Puzzle Answers

Story by Kera Kester, NASM Certified Personal Trainer/Contributing Writer

I’m sure you’ve heard the popular yet vague advice “eat less and workout to lose fat.” It is tempting to jump right into lowering your dietary calories by 250-500 and swiping that gym membership tag almost every day for a workout. Seems like a great and simple plan, right? Here’s the truth that can be hard to take. In terms of importance, being a size two doesn’t even compare to the health of your body and its functions. There are circumstances where the above advice can do more harm than good. Why? Whether you want to lose fat, gain weight or gain muscle mass, there are four phases that enable you to transform your physique in the most sustainable and safe way.

1. The Caloric Deficit (commonly known as the fat loss phase)

This phase requires consuming less energy than you expend. A calorie is a unit of energy. So, lowering calories through nutrition and exercise is an effective strategy. It is extremely easy to overestimate calories burned through exercise. Therefore, I would make nutrition and additional movement (step count, gardening, swimming) outside of the gym the focus. Extended periods of a food deficit take a toll on your body, so I recommend only staying here for 1-3 months depending on how aggressively you cut. Side note – this phase is not the only one in which someone can lose fat. Fat loss could also happen during a reverse diet, considering multiple factors like work output and genetics.

2. The Reverse Diet

During this phase, your body gets more of a break as you begin eating more calories. This isn’t liberty to immediately add a dozen cookies or eggs into your day. It is generally wisest to add the calories incrementally. Say, you’ve been eating in a deficit at 1500 calories and want to reach your maintenance calories at 1800.

Instead of jumping the extra 300 calories daily for the next couple of weeks, try increments of 50. Is it possible to gain weight during this phase? Absolutely. But this will ensure the most minimal gain.

Important side note – weight gain isn’t always synonymous with fat gain. Scale weight can rise due to having more food volume in your system, muscle growth or water retention. It is not a reason to feel despair or become anxious that you’ve gained fat again.

A reverse diet aims to end at either maintenance or a caloric surplus. 3. Maintenance

Here, you’d eat roughly the same amount as the calories you expend. You maintain your current weight while increasing balance within your body. Any down-regulated factors of your metabolism return to normal. Your metabolism is like a fire. If your energy demand is greater than your supply (through consumed calories), then your metabolism will slow down in efforts to slow that demand. The flames will die down. However, if you give your body more caloric fuel (or wood), the flames will grow and burn fat to a greater extent. A boost in energy to train harder or not feel fatigued during the day is a plus. It is also helpful in enjoying vacations or holidays even more. Providing a mental break from the deficit phase is bonus enough!

4. The Caloric Surplus

Here, you consume more calories than you expend. If you are looking to gain maximal muscle mass, then this is a great time to do it! This is especially a good time to reach for new PRs and test your limits. Make sure to continue training hard!

Now how does all that information tell me if a caloric deficit would do more harm than good for me? These four phases suggest knowing which one to apply depending on our current state. Take the caloric deficit for example. If you’ve knowingly or unknowingly already been eating in a caloric deficit for 3-6 months +, then lowering your calories even more will negatively impact a lot like your hormones and metabolism. If you have low quality sleep, low energy, high hunger, high stress or any other signs of poor biofeedback, then a deficit could worsen things. If you have a negative perspective on food, then a caloric deficit could further damage unhealthy mentalities. Now, if your gain is due to eating in a caloric surplus for an extended amount of time, then a calorie deficit and adding in 3-5 days of exercise may be the best option for you, after considering all factors.

Here is my solution! Reflect on your current exercise routine and nutritional state. Then, apply which phase currently works best for you. I always suggest getting a first or second opinion from a fitness professional. You can also shoot me a message on social media, and I’ll be happy to help! Happy June; I wish you all the best!

Story Contributed by Shannon Puetz-Somers RN BSN/Owner, Aesthetic State of Mind Med Spa

As the focus on self-care becomes a trending topic, it still feels a little strange to get permission from society to take care of ourselves. Wearing a busy lifestyle as a badge of honor is a thing of the past. More and more are we steering away from our workaholic lifestyles and focusing on what makes us feel confident and cared for.

Self-care comes in many different forms and NONE of them are wrong – from long walks to bubble baths to Botox to poolside cocktails. In my profession, I see people participating in self-care, in the form of medical aesthetics, every single day and I absolutely LOVE it!

There is a misconception that medical aesthetics is about vanity and comes with so many stereotypes, but the truth is medical aesthetics is about doing what makes you feel good, helping boost your confidence and ensuring YOU feel the best possible way about yourself. As I continue through graduate school to get my master’s degree in nursing to obtain licensure as a nurse practitioner, I hear about how medical aesthetics isn’t a “real” nursing job and how I’m “not really going to be a medical provider.” The reality is, this is where my passion is. My passion is watching faces light up when they see their results; my passion is seeing tears build up in people’s eyes because we fixed something that has bothered them for years. I love making people feel their best. Healthcare is about being there to serve our patients, which is exactly what I am doing. Aesthetic medicine self-care can start at any place. Many times our clients are simply taking a corrective or preventive approach. An example would be getting a neurotoxin treatment, such as Botox, when you are younger as it actually helps prevent the formation of wrinkles and keeps one from getting permanent creases in the skin as we age.

One of the best preventative treatments you can get is a gentle resurfacing treatment that will have your skin glowing. The latest (and greatest) technology to hit the market is a MOXI treatment by Sciton! MOXI is a gentle approach to resurfacing the skin that is safe for ALL skin types and can be done all year long. That means no restrictions during the summer! MOXI was created out of a clear and indisputable demand for better preventative skincare treatments by a company that truly leads the anti-aging industry, Sciton.

The idea of “prejuvenation” is perfect for those just starting their skincare journey, looking for a light touch up, or those wanting something more, but without downtime. MOXI opens the door to a younger patient demographic, as well as those looking to maintain their skin through light revitalization.

We must prioritize self-care, because the reality is, how we take care of ourselves is the example we set for how others should treat us. It’s OK to take care of YOURSELF. When you feel fulfilled, then you can best serve everyone around you!