Cain Berlinger / R.D. Cain
WS, CFT, SPN, FT, & LMT

For Appointments and Rates Call
917-880-2159

Welcome to the first installment of Options and Lifestyles!

I agonized for quite a while over the title of this e-zine. I wanted to be clear on providing options toward achieving and maintaining a lifestyle that is comfortable for each individual reader. I also want to explore the many roads that lead to a singular destination: Health and Happiness!

While many of us may aspire toward the beauty of a Tyra Banks or the chiseled body of a Vin Diesel there is no guarantee that we will achieve the happiness or success that we imagine they have. O & L wants you to be happy being YOU, not someone else.

Each person has to find their own comfort level, and what makes them happy. German chocolate cake does not have to be on your 'no' list but you can be perfectly happy with it on your 'moderation' list.

In other words, we do have OPTIONS and for each of us those options can be exercised in many ways. While a runner may not be comfortable lifting weights, a weight lifter might not be comfortable doing Pilates. There is more than one road to a happy and healthy lifestyle. Together we can work on finding an Option that will not only be compatible with your needs but will be just one tool in helping you to establish a healthier, happier lifestyle.

Options and Lifestyles will make these options available to you and show you how best to take advantage of your own realized options.

Be it Mind,Spirit,Body, learn the Options & Lifestyles motto: "Embrace Yourself"!

"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nutrition / Dietician

The rigorous 2005 guidelines call for Americans to cut calories, consume less sugar, eat nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day and choose whole grain foods and low-fat dairy products over processed grains and regular dairy products.

For many people, creating and following a balanced diet that is also fun to eat is not easy. One way you can learn to make lasting dietary changes is by enlisting the help of a registered dietician, who can teach you about nutrition, as well as analyze your personal eating patterns. Below, Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and a registered dietician in private practice in New York, talks about how dieticians can help dispel your food myths and make you a more educated eater.

Who needs nutritional advice?

Who needs nutritional advice? Who doesn't need nutritional advice? Unfortunately, a lot of people wait until something is wrong to consult with a registered dietician. And not that that's too late, but why wait until then? You could prevent a lot of chronic diseases and fatigue and feeling ill by consulting with a registered dietician.

What can dieticians tell us about our relationship with food?

Some of us need food for comfort, some for energy. Many of my patients are emotional eaters, so they eat for the wrong reasons. You know that expression "I eat to live"? Well, those are people who eat based upon hunger. Other people say that they live to eat, meaning that they love the food: They love the taste of it, the smell of it, the pleasure of cooking, the pleasure of shopping. I think that it's important for us each to find out why we eat the foods that we eat and why we eat in the styles in which we eat. The key is also "What are we eating?" and, very often, seeing a registered dietician will help you figure that out.

How can you prepare for a visit with a registered dietician?

It's a good idea to go see your physician and have some basic blood work done: cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels, triglycerides. This way, the registered dietician has more information about you both inside and out, because that would really help him or her to get a better idea about what kinds of program that would be best suited for your particular needs.

You might also want to ask yourself, "Well, what are my eating habits like? Do I stand eating in front of the refrigerator? Am I eating in my car most of the time? Do I eat off my kid's plates? What kind of food am I making for my family? Do I know how to read a label?"

Do you recommend people keep a food journal?

Keeping a food journal that records the date, the time of day, the kind of food you ate and perhaps the amount that you ate is incredibly helpful for the registered dietician, because what we look for are patterns, such as foods that may be missing and foods that may be in excess. Sometimes, people have a tendency to give you a dietary recall, "Oh, no, I never have any snacks," and, then, you might look at the food diary and see, "Well, what happened here at 10:30 in the morning? What about 3 o'clock in the afternoon? What about at midnight? What about 3 am?"

What would a dietician want to know about your protein intake?

A registered dietician might want to know how much protein you are eating during the course of a day, because many people eat much too much protein. The biggest protein misconception is that protein has no calories. Too much protein could cause you to lose calcium from your bones. An excessive amount of protein can also harm your kidneys, because kidneys are the organs that filter protein.

Still, you need protein because protein repairs our bodies' muscles and tissues. So the other thing is: What are your sources of protein? Lean proteins, such as fish or chicken without the skin that is preferably not breaded and fried, are good choices. Meat is much better when it's grilled or broiled, so that you're not getting the extra fat there. Other healthful sources of protein are cheese, egg whites and beans. Peanut butter, tofu and soy products also have protein, so you don't have to just have meat in your diet to have a good source of protein.

What will a dietician want to know about your fat intake?

A dietician might want to know how much fat are you eating, the sources of fat, including the hidden sources of fat. There is fat lurking in many of the foods that you might not think of, like crackers, for example.

Bottom line: Check with a dietician, vist some INTERNET sites that address your specific dietary questions, enlist the help of your local health clinic , and educate yourself on some of the ways a dietician can benefit you and let you eat the foods you want, without losing sight of your health and nutrition goals. This is how lifestyle changes begin, with information.

Gym etiquette tips. When finished on a machine wipe it down with a towel and disinfectant. Remember to return your weights and be discrete in the locker rooms. If you are doing multiple sets at a station, be sure to check around to see if someone is waiting for the machine. Also be sure to keep the cell phone turned off and mind fellow members' personal space. This space is reserved for SUBSCRIBER FEEDBACK - Because I want this to be an interactive publication, I will regularly publish comments from my readers. It's good to publish constructive criticism, as well as praises. just be sure to give me permission to publish your comments, and let me know if you are willing for me to publish your email address and URL or just your first name and initial your last name. I'm looking forward to your feedback

Q: MrCain, I try working out regular but its really hard to keep the momentum in the winter when its so cold out, (I live in Chicago) and summer when it's so hot I can't breathe. I never did become the gym enthusiast I wanted to be. I've changed my lifestyle in the way that at least I eat a lot better than I used to (no more junk food) but I'm terrified of losing tone and strength. I'm sure I'm just looking for some excuse. Is there a remedy?

A: Heres an Option: Try a seasonal program. If you tackle your workouts seasonally you'll keep your interest up, keep your body challenged and target all of the components of fitness. In the winter focus on your strength training. In the spring pay attention to card. In the summer try fun activities like swimming, inline skating and tennis and in the fall focus on mind body work. You still work all of the components every season, but focus on one each season.

Now Available!

Cain on Fitness Health and Fitness series by R.D.Cain 1-4

SAVE NOW! $49.95 for all four books!