This past Thursday, I was asked to participate on a health and wellness panel at a Ms. Career Girl Connect event. Our host was Nicole Crimaldi, the founder of MsCareerGirl.com. The panel included: Steph Turner – Personal Trainer, myself – Registered Dietitian (RD) & Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD), Samantha Borow – Holistic Health Coach, and Stephanie Mansour -Women’s Health & Fitness Expert.
I had a fabulous time networking and answering questions. I received a lot of party questions at the event. Here are just a few of them:
1) What dieting myths drive you crazy and why?
All of them 
Diets don’t work. Practicing a healthy lifestyle does. However, if I had to choose just one I would say the, “carbs make you gain weight” myth. Carbohydrates are found in milk, yogurt, fruit, grains, legumes, etc. They are our bodies main source of energy and should not be feared. No one nutrient or food makes you gain weight! It is a matter of energy in vs. energy out. If you burn more energy than you are eating…you will lose weight. If you consume more energy than you burn…you will gain weight.
2) How much do vitamins help our cause? What should we be taking?
The best place to get your vitamins and minerals are in whole foods. They taste better, can come in a travel case (i.e. banana, apple, pear), and provide more benefits like fiber, phytonutrients, and antioxidants. If you are a healthy individual and are eating balanced meals you don’t need to consume a vitamin. It is also important to note that vitamins are not a band-aid for an unhealthy diet.
3) Alcohol what should we drink if we want to drink? Can we have beer?
I tell my weight loss clients that alcohol consumption will not help you reach your goals as fast. Alcohol provides our bodies with seven calories per gram. For weight maintenance, alcohol just like everything else should be consumed in moderation. However, if you are going to have a drink enjoy your favorite. Don’t stress on the type (i.e. wine, beer) focus more on the amount and enjoy in small quantities.
4) Organic produce – is it worth the cost?
The more important issue is that Americans do not consume enough fruits and vegetables. In 1999-2000, only 40% of Americans ate an average of five or more (1/2)-cup servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Farming method is a personal choice and should be secondary to overall fruit and vegetable consumption. However, at this time current research shows that organic produce is NOT better for the environment or our health.
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