There is SO much information out there about what we should or shouldn’t eat.  Chances are you’ve at some point experienced this food confusion from something you’ve seen or heard on the news, on the internet, or from that health conscious lady at work.  You know the one.

So what’s real and what’s not? The best course of action is to trust science and reputable research institutions, but that’s not always an option for the newest diet or health foods.  What we have to do in most cases is rely on things that have actually worked for people or what we can ourselves break down as true or false.  The purpose of today's post is to dissect a small number of the most common misleading terms you’ll see in food and beverage marketing.

Natural: No definition, therefore no regulation.  In reality, a candy bar could be labeled as “natural” because at some point, most of its ingredients came from a formally “natural”, living thing.

Fresh: a little bit more regulated.  According to the Food and Drug Association, “The term "fresh," when used on the label or in labeling of a food in a manner that suggests or implies that the food is unprocessed, means that the food is in its raw state and has not been frozen or subjected to any form of thermal processing or any other form of preservation.”

Organic: We don’t have enough space here to fully discuss the regulation of this term and it’s impact on the food industry.  The biggest point I want to push is that if buying organic is important to you, do it.  You might spend a bit more, but it’s likely worth it in the long run.  The second, and maybe more relevant, point I want to make is that just because a product says that it’s organic, doesn’t mean it’s automatically healthy.  Organic cookies are still cookies; organic Mac ’n Cheese is still noodles and processed cheese.  In my opinion, if you want to eat cookies, you might as well just go for the real thing!

You can view a list of the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean 15” for produce most likely to have a high exposure to pesticides versus those with lower exposure here.

Diet/Low calorie/low fat/fat free: Thankfully we’ve wised up to this a bit after the 90s and 2000s.  During that time companies removed most or all of the fat from products and replaced it with…SUGAR or artificial sweeteners.  Just one of many reason why we’ve arrived at our current obesity epidemic.  Thankfully we’ve come back around to the conclusion that fat won’t kill you, in moderation of course! Click here for the American Heart Association’s list of food labeling claims and what they really mean

Gluten free: Buckle up for this one.  "Gluten free" is a very common term we see on food packaging, beverages, menus, and beauty products.  At some point, “gluten free” was equated with health.  I’ve seen this on bottles of water, health and beauty products, soap, etc.

What is gluten, anyway? According to the Mayo Clinic, gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley.  You’ll find gluten in bread, cereal, pasta, beer, some supplements and medications, processed meat and anything else processed in or around products containing gluten.  People diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, and other inflammatory bowel conditions can be highly sensitive to ANY gluten exposure.  There are also those who believe that gluten causes widespread inflammation in the body and should therefore be avoided even without a diagnosis.

Unsure if you’re sensitive to gluten and don’t want to pay for a very expensive test to determine that? Cut it out of your diet and see what happens; feel better? Great.  Stop eating it.  No change? Eh, you probably don’t have a sensitivity.

Paleo/Keto/(insert some other diet here):  Do some of these diets work for some people? Absolutely.  Are they sustainable long term? Maybe.  I’m not here to attack the resurgence of Paleo and Ketogenic-style diets, just evaluate how those terms can be used to trick consumers in the last 5-10 years.  For example, just because a product claims that it contains ketones, doesn’t mean that you’re going to “burn” fat due to those ketones if you’re still eating carbohydrates!  If a product claims that it’s “paleo,” it likely just means that it doesn’t contain processed grains/legumes/etc., and again does not automatically make it a health food.

Any other terms you’re curious about? Send us a message!  Wondering if what you’re eating is supporting your goals? Set up an appointment with a coach! We can help you set up a plan, stay consistent and accountable. ​

​-Coach Laurel Heggernes

As personal trainers and nutrition coaches, we're frequently bombarded with questions pertaining to what's healthy or not, what foods people should or shouldn't be eating, and the standard "If I just had a food list of what I could and couldn't eat, I'd be successful."

Unfortunately, there's no one correct way for everyone to eat so this request and these questions aren't easily answered.  What fuels me isn't necessarily going to work for you.  Coach Chris had the opportunity to learn about a new movement regarding individual gut microbiome testing and subsequent nutrition set-up from Naveen Jain, founder and CEO of Viome.  Read on for a post from Chris!

-Laurel

​In February 2018 I was introduced to Viome.  A Gut Micro-Biome Testing company that is changing my life.  To make a long story short, I was searching for a diet to prescribe not only for myself, but for my clients to have long term success.  It needed to be wellness driven and sustainable on any budget.  Most diets focus on vanity and weight loss, which can be terrible for your health long term.

We all know eating real food is the right thing to do, but in todays world it’s about impossible to stay 100% faithful to clean eating.  Even if you ate a clean diet, how would you know the foods you picked were right for you?  You wouldn’t unless you got your gut tested.  Please give the following videos a chance and please think about the information given.  If you want to talk after that, I would love to help you.

​-Coach Chris Giesking

1.) Have you checked out our MiFit podcast? It covers everything from nutrition to exercise to recovery to mindset. They have a variety of guests speakers and experiences. I take away something new to implement after every pod cast. You can apply and trust what you hear from Chris and D.J. ​

3.) The Tim Ferris Podcast​ is eclectic. Yes it covers nutrition, movement, exercise science and health. It also touches on the economy, real estate, investing, entrepreneurship, body hacking and so much more. ​

Don't have time to do a sit down dinner?
Don't want to cook dinner tonight? 
Just in the mood for someone else to cook for ya? 

Check out these places for a balanced meal. 

1) HYVEE: Surprised?

Hyvee has a variety of "faster food" restaurants in every location. From sushi to Mexican, hibachi and salad bars. You can omit the rice, add extra protein, skip the fried sides and add extra greens. Their chefs will do made-to-order meals with any dietary specification. Next time you are hungry, check out their various locations. 

2) CHIPOTLE: I know the coaches will be glad to hear, and I hope you are too, that Chipotle is a fantastic out to eat option. 
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Five Healthy Food Tips for Eating at Chipotle

1. Limit the three C'S SOUR CREAM and CHEESE and CHIPS
One ounce of cheese contains 100 calories and 8.5 grams of fat. 
One ounce of sour cream contains 120 calories and 10 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat.
Four ounces of chips contain 570 calories and 27 grams of fat. 

These are things you can have every now and then, especially if you are focused on body composition. If not, go for it! 

Depending on how much cheese/sour cream you request on your creation, you could be adding 100-500 calories to your meal. And possibly even 40 grams of fat. 

2. Bowl, Salad, burrito or tacos?

-Flour Tortilla: 290 calories, 7 grams of protein, 9 grams of fat. 
-Soft Tacos: (3 soft taco shells) They usually give you three, so I multiplied the per taco facts by three. 270 calories, 7.5 grams of fat, 3 grams sat. fat, 6 grams protein. 
-Hard Tacos: (3 shells) 180 calories, 6 grams of fat. Go for hard shell tacos if you are trying to be even healthier. It has more fiber.
-Bowl: All ingredients. 0 wrap. These are my favorite personally. 
-Salad: The dressing contains 270 calories, 24 grams of fat (WATCH OUT FOR THIS).  If you choose the salad, good for you, but replace the dressing with a few sides of salsa and even guac. 

If you aren't going for the burrito bowl,  the hard tacos are the winner for health. But even more interesting is the fact that the tacos are pretty similar to the burrito tortilla serving. Many people think that the soft tacos are much better than the burrito. No so much.

My suggestion: Order the burrito bowl, which is lined with peppers (yeah for extra veggies), throw in your protein, beans (skip or limit the rice unless you are eating this after your workout for dinner), load up on the salsa and healthy fats! 

3. Add the Fajita Veggies!
Wow, at only 20 calories per 3.5 ounce serving, you'd be a fool not to add these tasty veggies to your meal. Did I mention that they taste delish?

4. Salsa Salsa and more Salsa!
Salsa adds a ton of flavor, without the fat and calories. Load up on the salsa. Especially the Green Tomatillo salsa which is low in sodium and calories, only 15 calories per 3 ounces. Compare that to 240 calories per 2 ounces of sour cream!  Salsa can add lots of flavor without adding in a lot of calories. 

5. Where's the Protein?
The meat options at Chipotle are about the same. Just under 200 calories, hefty amounts of protein (barbacoa with 24 grams to the chicken with 32 grams). Around 7 grams of fat. Vegetarian or Vegan? Complete proteins are achieved by combining beans and rice. 8 ounces of rice/beans contains 9 grams of protein.Note that this option will be higher in total carbs. 
Meat eater? Go for it. Consider adding extra protein in (AFTER YOU'VE ADDED ALL YOUR TOPPINGS) Trust me, you will get way more bang for your buck this way. 
Vegetarians/Vegans will enjoy the rice and black beans.

Bonus Tip: What about the guacamole????
OK, I can't leave off my favorite part: the guac. Chipotle prides itself on delicious fresh guac, and I have to agree that for a "fast food" chain, this guac rocks. 150 calories per 3.5 ounces and 13 grams of fat. 11 grams of fat are heart-healthy monounsaturated avocado oils which have been shown to provide a plethora of health benefits. 

Yes guac is extra...but so are we, so go ahead and order it. 
***I used http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2009/02/eating-at-chipotle-five-healthy-tips.html for many of these nutritional facts. 

​What are some the topics you'd like to learn about?
Message me so I can incorporate them into my favorite things. 

Here's to a healthy week!
~Coach Kristin 

1. Hard boiled eggs: On the road? You can even buy these pre-packaged at gas stations and at Costco
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2. String cheese: easy to grab and go, also available if you’re on the road and stop at a gas station

6. Yogurt or kefir, preferably unflavored without artificial sweeteners.  Any yogurts with “fruit on the bottom,” flavor in general, or tasty add-ins like chocolate chips, granola, etc. are likely sugar bombs.  If you find plain yogurt to be too tart, try adding a small drizzle of honey or fresh fruit.  In regards to granola, for the most part, this is NOT a health food if you are purchasing from the store.  Watch the sugar content!  For a healthier option on granola, check this out: https://www.lodownhealth.com/the-cost-of-obesity/2017/12/12/health-granola-recipe