Nutrition

Question:

I’ve had my body fat tested via Dexascan and my metabolism calculated via a breathing test. The determination was that I should be consuming no more than 2,103 calories and no fewer than 1,700 calories daily.

I prefer to eat only 1,700 calories whenever possible — and work out (weights & cardio) a few days each week in order to create an even greater deficit. It’s my understanding that, for me, eating fewer than 1,700 calories daily can result in a “starvation response” whereby I’ll actually retain fat instead of burning it.

My Question: Since fiber isn’t used for energy or stored — but is counted as a carb worth 4 calories/gram on nutritional labels and calorie-tracking apps — should I deduct from my daily totals the caloric value of the fiber I eat in order to stay out of “starvation mode”?

For example, say I’ve eaten 1,700 calories today, but that included 35g of fiber, which equals 140 calories. That dips my actual daily calories roughly 10% — to 1,560 — and into the starvation-mode territory. Should I compensate for those “missing” fiber calories with more food, or is my logic flawed and fiber actually DOES count toward my macros/calories?

– Darin S.

Answer:

Great question, Darin! Fibers are non-digestible carbohydrates from plant sources that may be fermented in the large intestine. Considered a subset of the total carbohydrate, dietary fiber is listed under carbohydrates on a Nutrition Facts panel. It includes both soluble and insoluble fiber, as well as lignin, whether naturally occurring or added.

Yes, since fiber is not digested (thus not used for energy or stored), it’s known to have less than the 4 calories per gram than other carbohydrates do. In fact, certain fibers offer almost 0 calories, while others provide only a smidge of energy after their fermentation by colonic bacteria. The Food and Drug Administration estimates that fermentable fibers provide about 2 calories per gram. Manufacturers may subtract the insoluble fibers when calculating energy, but not soluble fiber grams. Half of your stated 140 calories calculated from the fiber may already have been considered on food labels, leaving only 70 calories or 4% of your daily target of 1,700.

My recommendation would be to not compensate for any “missing” fiber calories, as people, in general, tend to under-report food intake when tracking and diet analysis calculations are already inaccurate by 10%. Maintain your protein intake when restricting calories and I’d suggest bumping your pre- or post-exercise nutrition up by 100 calories on your workout days.

Rather than focus on fiber in calorie-counting accuracy, readers should instead focus on getting the recommended amount of fiber each day, which has recently increased. As of 2016, the FDA the daily reference value of fiber was raised from 25 grams to 28 grams.

Resource

  1. Carbohydrate Issues: Type and Amount. ML Wheeler and FX Pi-Sunyer. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, April 2008; Suppl 1, 108(4): s34-39.

– 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.

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Fruits to Help with Weight Loss

Fruits to Help with Weight Loss

by | Aug 30, 2018 | All, Ask Our Dietitian, Home, Nutrition

Question:

I’ve been eating just fruit for lunch each day. Can you please recommend the best fruits to eat for weight loss?

– Lisa

Answer:

My first recommendation would be to consume more than just fruit if you eat only 3 meals and breakfast is not ample. On the other hand, if you eat heartily in the morning with snacks between meals, then you might get by on a fruit-only lunch.

Almost all fresh* fruits (save avocados, olives & coconuts) are pure carbohydrates with very little protein or fat. So, they may not sustain you for long. They do offer an abundance of fiber, vitamins/minerals, and water content, though. I would encourage you to balance your fruit only lunch with some nuts, seeds or even a hard-cooked egg for a little protein and fat.

While the nutritional content varies among fruits, there aren’t particular ones that promote weight loss, per se. Melons and strawberries are more calorie-dilute than some others, while cherries, grapes, and bananas are considered dense. Anything that takes a while to chew means you’ll consume less of it, so apples with the skin on and pomegranate arils may be better choices.

For further answers regarding fruit consumption click here and here.

*Dried and canned fruits are a no-no for dieters!

– 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.

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Increasing Fat Loss Without Impacting Performance

Increasing Fat Loss Without Impacting Performance

by | Aug 28, 2018 | All, Ask Our Dietitian, Home, Nutrition

Question:

I have spent the past year working out five days a week doing both HIIT (2-3 days of the week) and strength training. I have had a lot of success with changing my shape, dropping 1.5 pant sizes and building muscle, but the process is slow. I still have body fat that I want gone. I have been reading some about the Keto diet, but don’t want to lose anything from my ability to perform and have heard mixed things about that diet. I eat pretty clean already and always have. Are there dietary changes that are key to increasing fat loss but don’t impact performance? Or should I just be patient with the process?

– Laura E.

Answer:

When you mention performance, what comes to mind is athletic competition or workout effectiveness. In either case, weight loss should ideally be tackled off-season or before the critical performance time. As it sounds like that is not your intended situation, there is no guarantee that while you are creating a caloric deficit your workouts won’t suffer.

Since you state that you eat clean already, I’d look to volume and timing of your meals and snacks for the greatest effect. Supporting your workouts with proper hydration, pre-workout snacks, and recovery nutrition is paramount. Don’t skimp in the few hours preceding and after exercise. Curbing intake at other times, particularly before bedtime and on rest days, would be the approach I’d recommend. Portions may be deceiving and appetite tends to increase with exercise, so watch not only the volume on your plate but how much goes in your mouth. An additional 100 calorie reduction equates to another lost pound per month.

Of course, if there are ‘extras’ in your diet like alcoholic beverages or sweets (even if organic), giving up on those will only benefit your performance and fat loss goals.

– 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!

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