Category Archives: Diet And Food

High blood pressure naturally fluctuates throughout the day and this is normal, but when it remains consistently high, even when resting, this can spell trouble. It means that your heart has to work harder to pump blood around your body, and, while this process may seem harmless, over time it can cause hike the risk of developing deadly diseases like heart attack or stroke. To prevent the condition from escalating, it is important to make healthy lifestyle changes to lower your blood pressure.

Eating a heart-healthy diet plays a key role in lowering blood pressure and studies have found an association between drinking certain beverages and lowering blood pressure.

Here are three blood-pressure friendly drinks:

In a study published in Food Science & Nutrition, drinking unsalted tomato juice lowered blood pressure and LDL cholesterol in Japanese adults at risk of cardiovascular disease.

LDL cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood and having high levels of LDL cholesterol in your blood poses the same risk as having high blood pressure, such as heart disease and stroke.

In the study, 184 male and 297 female participants were provided with as much unsalted tomato juice as they wanted throughout one year.

READ MORE:High blood pressure: Three natural supplements proven to lower your reading

Beetroot juice may help lower your blood pressure, according to one study, which found that people who drank eight ounces of beetroot juice daily lowered both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Nitrates, compounds in beetroot juice that convert into nitric acid in the blood and help widen and relax blood vessels, are thought to be the cause.

Furthermore, another study found that participants who drank 17.6 ounces of beet juice had a lowered systolic blood pressure within hours of drinking it, suggesting it has an immediate impact.

Hibiscus tea, an herbal tea that's made by steeping parts of the hibiscus plant in boiling water, have also been shown to lower blood pressure in several studies.

In one study, 65 people with high blood pressure were given hibiscus tea or a placebo. After six weeks, those who drank hibiscus tea had a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure, compared to the placebo.

Echoing the findings, a 2015 review of five studies found that hibiscus tea decreased both systolic and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 7.58 mmHg and 3.53 mmHg, respectively.

High salt intake remains the biggest culprit of high blood pressure so cutting the amount of salt you eat is one of the quickest ways to lower your blood pressure.

According to Blood Pressure UK, an adult should eat no more than six grams of salt a day, but most people eat much more than this.

Part of the problem stems from the fact that salt is often hidden in processed foods such as bread, biscuits and breakfast cereals, and prepared ready meals or takeaways, so it is best to eat foods that are low in salt and stop using salt when cooking or at the table, advises the health site.

Originally posted here:
High blood pressure: Include these three drinks in your diet to lower your reading - Express

Not many people can get excited about plaque, but Christina Warinner loves the stuff.

The recently appointed assistant professor of anthropology in FAS and Sally Starling Seaver Assistant Professor at the Radcliffe Institute, Warinner was among the first researchers to realize that calcified plaque, otherwise known as dental calculus, could shed new light on everything from ancient diet and disease to the spread of dairying and the roles of women in society.

Its like a time capsule, she said. Its the single richest source of ancient DNA in the archaeological record. There are so many things we can learn from it everything from pollution in the environment to peoples occupations to aspects of health. Its all in there.

And it was a discovery, Warinner said, that happened almost entirely by accident.

After receiving her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in the Anthropology Departments archaeology program, the Kansas native took a postdoc at the University of Zurich in what was then the new Center for Evolutionary Medicine. There she set out to investigate whether it would be possible to identify pathogens in the archaeological record to study the evolution of diseases. She chose dental caries, or cavities, as a case study, because they are visible amid skeletal remains and abundant in the archaeological record. She set out to examine whether the bacteria that caused caries in ancient teeth could be identified genetically.

I started to notice all this dental calculus, which is very common on teeth, and was always getting in the way, she said. Most people would just take it off and throw it away, but I thought it could be interesting, so I turned that thought around and looked at it from a different angle.

As a side project, I started applying genomic and proteomic techniques to it, which hadnt been done before, she continued. Its not perfect, and not everything preserves but it turns out we can say an awful lot about the past through calculus.

Applying genomic tools has allowed Warinner to get the clearest picture yet of not only ancient genomes, but ancient microbiomes as well.

We have a project running now on the evolution of the oral microbiome where we are comparing looking at New World monkeys, gorillas, chimpanzees, Neanderthals, and a diverse range of humans, she said. Were looking to see if there are shifts in oral microbial communities through time, and whether functional shifts might indicate changes in diet or other adaptations.

[Plaque is] like a time capsule. Its the single richest source of ancient DNA in the archaeological record. There are so many things we can learn from it everything from pollution in the environment to peoples occupations to aspects of health. Its all in there.

Christina Warinner

She also investigates paleofeces, and another project in her lab focuses on understanding recent evolution in the gut microbiome. A number of studies have shown that the gut microbiome of traditional societies around the world is very differently structured than that of industrialized populations. We can tell that it is the industrialized gut microbiome that has changed, but the question is: Over what time scale? Is it 100 years? A thousand years? Ten thousand years? What caused it to shift? Was it agriculture? Was it industrialization?

Answering those questions, Warinner said, is important from a public health perspective as well as a historical one.

The thing that characterizes, more than anything else, the industrialized gut microbiome is a lack of diversity, she said. Microbial loss may lead to reduced resiliency and a higher susceptibility to disease. Conditions like Crohns disease, IBD [inflammatory bowel disease], and many gastrointestinal disorders share, as a common feature, reduced or altered microbial diversity, and it may be that theres something about our current, industrialized diet that is driving this pattern.

In addition to modern ailments, Warinners work has also shed light on one of the most mysterious puzzles in medical history the cause of a 16th-century epidemic that decimated the indigenous populations of colonial Mexico and Central America, and that was known only as cocoliztli, the Aztec word for pestilence.

Most people know that when the Spanish came to the Americas they introduced a number of diseases, she said. In the 16th century alone, there were 11 documented epidemics, including an outbreak of smallpox in 1520 that contributed to the fall of the Aztec Empire. However, the worst epidemic the one considered to be the single greatest killer in terms of loss of life occurred two decades later in 1545, and neither the Spanish nor the Aztecs knew what it was.

Though researchers had debated the exact nature of the epidemic for more than four centuries, with hypotheses ranging from influenza to plague to hemorrhagic fever, there was scant evidence to support any one theory.

In 2006, Warinner, then a grad student, was part of a team of archaeologists who stumbled onto a mass burial site for cocoliztli victims, but it wasnt until 2018 that she and colleagues at the Max Planck Institute finally were able to identify a rare strain of Salmonella enterica that they believe was responsible for the epidemic.

Warinner has also used the study of dental calculus to shed light on cultural practices, including the production of medieval books.

Several years ago, we started a study on periodontal disease and as part of that study we analyzed the teeth of individuals buried at a small medieval monastery in Germany. Quite unexpectedly, we found that one womans dental calculus was full of blue crystals we later determined to be pigment from lapis lazuli, she said. At the time, that was one of the rarest and most expensive mineral pigments in Europe, and the only explanation that made sense was that she must have used the pigment, likely as an illustrator. Only a very skilled artist would have been entrusted with such a valuable substance, and here it was on the teeth of a woman buried at a rural womens religious community. So this discovery revealed new information about trade routes and the more extensive use of this pigment during this early time period, as well as the involvement of women in art.

Read the rest here:
Researcher looks at plaque to gain insight about the past - Harvard Gazette

Hi! My name is Briana Shaffer (@brianakfitness), 25, and I'm from Carlsbad, California. I'm the CEO and owner of a fitness apparel corporation (check it out at @brianakcollection). A personal tragedy led to a period of weight gain for me, but after a wakeup call moment I decided to change my lifestyle and lost 70 pounds in the process.

After my best friend died in a car accident, it turned my world upside down. I gained 70 pounds and became depressed. My doctor told me if I didnt make a lifestyle change, I could end up having even more serious health issues down the line.

So I finally said enough was enough. And in September of 2015, I start logging everything that I was eating, a suggestion from my doctor. I was 190 pounds at only 5-feet, 4-inches when my weight-loss journey began.

I started meal prepping and followed the 80/20 rule with my diet: 80 percent of my diet was nutritious, healthy foods, and 20 percent was treats. The 80/20 style of eating has worked best for me because I am able to still enjoy the treats I love here and there, rather than only eating healthy all day every day, which isn't always sustainable. What didnt work was trying to eat chicken and broccoli every single day.

The 80/20 rule has also helped keep me from binging over the weekend. If I let myself have a cookie or a decadent, special meal during the week, I'm not looking ahead at the weekend like this rare time I have to go crazy. It's all about balance.

The 80/20 diet (although you really don't even have to think of it as a diet at all!) is also more maintainable for my lifestyle. I am still able to go out with family and friends without feeling anxious about what to eat.

Eventually, I got a gym membership and started lifting weights five times a week. Strength training helped me cope with the death of my best friend, and after every single workout, I felt stronger, happier, and more confident.

My workout schedule is currently: two full-body days, two leg days, and one arm day. I also decided that its not best for me to weigh myself. Im all about non-scale victories. Instead, I go off progress photos and how my clothes fit.

Fitness is so overwhelming, and I think people complicate it. Ive always taken it one step at a time with working out and my diet. I didn't just wake up one day able to work out five days a weekit took time and practice.

I also had to learn to let go of guilt. If you slack off one day, dont beat yourself up. Start fresh the next day. Feeling guilty will only hurt you and your progress. It's important to be kind to yourself and appreciate even those small accomplishments. You should be doing this because you love your body and want to put it first. Be proud of those baby steps that will eventually add up to the bigger goal.

You dont need supplements, weight loss teas, and pills. You dont have to give up food that you love or miss out on functions. Its all about finding that balance.

It took me two years to lose the weight. Starting my health and fitness journey changed my whole life. It helped my self-confidence in addition to my physical health. It has also helped me build a solid foundation to continue working out long term. And honestly. the biggest change has been on my mental health.

Fitness gave me a platform to help other women achieve the same self love that I now have. Fitness also opened up the doors to me now running my own company and doing what I love every single day.

See the original post here:
'I Lived By The 80-20 Rule And Took Up Strength TrainingAnd I Lost 70 Pounds' - Women's Health

Hacks for Eating Healthier Lunches at Work

The American Heart Association News knows its difficult to make work lunches nutritious. Here are a few reasons why most people struggle to eat well during lunch and how you can change that.

Lunch at work can be unexciting, and unhealthy. Youre often in a rush and looking for something quick, the cafeteria only has so many options, and the microwave is the best means for a hot meal. However, it doesnt have to be a miserable experience if you listen to what the American Heart Association News has to day.

The Harris Poll for the American Heart Association and the food service company Aramark conducted an online survey to gauge workers attitudes about nutritious lunches. The results showed that over half of workers said they struggled to make lunch healthy, while 91 percent were interested in making their work lunches healthier.

But have no fear, said assistant professor of nutrition and food sciences Maya Vadiveloo. People can find many ways to make their work lunches healthier, and solutions involve both habits by workers and the places that serve them.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yes. But lunch is also incredibly important for keeping the body fueled and energized throughout the day, and for getting proper healthy nutrition. Assuming people do not often get much nutritional value out of their breakfasts during the week, lunch is the next best way to get your healthy serving recommendations, according to Health Day.

Vadiveloo agrees this is easier said than done, though. If you only have 15 minutes to eat between responsibilities, youre probably not eating a balanced meal. This issue is worsened when a company cafeteria or fast-food eatery is offering unhealthy, quicker options.

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Hacks for Eating Healthier Lunches at Work - Occupational Health and Safety

As winter approaches, some producers are questioning if their hay inventories will last until spring. Cornstalks can extend hay inventories, but their use comes with some important considerations.

Residual corn left in the field is not going to be captured in the bales, which lowers the feeding value compared to grazing the field, notes Jeff Lehmkuhler, University of Kentucky extension beef specialist.

The best forage quality from the corn crop residues is in the leaves and husks, he says. The cobs and stalks are lower in digestibility with protein concentration ranging from only 3 to 6 percent, which is too low to meet the needs of cattle. The highest quality forage portions of corn crop residues are the leaves and husks.

Lehmkuhler explains that energy levels in cornstalk bales vary depending on the stalk to leaf ratio within the bale. Typical ranges are from 48 to 58 percent. Additionally, the high moisture levels of the stalks make baling and storing corn residue more difficult.

Feeding cornstalk bales can result in high levels of waste, according to Lehmkuhler. Cattle will pick through a bale, eating the leaves and husks while leaving behind the stalks. For this reason, the best way to utilize corn crop residues for feed is having the bales processed or by flail chopping the residue in the field to improve drying. Processed bales can be fed in a total mixed ration or along a feedbunk.

The extension specialist recommends feeding baled corn residues to dry, mid-gestation cows, remembering to supplement nutrients to meet diet requirements. Cattle fed cornstalks should be in good body condition and not be experiencing any environmental stresses, such as cold and mud. Environmental stresses on cattle will require additional supplementation.

Lehmkuhler offers an example diet for a mid-gestation cow of 15 pounds of cornstalks, 1.5 gallons of condensed distillers solubles (distillers syrup), and 2 pounds of soybean hulls plus minerals to meet requirements.

Significant energy and protein supplementation are needed for lactating, fall-calving cows, Lehmkuhler notes. Producers should work with a nutritionist to ensure nutrient needs are being met.

Lehmkuhler recommends hay for lactating cows, but he notes that cornstalks may be worked into the diet to stretch hay supplies with proper supplementation.

To extend hay inventories, feeding cornstalk bales is a reasonable option. Remember to work with a nutritionist to meet all nutritional requirements and supplement as needed. Lehmkuhler advises to not overpay for cornstalks since supplements, along with additional feed costs, will often be needed.

Michaela King

Michaela King served as the 2019 Hay & Forage Grower summer editorial intern. She currently attends the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and is majoring in professional journalism and photography. King grew up on a beef farm in Big Bend, Wis., where her 4-H experiences included showing both beef and dairy cattle.

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Baled cornstalks offer another feed option - Hay & Forage Grower

When it comes to weight loss, there are a whole lot of diets available to choose from. What seems to make news now is the lunar or moon diet. A little trivia, this is also called the werewolf diet by some enthusiasts! As the name suggests, this diet involves eating as per the phases of the moon. So how does it work exactly?

According to the standard moon diet, you should be sticking to the plan on certain days, based on moon phases. On the full moon or the new moon, each of which occurs twice a month, you will need to follow the stipulations of the diet a liquid diet with only fluids like water and various juices. If youre up for a more gruelling diet, opt for a four-day diet.

So why does this diet work? The moon has a gravitational pull on the water bodies on earth. It also has a similar pull on our bodies. So your body weight changes marginally, based on the influence of the moon, and what you eat or drink during this time matters.

The downside, as with all crash diets, is that theyre only temporary, and need to be offset with a healthy balanced diet on other days not that you can binge extensively otherwise! Give in to cravings once in a while and in moderation, otherwise, follow a sensible diet plan for the moon diet to actually work.

More here:
What is the moon diet? - Femina

For business travellers who often fly halfway around the world for work, dealing with jet lag, stress and fatigue is bad enough. But theres also another hurdle they often have to overcome eating healthy and keeping fit.

Sticking to regular routines on business trips can be challenging for various reasons, such as limited options or tight schedules," saidBindu Bhatia, Asia Pacific's managing director of CWT, a travel management platform.

"Youre focused on your work and trying to make the most of your trip, so you dont have time to search for a gym or affordable healthy eating options if theyre not easily accessible.You may be stuck having to eat whatever is available at the hotel restaurant."

It's no better for those who make short trips around Southeast Asia,often flying back on the same day, said Bindu. This could mean having a very tight schedule thats often at the expense of proper meals and sleep.

And it seems Singaporean business travellers are the worst of the lot. A survey by CWT on 2,700 business travellers aroundthe world found that they fare badly at stayinghealthy on the go compared to their regional counterparts.Only 35 per cent of respondents keep to their wellness routines when travelling (no, going to the spa doesnt count).In comparison,52per cent in Asia Pacific work hard at maintaining their routines.

Whats more, 42 per cent of business travellers from Singapore eat less healthily when on the go, which is way higher than the average of 27 per cent in the Asia Pacific region.

Only 35 per cent [of Singaporean business travellers]keep to their wellness routines when travelling.In comparison,52per cent in Asia Pacific work hard at maintaining their routines.

But you can still minimise disrupting your sleep, wellness routine and diet. CNA Lifestyle spoke to business travellers and a fitness expert for their tips.

FLY IN THE DAY AND ARRIVE AT NIGHT IF YOU CAN

If your company lets you choose your flight, opt to fly in the day and arrive at night, so you can head straight to bed upon landing something that Nicholas Lim does on long-haul flights. This always work for me as the body system adjusts naturally to fight off jet lag, said the 45-year-old managing director of The Travel Corporation, Asia.

EAT DURINGTHE MEAL TIMES OF YOUR DESTINATION

Other than updating your PowerPoint presentation once youve settled down in your seat, set your watch to the local time of your destination, said Dzul Dinie Ng, Fitness First Singapores fitness manager. Then, eat your meals according to the meal times of your destination. Diet plays a significant role in resetting our body clocks. This is especially useful when travelling to faraway countries with a wide time difference, he said.

PLAN WHAT TO EAT

Nicholas plans his meals for each of his business trips. Keep in mind that theres going to be some dining and entertaining to do, so balance your dinner with a healthy breakfast or lunch. If all else fails, excuse yourself from that second glass of wine during dinner, he said.

Ensure that you have one scoop or a minimum of 20g of protein powder per day. This will also help cover the gaps in your protein intake should you be in a country where the food is high in sugar and carbohydrates.

Another way to avoid over-eating at dinner is to havea shakemade of protein powder beforehand, said Dzul. It not only fulfills your post-workout protein needs, itll also fill you up so youre less likely to over-eat at dinner.

Ensure that you have one scoop or a minimum of 20g of protein powder per day. This will also help cover the gaps in your protein intake should you be in a country where the food is high in sugar and carbohydrates, he said.

No time to join your business associates for dinner? Dont order the greasy burger and friesthrough room service either. Increasingly, more hotels have started to offer a wider range of vegetarian-friendly dishes, said Nicholas. Also, room service menus usually have soups, salads and fruits, and you could always order a combination of these.

KEEP TO YOUR WORKOUT TIMINGS

The last thing on your mind after getting off a flight is to exercise. But if its 7am where you are, even though its 10pm in Singapore, head for a jog if thats your usual morning routine. I try to squeeze in a workout to stay energised and keep my mood elevated, said 50-year-old Anthony Lim, managing director of Insight Vacations & Luxury Gold.

I typically jog and I especially enjoy a morning run outdoors around the neighbourhood, or sometimes further out to a route with views. Alternatively, I will do a 10- to 15-minute energy-boosting workout in the hotel room without gym equipment, he said.

MAKE USE OF THE HOTEL GYM

Most business travellers stay in big-chain hotels with well-equipped gyms, and if youre in one of them, take advantage of the equipment. For basic exercises, Dzul recommends doing a series of squats and deadlifts. To rev things up, grab a pair of 4kg dumbbells (or theusual weight you use) and perform shoulder presses with squats, he said. To balance this out, do four sets of lateral pull-downs (with a minimum of 4kg on the machine) to keep your muscles engaged."

NO TIME? WORK OUT IN YOUR ROOM

This works, too, if the gym isnt well equipped. Lie down on the floor in a spot where theres enough space to swing your arms and implement the Tabata routine(a form of high-intensity interval training; see video below), said Dzul.

He recommends these exercises (only the first eight for beginners; and all 10 for advanced exercisers): Planks, mountain climbers, CrossFit burpees, roll back jumps, jumping jacks, ice skaters, reverse snow angels, tabletop toe-touches, tug jumps and bomber push-ups. Perform each for 20 seconds with a 10-second rest in between for a total of eight rounds. Youll have a four-minute workout that should see you through your day and giveyou the right energy levels, said Dzul.

If morning is too rushed for you to squeeze in a workout, do what Nicholas does: Exercise just before dinner. The oxygen you get from your exercise helps you think and feel better even towards the end of the day when youre starting to feel tired, he said.

CANT EXERCISE FOR TWO WEEKS? ITS OKAY

On the upside, a break from your gym routine isnt always detrimental to your fitness goals, said Dzul. There is a study that found that you can actually not train for two weeks while maintaining the strength level that you are at. So, if youre in a location or circumstance thats just impossible to fit in your exercise routine, when you come back and do your gym workouts, you should be seeing the same strength you left with.

Excerpt from:
How to stay healthy while on a work trip - CNA

Fitness

Will Tom Bradys new TB12 sports facility in Boston turn you into an MVP? Probably not, but at least itll help you feel like one.

Illustration by Jeannie Phan

I have a confession: My affection for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots is lukewarm at best. For one, as a born-and-bred Ohio State football fan, Ive been groomed to be suspicious of anyone who played for the rival University of Michigan. Plus, I already have the Ohio bandwagon to rideI dont need to jump on another.

All rivalries aside, I cant help but admire Bradys robust fitness regimen, which has allowed him to remain dominant on the football fieldnot to mention given him plenty of lucrative business opportunities through his TB12 brand, including products for athletes as well as a sports-performance-and-recovery center in Foxborough. When the facility expanded to Boston this past summer, I wondered if I (and my tweaked knee) could benefit from face time with a GOAT-approved trainer.

Walking inside the meticulously sterile Back Bay location, I notice a juice bar to the left and TB12-branded T-shirts, whey protein bags, and vibrating spheres that claim to help with muscle pliability (thats the magic word in the TB12 training method) covering the entirety of the wall to the right. I try to count just how many times I see Toms face, but lose track.

After a few minutes, my body coachthats what TB12 calls its physical therapists and athletic trainersmaterializes, walking me through double doors to a large turf area littered with foam rollers and resistance bands. But more on those laterfirst, its time for a chat about my diet, injuries, and medical history in a private exam room. To help with digestion, my coach suggests eliminating dairy, gluten, and anything sweet after dinner, due to their inflammatory properties. Thats what Tom does, he assures mewhich becomes an integral part of the pitch. Tom doesnt lift weights, Tom sticks to plant-based foods, and Tom doesnt like strawberries. By the time its over, I feel like I know Bostons favorite QB personally.

From there, Im instructed to walk and then run on one of the facilitys special treadmills, to help my trainer analyze my gait. Afterward, I complete a series of exercises on the turf, including squats, planks, and bridges. Then comes the diagnosis: My knee pain, my coach says, is from weakness in my hip. An easy fix, he tells me confidently before whisking me back into the exam room for soft-tissue worklike a massage, he explains, but a little more intense (read: ouch!). We cap off the appointment by foam-rolling, an integral part of the TB12 method.

So after spending an afternoon at TB12, do I feel like a pro quarterback? Not exactly, though I did leave with more knowledge about my body and several more tools in my toolbox. But the truth is, you cant buy good geneseven for $240 per session. I have a strong feeling Tom Bradys parents blessed him with stellar ones, and thats something no amount of money, or vibrating pliability spheres, can change for the rest of us mere mortals.

Read the original:
Train Like the GOAT at His New Back Bay TB12 Location - bostonmagazine.com

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At some point, every nutrition trainer asks this question.

They might just start and have no idea what is fair. Maybe you have years of experience, but wonder if your rates should be higher. Or maybe you've heard what competitors demand and think, "Why not me?"

The problem is that it is difficult to get a satisfactory answer.

Even if you interview a coaching group on social media, the rates between coaches often vary greatly, causing you to vacillate between guilt ("overcharging?") And resentment ("I'm not paying enough!") ,

How can you ever find the right amount for your services?

Thank you very much for the power of the data.

We asked more than 1,000 nutritionists: What do you charge?

But we did not stop there: We also asked about their coaching practice, experience, customer base, certifications and much more because when you decide what to charge, everything is important.

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Then we did a statistical analysis to see how these factors influence each other. Bottom Line: A report that presents real-world income data from real-world coaches along with the most relevant practical insights for maximizing your revenue.

In this article you will discover:

We dive.

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According to our survey, The average hourly rate for nutritional counseling is $ 65 per hour. Just in case you attended a math course some time ago, here's a quick refresher on the word "median". It represents the center. In other words, half of the coaches we surveyed earn less than $ 65 an hour. Half does more. (Note: All prices are in US dollars.)

Of the coaches doing more, we noticed two different groups.

Do not worry if you are currently charging below the median price. We will tell you how to move from a lower to a higher course.

It does not take much hours to make a big difference. For example, an increase of $ 15 per hour can add up very quickly. If you work 20 hours a week, that's $ 300 more a week and $ 15,600 more a year.

That's a pretty sweet source of income.

However, earning good money depends not only on how much you ask, but also on how many customers you have. (You already knew that, right?)

We've found that customers who ask for more tend to have more customers. And vice versa. The super-earners in our survey had more than 20 customers than people who calculated less than the median.

Why? On the one hand, they can charge higher rates when there is a greater demand for the services of a coach. But there are also the following: The secrets for charging higher installments (such as more experience and more education) are the same secrets that will help you gain more customers.

So read on to find out how you can move from a normal earner to a high earner and then from a high earner to a super earner.

When we broke the odds by type of trainer, we learned that personal trainer People who work face-to-face with people (for example, in a gym, in an office, or at the customer's home) do about the same thing Online trainers who work digitally, through a website and by e-mail ($ 65 per hour versus $ 64.50 per hour). However, people who complete hybrid coaching (a mix of in-person and online coaching) pay well over $ 75 an hour.

High earners, according to our research, have several common characteristics: experience, number of certifications, coaching hours, specialization and self-confidence. In the following, we examine each case.

Not surprisingly, experienced coaches demand higher rates than less experienced coaches. They also have another income advantage: coaches with more experience tend to have more customers.

In our survey, most trainers with only one to four customers had two or fewer years of experience. By contrast, coaches with 20 or more customers were more likely to have more than three years of experience, and more than a quarter of these booked coaches had six or more years of experience.

This makes sense, as more word of mouth experience goes hand in hand, says Mike Doehla, a certified Precision Nutrition Level 1 coach.

Doehla started coaching with just a few customers a few years ago and charged $ 120 for 12 weeks of service. The bills were not taken into account, which is why he kept his job as a human resource manager.

However, when they had reached their goals, these first customers swarmed about Dhla and anyone who would listen. More and more customers came in Doehla's way and so he increased the rate for his 12-week package: $ 165, $ 175, $ 185

Finally he founded Stronger U, a coaching company that charges $ 399 for 12-week programs, employs 69 coaches and rakes millions a year.

"The value comes from customers who have a good experience and then tell everyone they know about us," says Doehla. "99 percent of our customers come from word of mouth."

Training and certifications can give you confidence in your abilities, giving you the feeling that your services are worth more (see secret # 5). They also give the customer security she You must feel that you are worth the price.

In our survey data, we found that trainers with a nutritional certificate earn slightly more per hour than those without certifications. (Of course that's no surprise.)

We also found that nutritionally fit trainers, two or more nutritional certifications or Precision Nutrition certification earned $ 12 more per hour than non-Precision Nutrition Certified trainers.

In other words, the more certifications and education coaches there are, the more coaches tend to earn.

But the programs you choose and what you put into them are important. Here's why: For the best certification and training programs, you need to spend more time and effort to master your crafting skills.

If you just go through the applications and receive a receipt for the paper, it is unlikely that you will have the same degree of confidence that may prevent you from charging any further fees. (Think of it as a mental barrier.) So choose your certifications wisely and embark on the learning process. It literally pays off.

In addition to a higher hourly rate, more certifications are associated with more customers. In our survey, we found that coaches with more than 20 customers also tend to have two or more certifications.

To be clear, customers do not have to start on the day they receive a new certification. It is more complex. Certification helps by providing you with skills, knowledge, and trust that make it more likely for customers to trust someone else. Qualifications are important for customers. And what matters to customers must be important to you.

Sometimes it makes sense to apply nutritional coaching to an existing job, especially when you are just starting out or thinking about career change.

If you really want to be a top earner in this profession, you should devote all day to nutritional coaching. (Learn more: The true key to career success that almost no one speaks about.)

According to our survey, people who practice diet as a sole profession charge more than those who do not. This begs the question: how do you know when it's time to go all-in?

For this answer, we have again sought the advice of Doehla. That's because he spent 13 months in the human resources department building his coaching business on the side. "Towards the end, I earned more in a month's time with coaching than with my full-time job each year."

To see if you're ready to do anything, he says, "Find out how much money you need to pay the bills and then double it."

If you pull so much, you're definitely ready to work full time.

If you are qualified to work with a particular population, you may be able to ask for more. For example, dietitians who work with people with specific health concerns have stated that they charge an average price of $ 73 per hour. Trainers working with seniors charge $ 70 an hour. That's 5 to 7 USD above the median.

Now, your decision to specialize should be based primarily on your passion for serving this particular population rather than your desire to pay your bills. Work with a niche group because you want to support and qualify them, and not just because you think this is a ticket for higher installments.

And remember, correlation does not necessarily mean causality. Trainers working with these populations may be charged higher fees due to other factors (eg, years of experience).

Finally, keep in mind that certain populations may incur a lower fee, depending on what they can afford. (For example, the median for trainers working with teenagers was only $ 60 an hour.)

Trainers who feel "completely safe" in their coaching skills claim to charge $ 75 per hour, while coaches who are just "a little bit safe" or "a little bit safe or less" charge only $ 60 per hour Hour.

That's a big difference: $ 15 an hour more based on trust.

So how exactly do you build it?

The Answer: Practice Secrets 1 and 2.

With experience (secret # 1), every successful encounter helps you feel ready for the next one. And certifications (Secret # 2) help you feel confident in your knowledge and skills.

But you need both.

Some people make the mistake of getting too involved in their education at the expense of gaining experience. They go from workshop to workshop and receive certification after certification, while waiting for the feeling that "Okay, now I'm ready to coach" to materialize, says Precision Nutrition Coach Kate Solovievawho often answers questions from coaches about what to charge.

"New trainers want to feel 100% safe before coaching a single person. You want to feel like you know enough. In other words, they want to wait until they are not afraid anymore. Unfortunately, this moment never arrives. The best advice I can give coaches is to just start coaching, "says Solovieva.

You may ask, "Can I really deliver? Am I good enough? "Waiting, however, will not answer that question at a certain point, you just have to do one thing: start coaching.

Consider to reduce your anxiety: Would you refuse treatment by a registered doctor? Would you ask that your child be pulled out of a classroom with a teacher in the first year? If not, is it possible that potential customers have more confidence in you than you currently have in yourself?

We have just told you the secrets used by high earners. Suppose you want to get bigger and get a top prize. How do you get there? Our data revealed some interesting insights.

In our survey, the top 10% of earners calculate more than $ 120 an hour. That's almost twice the typical (median) rate.

What makes you special? We noticed the following.

Super-earners were more likely to

Remember, super-earners were statistically more likely to have these seven characteristics, but not every super-earner had all seven. Just because you lack a nutritional level, for example, does not mean that you can achieve the highest merit. Instead of focusing on what you can not do, focus on what you can.

For example, if you can not return to school, you may be able to spend money and time each year participating in new seminars or gaining additional certifications. That's what the most successful fit professionals do. Take Alwyn Cosgrove, MS, co-founder of Results Fitness in California and Michael Piercy, MS, owner of The laboratory in New Jersey. You have attended courses from almost every health and fitness organization you can name.

Piercy has indeed received impressive 32 certifications (including Precision Nutrition Level 2). And you have to imagine: it's probably no coincidence that he was named IDEA Global Personal Trainer of the Year in 2017, the TRX Master Instructor and the ACE Master Trainer.

Use the following table based on our data to assess how much you need to calculate, based on where you are. If you want to increase your rate, you can also use this table to identify what you might need to do to get there.

(For all other data nerds who would like to know how we came to this conclusion: The following examples are based on the statistically likely similarities of coaches according to our survey data.)

Again, there are no fixed rules. Think of this as a possible roadmap, not as a set of rules.

The above is based on what we have seen among our over 1000 respondents. Therefore, it provides a meaningful way to judge yourself and get started.

Please do not let the categories restrict you. It's up to you, Defining success for yourself,

For example, do you strive to be an expensive coach who always performs better than average? Large! Do it.

Or is your goal simply switching from the "free" to the "paid" trainer?

Perhaps your focus is on helping low-income people become healthier, and you're ready to work on a model where you pay what you can. Fantastic. More power for you.

Regardless of your goals, this is fine if you are not where you want to be. Strive for progress and not for perfection. Even the highest-earning coaches had to start somewhere.

Nutrition coaching is a very adaptable profession. You can create it yourself. Where you go from here is entirely up to you.

Get the practice you can. Investing time is crucial to gaining trust, credibility and, ultimately, a higher quota.

It is also the secret to stay in business in the long term. At Precision Nutrition, we found that people who have three to five clients a year later tend to work as coaches.

Offer your services to your family and friends, even if you do not charge them first. (You can think of this as an unpaid internship.) Be the person who generously gives incredibly helpful social media advice. As you help more and more people, you become a more confident and competent trainer. The people you help will tell others about you.

Many coaches, especially those who are just starting out, initially charge no money for their services. They have entered this industry because they love nutrition, enjoy exercising and just want to help people.

But at some point you have to pay the utility bill and feed the dog.

If you do not charge for your services, ask yourself: "When will I charge fees and how will I know when I will be there?"

For example, you can start charging after a certain date or after training a certain number of people.

But whatever you choose, make sure you define it clearly. Otherwise there is a risk that the bar will move constantly, says Solovieva.

"Many trainers believe they need to be at a certain level before asking for money. They say to each other: "I can not charge any fees until I graduate until I know enough, until I feel like I can answer all the questions until I arrive," and so on.

It is far too easy for "to" to continuously fill your thinking process.

From a certain point in time, you'll need to set a price to switch to a bonafide trainer who gets paid for your services.

Sure, this jump can be intimidating or even scary, but a longer wait is unlikely to help. "The truth is, you'll always be scared," says Solovieva.

So pick a date and stay with it.

When new coaches inform Kate Solovieva that they have "absolutely no idea" what to charge, she challenges that belief by leading her through an experiment.

Kate Solovieva: Okay, what about loading $ 1 an hour?

New coach: Giggle.

Kate Solovieva: You giggle. Why?

New coach: Because that's way too low.

Kate Solovieva: Okay, how about $ 1,000 an hour?

New coach: Woah. That's too high.

Kate Solovieva: Hmm. So you already have an idea of what's too low and too high. Brilliant. Let us go on. How are you with 500 USD / hour?

New coach: Still too high.

Kate Solovieva: $ 20 an hour?

The rest is here:
Nutrition coaching: How much is it? - asume tech

Whenever you walk into a store, youre dazzled by the abundance of choice at your disposal. If we need to spend time choosing between a dozen ketchup brands, then we can safely say weve gone too far with our desire for versatility. In a similar manner, we treat our entire existence as that store we spend hours of our lives making irrelevant decisions that will have zero influence or purpose on the quality of our life other than the temporary satisfaction of making a choice. Once you let go of all the irrelevance, you begin to appreciate the full meaning of everything, no matter how little that may be, that truly matters in life, starting with your wellbeing.

In a time so overcrowded by choices, we need to find the strength to simplify our existence if we were to truly revel in what matters most. By doing that, you will also boost your quality of life and your essence, so the effort invested will be returned manifold. Here are a few strategies to help you ditch all kinds of clutter from your life and invest time as well as funds in those few things that fuel your soul and cherish your spirit.

In this sea of chaos were surrounded by, its tough to recognize your own voice. Even when youre just out there choosing a bottle of ketchup. The noise can be overwhelming, so you either forego your freedom to choose based on what you really want, or you forego ever considering your wants at all. Taking a moment to silence the noise around you and to listen to your mind will go a long way in helping you simplify your decisions and make smarter choices in life.

How? Meditate. Spending a few mindful minutes every day immersed in your thoughts and feelings and regaining control over your reactions is pivotal in simplifying your existence. Its equally essential in improving the quality of your life, since a clear mind and a clear voice will let you choose simple over complex every time.

We all crave more energy, more health, and more vigor in our daily lives, but few of us are prepared to tackle whats necessary for us to create that energy and zeal. For starters, simplify your menu and youll boost your health all in one go. Opting for whole, unprocessed or minimally processed foods is always a simpler, smarter option, albeit not always a convenient one, but the time you invest in preparing and enjoying your meals will be time well spent.

Your meals dont need to sound like another exotic coffee from Starbucks. They should, in fact, be simple and nutritious, tailor-made to your needs and activity levels. Instead of reaching for fast food whose ingredient list is unknown, simplifying your diet means making sure that you know exactly what youre consuming.

Were constantly plagued by internal conundrums: Should I buy that new jacket? Do I renovate the bedroom? How about that ski trip? While all of those investments may be legitimate and necessary, you also need to take a breath, step back from all those materially-focused questions and think about ways you can actually take care of yourself in the long term. One of the simplest ways to do just that is to get health insurance that will cover all of your bases and leave you with your mind at ease.

Before you start racking your brain over how to select the perfect policy, you can check out health insurance comparison online to make the right choice by checking different criteria and various coverage options to fit your lifestyle. Not only will you simplify your life but youll also invest in your present and your future, and tend to your every health need. Steer your mind away from material possessions and think of ways you can invest in your wellbeing and your longevity.

Yes, the internet keeps us informed and connected, but its also another paradox of life: it makes us less aware of our present moment, it disconnects us from the people in the room, and it serves as a way to escape our innermost feelings and experiences. Not to mention the long-term impact on your confidence, since being exposed to a filtered, target-tailored reality means you only get to see what youre meant to see.

While its fine to spend some time scrolling on Instagram and chatting on various apps, do cut down on your digital time. Invest that time in something more productive and self-affirming such as meditation, reading, walking, talking to your loved ones face to face, or playing with your pet. All of those actions carry more substance, let you evolve as a human being, and they allow you to enjoy the simple pleasures of life without being bombarded by confidence-wrecking imagery.

Self-improvement can indeed be simple, much like your entire life. All it takes is a mindful approach, structuring your mindset to focus on health and wellbeing, and choosing wisely whenever given the opportunity. Use these tips to simplify your life and youll enjoy its many hidden, yet simple pleasures for many years into the future.

Read more from the original source:
4 Essential Ways to Simplify Your Life and Improve Yourself Over Time - Thrive Global