SCAN DPG Blog

Why Do I Crave Sugar?

2012-01-24T03:49:00.000-08:00

Sugar cravings are a real problem for many including runners. When we “cave” to temptation we self inflict frustration and feelings of low self-worth. One reason we crave sugar (or caffeine) is because of low adrenal function.The adrenals are hormone glands that sit above the kidneys.

Amongst other things, one of their jobs is to secrete epinephrine (better known to some as adrenaline) which provides us with energy. They also secrete cortisone when there is inflammation present in the body (heavy training). Thirdly, they replace the function of the ovaries in the production of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone when women get close to their menopausal years. When everything is functioning well and everything is being nourished properly, there is no problem.

What can interfere with this? Stress, first and foremost. When we’re stressed the adrenals secrete adrenaline as if we were preparing to fight tigers in the jungle. They don’t know the difference between the stress of facing a tiger and the stress of facing an irate boss, rush-hour traffic, or a two year old. They just jump into gear and adrenaline flows.

Inflammation can be caused by many well-known factors such as injury and diseases but also new training or exercise programs. Marathon training definitely increases inflammation over the whole body for weeks at a time. The adrenals are consistently under pressure to produce cortisone to keep the inflammation under control as much as possible.

What happens?
-Lack of energy
-Fatigue
-Need naps
-Cravings for sugar or caffeine to compensate for the energy that is lacking
-Menopausal symptoms can also kick in if the adrenals are not up to par

So what to do?First, develop a stress relief plan of action. Exercise is great; however, if you have repeated (daily) stressful situations stimulated by the same source then you need to develop a stress relief plan. You know it is coming, you know what triggers it, you know the feelings that lead up to it and you know the downward spiral. In a way, knowing the step by step play will help you develop a plan that can be intersect at any step to divert you from choosing something sweet to eat.

Second, keep a food dairy and noting what you eat and how you feel an hour or two later. Note the types of carbohydrate mostly eaten and their portion size. Eliminating excess sugar from the diet (even if it fits into your calorie range) will decrease the cravings and weight. Be very mindful that you are not getting a large dose of carbohydrates at one time in one meal but spread them evenly throughout the day. This helps balance blood sugar and decrease cravings and improve insulin sensitivity.

Third, rest and recover!! Without proper rest (sleep and off days) and recovery (nutrition and stretching) our body can not keep up with the endless miles and exercise induced stress. Train smart… run healthy.

Rebecca Turner, MS, RD, CSSD, LD is a registered dietitian and certified sports specialist in dietetics and founder of Runner’s FUEL. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @RunnersFuel. For more information visit www.runner-fuel.com or email at a runnersfuel@gmail.comYou can also find Rebecca here on SCAN: http://www.scandpg.org/dietitians/15186/

Update On White House Petition For RDs, Act Now!

2012-01-20T16:35:00.000-08:00

From the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:

We did it! White House petition reaches 25,000 signatures
Members of the Academy responded across the US to reach the required number of signatures for the White House petition asking the President to urge the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reconsider its decision to excluded dietitians as billable providers for intensive behavioral therapy for obesity. Thank you for promoting this effort within your membership. We could not have achieved our goal without your support.
What happens now?
The Academy has already begun to prepare for the next step which could include communication or a meeting with the Obama Administration. Now that the petition has reached the signatures threshold, the Administration will contact the Government Relations team in the Academy’s Washington, D.C. office. In addition, the Academy is working with members of Congress to also urge CMS to reconsider its decision.
What can you do?
We need you to lead by example and encourage our constituents to keep the momentum moving!
First: If you haven’t sent a letter to your members of Congress, please take action today! Overall less than 2% of Academy members have done so (see attached document with state-by-state breakdown). Visit the Academy’s Grassroots Manager at: http://www.eatright.org/members/actioncenter.aspx to send your letters and share this link again with your members. It only takes a few minutes and will ensure our voices are heard in Congress.
Next: Every member should be considering their next steps as outlined by Academy President Sylvia Escott-Stump in her message on December 8, 2011. On a continuous basis, strive to:

Participate in activities that document the RDs worth.

Start in your own backyard - does your personal health insurance include coverage for RD services?

Become a Medicare provider for Part B MNT services. We need to demonstrate that we have the providers to meet demand. http://www.cms.gov/cmsforms/downloads/cms855i.pdf

Form relationships with Primary Care Practitioners to provide nutrition counseling services in medical practices.

Market your services to the healthcare community and other community groups.

Work with your DPGs and Affiliate Public Policy Panels - provide your expert input when issues arise.

Attend the Public Policy Workshop. PPW 2012 is scheduled for April 5-17 in Washington, D.C. http://www.eatright.org/ppw/

Donate to the Academy Political Action Committee. The PAC is our way as a profession to support federal elected officials who are supportive of our causes. https://eweb.eatright.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?webcode=pacdonationslist&site=pac

Vote in national and local elections.

Be a preceptor for dietetic students - we need to build the RD and DTR workforce.

Keep our voice strong and united-get involved in legislative and regulatory issues affecting food, nutrition and dietetics.

Watch for further updates on the Academy’s efforts to address this situation.

Freekeh Friday: Whole Grains for Fueling the Whole Family

2012-01-17T16:55:00.000-08:00

"Take also unto thee Wheat, and Barley, andbeans, and lentils, and millet, and Spelt, and put them in one vessel, and makebread of it..."—Ezekiel 4:9

Ancient grains have been making a comeback to replace thetypical American staples: oats, barley, wheat, corn, and soy. More people are being diagnosed with foodallergies and Celiac disease while others are looking for affordable sources ofplant protein.

Not all ‘ancient grains’ are actually grains orgrasses. Spelt, Kamut, and wheat aregrains while quinoa and amaranth ended up thrown in the pot.

Other ancient grains include mullet, teff, rye, farro, andfreekeh

Spelt

This cousin of wheat is notgluten-free but contains less gluten than wheat. It contains

manganese, copper, zinc andis a good source of protein.

Kamut

These kernels require an overnight soak but are good for thenovice in the kitchen as they are difficult to overcook. Additional nutrients are: Omega-3 fattyacids and vitamins A, B-1, B-2, B-6,B-9, C and E.

Quinoa

Quinoa is gluten-free and also a source of protein making itperfect for fueling the vegetarian or vegan athlete. It contains magnesium, phosphorus, iron, andmanganese.

Amaranth

Once an ancient grain of the Aztecs now is a staple ingluten-free diets. It has the highestamount of protein of the ancient grains and also contains calcium.

Millet

The Chinese have been using millet before rice. It looks like bird seed and can be eaten rawor cooked, best of all, it’s gluten-free.

Teff

This gluten-free grain is one of the smallest on earth. Ethiopians ground it into a flour for breadand it can be cooked and used as a thickening agent.

Rye

Another gluten-free grain, this cousin of the wheat berryhas a nutty taste.

Farro

This grain comes right from Italy and was originally used inthe American South to cycle in rice crop rotations during the Civil War. Its been marketed towards diabetics formaking less impact on blood sugar when compared to other whole grains.

Freekeh

Freekeh can be wheat or durum that is toasted and has asmoky flavor. It has not been declaredas gluten-free but because of the heating process it undergoes some researchstates that the gluten in freekeh is denatured. Freekeh has more fiber, protein, and B vitamins than regular wholewheat.

Gina Lesako RD, LDN, registered dietitian, writer/blogger. Follow Gina on Twitter @glesako;

blog: Dietitians Eat Chocolate Too, or on the web: ginalesako.com.

Carbs to Add to Your Runner’s Diet

2012-01-16T17:43:00.000-08:00

Being an enduranceathlete comes with a number of perks: You spend hours outdoors, enjoy being inshape and don’t have to skimp on a generous portion of nutritious foods (whentraining). The endurance athlete’s diet is not full of restrictions and self-sacrifice.The training hours requires consuming enough macronutrients to allow them toreplace fuel stores, recover and compete at their best.

Needless to say,runners should not and cannot afford to consume low carbohydrate diets. Theirbodies require, crave and demand carbs to work and recover effectively.Carbohydrates are the primary high-energy fuel source that replenishes bodystores of glycogen (energy) and provides vital nutrients and fiber for optimalhealth. Fruits, dairy and vegetables are all sources of carbohydrates.

On the flip side not all carbohydrates are created equal andthere is a proper time and portion for endurance athletes to consume them.Avoid highly process, sugar laden or refined carbohydrates (white bread, pasta,rice and pastries). Focus on whole grain breads, rice, pasta and consumingmostly fruits, low fat dairy and vegetables to meet carbohydrates needs.

What’s whole grain? Whole grains contain all three parts ofthe kernel (bran, germ and endosperm). Refining removes the bran and the germ,leaving only the endosperm. Without the bran and germ, about 25% of agrain’s protein is lost, along with at least seventeen key nutrients. Whole grains are healthier, providingmore protein, more fiber and many important vitamins and minerals enduranceathletes depend on.

Who do you know if it’s whole grain? Flip the grocery itemover. Find the ingredient list- if the words whole grains is the very (I meanvery) first word after the colon then bingo its whole grain. If not, put itback and try again. Once you find your favorite trustworthy brands shopping ismuch easier.

FUEL Fact- the Journal of Nutrition found that eating three servings of wholegrains a day helped people reduce their total body fat and abdominal fat. Evena runner can appreciate that!

Here are 3 whole grains to FUEL your run and life.

Whole-Wheat Pasta Pasta is usually a staple of along-distance runner's diet and let’s face it none runners as well. WeAmericans love pasta. Whole-wheat pasta offers 3 times more fiber and is justas delicious. Look for varieties with less than 200 calories and 5 grams offiber per serving (the suggested serving not your idea or a serving).

Quinoa An answer to the vegetarian runner’s proteinprayers. It provides some fiber and a good amount of protein (4 grams). Note:Rinsing quinoa removes any residue and bitter taste. Use it in the place ofrice.

Popcorn When you’re craving pretzels or potato chips...an apple just isn’t going to do it. Popcorn satisfies a munchies craving andits whole grain. Look for the individual 100 calorie light versions. Put thebutter lover’s movie style back on the shelf! Or try air popping your own- 6cups popped is a serving. Yes! Six whole cups!

Rebecca Turner, MS, RD, CSSD, LD is a registered dietitian and certifiedsports specialist in dietetics and founder of Runner’s FUEL. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @RunnersFuel. For more information visit www.runner-fuel.com or email at a runnersfuel@gmail.com. You can also find Rebecca here on SCAN: http://www.scandpg.org/dietitians/15186/

Encourage CMS to Include RDs

2012-01-10T17:53:00.000-08:00

White House petition reaches 25,000 signatures

Members of the Academy responded across the US to reach the required number of signatures for the White House petition asking the President to urge the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reconsider its decision to excluded dietitians as billable providers for intensive behavioral therapy for obesity. Thank you for promoting this effort within your membership. We could not have achieved our goal without your support.

What happens now?

The Academy has already begun to prepare for the next step which could include communication or a meeting with the Obama Administration. Now that the petition has reached the signatures threshold, the Administration will contact the Government Relations team in the Academy’s Washington, D.C. office. In addition, the Academy is working with members of Congress to also urge CMS to reconsider its decision.

What can you do?

We need you to lead by example and encourage our constituents to keep the momentum moving!

First: If you haven’t sent a letter to your members of Congress, please take action today! Overall less than 2% of Academy members have done so (see attached document with state-by-state breakdown). Visit the Academy’s Grassroots Manager at: http://www.eatright.org/members/actioncenter.aspx to send your letters and share this link again with your members through electronic newsletters, blogs and listserves. It only takes a few minutes and will ensure our voices are heard in Congress.

Please review the attached information regarding participation by each state. Despite at least three public policy panel leaders and an affiliate board of directors, some states have less than 3 responses to this advocacy campaign. It is difficult to expect members to respond to our advocacy alerts if volunteer leaders do not make this a priority – please send your letters today!

Next: Every member should be considering their next steps as outlined by Academy President Sylvia Escott-Stump in her message on December 8, 2011. On a continuous basis, strive to:

· Participate in activities that document the RDs worth.

· Start in your own backyard - does your personal health insurance include coverage for RD services?

· Become a Medicare provider for Part B MNT services. We need to demonstrate that we have the providers to meet demand. http://www.cms.gov/cmsforms/downloads/cms855i.pdf

· Form relationships with Primary Care Practitioners to provide nutrition counseling services in medical practices.

· Market your services to the healthcare community and other community groups.

· Work with your DPGs and Affiliate Public Policy Panels - provide your expert input when issues arise.

· Attend the Public Policy Workshop. PPW 2012 is scheduled for April 5-17 in Washington, D.C.http://www.eatright.org/ppw/

· Donate to the Academy Political Action Committee. The PAC is our way as a profession to support federal elected officials who are supportive of our causes. https://eweb.eatright.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?webcode=pacdonationslist&site=pac

· Vote in national and local elections.

· Be a preceptor for dietetic students - we need to build the RD and DTR workforce.

· Keep our voice strong and united-get involved in legislative and regulatory issues affecting food, nutrition and dietetics.

Watch for further updates on the Academy’s efforts to address this situation. Please feel free to contact me if you have additional questions.
Best Regards,
Jeanne

Jeanne D. Blankenship, MS RD

Vice President, Policy Initiatives and Advocacy

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

1120 Connecticut Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20036

The Quick & Dirty on Detox Dieting

2012-01-10T17:25:00.000-08:00

With 2012 upon us many of our clients (or ourselves) arelooking for a quick fix to rid our insides of the indulgences of the pastholiday season.

Traditional ‘detox’ diets base their programs on little foodintake. Staples include foods with highwater contents: cucumbers, fruit, juices, and teas.

By increasing the volume of fluid in the body, detox dietsclaim that this cleanses the body of toxins to enhance the body’smetabolic/calorie burning rate.

Its important to explain to your clients that any initialweight loss is water and the body’s protein/muscle stores. In addition to the increase of body fat whenweight gain resumes, protein breakdown also creates toxins which need to befiltered by the kidneys. Any reboundweight gain comes back as fat and the body ends up with a slowermetabolism.

Some programs such as TheCrazy, Sexy, Diet combine a traditional detoxing juice cleanse withlaxative and enema use which disrupts the body’s natural bacteria that arelocated in the colon while other programs are gluten-free.

Its imperative to utilize a client’s New Year’s Resolutionenergy to set their goals for the upcoming months.

Medicare coverage for obesity counseling decision

2011-12-01T08:08:00.000-08:00

From the American Dietetic Association

CMS’s Final Decision on Intensive Behavioral Counseling for Obesity December 1, 2011

The American Dietetic Association understands and shares members’ concerns about the announcement by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Tuesday, November 29 about their decision to cover Intensive Behavioral Counseling for Obesity for eligible Medicare beneficiaries. We’d like to share the following information in an effort to answer member questions about this decision and what it means for Registered Dietitians (RDs).

How did CMS make this decision?

Through the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA), CMS has the authority to add coverage of additional preventive services under a process called a National Coverage Determination. This process is not a legislative one, meaning the decision is not made through Congress. Rather, CMS is the decision-making body. CMS is required to evaluate relevant clinical evidence to determine whether or not the proposed service meets three criteria:

1. Reasonable and necessary for the prevention or early detection of illness or disability;

2. Is recommended with a Grade A or B by the US Preventive Services Task Force; and

3. Is appropriate for individuals entitled to benefits under Part A or enrolled under Part B of the Medicare program.

The process includes two opportunities for public comment. On March 11, 2011 CMS announced it was opening a national coverage analysis for Intensive Behavioral Therapy for Obesity with a 30-day public comment period. On August 31, 2011 CMS issued its proposed decision memorandum with a 30-day comment period.

Was ADA involved?

Definitely! ADA offered comments during both public comment periods. These comments incorporated input from members with expertise in weight management services and were reviewed and approved by member leaders. Visit http://www.eatright.org/mnt/ and scroll down to “Medicare MNT Coverage Expansion” to read more. In November ADA also met with CMS staff, along with other members of the Obesity Care Coalition, to advocate for inclusion of RDs in the proposed benefit.

What exactly did CMS decide to cover?

CMS determined it will cover screening and intensive behavioral counseling for obesity by primary care providers in settings such as physicians’ offices for Medicare beneficiaries with a body mass index (BMI) > 30 kg/m2. Specifically, Medicare will cover:

• One face-to-face visit every week for the first month;

• One face-to-face visit every other week for months 2-6;

• One face-to-face visit every month for months 7-12, if the beneficiary has achieved a reduction in weight of at least 3kg over the course of the first six months of intensive therapy.

The service must be furnished by a “qualified primary care physician or other primary care practitioner and in a primary care setting.” CMS refers to the Social Security Act for its definition of a “qualified primary care physician” to mean a physician who is a general practitioner, family practice practitioner, general internist or obstetrician or gynecologist. In similar manner, CMS defines “primary care practitioner” as a physician with a primary specialty designation of family medicine, internal medicine, geriatric medicine or pediatric medicine or a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or physician assistant in accordance with the Social Security Act.

Lastly, the service must be furnished in the primary care setting. CMS defines a primary care setting “as one in which there is provision of integrated, accessible health care services by clinicians who are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal health care needs, developing a sustained partnership with patients, and practicing in the context of family and community. Emergency departments, inpatient hospital settings, ambulatory surgical centers, independent diagnostic testing facilities, skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehabilitation facilities and hospices are not considered primary care settings under this definition.”

What was the rationale behind CMS’s decision to not include RDs as providers of these services?

Based on CMS’s responses to public comments in this final decision memo as well as the one issued earlier this month for Intensive Behavioral Counseling for Cardiovascular Disease, it appears that CMS excluded RDs for two reasons:

1. CMS believes it lacks the statutory authority to include RDs as providers outside of diabetes and end stage renal disease; and

2. CMS believes it is important that preventive services be furnished in a coordinated approach as part of a comprehensive prevention plan within the context of the patient’s total health care. As such, they believe primary care practitioners are best qualified to offer care in this context.

How will these services be paid and when does the benefit become effective?

The answers to these questions have yet to be determined. CMS is in the process of establishing codes and developing the claims processing instructions for this NCD.

What do we do now?

As individual practitioners: RDs as providers of nutrition services have 2 options when it comes to obesity services for Part B Medicare beneficiaries:

1. The CMS decision memorandum does state that the new benefit does not preclude primary care practitioners from referring eligible beneficiaries to other practitioners and/or settings for counseling; however coverage remains only in the primary care setting. So RDs can receive referrals for these services, but the Medicare beneficiary would need to be informed prior to providing the service that it is not covered by Medicare and they would be required to pay out of pocket for the service.

2. The CMS decision memorandum also states that in the primary care office setting and primary care hospital outpatient setting, Medicare may cover these services when furnished by auxiliary personnel (e.g., RDs) and billed as “incident to” services in accordance with 42 CFR section 410.26(b) or 410.27, meaning:

a. There is direct physician supervision of auxiliary personnel (the physician must be present in the office suite and immediately available to provide assistance and direction throughout the time the service is being provided).

b. “Auxiliary personnel” means any individual who is acting under the supervision of a physician, regardless of whether the individual is an employee, leased employee, or independent contractor of the physician, or of the legal entity that employs or contracts with the physician. Note: Medicare Part B MNT services for diabetes and non-dialysis renal disease cannot be billed as “incident to” services since they are recognized as a separate benefit category.

We recognize that both of these options fall short of the ideal scenario. However, as healthcare delivery and payment models move away from fee-for-service to bundled payment models (such as Patient-Centered Medical Homes and Accountable Care Organizations), now is a good time for RDs to align themselves with primary care practitioners in new ways. Continue to market yourself and your services to both primary care practitioners and Medicare beneficiaries to create demand for your services and demonstrate the value you bring to a comprehensive and coordinated model of care. As an RD, you can positively impact a practice’s bottom line by helping patients and the practice achieve positive clinical outcomes. Most importantly, you can collect, report, and publish outcomes data to strengthen the foundation of clinical evidence used by CMS and others in making coverage decisions.

As ADA: The Nutrition Services Coverage team and the Policy Initiatives and Advocacy team are strategically working to position RDs as providers of MNT in other disease conditions through a variety of initiatives. With this new insight into CMS’s approach to expanding coverage, we are exploring potential strategies on both the legislative and regulatory fronts. We will continue to share information with members through all available communication channels.

Click here to read the full CMS Final Decision Memorandum.

Nutrition Services Coverage Team

Reimburse@eatright.org

Note: This message was posted on behalf of Roberta Anding, SCAN's representative to the House of Delegates.

Tech tools to expand services & increase visibility

2011-10-29T12:47:00.000-07:00

Denice Ferko-Adams, a SCAN member, was recognized for her Dynamic Initiative in Dietetics Practice and Education display at FNCE 2011 in San Diego. Her topic was "Tech Tools to Expand Services & Increase Validity."

Here is Denice's abstract:

Tech Tools to Expand Services & Increase Validity

We all lead busy lives. Using technology to stay in touch with clients can improve eating and exercise compliance and create new business opportunities. Denice Ferko-Adams, president of Wellness Press, will review the evidence behind keeping food records and demonstrate ways that technology can be used to enhance effectiveness of nutrition services. Participants will see examples of ways to use an interactive software tool, MealLogger: clients use their phones to take photos of meals and interact online with their dietitian. The service is being used by hospitals, universities, corporate wellness service providers, fitness clubs and individual dietitians both in the US and in Europe. Select case studies will be reviewed. See how technology can change how you provide nutrition counseling services, track data to show outcomes, and expand ways to generate new revenue for your business.

Congratulations to Denice. Has anyone who reads this blog used Meallogger or a similar tool? If so, feel free to post your experiences or questions. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN's Volunteer Web Editor

Teens Eat Right—A FREE resource for teachers

2011-08-30T11:42:00.000-07:00

SCAN is pleased to offer another FREE resource—Teens Eat Right. Teens Eat Right is a slide presentation with notes, cleverly developed handouts, and a quiz with answer key. It was developed to help teachers (and others who interface with teenagers) to help teens make healthy food choices. It can be ordered and downloaded free of charge here: http://www.scandpg.org/store/products/10129/

The slides and lesson plans were developed by Carol Lapin, MS, RD, CSSD, who is also co-director of SCAN's Wellness and Cardiovascular RDs subunit. Carol is a former high school teacher so she knows what grabs kids' attention. I call Carol the "rabbit" partly because she is always sniffing around finding new ideas (also because lapin is the French word for rabbit). Here's a sample of one of the slides:

There are notes for each slide and the data included were collected by Alicia Moag-Stahlberg, MS, RD, CSSD. Several people were involved in helping with the handouts including Pamela Nisevich Bede, MS, RD, CSSD, Linda Steakley, MS, RD, LD, Donna Bassi, RD, LDN, Maureen Mason, MS, RD, Jill Hobbs, MS, RD, LDH and Jill Eagen, MPH, RD (If I've forgotten anyone let me know, but blame Carol).

The Teens Eat Right materials are intended to be humorous with images that catch the eye and make you laugh (don't miss the toddler looking for food in the refrigerator). However, we all know the seriousness of the problem and this can help engage teens on the topic of healthy eating. SCAN hopes this will be a valuable resource for teachers and dietitians; Please tell a colleague that it is available.

Teens Eat Right—IBIWISI (I'll Believe It When I See It)—but maybe this will help move us towards our goal. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN's volunteer web editor

Sign up for SCAN events at FNCE

2011-08-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

If you are going to be at FNCE, SCAN has several FREE events. You will need to register for some of them because the number of seats available is limited due to the size of the room or because enough food needs to be ordered. This page on the SCAN website contains all the information that you need: http://www.scandpg.org/e-learning-and-events/2011-fnce/. Be sure to scroll down so that you can see all of the events. Breakfasts, receptions, spotlight sessions...and much more.

I've been attending FNCE for a long time (my first one was in 1974, before it was named FNCE) and I've developed a strategy that works for me. I stay at a hotel about a mile from the convention center so that I can walk to and from the main venue. Exercise is built into the day and it is fun to see and hear a city wake up. San Diego Convention center is located on the harbor. I grew up in a beach town in southern California and an early morning walk along the water is a wonderful way to start the day.

Attending a breakfast gets my day started right. I hear good speakers, earn CPEUs, and get to sit down to eat a healthy meal (as opposed to grazing my way through the exhibits). It's also nice to see colleagues--so much of my work is done through electronic communications and it is nice to have the human contact. Of course, the down side to breakfast is actually having to get out of bed, get dressed, and get there, but it is easier for most of us when the host city is on Pacific time.

I'm planning on being at all the SCAN events at FNCE. If you see me there, please say hello.

Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN's volunteer web editor

New Resources for You

2011-07-25T15:55:00.000-07:00

Two more resources available--Check them out!

Healthy Snacking for Smoking Cessation is a new handout created by the Wellness and Cardiovascular RDs (Wellness/CV) subunit. This concisely written and smartly designed handout is great for use with individual clients as well as at health fairs. Print a copy from the SCAN website free of charge.

The Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders (DEED) subunit has updated their professional resources page. It includes links to professional organizations, resources for the public, and help with finding treatment providers. It is a treasure trove of information.

In fact, all three subunits (Wellness/CV, DEED, and Sports Dietetics—USA) are in the process of reviewing website pages and updating the information that appears. The SCAN website is dedicated to timely and accurate information for members and non-members, so stay tuned for more updates.

Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN's volunteer web editor

Is it the salt shaker?

2011-06-29T07:41:00.000-07:00

Check out this comprehensive update on sodium and hypertension...

SCAN members have access to the Spring/Summer 2011 Public Health Community Nutrition (PHCN) newsletter, Digest, which is devoted to an update on sodium and high blood pressure. This beautifully designed and well-written newsletter reflects the "Spectrum of Prevention" framework that focuses on more than just the individual. Acknowledging that the addition of salt to food by the individual is no longer the primary source of sodium for most Americans, a new model has emerged to help positively influence sodium intake. Think globally, act locally...

Two SCAN members were guest contributors, Jessica Lee Levings, MS, RD, LD and Carol Lapin, MS, RD, CSSD, LD. Their articles, along with those written by PHCN members, are available here: http://www.scandpg.org/nutrition-info/update-on-sodium-and-hypertension/

Note: You must be signed into the SCAN website to access this newsletter. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN's volunteer web editor

Miles of Smiles for Ellen Coleman

2011-05-19T07:50:00.000-07:00

Ellen Coleman, MA, MPH, RD, CSSD, a founding member of SCAN, has been chosen to receive a 2011 Medallion Award, one of the American Dietetics Association's (ADA) highest honors.

This award "honors ADA members who have shown dedication to the high standards of the dietetics profession through active participation, leadership, and devotion to serving others in dietetics and allied health fields."

Ellen Coleman is synonymous with sports nutrition. When I first began teaching at Fresno State in the early 1980s, the student dietetic association wanted to sponsor a speaker in the emerging area of nutrition and athletic performance. Ellen was already the go to person. She was animated, funny, and very smart. She started her talk by telling the group an important lesson she had learned as a graduate student at UC Davis: Never come in late or you will be the one chosen to participate in the next experiment that requires a rectal temperature (Everyone laughed, but I did notice that students were more attentive to coming to class on time that semester). I was so impressed with her knowledge of physiology and the way she could explain the basis for each sports nutrition recommendation. But Ellen was more than book smart—she knew about sports nutrition from personal experience, having finished the Ironman Hawaii (twice).

As new fields emerge, so do its leaders. Those leaders have to make a choice—do they primarily promote themselves or do they focus on helping others and, in doing so, ensure that the entire profession is strengthened? Ellen has always focused on mentoring others. In the sometimes dog-eat-dog world of sports nutrition, Ellen has set the standard for selflessness.

I still have a signed copy of Ellen's 1988 book, Eating for Endurance. It is a slim 150 pages, but it contains pretty much all that was known at the time about what was needed to support endurance performance (a bargain at $8.95!). In the front she wrote, "Miles of Smiles!" a phrase she still uses today. When she handed it back to me, she encouraged me to pursue the field of sports nutrition. Fast forward to an email message she sent just last week in which she encouraged me to pursue my newest dream--hiking the GR 10 (a French hiking trail that runs the length of the Pyrenees). Ellen has encouraged so many of us over the years to pursue our professional and personal goals.

More than encouraged, she has inspired. And there is no greater inspiration than her perseverance in the greatest test of her life (http://www.mtsanjacinto.info/viewtopic.php?t=663). It's no surprise that her account starts with this: "Well, I broke the first rule of hiking—never end up on the 5 PM news." because Ellen never loses her sense of humor.

Miles of smiles, Ellen, and congratulations on receiving the 2011 Medallion Award. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN's volunteer Web Editor

New resource on the SCAN website

2011-05-11T11:29:00.000-07:00

Need a resource to help consumers apply the 2010 Dietary Guidelines? SCAN has got you covered! Check out 10 Simple Steps to Make Good Habits More Delicious.

Click here to see SCAN's latest resource. You can view this new guide online, download it to your desktop, or order one packet containing 20 printed guides. Flipping through the book is fun, just use the arrows at the bottom of the page. You can also navigate the flip book by using the green bar on the left hand side of the page. That's where you'll find the download option.

Want to download the offline version? Click on the first tab at the top of the green navigation bar on the left hand side of the page. Choose either Windows or Mac format to download the application needed to use all the flip book features. If you'd rather just have a pdf of the guidebook, click on PDF. The guidebook is 12 MB; the time that it takes to download will depend on the speed of your internet connection.

Do you need printed guides to hand out to patients or clients? If so, click on the green ADD TO CART button, where you will be able to order one packet containing 20 printed guides. This offer is FREE of charge to all dietitians. The 10 Simple Steps to Make Good Habits More Delicious was made possible through an unrestricted educational grant from Unilever soft spread brands, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!®, Shedd’s Spread Country Crock® and Promise® Buttery Spread.

If you have any technical problems, please contact the SCAN office at scandpg@gmail.com. As always, you are welcome to post questions or comments to this blog. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN's volunteer Web Editor

Athletes Avoiding Gluten

2011-04-18T10:13:00.001-07:00

Gluten free is a dietary lifestyle with a growing number of products designed for people suffering from celiac diseases who risk damage to their gut if gluten is ingested. Certified gluten free packaged goods provide a seal of assurance that the grains and process specifications for these products are safe for celiac sufferers. Although the purchaser can feel confident that they are not risking their health in many cases they are paying 2x's the amount for daily staples such as bread and cereal.

Now researchers at the University of Maryland's Center for Celiac Research estimate that one out of every 20 people has gluten intolerance. Classified as a separate condition from celiac disease, people commonly referred to as gluten intolerant or gluten sensitive present symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, fatigue, anemia, weight loss and other symptoms similar to celiac disease. Products that may trigger the response in a celiac patient may not in a person with gluten intolerance.

The athlete avoiding gluten because of celiac disease or gluten intolerance is looking for easy, convenient, and nutritious foods that can give them complex carbohydrate fuel. As practitioners we can advise these athletes to make simple culinary swaps such as potatoes for pasta, rice for couscous and cornstarch for flour. However, when they are shopping in their local market they may need some extra help and one that I have found to be very useful is the Gluten Free Grocery Shopping Guide 2011-2012 Edition by Dr. Mara Matison & Mr. Dainis Matison. One thing that needs reinforcement is that the athlete should not avoid ALL carbohydrates, especially while training, but become better educated on how to find palatable choices that deliver their fiber, B vitamin, folate and iron requirements.

The President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and NUTRITION

2011-04-10T08:43:00.000-07:00

I'd forgotten about the 50 yard dash, but I can remember the excitement at my grade school about the President's Council on Physical Fitness, championed by then President John F. Kennedy. To now have nutrition as part of the name is exciting and to have three SCAN members represented on the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition (PCFSN) science board is wonderful.

I'm not old enough to remember President Eisenhower's creation of the President's Council on Youth Fitness, but it was started to encourage American children to be as physically fit as their European counterparts. I do remember the first name change and the emphasis that was put on fitness by President Kennedy. He was a young president and seemed full of energy. And I'm pleased that in June 2010, President Obama's executive order added nutrition to the name. The order reads, in part, "...to recognize that good nutrition goes hand in hand with fitness and sports participation..."

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and former Olympian Dominique Dawes are the new co-chairs. What's exciting for SCAN is the addition of three of our members to the PCFSN Science Board:

Linda Houtkooper, PhD, RD
Melinda Manore, PhD, RD, CSSD
Stella Volpe, PhD, RD, LDN

You can read their bios and the bios of the other Science Board members here. Congratulations to Linda, Melinda, and Stella for their many accomplishments, including this new appointment.

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN's volunteer web editor

Top 10 Reasons...

2011-03-23T13:45:00.000-07:00

Top 10 reasons to take advantage of being a SCAN member and plug your information into the Find a SCAN RD section of the SCAN website (Thanks to Jenna Bell, PhD, RD, CSSD).

You may think that you don't want to be found, but think again...here are the top 10 reasons to add your info NOW:

10. Consumers need your advice and they don't sell RDs at the supermarket.
9. Athletes need you to help them perform better.
8. Coaches are confused by nutrition.
7. A professional organization wants YOU to speak at their next conference.
6. A publication wants to quote you for their next great piece.
5. Magazines and newsletters want you to write for them.
4. Doctors don't know where to find dietitians.
3. Fitness clubs have their personal trainers do nutrition because you're no where to be found!
2. A company wants your services to help them with their latest product.
1. SOMEONE WANTS TO PAY YOU FOR YOUR EXPERTISE!

I've posted instructions below for changing the information that shows on your Find a SCAN RD profile. For those of you who DO NOT want to be listed in the Find a SCAN RD feature, there is an option for opting out. Just a reminder, if you make any changes be sure to click on the SAVE button.

Have you been contacted through the Find a SCAN RD feature? If so, you might want to write about your experiences by posting a comment to this blog. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN's Volunteer Web Editor

To update MyProfile (the place to change your Find a SCAN RD profile, opt out of Find a SCAN RD, and sign up for a subunit):

Click on My Profile (located to the right of where it says Welcome [your name])

Note: There are three green EDIT buttons on this page

To edit General Information, Contact Information or Membership Details:

Click on the green edit button located directly above Member Profile (you may have to scroll down)

If you want your address, city, state, email, etc. to be public and show in FIND a SCAN RD, click on the Is Public box next to the ones you want public. For privacy reasons, only you can make your contact info public.

If you want an active link to your website, put your URL in the website field, located under Fax Number

If you want an area of expertise to show up in Find a SCAN RD, click on the box(es)

If you want to join one or more of the subunits, click on the appropriate box(es)

You may specify services offered (e.g., individual and group counseling)

If you DO NOT want to be listed in the Find a SCAN RD feature, click on the Exclude from Find a SCAN RD Search box

If you make ANY changes be sure to click on the SAVE button

To edit Member Profile (This is the About Me section on Find a SCAN RD):

Click on the green edit button located right under Member Profile

A yellow shaded box comes up and you can add written info there

If you make ANY changes be sure to click on the SAVE button

To add/edit a picture or image:

To add or edit a picture or an image (personal photo, logo, etc.,) click on Change (located under the image box)

Select a file to upload (a dialog box appears)

To add/edit your social networking information:

Click on the green edit button located under Blogger:

If you want to add social networking sites, enter the full URL for any of your social networks

If you make ANY changes be sure to click on the SAVE button

Tip: Once you make changes to MyProfile, go to Find a SCAN RD, enter your zip code, and view the changes that you made.

SCAN Symposium keynote speakers were on fire!

2011-03-15T10:38:00.000-07:00

The SCAN Symposium keynote speakers certainly lived up to their top billing.

Louise Burke (far left) opened the 2011 symposium on Friday with her presentation, Fueling Athletes with Carbs: From Research to Practice. What I love about hearing Louise speak is that first and foremost she is evidenced-based. However, so many aspects of sports nutrition have not been studied extensively (or at all). Faced with that void, she gives thought to what we might tell athletes now. No one does research to practice better than Dr. Burke. One take home message: match intake to functionality. A sliding scale for carbohydrate intake based on intensity and duration of training makes sense.

On Saturday, Michael Roizen, MD from the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute gave an interesting presentation that got the audience thinking and talking. One message was that moderation doesn't work. He told the crowd about being in the green room prior to an appearance on a morning TV show in Canada. Another of the show's guests was there and reached for a donut. Dr. Roizen described grabbing his arm, grabbing the donut, throwing it on the floor and stepping on it. It got me to wondering--if dietitians took this approach would we be praised for our passion or be scorned and scolded as being diet police?

The Sunday keynote speaker did not disappoint. Dr. John Hawley gave a brilliant presentation titled, How Low Can You Go? Training-Nutrient Periodization for Endurance Performance. I wish I had the ability to present information so clearly and precisely. The talk was humorous and engaging, particularly appreciated since we'd all lost an hour with the time change. He too suggested the benefit of a sliding scale for carbohydrate intake that is closely matched to the athlete's training and recovery schedule. Dr. Hawley reviewed some of the evidence in support of low carbohydrate availability and the promotion of endurance training adaptations. Of course, more research is needed to determine if these manipulations and adaptations result in improved endurance performance. To translate the research to practice, we'll look to his wife and colleague, Dr. Burke.

If you have a comment about any of the sessions, please feel free to post. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN's volunteer web editor

SCAN symposium gathers champions

2011-03-13T04:36:00.000-07:00

This year at the SCAN symposium in Chicago I noticed a few new things about the professionals surrounding me:

1. The traditional dietitian is becoming increasingly diverse and specialized, which shows that adaptability is a valuable skill set for all nutrition professionals. Whether it be working for the US military or a high school soccer coach there is no telling where your career may lead you.

2. As much as I enjoy the larger FNCE meeting, this trip in particular I was very motivated to connect in a different way. I spent time talking to interested SCAN'ers at the Member Cafe who signed up for volunteering opportunities and shared stories of their journeys to the present. I walked away feeling more inspired and positive about the association that we all share with SCAN.

3. In Louise Burke's presentation she ended with the thought that "we have gone where the research has led us, we should be asking the questions first and then going out to do the research". Who better to come up with those hypothesis than the dietitians working with patients, athletes and community members? It's an empowering message and this audience in particular is primed to lead research of this kind into action.

4. Lastly, it was refreshing to be in easy to navigate, peaceful enviroment. From the silent auction to the healthy snacking sponsored breaks to morning exercises, I appreciated that thought was put into how attendees were feeling as well as learning.

Thank you to the SCAN Symposium committee members for creating a wonderful meeting!

A Bag of Goodies From SCAN Symposium

2011-03-11T07:41:00.000-08:00

SCAN Symposium is a bag of goodies--literally and figurately.

Upon check in each attendee received a big purple bag FILLED with goodies.

There's Gatorade 02 Perform, 03 Recover, and 01 Prime energy bites...Ironman Perform and two enegry bars from PowerBar...Rockin' Refuel...Detour bar...Tera's Whey and BiPro whey supplements...Omega-3 soft gels.

Other goodies include: Welch's grape juice, CALIFORNIA almonds, dried cherries, cheerios (regular and honey nut)and Lipton tea. Lip balm from rkteamnutrition.net saved my life as I had forgotten to bring mine (still in the pocket of my tennis bag).

A nice surprise was the measuring cups (from Unilever) and measuring spoons (from Canola). I was on a cooking frenzy before I left and I found myself thinking I needed more measuring cups and spoons. Voila, they appeared in my SCAN bag and will make their way home to my kitchen.

And then there are the inserts! Coupons for Yoplait Greek Yogurt and POM Wonderful. Info from CALIFORNIA walnuts and Washington red raspberries, Eating Recovery Center, Subway, and much more. There's a copy of Today's Dietitian for the plane ride home.

Now off to the real goodies---the sessions.

From Chicago...Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD
SCAN's volunteer web editor

NMCD--what's in it for you?

2011-02-22T15:58:00.000-08:00

Have you checked out the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (NMCD) lately? NMCD provides unbiased, scientific clinical information on complementary, alternative, and integrative therapies. And the best part for SCAN members is that access is free, one of many SCAN member benefits.

Today I put in the search term: omega-3. As you can see from the screenshot below there is a full monograph that summarizes safety, effectiveness, mechanism of action, etc. and a reference list.

If you are a SCAN member, it is easy to access the NMCD. Here are the instructions:

Under Nutrition Info, click on Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (in the pulldown menu or near the bottom of the column on the left hand side of the page)

Click on the NMCD icon

You should be automatically logged in. You will know you are logged in by looking at the top upper left corner. Next to Home, it should say Logout (meaning you are currently logged in).

Many of you have a lot more experience with the NMCD than I do. Please post any tips or suggestions so we can all learn more. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN's volunteer Web Editor

A Resource for Educators

2011-02-11T15:15:00.000-08:00

Need a resource for teaching students about evaluating dietary supplements or how to organize, plan, and present a heart healthy culinary demonstration? SCAN can help.

SCAN's webinars have been popular and some educators have asked about showing some of the webinars in their classrooms. There are currently two Educators versions of webinars available for purchase:

Be Supplement Smart (http://www.scandpg.org/store/products/10087/)

The Registered Dietitian's Heart Healthy Culinary Kit (http://www.scandpg.org/store/products/10090/).

The Educators version allows for unrestricted access to the files for educational purposes (no commercial use is permitted). The files are available as both a QuickTime Video file and a Window Media file for use with both Macs and PCs. Any handouts, such as powerpoint slides or other resources, are included and may be copied and distributed to the viewing audience.

Videos add another dimension to a classroom presentation and are a life saver if the faculty member needs to be away to attend a conference or is ill (let's hope not, but it does happen sometimes). When I was a faculty member I always tried to make it as easy as possible for one of my colleagues to "cover" my classes while I was away at a conference. These are resources I wish I had had. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN's volunteer web editor

Finding Resources

2011-01-26T09:57:00.000-08:00

Researching food and nutrition information can be an overwhelming process and often finding the right information is dependant on your ability to search on specific topics in the right places.
Fortunately I have had the help of our corporate library manager who has pointed me to some helpful websites. These resources are useful if you are an employeed, consultant or freelance RD- go ahead and try them out when you begin your next research project.

- http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/gw/Cmd
- www.doaj.org (Directory of Open Access Journal)
- www.biomedcentral.com
- www.nafwa.org (The Nutrition & Food Web aRchive)
- www.dogpile.com

Another great tip that I recieved is to set up Google Alerts, Bookmark and Reader accounts so that I can collect and organize information all online. The sites are easy to navigate and can be the gateway to using other online features.

11 for '11

2010-12-23T14:18:00.000-08:00

Eleven features of the SCAN website worth checking out in 2011. Some are accessible to all, but others are members only benefits and SCAN members must be logged into the website to access them. Enjoy!

1. Member Marketplace

Looking for products and services by SCAN members?

http://www.scandpg.org/marketplace/

MEMBERS ONLY: Do you have a product to list? After signing in, click on MyProfile and then Marketplace to submit your listing.

2. PubMed feeds

SCAN volunteer Susan Dopart posts articles of interest specific to sports nutrition, cardiovascular health, wellness and weight management, and disordered eating and eating disorders with links to PubMed.

http://www.scandpg.org/news/

3. Nutrition Info for Consumers page

Newly designed page with information for consumers.

http://www.scandpg.org/nutrition-info/nutrition-info-for-consumers/

4. Point-of-Purchase Food Labeling Systems table

SCAN Volunteer Cheryl Toner created this table, which can be printed and used as a handout.

http://www.scandpg.org/nutrition-info/nutrition-info-for-consumers/point-of-purchase-food-labeling-systems/

5.Comparison of the 2005 and 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Fats

This table can also be printed and used as a handout.

http://www.scandpg.org/nutrition-info/nutrition-info-for-consumers/the-dietary-fat-guidelines/

6. SCAN's E-library is growing! It contains pre-recorded webinars, workshop and symposium videos and other media. A few are free; most have a nominal charge.

http://www.scandpg.org/e-library/

7. Check out the pages dedicated to Careers and Students

http://www.scandpg.org/careers-and-students/

8. Sports Nutrition Fact Sheets. This is one of SCAN's most popular pages.

http://www.scandpg.org/sports-nutrition/sports-nutrition-fact-sheets/

9. MEMBERS ONLY: Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database

http://www.scandpg.org/nutrition-info/natural-medicines-comprehensive-database/

Don't miss this incredible SCAN benefit.

10. MEMBERS ONLY: PULSE Newsletters

Members can access all PULSE newsletters back to 2004 as well as the articles that are currently available for CPEU.

http://www.scandpg.org/nutrition-info/pulse-newsletters/

11. 27th Annual SCAN Symposium, March 11-13, 2011 in Chicago, IL

http://www.scandpg.org/e-learning-and-events/2011symposium/

Here's to a healthy and prosperous 2011. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN's volunteer Web Editor

It’s About Me….and you….and us!

2010-11-29T07:31:00.000-08:00

SCAN members—we need your help with the Find a SCAN RD feature. One of the most important features of the SCAN website is Find a SCAN RD. It is front and center on the homepage because it is critical that consumers and potential employers can easily find SCAN members. But they can’t find you unless you go to My Profile and update your information. The more information you enter the more attractive your Find a SCAN RD listing will be. To update My Profile, you must be signed in as a member.

Once you are signed in, click on My Profile, which is at the top of the page next to your name. There are three green EDIT buttons on this page.

The first section is called General Information and includes your name, credentials, contact information, etc. If you want your contact information to show on the Find a SCAN RD page then be sure to click the box that says Is Public. Under membership details, check the appropriate boxes under expertise and subunits. When you are done editing be sure to click on the green box that says SAVE.

The second section is Member Profile, which allows you to describe yourself and your services. This information will be under the heading About Me when someone looks at your Find a SCAN RD listing. It also has a SAVE button, so be sure and click it when you are done editing.

Don’t overlook the third section on the right hand side of the page, User Picture, which allows you to upload an image by clicking on Change. You may choose to upload a picture of yourself, but you don’t have to. For example, you may prefer to upload the logo of your company. Images naturally draw the eye and encourage people to view your information.

The fourth section is for your social networking information, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, or your personal Facebook page. Do you have a blog? Enter the URL and it will show on your Find a SCAN RD listing. Remember to SAVE your information after you edit it.

Tip: Once you make changes to MyProfile, go to Find a SCAN RD, enter your zip code, and take a look at your listing.

Updating your My Profile is About Me…and you…and us! It’s About Me, because that is the best ways to describe who you are and what you do. But it’s not just about you. When you update your profile it makes for a more complete Find a SCAN RD feature and that helps every SCAN member. If you have questions, please add a comment to this blog or email me privately at NutritionLogic@comcast.net. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN’s volunteer Web Editor

Getting love bac

2010-11-12T09:26:00.000-08:00

So often in the media we hear general terms that describe a more complex entity. Many food and supplement companies have been using the term "probiotic" to market the health benefits of products such as yogurt, keifer, wellness drinks and now childrens snacks. Great but what is a probiotic?

It is this halo effect that I find confusing as I try to understand how to harness the power of bacteria to benefit my own health. I try to narrow down the ingredient to a single thing to look for on a food label but find that it is not a single thing. Probiotics are a classification of living, viable microorganisms that impact the gut flora and as a result provide health benefits. This makes me wonder what type I need and how much I should have, how much are in different products and what else can we eat that will provide the beneficial affect to our bodies?

Well to answer my questions I visited www.usprobiotics.org for answers to my clinical questions and much more. Another thing you can do is look for the National Yogurt Associations seal. The NYA Seal is available to qualified producers of live and active culture refrigerated and frozen yogurt for use on product labels and in advertising and promotional materials.

I would encourage all those who work in nutrition or any area of medicine for that matter to become engaged in this conversation. A preventative approach to health is an underlying theme of nutrition and this topic certainly lends itself to that catagory.

Hearing the voice of Science

2010-11-09T06:20:00.000-08:00

During the last session I attended, "The Peaks and Valleys in Product Innovation" it became very apparent that the role of a dietitian is becoming more complex as buisness and science take on the challange of helping people eat better.

I have to say that I am one who looks as innovation in a positive light and feel like it is my job as a dietitian to go forward with an open mind. SDA oil, probiotics and carotenoid rich veggies are food for thought and I hope that there is more to learn about them in the future.

A warm welcome at the Boston Convention Center

2010-11-07T11:44:00.001-08:00

It may be a cold November day in Boston but inside the convention center I am welcomed by warm smiles and friendly people. This is my 8th trip to FNCE but I still get butterflies walking up to the registration table and getting my badge. Once I have my bag and book I peer down onto the Expo floor to see the maze of booths. Some names I recognize and look forward to visiting because I know there will be new ideas, hands to shake and friend to make.

Being in the midst of a large crowd can be somewhat intimidating, that is why I am so glad that I can connect on a smaller level with my SCAN friends at their events. I am especially excited to attend the reception tonight and shake the hands of those executive members who work so hard to connect with their fellow members and bring value to their time at FNCE.

Right now I am headed to my first session and then a stroll down on the Expo floor. Looks like it is going to be a full day!

Playing a bigger game in business

2010-10-28T11:55:00.000-07:00

What do you want to accomplish in 2011 for yourself and your business? Do you have your plan together for how you're going to do this? Here are three tips to help you make that happen.

1. Invest. You've heard the idea that in order to really succeed, you need to spend some money. I know RDs are VERY fearful of doing such a thing. However, when you fear investing in yourself, and keep thinking small, you get small. So, invest in what's necessary to take you to the level you feel you need to go. This can be consultants or coaches. Imagine if you were to invest in such a way that it took your breath away. If you were to invest THAT grandly, do you think you'd step up to play that higher game? Oh, you bet you would!

2. Push. We often create our own stories in our head. You've heard them, "I can't do THAT!" and "THAT" could be anything, from calling former clients to offer them a new program you have available, standing your ground during negotiations for what you KNOW you're worth, or even (heavens!) asking a potential client who just called you to hire you! Granted, you need to know HOW to do these things. See #1.

3. Believe. You have to believe that you can accomplish anything you can imagine doing. That really is the base for being able to do #1 or #2. If you believe you have the talent and expertise and can change people's lives, then it's just a matter of putting the systems in place to make it happen AND enjoy being paid for your worth.

What will your 2011 look like? Mine is shaping up to be INCREDIBLE!I have just challenged MYself to step up and play a VERY big game. And I am in the process of re-vamping all of my services in order to help my clients do the same.

We're all about changing lives, right? How many lives would YOU like to change in the upcoming year? You can't do that if you're sitting in your home office afraid to step out of your comfort zone.

It's been my pleasure to guest blog on SCAN's site. I thank all of you for your readership and comments. I invite you to come visit my site and blog and even let me see if I can help YOU play a bigger game!

And, if you're coming to FNCE, make sure to hunt me down and say hi!

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises, Inc.

The power of Networking

2010-10-18T13:44:00.000-07:00

Networking is one of those topics I keep saying that one day I'm going to do a workshop on. It certainly is one of those areas of 'love/hate' that many of us feel.

I've written about networking before, but with FNCE (ADA's Food and Nutrition Conference and Exhibition) just around the corner, I thought today would be a good one to get your head in line with networking.

If you are going to FNCE, or any networking event, for that matter, what can you do to take the fear out of networking and make it fun? Here are a couple tips:

1. Do NOT make it about you! We so often anguish about how to tell people what we do. However, effective networking isn't about US, but about the people we meet! It really does help your anxiety when you take it away from being about you - just be curious about the people you meet and ask them a lot of questions. Trust me; we all are experts about ourselves and can talk on that subject quite easily.

2. Always have more business cards than you think you need. Hand them out like candy at Halloween, too! You never know who might pass your card onto someone who would be interested in your services. In some pieces on networking, they say be stingy with your cards, but I don't agree with this. What good are those cards sitting in your pocket??

3. When you receive a card from someone who interests you, make a note on their card with something that will remind you about them. Then, when you get home, always follow up with the people you met. Ideally, within that first week. Naturally, there may be people you don't care to follow up with (I've met TONS of insurance agents at networking events!), so don't feel you have to follow up with them all. But, I imagine there will be at least one to three people you'd like to at least say hi to, to create some type of relationship with. You may not stay in close touch, but you never know when you might want to contact them or they you.

4. Set one goal to achieve at the event. An example might be to meet one particular person. Or meet one NEW person who you might have something in common with. Maybe to meet someone who would be nice to get to know better, either as a friend or someone to collaborate with. Another example could something as simple as speaking to three people you don't know!

And, as you start to plan your trip to FNCE, I encourage you to plan what YOU would like to achieve at the various networking events!

Naturally, you'll want to attend all the SCAN events.

But, as Chair of NE (Nutrition Entrepreneurs) DPG, I also would like to invite you to our Pay it Forward Networking reception on Saturday night! Only a few tickets are available, so you should sign up, now. But, would you like to meet someone like Nancy Clark? Or perhaps you would like to win her book? This event isn't JUST a time to come and browse around with others; it will be an event where you learn HOW to network!

Make FNCE, or any event, count for you! By taking control of what you would like to GET out of these events, you take control of the power networking can play in growing your business OR your career.

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises

The cost of perfection - Success

2010-10-13T11:41:00.000-07:00

I hear it all the time: "I can't start seeing clients until....." and the list of all the things they need to do FIRST is rather endless. Does that sound like you?

What's REALLY going on?

Dietitians are great perfectionists. And they are great at planning... and planning.... and planning.... It wasn't by ACCIDENT that my book is called "Just Jump"!

When a person spends all their time trying to make things 'perfect' and keep planning, and don't actually get out there and DO IT, this often means one big thing: They don't feel confident inside!

So, yea, you can spend all your days (forever) planning and making things just right, but while you're doing that, time is passing and people who might be calling you are calling other people!

So, your planning for making things perfect is costing you! It's costing you money; it's costing you business; it's costing you success! It's costing you your dream!

OK, we've painted the picture of what can hold you back. Now, how do you step out of that pit of perfection and turn it around into creating success?

1 - JUST DO IT. You've heard that saying, I know! You're never going to really know what works and doesn't until you get into the 'trenches', so to speak. Take a client! Tell people you're ready. Yes, inside you may not be, but trust me; you know much more than you give yourself credit for. And I PROMISE you know more than your clients know! And where you may feel you're flying by the seat of your pants, they may walk out of that first session saying, "Wow, that was better than I thought!"

2 - SAY YES. Honestly, there is no other way to start creating success on the inside than to 'just do it'! Now, what may happen after that first session is that you didn't like how that first session went. NOW you have something to work on, though! But, when that second call comes, TAKE IT! With every yes (with exceptions - see #3, below), your self-confidence grows.

3 - FOCUS. This means stop going in 1,600 directions. For every opportunity that comes your way (or every new educational option), ask yourself, "Does this help me achieve my goals right now?" Grin; all my clients know this question. If you do NOT answer "Yes", then say "no" and let it go. The first few times you do this, you'll feel nervous, but soon your confidence will start to grow, because the yeses are more focused and enhance what you want to do, and what you do well. Embrace this tip and take it seriously. This is a HUGE key to success at every level.

I could go on, because once I get going, I LOVE this topic. But I'll stop there. Let me know what works for you AND let me know you've actually stopped planning and have JUMPED!

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises

Making the time for you, in order to achieve success

2010-09-26T16:50:00.000-07:00

You've read this from me, before, all about the importance of incorporating balance into your life. But are you practicing it, yet? Are you making the time to relax and regenerate? Let's talk about why it's important and what it can cost you to NOT walk away and make the time to relax.

Why it's important to take time off
This is an area I'm always helping my clients work through, but I have to also work through it, myself, on an ongoing basis. It doesn't come naturally. However, because I've SEEN the results, I believe in it as much as the value of exercise and healthy eating!

Here are three reasons why it's important to make the time to relax and walk away from working:
1 - Removing yourself from work helps you renew and regenerate, so you are more energized and excited and passionate about what you're doing.
2 - Walking away and taking time off helps you revamp your creative side.
3 - When you allow yourself to make time to relax, you then are more focused when you return.

What it costs you to NOT make the time:
1 - You get lost in the 'doing' and lose the 'creating' of business. This costs you the ability to focus on what's most important in your business.
2 - When you get stuck in the doing and doing and doing of every day, you lose that energy that people can see and feel in you. You soon get passive and bored.
3 - It costs you MONEY to not take time off, because of the focus and creativity you have lost.

How can YOU start practicing making time to take off? I challenge you to try it just ONE day this week and let us know what happens and what you learn from the experience!

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises

Creating a contract to protect yourself and your relationships

2010-09-13T15:59:00.000-07:00

Many nutrition professionals consider contracts as something scary and a detail that they don’t need to concern themselves with. They don’t want to offend the other party, or want the other party to assume they mistrust them, yet the problem is not one of honesty, but one of protecting the relationship.

Why should you create a contract?
The obvious reason is to protect yourself. If you were to see clients in an MD office or sports clinic, you want all aspects of the agreement spelled out. If you are contracting with a corporation, you want to be very clear what you are doing, for what length of time and in exchange for what compensation.

A huge issue develops when friends decide to go into business or collaborate on a project together. Nothing will end a friendship faster than a misunderstanding around business! An oral agreement can include items/issues that each party may remember differently with the passage of time, yet if it is in writing, and the friends came to a mutual agreement on each item, the friends can refer back to that agreement.

Studies have shown that people tend to be unrealistically optimistic about the future of their personal relationships. It’s this optimism that leads to the importance in drawing up a contract when doing business with someone you have any type of relationship with.

What makes up a contract?
A contract can actually be a very simple document. In order for any contract to be legally binding, there are four basic requirements they all must have, written or oral:

1. Offer and acceptance:
a. An offer is a statement by a person that indicates a willingness to enter into a bargain on the terms stated.
b. An acceptance occurs when the person to whom the offer was addressed indicates a willingness to accept the proposed bargain.

For a dietitian, an example would include an offer to pay a certain price or percentage of business in exchange for space to see clients and acceptance of that offer from the person with the space.

2. Consideration:
a. This is anything of value that is exchanged between the parties. It can be money, property, a promise to do something or a promise to not do something. It literally means ‘a bargained-for exchange’. The requirement is met when one party gives up something of value in exchange for the other party’s giving up something of value.

An example would be the exchange that one person would provide space and the other person would pay a certain amount for the privilege of using that space. An important key is that both parties must provide something of value.

3. Both parties must have the capacity to enter into a contract:
a. This just means both parties must be mentally competent and not a minor

4. The contract must have a legal purpose:
a. This would be what the purpose of the contract is all about.

Using the above examples, the legal purpose of the contract is that the offeree is offering to pay the offeror a certain sum in exchange for the use of space.

A final section of all contracts should also include an ‘integration’ or ‘merger clause’. This is a statement at the end that states, “this agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, representations, and understandings of the parties.”

Consider a contract as a sign of potential growth for your business and a tool to enhance all of your professional agreements and collaborations. You are in business to succeed, and I strongly believe that contracts with all parties is one sure way to continue that success.

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises

Taking a Stand as the Nutrition Expert – Overcoming the Fraud Factor

2010-09-06T13:50:00.000-07:00

Eleanor Roosevelt said that you must do the thing you think you cannot do in order to achieve the success you desire.

When most people start their business, they tend to feel like an impostor. A question I hear quite often is, “Why would people contact me instead of someone else?” They always site the fact that others know so much more than they do.

This is absolutely normal!

And, quite often, because of your specialty and education, many people do NOT know what you know!

You decide to step out of your comfort zone and take part in a networking event. This event consists of people in the local business community and you have just started your practice. It’s time to get out and mix, you decided. But, as you walk into the building, you’re wondering, ‘What WAS I thinking?’ After all your hard work to get the doors open to your dream practice, and although you are very clear about what makes you shine above the others, suddenly you doubt you can even have an intelligent conversation with these people who MUST be more experienced and sophisticated than you are!

Or are they? Do you realize that most of the people in that room feel the same way you do?

But what is this all about? For women in particular, they feel that, regardless of the accomplishments and education they have attained, they really have fooled others into thinking they are knowledgeable and deserving. One day they will be found out, they think! However, they continue to volunteer for high positions, get that next degree, and accept organizational honors, only to feel they just have everyone very well hoodwinked. If they continue to grow, maybe no one will really ever find them out. We can definitely see that in sports dietetics, we have a wealth of extremely educated professionals.

What is this all about? It’s all about self-confidence and being ok with not knowing it all. It’s taking little steps at a time out on that high wire, and realizing that we won’t fall. And if we DO fall, that we’re only a foot from the ground. Then, once you have done what you believed you could not do, and you start to see the success that’s possible, you are ready for the next step!

And, thus success is born.

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises

Raising your income level by knowing your value

2010-08-31T14:27:00.001-07:00

What is your value?

When you contact a company with the proposal that they use your nutrition services, what are you selling them? If you think you are selling them a service, it's time to reconsider!

Organizations don't buy consulting services, they buy access to your ideas, your knowledge, your expertise. They sign up to secure access to you and your company so that they can perform better, whether it's the athletes or employees or executives.

As a result of this, as a consultant, you do not want to minimize your services by giving the company a quote for the number of hours worked. You want to give them a quote for the value you are bringing to the company.

Do you know what that value is?

Think about something special that YOU spent money on in the last six months. Why did you purchase that product or service? Really think about it. Chances are, it's because it met some type of need. And the way it was presented was in such a way that you could visualize what it would cost to NOT meet that need.

Think about this:
** You ask the company these questions: What is it they want to accomplish; how will they know they have accomplished it; what will it cost them to NOT accomplish this goal; and how will it look when they've accomplished this goal? Most corporations looking at bringing in a corporate wellness consultant are doing so in order to cut costs.

Here is an example of some of what you'll say:
So, they will be able to save X% of its healthcare costs as a result of working with you. Will this interest them? Most likely.

* Previous companies who have contracted with you have been able to decrease healthcare costs by at least X%. Will this interest them more? Yea!

* You have several programs the company can choose from, so instead of choosing between contracting with you or NOT contracting with you, you can ask, "Which program would fit your needs better?" This gives the company choices that do NOT include "Yes" or "No" to working with you. Do you have a new contract, now? Probably!

How will you 'sell' your value?

Often we look at the features we are selling, not the results. As indicated above, focus on results and be clear about what your value is.

Then sign on the bottom line and smile on the way out the door.

Now your value is MORE than the dollar amount to that contract. Now you have increased confidence and are ready for the NEXT company! And the income level is rising...

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises

Time + Perception = Challenge

2010-08-23T11:10:00.000-07:00

I’ve been asking people, “What is your biggest current challenge” and have noticed a trend. We see it on here, too; when I write about time management, people take notice.

We’re all looking for how to manage the time we have better. What people told me in reply to my question above was this:
• Having time for myself
• Balance
• Balance
• Finding time
• Learning how to say no

Do you hear yourself in any of these? Do you see a trend??

I’ve written about time management in this blog before, so I’m not going to repeat myself. If you haven’t read them, check old SCAN blogs and read them, now. What I am going to discuss, though, is our PERCEPTION of time.

What do I mean by “perception of time”, you ask?

We all have the same amount of time in a day. Often we observe very successful people and wonder “How DO they fit it all in?” Yet they have the same number of hours in a day you do!

Sure, they might have better organizational skills. And I totally believe in the value of help (we can build a small business on our own, but to take it to the next level, you do need other people). But, above it all, they all have two things in common:
- They have a clear vision and a plan for achieving that vision
- They PERCEIVE that they have the time to achieve that vision (each day, week, month, etc)

So, great, I’ve now shared with you what the most accomplished people have in common, and have basically told you that you need to change your PERCEPTION! But you’re probably now asking, “Now what?”

This is where coaching comes in! What is your belief around your time (or lack of)? Do you moan that you just have way too much to do, with school and your business and children, etc? Do you believe you can’t do something yet, because you ‘don’t have time’? What would you like your time/days to look and feel like? How would you feel if your reality was your ideal vision?

This the first place to start in looking at your perception of your time issue. And I was tempted to walk you through a great exercise that is called “The Work”, but instead decided to give you the link to the specific exercise. If this is truly an issue for you, take your belief around time into that exercise and share with us what comes up for you! (And, as an aside, if you are not familiar with Byron Katie and The Work, I also suggest you check out her videos of her DOING ‘The Work’.)

There is a way to be in control of your day, your business, your life, your time. We all strive for that control. When you have it, things couldn’t be better! And it IS possible!

It’s all in your perception.

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises

Build your Platform so they come

2010-08-16T21:16:00.000-07:00

Generally when we discuss a “Platform” we are discussing book publishing. However, it dawned on me that it can have just as much value for “just” a business as for a book! So, let’s look at what it means to develop your platform and why you would want to do it.

Although my book, Just Jump, has been out for a couple of years, I am always looking at new ways to promote it. It really has helped change lives, which I’m extremely proud of, so I want to continue to spread the word, and expand into new audiences.

And, I DO plan to write the sequel (for ‘service professionals’) one day.
I share this because I’ve been listening to a lot of audio programs all around book writing and promoting, etc, and a constant term that keeps popping up is building a platform for the book. And, just as a side-note, apparently the key to getting an agent is to already HAVE a platform!

So why not start now??

Build the platform and they will come
Many times professionals think that if they build a website or blog or rent an office and run an ad, that people will start swamping to them. I don’t need to tell YOU that this just isn’t the case! However, once you’ve built that PLATFORM, they DO come!

But what the heck is a platform!? Is it like the stage an act will perform on? Is it for loading/unloading goods?

You can consider your platform your stage and where you will unload your goods/services from, actually. It’s the whole package of who you are to the world.

It’s the combination of attending networking events, offering workshops, presentations, creating your website and blog, it’s showing up on all the social networking sites. It’s writing articles for both online and local venues.

It’s showing up EVERYWHERE!

I like to say that the big sign that you’ve made it is when someone you have never met and you didn’t think knew you says, “Oh yea, I know who you are”. Or, I love the one where someone local says, “You are EVERYWHERE!” YES!

That’s your platform.

One of the speakers I listened to last week talked about being short on the New York best sellers list by ONE POINT! She said she had done EVERYTHING. Except one thing: She was not posting on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Would it have made the difference? Probably.

Now, what is YOUR platform?
What are you NOT doing right now that you’ve been thinking you really should? What can you do to change that?

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises

Marketing Success: Tapping into the Feelings

2010-08-09T13:25:00.000-07:00

I know that as soon as I mention ‘Marketing’, dietitians do two things: They shudder with dread, and their ears perk up, because they want to know more.

First, marketing is just speaking to the goals or aspirations that your clients want. And this is why so many RDs struggle with it! Many will put the word out there about what THEY do, and they skip the part that addresses that chronic question potential clients have, which is “What’s in it for me?”

But how do you gain success with marketing? You have to tap into their feelings! THAT will tell them what’s in it for them: What problems you’ll solve, how they’ll resolve the struggles they deal with.

Think about it: What do you see in a car commercial? For family cars, you may hear all about their safety features. For the more sporty cars, though, you don’t see any mention of car seats or TVs! No, it’s fancy ladies and handsome men, looking sexy and attractive, and flying around rural curves. They are saying, “This can be you.”

They are tapping into the feelings.

Now, because I’m a coach, I use a lot of coaching techniques, but imagine this: You are targeting active women who want to become more fit and start training for events such as marathons or tri’s. If you promote yourself that you are an RD who is an athlete and went to this school and have these degrees, etc, and can provide them with meal plans, blaw, blaw, blaw… it will get their attention.

HOWEVER, talk about the benefits they will get through working with you, such as dropping that stubborn body fat, increasing their time, feeling more energized and looking GREAT, and now you will also get their call.

One more example: A woman who wishes to lose weight but just can’t seem to find anyone who really can help her. She hates what she sees in the mirror, and feels sluggish and unsexy all the time. She avoids thinking much about what she eats because she has never been successful with each ‘diet’ she has gone on. Why bother, she thinks.

YOUR message? It’s that mirror image to her problems!
* You can help her look fantastic, and love what she sees in the mirror.

* You can help her get to where she LOVES to go clothes shopping. Afterall, after working with YOU, she’ll have to go clothes shopping!

* Not only will she feel sexy again, but she’ll be more energized.

* She’ll become more active and enjoy it, and understand the role that food plays in her health.

* She’ll learn, through working with you, that food is fuel and something to look forward to and not fear.

* She will eliminate the diet mentality and learn how to eat to live, rather than live to eat.

YOU are the solution to her problems!

What else comes to mind for you? What are your clients’ struggles? Write them down and then literally write down the mirror image of those struggles, just as I did above. See what comes up for you, and then see what develops in your business as a result.

You know what your clients' struggles are. Now you just need to tap into the feelings and focus on your marketing SPEAKING to those feelings in order to achieve marketing success.

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises

When the "easy button" doesn't work

2010-08-02T15:55:00.000-07:00

There are periods of time when everything runs smoothly; the phone is ringing and clients are booking appointments with you, reporters are calling to quote your greatness in their papers, new teams are interested in what you can do for their players, and you are totally on a roll of success.

You have your support team of experts and advisers who have helped you accomplish more, and things couldn’t get much better!

That’s the peak of the hill.

But soon comes the valley….

In those valleys, suddenly you find yourself working harder to generate more buzz about your business. And along the way, you start hitting this wall or that, related to either a troublesome or unhappy client, or technology, or a family event requires more of your time than you feel you have at the moment, or a contract falls through.

I just collaborated with a partner on a new project, and I was just so proud of myself that in a very short period of time, with the help of my website designer and my VA, we set up the entire program and infrastructure in just a matter of about a week. I even joked that I had hit the ‘easy button’!

WHOOPS!

Suddenly, with everything, this glitch and that glitch developed. And that stinking easy button wasn’t working!

What do you do?

First, when you hit upon glitches with your clients, it’s time to pull out “Raving Fans” and re-read it. This will calm you down and give you a new perspective on what’s important and perhaps how best to handle the situation.

I have to remind myself of this definition: “insanity is continuing to do the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” When you start spending too much time on an issue/project and you’re getting nowhere, contact your help. Think of the wasted time as money.

But what if you don’t HAVE help? If you are hitting your head against a wall, that’s a screaming message that it’s time to just stop and walk away. Take a break! Our creativity and productivity requires breaks. Without them, we lose both. It’s like when a person is trying to diet and avoid a certain food. What usually happens? They eat all these other foods to avoid that particular food and THEN still eats that food, thus making the situation worse.

So, if you walk away and take the rest of the day off when you’re working on something that’s not turning out well, all of life will not end as you know it. Yes, you do have two choices: You can keep hitting that wall (which could get quite bloody), and not get anywhere and find yourself working on it the next day. Or you could take the day off, enjoy yourself, and come back to it the next day, anyway, but renewed and refreshed.

The peak will come again. As an entrepreneur who will never give up, you know it always does. (Trust me.) When you offer a great service that you KNOW people want, and you know you’re good at what you do, it’s inevitable. What ends most businesses, though, is how they handle the valleys.

I'm stubborn, myself, and will never give up. And my business is still going well, so I don't plan on closing my doors any time soon. So, I have to take my own advice and learn how to move forward when the easy button doesn't work.

And, to be honest, I haven’t gone out and BOUGHT my easy button, yet, anyway!

Margie

Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT

MEG Enterprises

The Myth of Multi-Tasking

2010-07-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

Multi-tasking. Oh, we all do it.
I know *I* sure do! And I KNOW it’s ineffective!

Here’s a perfect example of my morning, today: I have to write this blog for SCAN, I have to write one for my own Just Jump blog, I have to send our NE Executive Assistant my notes, etc, for our EC meeting next week, I have to send my bookkeeper the list of who to invoice for August, I need to spend my allotted 5 minutes/day on each social networking site, and…. Oh, and see clients and run errands and make it to an eye doc appointment. And complete ALL of that today.

So, here I am, at 9am on a Monday morning, and I’m about to tear my hair out, because I have fallen into that trap of MULTITASKING!

Research has shown that multitasking is NOT effective; that we actually can accomplish much more by SINGLE-TASKING. So, although I’ve written about some of this before, I feel it’s never enough to reinforce how best to take advantage of SINGLE-TASKING, by providing some tips.

EMAIL
Ah yea, that chronic time zapper. I love Dave Allen’s approach. Do you know why you will zero out your phone answering machines, but not your email inbox? Read Dave Allen’s book “Getting things done” to learn how to change this.

But, for right now, here are three tips: 1. determine the allotted time for reading emails and stick to that. Then shut DOWN your email reader. Set a timer, if necessary; 2. When you first open your email, do a quick initial scan and delete what you do NOT have to read, or file those for ‘later’ in their respective folders; and 3. Make sure to set up folders and filters. I could not LIVE without them!

WHERE’S YOUR LIST?
Without my list, I tend to forget the most important things and complete tasks that could have waited.

In order to be your most productive, write down what you want to accomplish in the day. Experts say to put the most important first, which I do, but I still find it works if I then prioritize the rest.

HOWEVER, if you have more than ~5 items on your day’s list, stop. If you have too many items on your DAILY list, you will be less accomplished and will feel like a failure at the end of the day. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking EVERYTHING is ‘urgent’.

Read Steven Covey’s book “7 Habits of Highly Successful People” to learn more about this.

PHONE CALLS
Have you ever been in the middle of writing something or creating a new program/project, and are on a great, creative roll, and then the phone rings? What do you do?

If you answer the phone, you have just COST yourself money! If it’s a potential client who just called you, if they are serious, they will leave a message. If you are too worried about this, and business is picking up, maybe it’s time for a phone service! But DON’T ANSWER THE PHONE!

SOCIAL MEDIA
I think I shared this before: My Social Media VA once told me to spend no more than 5 minutes a day on these sites. Pick which ones to spend the most days on, and then stick to that schedule. You know what? IT WORKS!

These are just a few simple tips that can help you move from multi-tasking to single tasking. Give it a try for a day or two and let us know how it works for you! You’ll be amazed.

I now have my list, I have gone through my email, and one of my tasks is now complete. Time for #2 on my list...

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises

Physical Self and Business Self- Are they different?

2010-07-19T07:56:00.000-07:00

Most of you can relate to working your body for an event or physical challenge. Yet, when it comes to business, you see that as a totally different animal! Are they really?

Let’s compare building your physical capabilities with your business capabilities and see how closely they really parallel each other.

Starting out:
When you start a particular sport, you find coaches and mentors who support, challenge and educate you. You depend on the wisdom of these people to help you learn the ropes of your sport, or even what it takes to achieve success in any physical endeavor. You hang out with people who are doing the things you are doing.

When you start your business, though, do you realize it’s exactly the same thing? But what often happens, perhaps, is you’ve never been exposed to other business professionals, so you feel like a fish out of water!

A good first start is by searching out nutrition colleagues who are also in business. Dietitians often feel intimidated to go out of their field at first, because they haven’t flexed their business muscle, yet! They don’t understand the language or concepts. I know; I was once there, myself! When I’d go to ‘business’ events, I felt extremely unworthy… I knew nutrition and fitness, NOT business, I’d say!

This leads to a good second step: Start reading business magazines. A couple good examples would be Entrepreneur, or Fast Company or Fortune Small Business. Like any new language, it’s going to take awhile to learn. But you are no dummy, so you’ll pick it up. And you’ll learn some new concepts or ideas for your business along the way! Yes, there is a whole other world out there…

But now you have to step OUT of the world of sports and dietetics and into the world of business! This means go to some of the local chamber of commerce meetings to expose yourself to this other world. Also see if there is a local business/entrepreneur organization. Many towns have a local chapter of the Small Business Association, which offer extremely affordable classes AND even free mentoring or support! When I started business school, I became aware of our local Women’s Business Center, which was an extremely invaluable resource for me while taking my business to the next level.

Growing pains:
As time went on, perhaps you found that the training and your events either weren’t as challenging or as fun as they used to be. Something was missing. Perhaps it was time for a new physical challenge! Maybe instead of tri’s, you’re ready to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro, or you’re ready for a century bike ride.

This is the same with your company. Now you are an established business, but the thrill is gone. Or the success you had hoped for hasn’t come. But where it seemed very logical with your physical changes, you’re stumped when it comes to what to do with the business!

For many businesses, if they are to evolve and continue to grow, SOMETHING has to change. Think of every big company who has lasted: Every single one makes changes. Even Google! Who would have thought they’d be offering phones five years, or even TWO years ago? Remember when Apple was struggling: BEFORE the iPhone??? We all wonder what’s next for them. Why are you any different?

This may mean going back to the drawing board and sitting down as if you are starting from scratch. What is your vision today? Maybe it’s different than it was when you first started your business. Who do you imagine working with? Again, this could be totally different than years earlier and your passion has changed! And that’s ok! It’s ok to re-invent yourself, just as it’s ok to change your physical focus from running ultra marathons to hiking or kayaking!

What can you take away from this message? My hope is you can see the parallels between your physical self and your business self.

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises

Connections that grow your future

2010-07-12T09:22:00.000-07:00

Have you ever sat back and thought of the people in your life who have helped you get to where you are, today?

No one grows and progresses in a bubble. Yea, we’ve heard that one, before. But what does it really mean?

What brought this up for me was the recent conversation I had with my website designer. I’ve known her for over five years, now. And it all started with one of my first classes in the Women’s Business Center when I started business school. I didn’t even KNOW that this center existed when I first started my business back in 1996! Too bad! But in that class, which was a marketing class, our instructor asked if any of us had business cards.

I was quite proud of my cards: I had created them myself and printed them up as I needed. And I was still using MEG Fitness, because I didn’t know what to do with my business coaching, yet.
Well, Olga looked at my card and, figuratively, tore it apart! Why did I have these figures, what do these colors mean, why do I have this line here? Heck, I don’t know; because it all looked good?!
First lesson in marketing – have a purpose and plan.

Oh, and why was my business called MEG Fitness when I was offering business coaching?? Oh yea; good question.

But, I loved it and valued her mentor-ship a great deal. We may not stay in close touch, but we will always stay in touch, and I know she loves to tell that story as much as I do.

But what else came out of that relationship was her introduction to Suzan from Creative Raven, who first started out as my graphic designer. Olga kindly said to me, “You need to contact this lady so she can design a new business card for you.” Got it! But, I knew she was right and thus began a relationship with a wonderful business professional who has helped me grow and refine my image through the years.

Think about every connection you have. Yea, this can be hard. So think of the most recent connections. Where did these people come from? What developed as a result? I bet if you think about it, you’ll be able to think of at least ONE story like what I shared above. Who did you meet at a meeting, who then gave your name to someone else for an opportunity?

Never skip the chance to meet someone or have a conversation with someone. You never know what might develop. I literally could tell dozens of such stories as above.

I’m going to share one last story with you: In a presentation I gave in April, I spoke about my experience with Toastmasters. I believe that ANYONE who speaks, or wants to speak, publicly, should join Toastmasters. Last weekend, as Treasurer of my club, I attended the Toastmasters Leadership Training. In our first break-out session, we each stood up to introduce ourselves. After my table, someone in the next table stood up and shared that because of ME, she had joined Toastmasters! WOW! When she and I spoke later, I realized the impact that my talk had on her AND the impact that this decision will have in her career (which is exactly my mission!).

But, as I gave her and her fellow club officer my cards to invite them to an upcoming book signing event, she shared that she was glad she ran into me again, because she wanted me to come speak at her company.

Connections…

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises

Incorporate coaching for greater client and professional success

2010-07-05T10:10:00.000-07:00

Are you familiar with coaching, yet?
Do you realize that coaching is one of the fastest-growing professions in the WORLD? And who better to incorporate coaching tools into their practice than RDs.

But what is it, what’s necessary to call yourself a coach, and how can you learn more?

What is coaching?
Coaching literally is the process of asking questions to guide the client to where he/she wants to go. According to the International Coach Federation, coaching is “Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.” It is based on the concept that the client is the expert, which is different than what we’re taught in school, where WE are the experts and we will impart our knowledge and wisdom upon the learners and they will be better for it.

Has that worked real well for you each time?
Probably not…

Coaching empowers the client and they start taking action! Oh sure, some of your serious athletes will do anything you tell them (up to a point), but what about the others? How do you reach them?

Coaching is different from therapy because you are helping your client move FORWARD, not look at where they’ve been. Coaching is different than mentoring, because how YOU do things is irrelevant. And it’s taking motivational interviewing another step towards the client, again.

What do you need to call yourself a coach?

NOTHING!
Seriously!

It’s like ‘nutritionists’. I once asked a lady what qualified her to call herself a nutritionist. She said (and I kid you not), “I’ve been reading nutrition books all my life!” Oh… well, of course…

However, if you want to stand above the rest of the pack jumping on the coaching bandwagon, get some training! Again, it’s not required, but will give you the SKILLS to coach with competence.

How can you learn more?
The best first place to start is with the ICF. I like to say that the ICF is to professional coaches what ADA is to dietitians. Spend time on their site; check out the schools listed, and what the ICF is all about. ICF does not offer education. They do offer certification, though.

Two credible schools that offer wellness coaching are Wellcoaches and Intrinsic Coaching. I have yet to learn of any others that specialize in wellness that I would recommend, although there ARE other wellness coaching schools, because this is a HOT area of growth potential. (Important point: This does NOT mean there are not other quality general coaching schools, but this is not the place to discuss them.)

Why not investigate if adding coaching to your set of tools would help grow your business or career? It’s a great fit for RDs, and you can’t lose by learning how best to empower your clients!

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises

Skipping meal post-exercise: harmful impact

2010-07-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

Dinner for Nate G. is a rare event. Post-exercise (his dinner-time), Nate prefers not to fuel his body for whatever reason despite knowing the consequences.

At two-three times per week performing one-hour sessions of intensive weight training and boxing, Nate needs... a turkey sandwich. A cup of chocolate milk. Something... anything!

He is in good shape so his decision to skip is not for weight loss purposes. He understands (or now he will if he reads this post) that omitting a meal within the "post-exercise window of opportunity" negatively affects proper muscle recovery. This is because waiting longer than two hours to eat has been shown to result in 50 percent less glycogen stored in the muscle. Glycogen storage is most active within the first 15-30 minutes post exercise.1 Therefore, he might eventually put himself at risk for serious injury if he doesn't replenish glycogen losses after exercising. And that wouldn't be good at all since he enjoys working out.

Enter: local NYC Café and Nate inside. Eating. Post-workout. It was a break-through in our sports nutrition eating-recovery ☺ His choice of roasted chicken without skin was better than nothing but not exactly an optimal macronutrient ratio. Ideally, he would have included CHO with this meal in order to stimulate his insulin response, which helps build up glycogen storage faster.

Most experts believe the optimal ratio of CHO-Pro supplementation post-exercise to replenish muscle glycogen is at least three grams of carbohydrate for every one gram of protein.2 If Nate needs at least 20-30g of protein for the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis, then his 3.5oz chicken (30 grams protein) with two cups brown rice (90g CHO) would do the trick. At first this seemed to be a lot of CHO to me. Yet, a hero or sub sandwich is easily 80g carbohydrates. For Nate, a 6" male at 185lbs, four servings of grains to one serving meat or fish is the ideal meal.

-Marissa Beck, MS, RD is the Director of Wellness and in-house dietitian at NextJump. Visit her website at: http://www.marissabeck.com/

1 Betts JA, et al. Effects of recovery beverages on glycogen restoration and endurance exercise performance. Williams MB, et al. Effects of recovery beverages on glycogen restoration and endurance exercise performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2003 Feb;17(1):12-9.

2 Ivy JL, Goforth HW Jr, Damon BM, McCauley TR, Parsons EC, Price TB. Early postexercise muscle glycogen recovery is enhanced with a carbohydrate-protein supplement. J Appl Physiol. 2002 Oct;93(4):1337-44.

Success and Balance

2010-06-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

Is this you?

You are working hard on building your sports dietetics practice, following this marketing lead, listening to what this other RD is doing and thinking, “Oh, I need to do THAT!” And you pretty much run from sun-up to sun-down, trying to chase after all the things you think will help you achieve success.

Where is your rest? How will you successfully grow your business if you don’t incorporate rest into your business?

Let’s address how to incorporate balance into your life, so you practice what you preach.

Getting balanced – 3 tips you can use now

1. Eliminate pre-conceived time boundaries. I have had my business since 1996, and have pretty much worked “full time” since then. Yes, I would take time here and there to meet friends for lunch, or attend networking events. But I was religious at making sure I worked Monday through Friday… because “that’s what you do!” However, I have just moved to Arizona, and when I moved, that opened up two days a week in my schedule! At first, I thought, “Oh, great, I can add more coaching clients to those days!” However, I also realized that one of the important parts of life, now, was to hit the hiking trails. So, today, I take Tuesdays “off” and then also either a Thursday or Friday off. And, I have never worked weekends.

Now, the first thing people think when they take more time off work is “Oh, business will drop down!” But, you know what? I am more present with my clients NOW, my creativity has increased, and when I DO work, I am much more focused and productive. And business has NOT dropped!

2. Do what you think you can’t. Is there something you’ve wanted to do but hesitate because it feels like too much work to learn? Do you hear yourself always saying, “I don’t have time for that”? The advantage of striving for something (a new competition, playing an instrument, etc) not related to your business will help you in several ways. First, it will help you empathize with some of your own clients better, who struggle to achieve their goals. Second, it will push you out of your comfort zone, so when you DO accomplish that goal, you will have greater self-confidence. This will filter into your business confidence, too.

3. Avoid isolation. Get out and join entrepreneur groups that are not just related to dietetics – for women, NAWBO (http://www.nawbo.org/) is an excellent organization to get involved with. Join your local Chamber, and then go to the meetings on a regular basis. Get out and get to know people; develop relationships. Not only might you create some great contacts that lead to new opportunities, but you may create new friendships, as well! And, when it comes down to a balanced life, strong friendships will make all the difference between enjoying life and just rushing through it.

With focus, determination, and planning, your business will be up and running successfully. In the meantime, however, it’s as essential to incorporate that balance into it as the work and dedication. Way too many people find themselves saying, “I’d just like to quit and get a job.” Before you get to that point; take time off and play!

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises

The Power of Adrenaline

2010-06-25T12:15:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, my company raced in the New York J.P. Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge 3.5 mile run. We had about 75 people competing – sadly for them, all were subjected to six months of my blabbing about hydration, sports nutrition and proper snacking. Finally, the day had come to put their training into effect.

Most of this crew ran the race, a far cry from their initial training abilities and racing goals back in the winter time. These are a people that usually sit in cubicles for eight hours straight. These peoples do not typically get up unless to eat a bowl of cereal, use the bathroom or grab coffee down in the local Starbucks. Luckily, we have two incredibly well-stocked kitchens full of healthy items, compliments to Yours Truly, and an on-site gym where we offer fitness classes and daily ping pong/Wii tournaments. That said I never imagined most of my coworkers running (no, not jogging) this race.

So I have to wonder about the powers of the “adrenaline rush.” 15,000 other corporate junkies were spotted in NYC’s central park, gearing up to run with their teammates and coworkers. Crowds were cheering, the weather was sunny and music blasted to feed the soul. Adrenaline is known to produce unusually exhilarating effects in the body. Says coworker Kate K., “I don’t know what came over me, but I felt the need to run.”

Can we say fight or flight? This girl has exercise-induced asthma and informed me at least a month ago that she was only going to walk this race. I concurred (I didn’t think stretchers were necessary at this corporate challenge). I would love to say she followed some of my training and nutrition programs, but something else tells me her catecholamines were in full-throttle. She ran the entire race successfully, her sympathetic nervous system in overdrive.

Coworkers came to me with similar tales. The crowd inspired them; it was an out of body moment; they couldn’t wait to attend the after-party we were hosting… How much of their race can we attribute to epinephrine? Are my coworkers (remember: Starbucks and cereal bowls) closet-case runners? No one was running from a tiger – but J.P. Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge anecdotal evidence shows that some C+C music factory and an audience of cheers can inspire some serious physiological responses.

The big online marketing dilemma – What do I do?

2010-06-21T15:49:00.000-07:00

Today Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and blogs are the hot tickets in online marketing. We hear it everywhere, and there are TONS of ebooks, webinars, and other products to tell you how to make millions using them!

Is there any truth to this and what should YOU do?

First, yea, they can be extremely effective, IF your target market hangs out on them. But, regardless, these methods should not be all you do, but is just part of what you should be implementing. In fact, you should have your PLAN (as in marketing plan?) put together before you start any marketing! And, these methods should be part of that bigger picture of what you want to accomplish in your marketing.

What else can you do, then?

Writing short articles and submitting them to article submission sites is still an effective strategy. One article submission site to add articles to is www.EzineArticles.com. Organizations and businesses will go to these sites to find articles for their own blogs or newsletters. I’ve even had a few show up in print media! This leads to a wider potential audience for your services!
Determine where your ideal clients hang out and offer to provide THOSE sites with short articles, too! And, if they have a networking area, jump in and develop relationships within that site, also.

Writing a short online newsletter/eblast helps you feature different programs you offer from time to time, and develop an ongoing relationship with potential, current, and previous clients. You can easily create a following of people who do NOT go on the social media sites. Think about it: Do ALL athletes spend a lot of time online? Maybe not.

With every one of these methods, however, when marketing online, make sure you track your progress. How many people come to your site via these social networking sites? How many people read your articles (EzineArticles will send you stats)? As you put your plans together (which is essential!), you want to also determine the expected outcomes. This way, if you decide to start Tweeting about your new membership program, with expected outcomes of increasing your website traffic by 30%, you can measure how well that’s working for you. If it IS, you can do more of it; if it’s not, you know you need to make a change, or eliminate that strategy.

Afterall, no matter what they say not many people (if any) make millions on Twitter…

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises

Marjorie Geiser is President of MEG Enterprises, and is author of the book, "Just Jump: The No-Fear Business Start-up Guide for Health and Fitness Professionals ".

Protein post-exercise: how much?

2010-06-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

I work amid a sea of computer engineers – they’re not your standard Mountain Dew drinking, sedentary bunch of kids creating the next social networking website in their garage. Some are. But many come bearing muscles, protein powder and a pocket full of sports nutrition questions.

The other day, Phil W. asked me if I thought he should, "...take in as much protein as possible after weight training. Is there a limit to look out for?" What should he do?

My first thought was: is he for real? Realizing he was, I forwarded him a study that showed how more than 30 grams did not further enhance the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis.1 I also presented him a list of foods to calculate his protein needs post-exercise:

But then it dawned on me. Was this even accurate? I consulted my Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning textbook, aka Goddess of Exercise Books, to rediscover that protein needs may be upwards of 1.5g/kg body weight in those who engage in heavy resistance exercise. So Phil, a 140# 5’11” male would require around 95g protein per day for his heavy strength training – at least.

The text went on to say that one factor determining the amount of protein needed might also be the type of resistance training program being used (e.g., single-exercise, low volume versus multi-exercise, high volume). This means that Phil’s total body resistance program would have more protein requirements, which makes sense because his body is using more muscle mass. So then, if Phil is eating three meals per day and no snacks in between (remember: computer engineer = six+ hours without food and drink, as though in a desert), is 30 grams really sufficient. Really?

My bottom-line is to tell people to ingest a meal chock-full of protein to help recovery. Maybe 30 grams is all one truly needs to ensure adequate muscle protein synthesis. My computer engineers are mathematicians. They want exact to the gram numbers here. Without doing a personal diet history on each and every one of them, what can we generally say is an adequate amount of protein post-exercise?

References:
A moderate serving of high-quality protein maximally stimulates skeletal muscle protein sythesis in young and elderly subjects. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 2009.

-Marissa Beck, MS, RD is the Director of Wellness at NextJump and a NYC-based food writer. Visit her website at: http://www.marissabeck.com/

Cheat Days

2010-06-13T21:37:00.000-07:00

One of my sports nutrition cases (a HUGE supplement-fanatic) eats fewer calories than a five year old per day. He is in fitness-model shape and has one day per week where he gorges like Violet Beauregard from Willie Wonka. Only he doesn’t blow up… and chews more than just gum.

I’ve chosen to focus upon the “three offending ingredients,” salt, sugar and saturated fat, because I wanted to present the most horrifying story possible to my client – such excesses seemed like it might do the trick.

The following is his list of foods consumed on, as he indicates, a “pretty standard cheat day:”

In calculating his total calories, we discovered that he was consuming close to 9,000 calories on his “cheat days.” Although he certainly makes up for calories lost throughout the week on his <1500 kcal plan, it’s certainly one of the more self-sabotaging methods of weight control.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), Americans should not consume over 10 teaspoons (40 grams) of added sugars per day, based on a 2000 calorie diet. Food labels generally do not distinguish between added and natural sugars in products. For example, one cup of skim milk has 12g of the natural sugar (lactose). One packet of peanut butter M&Ms is over the daily value at 47 grams of sugar, coming from sucrose. To put this into perspective, 665g is at least 2,660 calories from added sugars.

At 10,723mg of sodium per day, our subject is having close to four times the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for sodium. Focusing on long-term health consequences, such as hypertension, did not seem to affect this individual’s behavior change as did, “reducing tummy bloat in swim trunks.” Likewise, the term ‘chronic heart disease’ didn’t scare him, but not surprisingly, mentioning that 163g of saturated fat would interfere with his ability to maintain his 6-pack abs, did.

Our subject confessed there might be a level of masochism involved (ya think?) Nonetheless, he tends to follow “strict body-building advice,” which includes the cheat day as a method to offset weekly calorie restriction. Google “the vermonster cheat-y,” his favorite website, for more rated-R cheat-day materials.

For the record, I am a proponent of eating a planned, portion-controlled ‘off-limit’ snack or meal. By ‘off-limit’ I mean foods that generally don’t fit the bill of health (a donut, a piece of non-home-made cake, a bag of salty chips). Clearly, the goal with this person was to show that "cheat day foods" could and do fit into the weekly budget.

We finally established that ransacking the body for one full day wouldn’t just ruin his chances of beach-body Adonis, but also increase his risk for serious chronic conditions that no beach-body Adonis could ever be worth.

Marissa Beck, MS, RD is a NYC-based dietitian and the Director of Wellness at NextJump Inc.

Bugs and Fixes

2010-06-07T15:08:00.000-07:00

Once a new website is launched it is followed by a period of Bugs and Fixes. Some of the problems that members are experiencing are due to the website itself and others are due to something the individual is doing or not doing. The goal is not to assign “blame.” The goal is to fix any problem as soon as possible.

If you are experiencing problems with the new SCAN website, please let us know by going to the bottom of the home page (http://www.scandpg.org/) and clicking on Contact Us. Type in your name, email address, and message. In the message area of the box, try to give us very specific information. For example, if something is wrong with a particular page, copy the URL and tell us exactly what is happening (or not happening). Once you have written your message, click on the green box that says SUBMIT. SCAN will try to figure out the problem and respond to you as soon as possible.

Sometimes the problem is on the user end. Here are some things that may be causing problems and how to correct them.

Have you renewed your SCAN membership? The membership year runs from June 1 to May 31. If you haven’t yet renewed your ADA and SCAN membership, please do so. It’s easy to renew online at: http://www.eatright.org/

Have you re-set your password? If not, you can do so here: http://www.scandpg.org/account/member/. You only have to do this once, but you must do it before you can access the member only area.

Have you updated My Profile? If not, click on My Profile, which is at the top of the page once you sign in. There are three sections that you can edit. The first is your name, credentials, contact information, etc. As your primary email address, please use the email address on file with ADA. You can also sign up for the subunits here. The second section is a Member Profile, which allows you to describe yourself and your services. This information will show in the Find A SCAN RD feature. The third section allows you to upload a picture and put in your social networking information, such as Linked In, Twitter, or your personal Facebook page. Remember to save your information after you edit your profile by clicking on the green box that says SAVE.

If you are having a problem with any part of the website, SCAN is committed to fixing it. Let us know about it. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN Web Editor

Hello World.

2010-05-26T09:44:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the newest version of the SCAN website. Take some time to browse the site. In a nutshell, the goal in the website re-design was to move from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0. Web 2.0 allows for more interactivity, such as blogs and discussions boards, and greater use of media and technology.

My name is Marie Dunford and I am SCAN's volunteer web editor. I am excited to be involved with the SCAN website again. Way back when, I chaired the committee that developed SCAN’s first website. The server that hosted the site was located in a closet across from my office and I backed up the content on floppy disks. How times have changed!

This website would not be possible without the Website Development Task Force, five volunteers who shepherded the website from idea to reality—Tara Coghlin-Dickson, Chris Halagarda, Maggie Moon, Gale Welter, and myself. Our web host, DevBridge, has been a joy to work with. Many thanks to Martin, Aurimas, and the entire team for guiding us through the demanding process of launching the new website. I am confident that you will like what you see.

Ideas, questions, comments, suggestions…. let SCAN know by replying to this post. In future posts, I will highlight different features so we all can become more familiar with the SCAN website. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD
SCAN Web Editor