Remember Six Years Ago…
(From the November/December 2004 Issue)
Welcome Aboard!
His time has arrived! After three plus years of hard work, Chris Litten’s dream has finally become a reality. He is now the proud owner of BodyBasics Health & Fitness, a cozy, private training studio.
The BodyBasics name may be familiar to a lot of you since Chris has been using it for his Personal Training and Desert Dawgs Boot Camps for several years now, not to mention it is all over the back of his car window! Now, the name proudly adorns the front of the 7355 N. Oracle Road building.
Temporarily displayed on a canvas sign, it calls attention to the professionally-designed, thoughtfully-decorated, fully-equipped (well, soon to be at least) fitness facility in Suite 111.
And Chris is not alone! He is happy to introduce two additional trainers to the BodyBasics team, Cecile Gagnevin Brown and Jenny Shaw. Having previously worked together at another training studio, you can rest assured that this trio already knows and likes each other – well, most of the time at least.
A great location, a great space, and a great team; BodyBasics is sure to reach new heights. And it could not have been done without all of your support. Thank you for your loyalty, trust, and patience. We are all excited to embark on this new journey with you. Welcome aboard!
Now… Today!
It is with great excitement that we announce the official first day in our new studio. We will be open for business on November 22nd! We look forward to sharing with you a mix of new equipment, more space to use it, and some showers to clean up all that sweat!
The new location is positioned right about midway between La Canada and La Cholla on the south side of Ina Road. The address is 1631 W. Ina Road Suite 111. We will be keeping the same phone number as well, 498-0359.
Stay tuned for new class options and more of the great service we aim to provide. Also mark your calendars and start talking to others about our open house/grand opening to be held Saturday, January 8th. We will also be doing some fun promoting involving weekly prize drawings for all of you who are currently utilizing our services beginning on the 22nd. Stay tuned to the bulletin board at the studio as well as your email for more details to come.
Lastly, and most importantly, we will be sending out invites in the next couple of weeks to a pot luck celebration! Stay tuned for the details on this as well.
Thank you so much to all of you who continue to support BodyBasics with your time and resources. We hope that this move proves to be a wonderful thing for all of you!
10 Things You Should Know About Sugar
Sugar is one of those foods that we tend to love and hate, all at the same time. We hate it because we know it is not good for us, yet we love it because it tastes so good. Sugar does not always have to be the enemy in our diets, however. There are positive things that sugar does for our foods such as: boosts flavor, gives baked goods texture and color, helps preserve foods like jams and jellies, fuels fermentation, which produces alcohol and enables bread to rise, serves as a bulking agent in baked goods and ice cream, and balances the acidity of foods containing vinegar and tomatoes.
It is very important, however, that we work to consume sugar in moderation, as too much sugar is known to cause a number of health issues.
Here are 10 things you should know about sugar:
- Natural vs. Added
It is important to understand that when we talk about sugar, there are two main types: added and natural. Added sugars are those that are as their name implies, added. These sugars are added to processed foods like cereal, candy, soda, cookies, fruit drinks, etc. Natural sugars, however, are the sugars that are naturally found in foods such as fruits and dairy products. The added sugar found in processed foods tend to be at higher levels with little-to-no nutritional value as compared to their natural sugar counterparts. The natural sugars are found in more nutrient-dense foods and are usually in lower amounts than added sugar. If, at the end of the day, you have taken in too much added sugar, your body will not utilize this sugar and will, therefore, store it as fat.
- Common sugar names and definitions:
Fructose: the sugar found in fruits, vegetables, and honey
Sucrose: table sugar
Lactose: sugar found in milk products
Corn Syrup: sugar naturally derived from the starch in corn
High Fructose Corn Syrup: chemically altered corn syrup to create a sweeter taste
Glucose: a simple sugar that is our body’s main source of energy.
Dextrose: another name for glucose
Maltose: starch and malt that is broken down into simple sugars and used mainly in beer, bread, and baby food
- More on Glucose
Glucose is also known as “blood sugar” because it circulates throughout our bodies in our bloodstream. Glucose is our body’s primary source of energy. It is the chemical that comes from digesting carbohydrates and is easily converted into energy in our bodies. It is fuel for our muscles and for our brains. Glucose is an essential part of a healthy diet and a healthy body, which is why carbohydrates are so important to include in our diets. However, it is the complex carbohydrates (whole foods) that boast the most health benefits and should be eaten in larger quantities than simple carbohydrates (processed foods and refined sugar).
- Complex carbohydrates and simple carbohydrates
It is true that all carbohydrates are broken down as sugar in our bodies. However, chemically speaking, complex carbohydrates are formed when sugars link together to form long, complex chains. Because they are more complex, these carbohydrates digest more slowly in our bodies than simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates also provide dietary fiber, an essential nutrient for optimal health that helps keep us full and satiated for a longer period of time than simple carbohydrates.
Complex carbohydrates are found in whole grains, whole fruits and vegetables. Where simple carbohydrates (sugar) give you energy by raising your blood sugar, they provide little-to-no nutrients. Conversely, complex carbohydrates provide our bodies with energy as well as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals, all of which help our bodies function at its best.
- Daily sugar recommendation
This is where things get tricky. Food labels do a good job of reporting the total amount of sugar (in grams) in an item. However, the downside is that this total amount is not broken down into added vs. natural sugars. Therefore, we have to take another route.
Added sugar, along with fats, and alcohol are considered “discretionary” and should be consumed sparingly. These are items that may be included in a healthy diet, but only if there is room after other daily food serving recommendations have been met. According to the USDA Dietary Guidelines, if one was to consume a 2000-calorie diet, 267 of those allotted calories could be considered discretionary and can be shared among fat, sugar, and/or alcohol. Concerned about the negative effects that added sugar has on our health, The American Heart Association, however, issued its own recommendations in August of 2009. The AHA specifically recommends that no more than half of the discretionary calories allowed in one’s diet come from sugar.
In general, the AHA recommends that women consume no more than 100 calories (6 teaspoons) of added sugar per day and that men should consume no more than 150 calories (9 teaspoons) per day. Note that age and activity level may alter this recommended daily amount.
- How to distinguish between natural and added sugar
Check your ingredient list! When it comes to packaged fruit (frozen, canned, dried), if there is no sugar in the ingredient list, then the only sugar in that food is what occurs naturally. Food labels disguise sugar under all different names, so be sure to read “Sugar in disguise” below. Do your best to choose “no-sugar-added” fruit products.
The naturally occurring sugar in dairy products equals about 12 grams per 1 cup. When figuring out the added sugar in flavored yogurt or milk, simply subtract the about 12 grams per 1 cup from the amount of sugar listed on the label.
- Sugar substitutes (artificial sweeteners)
The use of artificial sweeteners is on the rise, especially by those watching their weight. This is because artificial sweeteners provide little to no calories, without sacrificing the sweet flavor in foods.
The most popular artificial sweeteners (and the only ones currently approved by the FDA) are:
- Acesulfame potassium (Sunett, Sweet One)
- Aspertame (Equal, NutraSweet)
- Neotame
- Saccharin (SugarTwin, Sweet’N Low)
- Sucralose (Splenda)
Most nutrition experts will agree, that while these artificial sweeteners are calorie-free and can help with reducing your daily caloric intake, they may potentially cause cravings for more sugar. Plus, there is the thought that consuming artificial ingredients may have an adverse effect on our health. Even if a product claims to be “natural,” it is still a synthetic substance that may be derived from natural source (i.e. herbs or even sugar itself).
The long-term effects of consumption of these artificial substances are yet to be known. Therefore, it may be more beneficial to simply reduce your real sugar intake instead of opting for artificial ingredients.
- Sugar in disguise
It is very important, when adopting a healthier lifestyle, to become a label reader. The best way to know what is in a product is to read its ingredient list. Items that are found in the greatest quantities are listed first and continue in descending order from there. When figuring out how much added sugar is in a product, be on the lookout for the following disguised names for sugar:
- Agave syrup
- Beet sugar
- Brown sugar
- Cane sugar / cane juice / cane syrup
- Corn sweeteners / corn syrup
- Dextrose
- Evaporated cane juice
- Fructose
- Fruit juice concentrate
- Glucose
- High-fructose corn syrup
- Honey
- Invert sugar (a food additive used to preserve freshness and prevent shrinkage)
- Malt syrup
- Maple syrup
- Molasses
- Raw sugar
- Sucrose
- Syrup
- Turbinado sugar
- Is there such thing as sugar addiction?
In short, the answer is yes. You have probably, at one time or another, noticed the so-called “sugar high” that comes with consuming something sweet and delectable. Then, you probably noticed that not too long after experiencing the “high,” you felt the crash that follows, leaving you low in energy, moody, and irritable.
The fact is, our bodies are not designed for the sugar overloaded diets we consume today. Thousands of years ago, the only sugar we ingested came from what was found naturally in food. Now, over 1/3 of our calories come from refined sugar and white flour (found in much of our processed foods).
The more sugar and white flour we consume, the more our bodies will build a tolerance to these foods. Similar to drug addictions, as tolerance is built, the body requires more in order to achieve the same “high” as it once did with a smaller amount. Thus, the body becomes addicted to sugar and cravings may become almost unbearable.
Good thing our bodies are incredibly resilient! By simply cutting back on the sugar and processed foods in our diets, we have the ability to change our taste and, eventually, decrease our desire for sugar.
- Ways to control your sugar intake (Recommendations from Joy Bauer, RD and the MayoClinic)
- Eliminate soda and sugary drinks
- Avoid blended coffee drinks with flavored syrups and sweet toppings
- Use sugar and honey sparingly (no more than 1-2 teaspoons in coffee, tea, or oatmeal)
- Choose packaged food with minimal added sugar (cereals should have no more than 8 grams per serving)
- If you choose to eat canned fruit, make sure it is packed in water or juice and not in syrup
- Go easy on condiments – sugar is added to ketchup and salad dressings
- Opt for reduced sugar jams, jellies, and preserves
- Allow yourself a daily sweet treat between 100 and 150 calories (i.e. lowfat or light ice cream sandwich, 1 fun-size candy bar, 2 small cookies). Joy Bauer’s favorites are foods that balance sugar with something healthy, such as ½ cup of ice cream or pudding – both high in calcium; 1 oz dark chocolate – has tons of antioxidants; a dollop of whipped cream with berries – loaded with fiber and vitamin C
- Drink alcohol only in moderation, since it contains sugar
Completely eliminating sugar from our diets is a near impossible task and may not be a smart one. Especially since many healthy foods naturally contain sugar and we know that sugar is what fuels our muscles and brain. It is the added sugar and the processed foods that we need to restrict and eat more sparingly in our diets. If we do this on a regular basis, along with focusing on an overall healthy lifestyle, we can truly have our cake and eat it too.
Resources:
- http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/added-sugar/MY00845
- http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073
- http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Health/Diet-Nutrition/Get-Smart-About-Sugar.html
Nutrition Corner: 10 ways to Modify Your Favorite Baked Goods
As we approach the Holiday season, we can almost smell the baked goods emerging from the oven. The smell gives us a nice, warm sensation and feels like home. Unfortunately, often times the feeling of guilt follows as we know that these baked treats are not very good for our health and waistlines. However, there are ways to feel a little less guilty this Holiday season. With simple substitutions, you can boost the nutritional content and lower the fat and sugar of your favorite recipes. Following these rules will make you see that modifying a baked recipe does not have to be scary, or even impossible. Note that it may take a few tries to get the taste and consistency to your liking, but don’t give up! It will definitely be worth it!
As always, modified or not, we encourage you to view any treats just as they are – treats. They should always be eaten in moderation and as an accompaniment to a healthy diet.
Ways to reduce the sugar
1) Cut back on the quantity. If the recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, it is safe to simply cut back to ¾ of a cup. By cutting back just ¼ of a cup, you will not notice the difference and you end up saving yourself some extra calories without compromising the taste. Be careful not to cut back much more than this, though, as sugar is also used to help in the browning process and to add moisture. The same rule applies for brown sugar.
2) Substitute honey or molasses. It is best to substitute one liquid sweetener for another. In other words, if you were to use honey to replace sugar, you may be compromising the consistency of your recipe. Honey and molasses tend to be sweeter than corn syrup, so you may be able to use less. However, because cutting back too much may affect the moisture levels, start by cutting back on other added sweeteners first before reducing the amount of honey or molasses.
3) Use orange juice or other sweet juices (the concentrate form of these juices may yield better results). Again, it is important that if you use a liquid sweetener, that you are substituting it for another liquid. Otherwise, you will have to experiment with the quantities of the other liquid ingredients in order not to change the consistency of the final product.
4) Use mini chocolate chips vs. regular sized chips. By making this simple substitution, you can use a lesser amount of chips than what the recipe calls for without missing out on the chocolate throughout each cookie. The mini chips will disperse the chocolate more evenly than if you were to just cut back on the amount of regular chocolate chips.
Ways to add more nutrient-dense flours
5) Use whole wheat flour. When baking cookies, it is safe to substitute up to half the amount of flour. If a recipe calls for 2 cups of all-purpose flour, you can simply substitute 1 cup of whole wheat flour without changing the taste much. If you feel it gives the cookies too nutty of a flavor or to heavy of a consistency, try using white whole wheat. It is lighter in density and still gives you more fiber and health benefits than all-purpose flour. When baking chocolate cakes, start off with 1/3 the whole wheat flour to the total amount of all-purpose flour. This is because the consistency of a cake is so important and some recipes could become compromised with using more than 1/3 whole wheat flour.
6) Use oatmeal flour. This is an especially good option when baking cookies that already have a nutty flavor, like oatmeal cookies. A safe substitution would be to use the same as for the whole wheat: substitute ½ the amount of the called for all-purpose flour. You can always attempt a greater substitution if you’re happy with the results of your original modification.
Ways to cut back and substitute fat
7) Reduce the butter. It is amazing how much less butter is really needed than often times is called for in a recipe. Say a recipe calls for two sticks of butter (1 cup). Believe it or not, you can safely cut back on half the butter and use just one stick and hardly notice a difference. If baking cookies, though, line your cookie sheets with parchment paper to prevent the cookies from sticking. A good example is the Nestle TollHouse chocolate chip cookie recipe on the back of the chocolate chip bag. This recipe seems to be just fine when using only half the butter listed. You may find that many other recipes may be modified in the same manner.
8) Use applesauce. Applesauce has been a long-used substitution in baked goods like breads. The rule of thumb is that you can safely substitute applesauce for ½ the oil that is called for in the recipe. Applesauce will help keep the moisture needed, but reduce the fat in half. It is best to use the unsweetened variety. Apples are naturally sweet, so you may experiment with reducing some of the sweetener that the recipe may call for as well.
9) Use pumpkin. Pumpkin is another alternative to applesauce. The substitution measurement is the same. Use half the amount of oil and replace with pumpkin. The pumpkin will give more of a savory flavor, so it may be a good idea to not greatly reduce the sugar amounts until you have tried this modification first.
10) Substitute oil for butter. In recipes, such as cookies, where the too much moisture could ruin the final product, it is a little trickier to make substitutions. As mentioned earlier, it is easier to simply cut back on the amounts of fat (i.e. butter) called for than to try and find a comparable substitution. However, it can be done. Try substituting a healthy oil (Canola oil, vegetable oil) for the butter. The batter will be significantly more sticky and/or runny at room temperature, but the trick is to make the batter and then chill for about two hours before baking. This will harden the batter, allowing for the heat from the oven to melt the cookies therefore preserving its consistency.
Now, you do not have to fear modifying while baking. With a little bit of practice and recipe tweaking, you can feel a little more guilt-free when treating yourself to your favorite Holiday baked good. Enjoy!
Healthy Recipe: Pumpkin Bread Pudding
1 loaf (16 oz.) wheat bread
1 small orange
¼ cup dried cranberries
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated nonfat milk
½ cup plus 1 T. sugar
3 eggs
1 ½ Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice (or a combination of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger)
¼ cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 in. square pan with cooking spray. Slice bread into 1 in. cubes; set aside. Zest orange to measure 1 tablespoon zest; set aside. Heat evaporated milk (in microwave about 3 minutes or on the stovetop) until hot. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, ½ cup sugar, eggs, spices, and orange zest until smooth. Gradually whisk hot milk into mixture. Place half of the bread cubes in baking dish; sprinkle with half of the cranberries. Pour half of the pumpkin mixture over bread. Repeat with remaining bread cubes, cranberries, and pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle chopped pecans and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over top. Bake 25-30 minutes or until set. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Serve with frozen yogurt or whipped topping, if desired.
Healthy Recipe: Modified Mint Brownies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- ½ t. baking powder
- ¼ t. salt
- 1 1/3 c. brown sugar
- ½ c. canola oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg whites ( or ¾ c. plus 2 T. egg substitute for both eggs and whites)
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- ½ c. mini semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 c. walnuts, coarsely chopped
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, eggs, egg whites (or egg substitute), and vanilla. Pour sugar mixture into flour mixture and stir to blend. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Spread batter in pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until firm at edges and toothpick inserted near center comes out with a few crumbs. Don’t overbake. Cool completely and frost with Mint Frosting.
Mint Frosting
- 3 T. butter, softened
- 5 T. scalded evaporated nonfat milk
- 3 ½ c. powdered sugar
- ½ t. salt (scant)
- ½ t. peppermint extract
- 1 t. vanilla
- 1-2 drops green food coloring, optional
- 1 oz. semisweet chocolate
- 1 T. shortening
Partially melt the butter in the hot evaporated milk. Mix well. Add the powdered sugar and salt and mix until blended. Stir in mint extract, green food coloring (if desired) and vanilla. Pour over cooled brownies. Melt chocolate and shortening together and drizzle over frosting. Cool completely before cutting.
Makes 24 brownies.
Client Spotlight
Lane Goodrich – November
Lane says her greatest exercise accomplishment is being able to balance on one foot. She didn’t know she needed help with balance until she was asked to do it in the Body Basics Yoga Class. Look at her now!
Her greatest challenge has been making healthy lifestyle changes and maintaining her commitment to daily aerobics. She considers herself a “hard case” to train, but with weekly weigh-ins, monthly BMI checks, and gentle but firm coaching and encouragement from her coach, Kathleen, Lane is succeeding. Lane appreciates Kathleen’s keen ability to pinpoint weaknesses and work on them. The combination of yoga, aerobics and resistance training continues to be priceless. This year Lane has eliminated 11 pounds, lowered her BMI, become fit aerobically, can hold a straight arm plank, is above average in push-ups and is excellent in the sit and reach test, all further testimonials to both her dedication to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and her trio of exercise. Outside of BodyBasics Lane has also noted more energy to clean the house, garden and exercise with her family.
For all those struggling to make positive lifestyle changes, Lane says, “Having a coach helps and to just do it.”
Bobbie Raine & Fran Crepea – December
Bobbie and Fran have been friends for almost 50 years. They began training together last year in an effort to increase their strength and improve their overall health and fitness. Their coach, Maureen, is pleased to note that in that time, they have both made dramatic gains in strength and are now lifting 2 to 4 times as much weight as they did when they started.
Bobbie and Fran have each reported an increased sense of health and well-being. Both have lowered their blood pressure and resting heart rate through increased cardiovascular activity.
Congratulations, Bobbie and Fran, on being selected as BodyBasics Clients of the Month!
News from Waco!
Jenny and Jason Kerbs welcomed their new baby girl, Kensie Layne Kerbs, into this world October 23 at 8:57pm. She weighed in at 7lbs, 2oz and measured 21 inches! The happy family of three have been getting along wonderfully as they adjust to their new life. Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers sent their way!
In this picture: Kensie’s First Halloween! Daddy Jason (aka. Zoo Keeper), Mommy Jenny (aka. Giraffe), and Baby Kensie (aka. Monkey).
iPod Music at BodyBasics
Do you have a favorite workout song? What gets you pumped up? What songs make you want to move? Please email thelittens@yahoo.com any and all songs that you would like to hear at the studio during your workouts. We’ll put them on the BodyBasics iPod song list! Thanks!
Our Mission
To empower people to realize their innate abilities by providing an environment that nurtures, educates, and inspires.
Keep Up the Great Work!
We are very proud of all of you!
Chris, Kathleen, Mike H., Maureen, Mike D., Nick, Becky, Jenny, Alex, and Terry