BigTime Results...

Where Noah and Alyea collide to bring you,

A BigTime Baby!

We are excited to announce that a new addition will be joining the BigTime Team sometime in early August!

  KEEP UP THE HARD WORK!

We are now one month into our Body Fat Challenge and I can see the difference in our participants!  You guys are working so hard, tracking calories, and getting those extra cardio sessions in. You've got your eye on the prize and you're motivated to win the challenge! It's awesome! But, while you're gunning for that top prize let's not lose sight of what you are really doing. Yes, the competition lit a fire for you, but ultimately you are taking the steps to permanently alter your lifestyle. Take a minute to listen to your body and enjoy how good you feel. Physically, you have lost weight and you're providing your body with better nutrition thus decreasing stress and inflammation. Mentally, you know that you are moving in a direction that is good for you and that makes just as big of a difference! Remember this feeling, and when you start to fall off track, harness it to help pull you back to the place you want to be! 

Great job so far everybody! You are awesome and all of us at BigTime want to see you succeed!

-Logan Wendt, HFS, Director of Corporate Wellness

This past month I was asked to speak on a Sports Nutrition Panel for the Southwest Missouri Dietetics Association. As a Registered Dietitian I get asked all the time about different supplements, so I wanted to discuss a couple supplements this month.

 Syntha 6 and Re-Play 

Supplements, however, do have their place many times for convenience and to make up for the deficiencies in our eating. 

Syntha 6 is a prime example of convenience!  It's a quality, cost effective, meal replacement. It should be used in place of a meal like breakfast when you might not have the time to prepare a more traditional meal. Syntha 6 has a combination of Whey (fast digesting) and Casein (slow digesting) protein along with MCT oil (Medium Chain Triglyceride) which has been shown in research to be used primarily as a fuel source for the body rather than be stored as a fat reserve. MCT oil also improves the flavor of Syntha 6 and is truly one of the best tasting protein powders on the market.  Last but not least, it of course has a good serving of fiber; containing 5 grams/serving.  Fiber provides more satiety (feeling of fullness), regulates blood sugar, helps decrease bad cholesterol, may help prevent colon cancer and of course helps provide regular bowel movements!  The best part is Syntha 6 is a very affordable protein powder. We sell a 5lb container for less than $50! 

Re-Play is a brand new supplement! It was developed by Dr. Keri Miller right here in Springfield, MO!  Re-Play is the sports nutrition cousin of Re-Immune, a supplement used in hospitals for dehydration. 

In the sports nutrition world it can be used for all types of applications: the prevention of dehydration in endurance events, improved performance, injury prevention and sharper mental acuity. Even in weight management, dehydration is often confused for hunger. The number one reason for daytime fatigue and headaches is mild dehydration! As you age, you tend to lose cartilage in your joints causing joint stiffness/pain.  Adequately hydrating can help lubricate your joints and alleviate some of these issues. 

What makes Re-Play different than other hydration beverages is its transport mechanism.  It contains pro/pre biotics along with L-Glutamine that aids in quicker transport of fluid into the cells. Traditional hydration beverages also contain higher % of sugar which delays the emptying from the stomach into the GI tract. 

I think Re-Play is also ideal for people that struggle with drinking adequate amounts of fluid throughout the day, people who have problems with constipation, and for people that just perspire more than normal, like me! 

If you are interested in trying the product I am currently aiding in a clinical trial and will give you 10 servings to try, If you agree to fill out a quick survey afterwards. For more information just ask me! 

Changing the subject, we are one month down on the Body Fat Challenge and I am proud to say I've lost 12lbs so far!  At this point hopefully you are adjusting to some new lifestyle habits and do not struggle as hard with some temptations!  Usually, in the first month you will experience some good initial weight loss but don't be discouraged if it slows down.  Healthy weight loss is 1-2lbs/week. At first you can lose a little water weight but ultimately you want to lose fat weight.  If you hit any plateaus or would like any suggestions let me know.

Health VS Weight-Loss Paradox

"I just need to clean up my diet!"

"I don't get it, I've been eating healthy but I'm still not losing weight!"

"I've been cutting back on fats and eating more protein, why can't I drop these pounds?" 

The health vs weight loss paradox runs deep my friends. Even people that are fitness fiends and health junkies have a hard time with this one. The difference between eating for health and eating for weight-loss. Do macronutrients (the things that give us calories: protein, carbohydrates, fats, and alcohols) really matter? Is it really just calories in vs calories out? Does weight-loss only depend on the First Law of Thermodynamics (the law of conservation of energy)? Let's find out!

Metabolism. People use this word everyday. What does it mean? Your body's metabolism is the sum of all the chemical reactions that take place inside your cells on a daily basis. These reactions all require energy to occur. That's where Calories come in, or to be more specific kilocalories (the capitalized Calorie that we use regularly is actually a kilocalorie written in shorthand). 

A Calorie is just a measurement of energy. It's not magic, we could use any unit of energy, such as the Joule, but our standard is the Calorie. A gram calorie (or small calorie) is the amount of energy required to raise one gram of water one degree Celsius at a pressure of one Atmosphere. That makes a Calorie (or kilocalorie) 1,000x the amount of energy to raise one gram of water one degree Celsius at a pressure of one Atmosphere.

The First Law of Thermodynamics. This is the Law of Conservation of Energy adapted for use in the branch of physics concerning heat and temperature. It states that energy is not created nor destroyed. Assuming this as a function of our metabolism then a Calorie in, must be a Calorie out. That means, if you are not consuming as many Calories as you are using, energy must come from another source. Lucky for you, we have fat stores (adipose tissue). At a Caloric deficit, fat will be utilized for energy through a process known as Beta-Oxidation. When fat is utilized you are transferring stored energy (Calories) from your adipose tissue to other cells performing various chemical reactions. Heat and other by-products are released, but energy is maintained. Energy is not "created" or "lost", just transferred to other systems. The most important thing in this equation, however, is that the energy is no longer stored as fat on your stomach, or love handles, or wherever you keep it. This is how you lose weight!

Macronutrients. Now the water gets murky! The big debate! Do macronutrients matter for weight loss? I can tell you for certain that they matter for health. Getting the right balance of carbs, protein, and fats has a significant impact on your body's well being. Nutrient dense foods (foods with high amounts of vitamins and minerals, known as micronutrients) are also very important for a healthy diet. But will low-carb diets make me lose weight? Will eating "clean" peel off the pounds. Well, not necessarily. You can eat all the health food you want, if your body is not in a Caloric deficit, you will not lose fat. You may lose water weight, you may decrease inflammation, but you will not lose fat. In fact, if you are in a Calorie surplus, you will gain fat! But, here is the kicker: is a Calorie of fat equal to a Calorie of protein equal to a Calorie of carbohydrates? Maybe not! Protein has a greater thermogenic effect than carbohydrates or fat. Your body can burn up to 30% of the calories in protein just to digest and utilize the amino acids. That could be pretty helpful for weight-loss. Also, the types of macronutrients can help determine whether you lose fat or muscle during a caloric deficit. Everybody will lose some ratio of fat and muscle during a deficit but when you body is in a catabolic state (breaking things down) eating meals rich in protein and fat rather than sugar can help spare your muscle tissue. 

Satiety. The feeling of fullness. This can be affected by the types of macro and micro nutrients that you consume. Noah talks about this ad nauseam. Fiber (a macronutrient) fills you up and leaves you satisfied. Soda, doughnuts, fast food, things rich in sugar (carbohydrates), leave you feeling empty and dissatisfied. So, in this sense, eating healthy food is good for weight-loss. If you eat less when you eat "clean" you are more likely to stay at a Caloric deficit. If you eat poorly you are more likely to overeat and exceed you caloric needs. 

What have we learned? Have we broken through the confusion and straightened out the health vs weight-loss paradox? People always want to chose a side. We like to be on a team and we LOVE to defend that team until our dying breath. My take away from this lesson is that health and weight-loss are clearly not the same. It's not their differences that we should focus on, however, it's where they overlap that is important. You won't lose weight just because you're eating healthy foods. You won't be healthy just because you're losing weight. But, eating the right foods can certainly help you stay within you Caloric needs, feel fuller, and maximize your body composition. So, while you can lose weight by eating twinkies and drinking Pepsi, it would behoove you to focus on eating fresh, whole foods that will bolster your health and give you... wait for it... Big Time Results!

  Logan Wendt, HFS, Director of Corporate Wellness

I almost punched them. 

Indiana University researchers recently found that if people sat for just one hour, they experienced a 50% drop in their leg arteries' ability to expand. Over time, this impairment could increase the risk of cardiovascular problems. But study participants who walked for five minutes for each hour they spent sitting, had no changes in blood vessel function. 

Too much sedentary time in midlife is linked with type 2 diabetes and heart disease. 

Inactivity kills twice as many people as obesity. 

Sitting is the new smoking. According to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, which looked at 4 million people and almost 70,000 cancer cases, sitting for long periods of time increases your risk for colon, endometrial and possibly lung cancer. 

20 minutes of brisk walking per day can reduce the risk of early death by 16-30%. 

The stats are out there so why don't more of us listen? I think there are two main reasons- 1- our technology and 2- taking our health for granted. As I walked looking around the airport, I saw everyone hunched over their cell phones and laptops. This isn't just true at the airport. How much time do you or your kids log in front of the TV at night? I challenge you to cut that time in half. 

As for taking our health for granted, I have a picture on my vision board that says RUN WHILE YOU CAN, because it's SO true! Walk while you can, move while you can! You won't miss your good health until it's gone or checked in some way. Now that I'm pregnant (woohoo!) I appreciate my ability to move even more. I know the more physically active I am, the better I'll feel now and after I have this Little BigTime baby! 

So the next time you find yourself having 20-30 minutes before a flight- I challenge you to just get up and walk around. Who cares if you pass the people sitting and staring at you a few times. Look at them and say, "my blood vessels are doing better than yours!" 

Want more practical tips to get moving during your work day? Just ask me! You can email me at 

alyea@whaledonewellcoaching.com

-Alyea Alldredge, Certified Health and Wellness Coach