Personal Trainer Certifications-- What's legit?

My jaw dropped when a “certified personal trainer” confessed his complete ignorance about training with free weights. At 36, he was in the gym taking his first stab at weight lifting because he “thought it might be good for his clients.”

“Certification” alone is a pretty cheap claim. If someone wants a quick and easy nutrition or personal trainer certification, he or she can readily find weekend and online courses, requiring only a fee and a flakey exam, to get “certified.” This person could have no real knowledge in the area of weight training or nutrition. So if you are in the market for a personal trainer, how do you know that your pick is truly credentialed in the area of personal training, fitness, or nutrition? Nationally, the National Commission For Certifying Agencies (NCCA) is the accreditation organization which is accountable to the Unites States Department of Health and Human Services. In 1987, the NCCA was created to

“help ensure the health, welfare, and safety of the public through the accreditation of a variety of certification programs/organizations that assess professional competence. Certification programs that receive NCCA Accreditation demonstrate compliance with the NCCA’s Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs, which were the first standards for professional certification programs developed by the industry.

NCCA uses a peer review process to: establish accreditation standards; evaluate compliance with the standards; recognize organizations/programs which demonstrate compliance; and serve as a resource on quality certification…”

Several popular or well-known certifications are not actually accredited, though there are also many options for an individual wishing to become a personal trainer. It is significantly harder to become certified in nutrition. Below, I’ve listed all of the exercise, training, fitness, and nutrition certifications accredited by the NCCA as of August 2008:

Accredited Personal Training and Fitness Certifications:

American College of Sports Medicine
Certified Personal Trainer 4/30/11
Exercise Specialist 4/30/11
Health/Fitness Instructor 4/30/11
Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist 4/30/11
American Council on Exercise
Advanced Health and Fitness Specialist 11/30/08
Group Fitness Instructor 11/30/08
Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant 11/30/08
Personal Trainer 11/30/08
The Cooper Institute
Personal Trainer Certification 11/30/11
International Fitness Professionals Association
Certified Personal Fitness Trainer 10/31/12
National Academy of Sports Medicine
Certified Personal Trainer 11/30/10
National Athletic Trainer's Association Board of Certification
Entry-Level Athletic Trainer Certification 10/31/10
National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association
Certified Personal Fitness Trainer 3/31/13
National Exercise Trainers Association
Certified Personal Trainer 4/30/12
National Federation of Professional Trainers
Certified Personal Fitness Trainer 11/30/10
National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certification Commission
Certified Personal Trainer 10/31/08
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist 10/31/08
Accredited Nutrition Certifications

American Clinical Board of Nutrition
Diplomate American Clinical Board of Nutrition 11/30/10 (requires a graduate degree)
Certifying Board for Dietary Managers
Certified Dietary Manager 8/31/09 (specific to food service workers)
Commission on Dietetic Registration of the American Dietetic Association
Dietetic Technician, Registered 11/30/11
Registered Dietitian 11/30/11
Board Certified Specialist on Renal Nutrition 11/30/11

Jean offers nutrition coaching for weight loss, muscle gain, or any of your personal goals at her office in the Alico building in downtown Waco, TX. She also offers personal training services at Ironhorse gym on the corner of Franklin and 17th, which is also very convenient to downtown. Contact information can be found on her personal website.

Protein in a Pinch- Five Super-Fast Protein Sources!

5. Hard Boiled Egg

Though eggs require a little pre-prep, they are still highly portable and make a great high-protein complete source of protein on the go!

4. Low-Fat String Cheese

String cheese is good out of the fridge for at least 3-5 hours, since it is sealed. Also, many convenience stores have the standard version available. By the way, if you are lactose intolerant, cheese is not an issue; there are no carbs in cheese, and hence, no lactose!

Frigo makes a cheese stick with only 2.5g of fat and 60 Calories, all while delivering 9g of high-quality protein! Keep a bag in your fridge at work and bid the vending machine farewell!

3. Ready to Drink (RTD) Protein Shake

There are a number of supplement companies that prepare a protein shake for you in a happy little can. Beware of the varieties that are loaded with tons of extra sugar and fat. The good ones have about 2-3g fat, 20g protein and 4-5 carbs per 12oz serving. Alternatively, have individual packets of protein on hand at all times to mix in your water bottle; this should hold you over for a couple of hours!

2. Pouch-packed Salmon or Tuna

Though pouch tuna or salmon is my quick protein source of choice, it’s not a great way to make friends on an air plane. The truly beautiful thing is that you can order a dry garden salad almost anywhere and add your handy little tuna packet to the top! You can find these right by the canned tuna in the grocery store. When eaten in public, you will be looked at like a freak of nature (and a stinky one at that) but your body will seriously thank you.

1. Low-Fat Milk

If you can tolerate milk, it’s a nearly perfect on the go protein source. Where can you not buy milk? Where!? It’s cheap; it’s tasty; it’s high-quality protein; it’s naturally loaded with bone-supporting minerals. Drinking it makes you look like a model/actor/rock star. What’s not to love?

Jean offers nutrition coaching for weight loss, muscle gain, or any of your personal goals at her office in the Alico building in downtown Waco, TX right in the heart of central Texas. She also offers personal training services at Ironhorse gym on the corner of Franklin and 17th, which is also very convenient to downtown Waco. Contact information can be found on her personal website.

Protein Bar Review: Balance Organic Cranberry Pomegranate Crisp 3.36/5

As a PhD student in the area of nutrition, I regularly adminster weight loss diets. There are many reasons why some people have trouble sticking to a meal plan. Likely, the most common barrier is a lack of time, energy, or desire to prepare healthy food. Often, quick and easy is a must-have, but this priority can often lead to a fast food disaster!

Luckily, if you are willing to redefine your concept of a "meal," protein bars can help fill the need for a quick, healthy food choice. But there are piles of bars to choose from; how do you distinguish which are healthiest and a good value? Here are some general rules to follow, and then I'll get into the specific protein bar review!

1. Buy a bar that has a protein source (like whey isolate or soy nuggets, etc) or a whole grain as the first ingredient.

2. Avoid bars that have corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup; these are especially highly processed.

3. Ideally, a protein bar will have no more than 10-15g of sugar; some (about 2-5g) of the carbohydrate should also be fiber content.

4. Avoid SUGAR ALCOHOLS. When manufacturers set out to make "low net carb" bars, they needed to replace sugar with something that has a little bulk and would allow the bars to bake properly. Sugar alchols have fewer "net carbs" because about 1/2 of the sugar alcohols are not absorbed in the small intestine. As a result, they continue through the GI tract to the large intestine, where they do two things: 1) Pull in water to the large intestine (what happens when you have too much water in #2?); and 2) Bacteria in the intestine amy go to work on the SA (hey it's food for them!). This will make excess gas in the colon and, as a result, you end the day with fewer friends; capisci? It's like nuclear holocaust to the colon; this is why low-carb bars are often on sale. Just don't go there! Look for "ol" ingredients, like sorbitol, malitol, xylitol, glycerol(in), etc, etc. Incidentally, SA are also a cause of GI upset with too much gum or sugar-free mint consumption.
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More and more, I notice "organic" and "natural" type bars introduced to the market. Typically, the natural bars may replace corn syrup with brown rice syrup (hey, at the end of the day it's all concetrated suagr!) and rely on soy and nuts, instead of milk-based ingredients, for their protein content. As a result, the bars typically are not as sweet, lower in protein (higher in fat and/or sugar), and often exibit strange textures. On the other hand, many are made with more wholesome ingredients, without preservatives, and will not upset those with a milk allergy!

Balance, which produces several high-protein, reasonably-priced and tasty bars in the 200 Calorie range has recently released a 95% organic bar. I tried the Cranberry Polegrante Crisp: 180 kcal; 7g fat; 2.5g sat fat; 100mg sodium; 23g carbs; 5g fiber; 12g sugar; 10g protein; many added vitamins and minerals

Property Score (1-5)
Appearance: 4
Flavor: 3.5
Texture: 2
Heat Stability (Texas Tolerance Test): 2
Cold Stability (Buffalo Bite-ability Score): 4
Nutrition (weighted 2X): 4
Overall Score: 3.36/5

Appearance: The bar is very attractive, with a mixed soy/nut/fruit conbination with a single layer of "yogurt" coating

Flavor: Tart and very heavily cranberry; this is most likely because there is not a pomegranate to be found in the ingredients label! Perhaps it is part of the elusive "natural flavoring?"

Texture: The texture was the biggest let down for me. By the appearance, one would expect a bar with exceptional crunch, but this organic balance creation simply does not deliver. The texture somewhat chewy, in limbo between granola and stale nuts.

Heat Stability: I value heat stability so much because I live in Texas and the bars I rely on must stand up to the heat when I leave them in my car. With intra-car temperatures of 100+ it's a tough wrapper to fill, but some bars do manage. Anything with a yogurt coating will get a poor score here! The yogurt coating are also typically high in fat, so a drip of that on your shirt and goodbye chic!

Cold Stability: I used to live in Buffalo, NY, so I also understand the value of a car that is edible when cold. Typically, granola-type bars are bite-able after only a few minutes of warming.

Nutrition: And why are we eating a little nugget of fruit, soy and nut organic goodness? Because it's a step above candy! Kudos to balance for limiting the suagr to 12g, limiting saturated fat to 2.5g, and including 5g of fiber. A point was docked for two reasons: 1) only 10g protein, which is 5g less than a typical bar at this Calorie level; and 1) for including inulin as a major source of fiber. Addition of inulin means that the primary ingredients were not really so high in fiber, so inulin was added to beef up the fiber number and add bulk without adding calories. There are reports that inulin may also make some people feel "swollen."

Super Easy High Protein Pudding--Only Three Ingredients!

High protein puddings are a tasty way to pack more protein into your meal plan but pre-packaged versions leave your wallet a little lean. This protein pudding requires no special equipment and all three ingredients can be found in most local grocery stores. Bon appetit!

Ingredients
1 package of dry fat-free, sugar-free pudding mix (chocolate or vanilla)
1 15-16 oz low-carb chocolate Ready to Drink Protein Shake*
3/4 cup no-sugar-added soy milk

Instructions
1. Combine all in a bowl and blend with a whisk or hand-held mixer (smoother consistency)

Makes about three 1 cup servings

Nutrition
150 kcal; 20 protein; 3 fat; 10 carbohydrates

Easy, Fast, and Delicious High Protein Breakfast-- Eggs on the Grill!

Though a daily morning omelet is delightful, neither the smoldering summer heat nor a busy schedule are conducive to preparing breakfast over a hot stove! This dish is designed to be a convenient, tasty and healthful breakfast option. Enjoy!

Equipment:
Gas Grill: preheat to medium-hot heat)
Round non-stick cake pan
Fitting lid or aluminum foil
Heavy duty oven mitts (silicone or fabric that can take the heat)

Ingredients:
cooking spray
1 cup egg whites or egg beaters
3/4 cup left over grilled summer squash, onions and bell peppers
1/4 cup feta or Gorgonzola cheese, divided
2 sprigs basil (leaves pull off and torn into pieces
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Preheat grill to medium or high (if you are cooking on a small grill)
2. Spray non-stick cake pan with cooking spray
3. Add egg whites or egg beaters to cake pan
4. Sprinkle veggies and 1/2 of the feta cheese (2 Tbsp; 15g) on top evenly
5. Cover and place on the grill where the pan will be exposed to even, and preferably indirect, heat
6. Take a quick shower (5-7 minutes; this time will vary based on the heat of your grill and cake pan size)
7. Go outside and pull your meal off the grill
8. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and 1/2 basil on one side of the cooked omelet; fold the omelet over
9. Transfer to a plate and top with the remaining basil; salt and pepper as desired.

Wow! Now you have breakfast that took 2 minutes of effort and kept your house cool!

Nutrition:
260 kcal; 33 g protein; 9 g fat; 6 g sat fat; 11g carbs; 2 g fiber