FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MID-DECEMBER 07
The “heart” of running season is over and Semper Fit’s Grand Prix series is concluding another successful year.  As we reflect on our 2007 running accomplishments, plan a competitive 2008 or look forward to just “shedding” a few extra holiday pounds, I’d like to discuss the all too common statement that “running is bad for the body”.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - DECEMBER 07
Here we are!  Well into the dreaded “overeating season” that starts with Halloween candy, then Thanksgiving holiday parties, followed by more gluttony straight through the December holidays, finally ending with a bang at New Years parties!  Or is that bang just your shirt buttons springing off your shirt from the new stress laid on it by your expanding belly?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MID-OCTOBER 07
I learned long ago that the battle against fast food and convenience restaurants is a futile one at best.  These companies are too well known nationally, have an enormous advertising budget, and wouldn’t you know it, people just like the taste of the food.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - OCTOBER 07
When I started working here at Camp Lejeune over three years ago, one of the first questions I was asked as the Semper Fit Dietitian was, “Why is Semper Fit so against supplements?” 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - SEPTEMBER 07
No Sports Supplements Needed to Get Fit

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - AUGUST 07

“I’m ok, but I’m so tired.” Is this something you hear or say a lot?  It seems that everybody is just so tired these days.  Why are we so tired?  How can we become less tired and depend less on caffeinated drinks and pills? 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - JULY 07

Functional Fitness is a term that has been “bounced” around a lot lately and that’s a good thing because it’s an important component of any fitness program. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MID-JUNE 07

The percentage of overweight children in the United States has doubled since the 1970’s. On the whole, kids are spending less time exercising and more time in front of the TV, computer, or video-game console and today's busy families have fewer free moments to prepare nutritious, home cooked meals.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - JUNE 07

June 11th through the 17th is Men’s Health Week.  The purpose of this week is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MAY 07

Super-Size!  Bigger is better!  Fat cat!  Large and in charge!  The more the merrier! Expanding waistlines????!!!! We are a society that wants everything larger than the next guy’s or bigger than the original and it’s working.  Even Tic-Tacs are bigger!!!  I guess they’re a calorie and a half now.  This evolution of increasing portion sizes has been termed portion distortion.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MID-APRIL 07
“A year from now, you’ll wish you started today.”  So, what are you waiting for?  Procrastination has become such a big obstacle in obtaining our goals that some experts believe it is making Americans poorer, fatter, and unhappier than ever. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - APRIL 07
For those of you who don’t know, March is National Nutrition Month.  For a dietitian it’s a time to work like a dog, putting together programs and running events, ironically because of the heavy workload, it’s also a difficult time to eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day, exercise, and drink plenty of fluids, while still getting that necessity of sleep.  It’s also the time when New Year’s resolutions have been “resting” for about a month or so and “beachwear body composition” goals start to come out. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MID-MARCH 07
How accurate is the USMC tape measuring method in estimating body fat?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MARCH 07
What foods should I stay away from when I'm trying to lose weight?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MID-FEBRUARY 07

A point that I make to all my clients is that I can give you the tools or weapons to achieve your nutrition and fitness goals and I can give you many different ideas to be your motivation, but I can't make you do the right thing. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - FEBRUARY 07

Coffee, not just a breakfast drink anymore!  The truth is, America is drinking more coffee than ever and specialty coffees have turned even the most avid "tea-totaler" into a "joe-drinker" in the morning, afternoon, or night. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MID-JANUARY 07

Nutrition labels can be very confusing. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - JANUARY 07

So, how'd you do this holiday season?  Back in October I posed the Challenge: "Do not gain any weight between Halloween and New Years Day", much like Eat Smart Move More North Carolina 's "Maintain, Don't Gain" campaign.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - DECEMBER 06

If you read Food for Thought regularly, you'll realize that many of the articles are based on science and facts, as nutrition and exercise should be because the human body is a an extremely complex organism. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MID-NOVEMBER 06

What's up with Fad Diets?  Are there any good fad diets?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - NOVEMBER 06

What was that white stuff on all the runners at the Marine Corps Marathon?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - SEPTEMBER 06

Super-Size!  Bigger is better!  Fat cat!  Large and in charge!  The more the merrier!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MID-AUGUST 06

What foods should I eat?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - AUGUST 06

I don't eat a healthy diet and I PT three days a week with my unit. What small changes can I make to be healthier and maybe even lose some weight?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MID-JULY 06

What foods should I avoid?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - JULY 06

What should I eat?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - JUNE 06

Lower Abs - Exposed!!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MID-JUNE 06

I've lost 30 pounds by running and eating healthier, but I can't lose the last 5 pounds!  How do I get rid of them?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - JUNE 06

It's that time again!  Yes, it's a time when a few thousand people head to the sporting goods store to buy new running shoes to prepare for the October 29^th Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) in D.C., while a million others ask "What possesses you to want to run a marathon!?"  While I can't answer that question, I can answer the question, "How do you train for a marathon?"  The two major focuses of a marathon training program are your running and nutrition.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MID-MAY 06

The purpose of this article is to recognize that June 12^th through the 18^th is National Men's Health Week, but more importantly, to create awareness of a growing disorder in the fitness industry which affects many men. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MAY 06

TOP 10 WAYS TO SHAPE UP THIS SUMMER

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MID-APRIL 06

More Nutrition Myths

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - APRIL 06

The straw that broke the camel's back.literally.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MARCH 06

I need to lose 20 pounds in a month!  How should I do it?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MID-FEBRUARY 06

What supplements should I use if I want to get bigger?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - FEBRUARY 06

How accurate is the USMC tape measuring method in estimating body fat?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - JANUARY 06

What happened?  Everyone's broke, the exercise program is resting curbside next to piles of boxes and wrapping paper, waistbands feel snug, rings don't fit the fingers, and faces feel swollen or maybe "the mirror shrunk"!? 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MID-DECEMBER 05

When is the best time to do "cardio", before or after weight-lifting?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - DECEMBER 05

In my last Food for Thought article, I explained the truth behind a few common myths in the world of nutrition.   Three of the most common myths I covered were: 1. Don't eat after 1800 to lose weight 2. It's impossible to eat healthy at fast food restaurants 3. I lost or gained 10 pounds last week. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MID-NOVEMBER 05

People "swear by" so many things in nutrition.  How can you possibly know what is true or what isn't true?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - NOVEMBER 05

On Saturday, October 1^st Semper Fit Fueled to Fight Nutrition and the Mobile Unit teamed up once again for the 3^rd annual Women's Expo at the Jacksonville Commons presented by Onslow County's Community Health Improvement Process (CHIP) Prevention Committee. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - OCTOBER 05

As I promised last month, I will provide a few more "Fitness Fumbles" this month. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - SEPTEMBER 05

I read your May 2005 "Food for Thought" article where you listed your opinion of "5 Fumbles in the Fitness Center".  Are there any other "fitness center fumbles" that fitness enthusiasts should be aware of?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - AUGUST 05

My wife cooks lots of starchy foods like pasta and potatoes.  Is it ok for me to eat these foods with her or should I eat something different?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - JULY 05

Nutrition is always discussed in confusing percentages, grams, calories and guidelines!  Can you tell me how to make specific changes to my diet to make it healthier?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - JUNE 05

I recently started a weight loss "diet".  I have cut out all my sweets, but some days I get distracted and just want to give up!  What can I do to stay on my "diet" and stay motivated?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MAY 05

I heard you say that you see some incorrect practices followed in the fitness centers.  What are some of the incorrect things that you see?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - APRIL 05

My past two "road-humps" I felt light-headed and weak.  I went to the doctor, and after some tests, he said I was probably just not fueled properly for the long hike?  How can I make sure that doesn't happen again?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - MARCH 05

Is tuna good for an active Marine?  I know it's not good for an expecting mother.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - FEBRUARY 05

For my New Year's Resolution I wanted to get into good shape, so I began lifting weights, running on the treadmill, and eating healthier!  Are there any supplements I should take too?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - JANUARY 05

I think I understand a lot about foods and nutrition, then I read a nutrition label and I am lost!  What does it all mean and what should I look for on a label?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - DECEMBER 04

What foods should I stay away from when I'm trying to lose weight?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - NOVEMBER 04

I ran the Marine Corps Half-Marathon on Saturday, October 2nd.  I felt great for the first ten miles or so, but I was exhausted for the last few miles.  I would like to participate in future endurance events, but not if I feel like that again!  Is there anything I can do to better prepare me for these events?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - OCTOBER 04

I lift weights and eat a lot of protein to help build more muscle.  Recently I heard that high protein diets could cause damage to my kidneys!  Is this true?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - SEPTEMBER 04

My wife cooks lots of starchy foods: pastas, potatoes, and breads.  Is it ok for me to eat these foods with her or should I eat something different?