There’s a ton of nutritional information and advice circulating out there, and it can be overwhelming and confusing to separate fact from fiction. As the clinic prepares to bring in Metabolic Analysis System to help you find what will work with your metabolism and body I wanted to give you some things to consider as you navigate all the fads and gimmicks. 
What’s being said?
Take a look at the claims and benefits touted for products and diet plans. See whether there’s an explanation for how to receive or achieve the benefits. Lastly, pay attention to what’s required to follow the plan or use the product.
Some red flags include:

• Seeming too good to be true a cure-all.


• Using buzzwords (detox, superfoods, metabolism booster).


• Providing a laundry list of rules to follow.


• Giving anecdotal evidence (I did it, so you can too!).


• Recommending cutting out a whole food group or groups.

Who’s saying it?
Make sure that the information is coming from a credible, reliable source. Look at the person’s credentials and qualifications, as well as their intentions for providing nutritional guidance.
Some red flags include:

• Having no reputable or relevant credentials or qualifications.


• Promoting a product.

How are they saying it?
The language and tone can indicate the credibility of a source. Look for sources that are neutral and unbiased in the wording and approach they use when presenting nutritional information.
Some red flags include:

• Fearmongering (toxins, poisons, hormone disruptors).


• Making big promises (results guaranteed).


• Portraying mistrust or incompetence of science and medicine (not even doctors know about this, research will soon prove this).

How might it fit into your lifestyle?
If you want to apply nutritional information to yourself or your family, you must consider whether it will be sustainable long term. Think about safety, taste, cost, schedule, culture, stress, and overall feasibility. You’ll also want to consider potential impacts on all aspects of your well-being — physical, social, emotional, mental, and financial. Make sure to meet with your doctor or dietitian before starting any diet plan or product to ask whether it’s safe and appropriate for you.
Some red flags include:

• Posing a risk to an existing health condition or interfering with medications you’re taking.


• Making drastic lifestyle changes.


• Requiring expensive and/or time-consuming upkeep.


• Cutting out foods you really enjoy.


• Feeling stressed or overwhelmed when implementing around mealtimes.

Where else is it being talked about?
Just because information has become popular and mainstream doesn’t necessarily mean it’s credible or accurate. Look beyond the media hype. Do a quick search in a research database, such as pubmed.gov, to see whether the trend has peer-reviewed science to back up its claims.
Some red flags include:

• Interpreting association as causation (high ice cream consumption is associated with high rates of sunburn — this does not mean that eating ice cream causes sunburn).


• Relying on research with limitations (small sample size, short intervention time, short follow-up period, convenience sampling, limited demographic representation).

The Bottom Line
Nutritional information is everywhere — and frankly, it can be exhausting. Using a thoughtful, guided approach to efficiently sort through it all can help save you from wasting your valuable time, money, and energy on products and diets that are unnecessary, unsustainable, and potentially unsafe. When in doubt, ask questions, think critically, and stay curious.
When there are rules or restrictions for food, stress and guilt often come with them. This can spiral into disordered eating or eating disorders, particularly in adolescent and teenager populations. Momentum promotes an All Foods Fit philosophy. This means that there are no “good” or “bad” foods, and all foods have a place on the plate, because there are so many different reasons to eat different foods — from house-made pizza and cookies to fresh fruits and vegetables and everything in between.

Momentum believes that there is no one perfect diet, no one absolute when it comes to food. Food is fuel for our bodies and when we see that every body has different needs we must then realize that going 100% plant based may be healthy for one person but harmful for another. Bringing the Metabolic Analysis System onboard at the end of February will be just one tool to help you find what your body needs and get you to your goals!

Metabolic Testing will provide a 360-degree view of your metabolic, heart & lung function.  This will be able to serve as a foundation for your workout & nutrition plans to help you accomplish your fitness goals but it will also help those suffering with chronic pain.  Measuring the impact of chronic pain on your heart, lungs, and muscles is important. We will then be able to draft movement and therapy programs that are tailored to your own body's needs. 

I don’t know about you, but this year, here and there, I’ve experienced moments where I’ve wanted nothing more than to throw myself a pity party. Plans had to be canceled, a personal disappointment occurred, or I was simply having a bad day. It’s okay to get in these funks. Life is hard, and we shouldn’t force ourselves into fake positivity just to try to forget about the hard moments in life. However, this is where gratitude comes in.


Gratitude isn’t positivity. It’s appreciation. For the good, bad, and ugly moments and experiences that have gotten you this far. We often get so wound up in getting to the next best thing, that we forget the journey: the who, the what, and the why that brought us to now. Over the next few days, take some time to look back on and express gratitude to what has gotten you to where you are.


The Who
Let’s first discuss the who. Who has pushed you, supported you, and not given up on you, even when you wanted to give up on yourself? What sacrifices have they made to help you accomplish your goals? How can you now turn around and try to support them?


The What
What experiences have you gone through that have made you who you are? Did that one impossible project at work force you to learn a skill that has completely changed your career path for the better? Did the rough moments you faced growing up teach you to show compassion and kindness to others, because that’s what you needed at that time? What has made you who you are?
 
The Why
Why do you continue working tirelessly to do and be better? Is there a change you want to see in the world? Children you want to set a good example for, so they know that they too can achieve great things? What motivates you to keep pushing when extrinsic things aren’t enough?


While 2020 certainly turned a different direction than we had all planned, we can choose to see the beauty in the hand we’ve been given. For me, 2020 has reminded me of my priorities and what truly matters to me. What I’m thankful for. Who I’m thankful for. Why it matters. Keep pushing, but don’t forget to have an attitude of gratitude.

By Debi Douma-Herren