Jonny Bowden, M.A., C.N.S., is a respected expert in the fields of fitness and nutrition. He is the author of "Jonny Bowden's Shape Up!", "Jonny Bowden's Shape Up Workbook!", and most recently, "Living the Low Carb Life: From Atkins to the Zone Choosing the Diet That's Right for You". His work has also appeared in The New York Times, GQ, Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Fitness, Family Circle, Marie Claire, Allure, Men's Health and Walking.

He frequently appears on television and radio as a fitness expert and is also a popular speaker at media events and seminars. His course, "Becoming a Personal Trainer," is a frequent sell-out at the Learning Annex in New York.

Jonny will take your questions about fitness and about low carb! Have a question for Jonny? Send it to: jonnybowden@lowcarbluxury.com. While not all questions can be answered, we'll do our best to publish all we can. We are grateful to Jonny for taking the time out of his busy schedule to lend a bit of advice to our readers!

Question from Carrie Burrows:
I have read conflicting information on low carbing during pregnancy. I've read testimonial of people who low carbed throughout their pregnancy with no problems and I have read that there could be danger to the baby if the mother follow s a low carb plan.

Any advice or information would be appreciated!

Carrie Burrows
Ontario, Canada

Jonny Bowden:
Well, consider this; how did people eat during pregnancy before there were processed foods? How do pregnant hunter-gatherers eat?

I don’t recommend ketogenic diets for pregnancy, but that’s just one form of a low-carb eating plan — you definitely don’t need to be in ketosis to get all the benefits controlled carb eating for you and your developing baby. What I would recommend is simply cutting processed foods to a bare minimum (elimination would be best of all), stocking up on high quality (organic if possible) protein and lots of healthy fat, particularly DHA, a fat found in fish oil. (I believe all expectant mothers should supplement with DHA.) Cutting junk carbs is not going to hurt the baby at all — quite the contrary.

Pregnancy is not a time to worry about weight loss — even the most obese mother should still expect to gain some weight. What you should be concerned with is eating really healthy, non-contaminated food, staying away from sugar and alcohol and taking good prenatal vitamins including DHA. If you want to eat some carbs, that’s fine — just make them healthy ones.

Good luck and congrats!

                                                   

Question from Ruth Rogers:
Thanks in advance for taking my question.

I want to start working out with my 24 year old daughter. We are both on Atkins and have lost the cravings and unstable blood sugar.

How do I go about finding a personal trainer that knows what he/she are doing and sympathetic to our plight? (I have 50 lbs to lose and my daughter has 100 lbs to lose) I don't want someone who is like a drill seargant and doesn't care about helping us.

Ruth

Jonny Bowden:
Great question, and as someone who taught personal trainers for years, I think I can appreciate your dilemma. Most trainers are highly motivated and really want to help people — many take continuing ed courses all throughout their careers. Problem is, many are behind the learning curve when it comes to nutrition, and are still stuck in the “one size fits all” philosophy that came from early bodybuilding when high carbs / low fat were the mantra of the day.

The best way to find a personal trainer sympathetic to your situation is really very simple: shop around. Talk to different trainers. Observe them with their other clients, especially when they don’t know you’re watching them. Are they just counting reps or do they seem really involved? Ask some of their other clients. Interview them on their nutrition philosophy. Ultimately, it’s about chemistry as well as knowledge. Trust your instincts. And hire them for a trial period with the clear understanding that you’re going to see how it goes and then make a decision. Most will understand that perfectly well, and if they don’t, they’re not the trainer for you.

Jonny Bowden, M.A., C.N., C.N.S.
Certified Nutrition Specialist
www.jonnybowden.com

Copyright © August 2004  Jonny Bowden and Low Carb Luxury