I’m often surprised when  clients tell me that they are   afraid of Avocado’s .  How in the world could a fruit so versatile have ever gotten such a “bad” reputation ?   Not only does an avocado provide  natural unsaturated fats but it also acts as a nutrition booster.  You see the fat provided in the avocado helps with absorption of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, all which are very important for your immune integrity, bone strength, eyesight, and blood clotting factors. Let’s go back to that bad reputation.  My client’s have admitted it’s really the fat that makes them nervous.  Every other fruit has little to no fat.  So let’s clear some things up.  It’s important to note that the fat in the avocado is mostly monounsaturated.  Instead of getting nervous about that I think it’s a bonus!  Remember monounsaturated fat in food has been proven to lower our “lousy” or LDL cholesterol and potentially increase your “h...

I’ve got two, how about you?   Ah, I love them with all my heart but at the same time they challenge me and have taught me what the word patience truly means.   For those of you who know me, I have a 3 ½ year old boy and a 2 year old girl.   You can imagine what it is like being a dietitian and a parent.   When my children were infants I was constantly calculating their nutrition to insure they were getting enough nutrients.   I remember being so worried my first was malnourished when looking back he actually looked like Jabba the Hut.   Why could I not have just assumed he was getting what he needed from my visual assessment?   Now that my children are older, I’m constantly thinking about appropriate habits and making sure my husband and I are setting good examples to prevent any ‘issues’ in the future. I am especially obsessed with this with my daughter as eating disorders are on the rise. My biggest nutritional concern at this point is the...

Kindred Nutrition is growing!  We are pleased to announce that Carmen Roberts has joined our team of nutrition professionals as the Director of Community Outreach. Carme n  received her undergraduate degree in dietetics from James Madison University  in Virginia  and her master ’s degree in health  education  and administration  from Towson University  in Maryland .  She has over 18  years of experience in nutritional counseling, education, and program management.  Carmen’s most recent position  at  Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore included directing all nutrition education and research programs within the medical center.   She has won several awards at the state and national level for her approach to nutrition education and public healt h promotion, including the  Maryland Outstanding Dietitian of the Year Award.  Carmen has been featured in multiple media publications, appeared on s...

Lately, I've been reflecting a lot on success. Particularly on how to measure it, how to predict it, and how to promote it.  I've realized I often assess this at the very first visit with my clients and sometimes redefine it throughout the weight loss, management, performance journey.  As I've worked with thousands of clients I  can usually predict success within the first 10 minutes of meeting a new client, individual, or friend who speaks to me about their nutrition and fitness goals.  Today, I'd like to share my opinion on what promotes success in my arena and potentially in life. 1) Breed Acceptance A lot of people come to me when they are at their wits end.  They've tried everything their friends, Dr. Oz, and the woman at the grocery store told them to try and they can't lose the weight, or increase their performance, or promote muscle definition.  They are frustrated and they just know something is wrong.  Once we assess the situation, we talk...

The interwebs are abuzz about the supposedly “miraculous” Raspberry Ketone supplements. Raspberry Ketone popularity started with Dr. Oz's show in February 2012, when he nicknamed it a “miracle weight loss drug.” Some even credit Raspberry Ketones with stimulating hair growth, but for our purposes here, let’s talk about weight loss. Raspberry Ketones are derived from red raspberries. Proponents claim that the supplement will stimulate your metabolism causing weight loss. However, there are no reliable studies to prove this.   Specifically there is no scientific evidence to show how it alters metabolism to promote weight loss. There is also no scientific evidence to determine a proper dosage. If you find a study that claims otherwise, check the funding source. Most likely, that study was funded by a company who produces or funds raspberry ketone products. As far as I know, no major pharmaceutical companies are investing in Raspberry Ketone research. And it is my opinion ...

Weight maintenance takes work. This is true whether you are hoping to maintain a recent weight loss or to ensure your weight stays on track as you age. Calories In vs. Calories Out Maintaining your weight is more complicated than maintaining the ratio of calories eaten vs. calories burned. Why? Because there are so many variables that affect this ratio, such as metabolic efficiency (is your body burning the right types of energy appropriately) timing of meals, and type of exercise (anaerobic vs. aerobic). Be sure to take into account your energy needs (for daily living plus exercise), nutritional needs, and exercise regimen. These are different for every person and vary according to age, sex, weight, co-morbidities, and fitness level. Loss vs. Maintenance Be flexible in your approach to weight maintenance. What works to lose weight does not always work for maintenance. If you’ve lost weight through calorie restriction and/or by eliminating groups of foods, weight maintena...

Everywhere you turn, people are talking Paleo! Here at Kindred Nutrition, Paleo is the eating plan clients ask about most. What is Paleo? Websites, magazines, even entire books are devoted to Paleo. The diet is especially popular among people advocating the Crossfit exercise plan. But what, exactly, is Paleo? Well, descriptions vary depending on who you ask. But most advocates generally define the Paleo diet as those foods eaten by our hunter-gatherer (Paleolithic) ancestors. This translates to lots of animal protein and lots of plants (veggies and fruits). The rationale for the Paleo diet, loosely explained, is that we should eat those foods humans evolved eating, as opposed to the grain-heavy, processed diet of more modern times. The argument seems logical enough, and lots of fresh produce is a no-brainer, right? Let’s take a closer look. Paleo Basics To “eat Paleo,” avoid all processed foods and sugar, and limit (but do not eliminate) carbohydrates. Specifically, avo...

As many of you know I'm a dietitian.  I've been a dietitian for fourteen years and recently started my own practice .  In addition, I'm a mom of two preschoolers and a wife.  I love my job and am so happy that I worked so hard to start my practice.  It gives me flexibility even with the added stress and it challenges me from a professional growth standpoint, as a mother, and a wife. I see clients who range from pediatric to geriatric and I'm reminded every day that frankly, life is hard. For some of my clients insurance covers my services but for many it is an out of pocket cost that is fairly expensive.  Add the expense to the added stress that comes with our generation and it's a lot to take.  Which brings me to a point about our generation. We've all heard it.  Our kids will be the first generation who will not out live their parents because of the "obesity" epidemic.  I see many pediatric children who are overweight or obese and I also see...