Success Stories

Starting January 3rd, this exercise and nutrition program is led by certified personal trainers from Fitness Matters Gym and registered dietitians from Rebecca Bitzer and Associates.  We can help you safely train for a 5 K race in March**.

FREE Introductory Meeting, Tuesday, January 3, 2012 6:00 PM at Rebecca Bitzer, MS, RD and Associates (www.rbitzer.com)

Program includes:

¨    2 exercise sessions/week with a Certified Personal Trainer, Tuesdays & Thursdays, outside

(www.fitnessmattersgym.us)

¨    3 Nutrition sessions with a Registered Dietitian on Saturday mornings

¨    $135 per month for January – March, 2012

5K Race:  Saturday March 24^th, 2012, at Bowie Town Center

Call Cornelia Randolph 301-655-3196 for details

No previous running experience required!

301-655-3196

ctrandolph@idsdc.com

** Last year, ALL of our participants

completed the training and

participated in a 5K. Call us today!!

By Elizabeth Haaser

Sarah Costello happily shared with me that her latest BMI calculation showed she is no longer morbidly obese, and this is a huge milestone, considering she says she has been overweight, obese, and then morbidly obese for her whole life. Specifically, Sarah says she began struggling with weight as early as elementary school, and did not begin to change her lifestyle until her 30^th birthday.

A few weeks before turning 30, Sarah started meeting with Bobbi, one of our wonderful RDs at Rebecca Bitzer & Associates. With her encouragement, Sarah began training for and later completed the Baltimore Half Marathon, but it was only after running this race a second time that Sarah had her “ah-hah” moment. She had previously made a goal of cutting her time by 30 minutes, but after an injury, she was unsure if she would be able to do this. However, she not only met her goal, but surpassed it, and beat her previous time by 37 minutes! “I was excited! I think that success gave me a boost of confidence that I could set goals and reach them!”

Since her “ah-hah” moment, Sarah has not slowed down. In fact, she is now training to complete a triathlon, which will be her second after finishing the Iron Girl this past August, and will also do a Half-Full Olympic next year. She has the support of a team, the members of which often believe in her capabilities more than she does; their insistence that she can go out and complete these unbelievable races push her and build her confidence.

So how did Sarah go from a morbidly obese woman to the fitness machine she is today? Sarah credits a dedicated exercise regiment and something unique: taking a picture of her fridge every Sunday. Sarah began doing this in order to show Bobbi what she had prepared for that week. This now continues to encourage her to stay accountable for cooking healthy meals in order to take the best care of her body. Even though Sarah is currently on her “off-season” in terms of races, she still swims every Thursday with her team, and continues to go for walks despite her hurt knee. “Just because you’re injured, that doesn’t mean you can’t move and exercise. There are lots of different types of exercise options and so many modifications if needed. Before, I used injury as another excuse. Now, it may limit what I can do, but it doesn’t stop me.”

I also asked Sarah if she had any advice to give our RBA family for staying healthy over the holiday season. She suggests writing down your goals and posting them somewhere visible. Be realistic in that you might want some treats at a party, but go into every event with a game plan. Don’t let the winter weather be an excuse for not moving! Get to the gym or watch a workout DVD at home. Finally, Sarah shared that she created a poster for her 2012 goals; the pictures included some of her niece and nephews, races she is signed up for, and inspirational quotes. Sarah reminds herself often of all the people who are on Team Sarah- those people that will continue to support and push her throughout her journey. Take it from a true champion; “There are a lot on your team, too! You. Your RD. Me.”

Check out one of Sarah’s favorite recipes!

“I didn’t have parsley and I don’t do garlic. I didn’t have bread crumbs so I crumbled up my own piece of bread. I made the meatballs, baked them for 15 minutes and then put them in the Crockpot for 2 hours with the tomato sauce! They were delicious!

I think the key is to just go for it! Give it a try. If it turns out: awesome. If it doesn’t, think about how you could make it differently.  Explore the website above. Look up other recipes.  Try new things.”

Written by Amy Bortnick

Client Name: Jean Hardisty

Registered Dietitian: Kait Fortunato

This is the story of a client on her weight loss Journey.

After meeting regularly with Registered Dietitian, Kait Fortunato, Jean has been successful in loosing 12 lbs and has lowered both her blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Jean was thrilled when she visited her primary care physician and her blood work revealed that her blood sugar levels were right where they should be! Jean said her doctor was extremely pleased with and her and her success, which was a wonderful feeling. When I asked Jean what some of the keys to her achievement has been she replied, “I keep a consistent food log and write down everything I eat. I total all my meals, including calories and carbohydrates so I can stay within my goal amount for the day!” Helpful information from Kait  that helped Jean on her weight loss journey included:

• Which vegetables and fruits were higher in carbohydrates than others
• Request low sodium deli meats at the grocery store
• Rinsing canned vegetables before eating to reduce sodium intake

Since Jean has lost weight she reports feeling better, having more energy, feels more accomplished, and her clothes fit better! She is motivated to keep coming to her appointments knowing she will walk in and learn something new to really help her continue to loose weight and feel great. Since last year Jean has begun to really invest an interest in her health she said one of the biggest differences between this year and last was her positive disposition on a healthy lifestyle. She now looks forward to her nutrition visits and simply says “it’s just a great feeling to see results”. Some weight loss advice from Jean is: eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and keep in mind the loosing weight is not about limiting food groups but rather eating properly!

By: Chelsea Davidson

“Shelley likes to refer to me as her “Details Guy” because I try to be very accurate and detail oriented with calorie calculations and weight. That may not be everyone’s approach – but I think anyone can find an approach that works if they’re patient, and can allow themselves to trust the process, and are open to learning a little something new everyday.”

David, a patient of our chief dietitian Shelley Alspaugh, came to Rebecca Bitzer and Associates back in May of 2011 and has since lost over 15 pounds!

His Story: David has been a runner for the past three years but had recently noticed some weight gain and felt as if his exercise routine was becoming less beneficial. As an athletic adult, David couldn’t seem to figure out why he wasn’t losing the weight despite running three days a week and eating what he considered a relatively healthy diet. After doing some research he tried a few things on his own but when they did not work out, he sought the help of one of our Registered Dietitians.

How He Does It: David says that one of the most important things he has learned during his sessions is how the body uses calories and nutrients, and why it’s important not to deny your body these important things. He had an RMR, a metabolic test that determines exactly how many calories your body uses at rest each day, and was amazed at just how precise it was.  But utilizing this information every day is how he has successfully lost weight. David keeps a food log, an important tool many of our clients use, so that Shelley can assess his intake at regular appointments. He counts calories to make sure that he is within his daily range and tries to keep his food groups balanced.

His Exercise Routine: David runs for 40-45 minutes three days a week. On the days in between, he walks for about 45 minutes or plays tennis. He also weight trains and does abdominal work two to three times per week.

His Results: Before, David felt as if his body just wasn’t responding well to exercise. Now, with the changes in nutrition, weight loss, and his understanding of the process his running feels so much better, and so much more comfortable. He says his body feels responsive during his runs, and satisfied afterwards. Of course he still has those odd days when he says he has to talk himself into exercising, but is always glad that he worked through it.

9 pairs of jeans that David could wear in May but now are too large for him. “Don’t get me started on dress pants…” he says.

His Advice to Others: “This may be cliche, but the most difficult thing to do is to just start. That’s it. Starting ANYTHING can sometimes be daunting… if you just have a little trust and faith in the process and believe in yourself you’ll start to see some changes.”

By: Dana Magee

As a student majoring in dietetics I have come to find out that there is much to learn that isn’t just found in the text books. Sometimes it’s not just what you can find scribbled in your class notes, or what your professor has to say that teaches you the most about becoming a registered dietitian. As I have witnessed working at RBA, learning is not only done inside the classroom. Learning comes from every experience you have. This is also the case when it comes to nutrition education. Food is everywhere and every step of the purchasing, preparing, and eating can be a learning experience. You have made the first step in visiting with your dietitian and learning about nutritious foods, health, carbohydrates, fats, portion sizes, sodium, nutrition labels and countless other things. At RBA you have the opportunity to get the individualized attention you need in order to find a nutritional approach for your diagnosis whether it be weight loss, diabetes, PCOS, digestive disorders, food allergies etc. But why not take your learning one step further? By taking part in a Grocery Store Tour with the nutritionists at RBA, you can take what you are learning in our office and put it into practice at the supermarket.

As a participant in the tour myself, I found that it opened my eyes to things that I didn’t even think of before! From the way supermarkets are arranged, to food packaging claims, to the portion sizes of carb exchanges for people with diabetes. RBA’s own Kait Fortunato took us aisle by aisle explaining pretty much every item you could possibly have on your grocery list. She gave us tips on what to look for and what to stay away from as well as pointed out brands that are healthier than others, and ways to shop healthy on a budget. She explained what the terms “low fat” “low sugar” and “light” really mean and which ones are the best buy. She was able to look at specific brands our clients are buying and go over the nutrition labels with them to explain the pluses and minuses of their favorite items and healthy alternatives when they were needed.

A current client of RBA, Kathleen, was one of the participants of this month’s Grocery Store Tour held at the local Greenbelt Safeway. She has been recently diagnosed with diabetes and was seeking any and all information about her diagnosis and catering to her dietary needs. Here’s what Kathleen had to say about the tour: “Since recently being diagnosed I very much need all types of information. I found it (the grocery store tour) to be very informative… it was great to see the products and read the labels… I had no idea until I saw up close and personal… It is great to have one on one time in the office but also great to see it in the store.”

Thank you Kathleen for taking part in the tour with us! If you would like to be a part of our next grocery store tour you can call to sign up by calling 301-474-2499 or emailing us at admin@rbitzer.com. If you want to take another step in furthering your nutrition education you will be surprised by what you can learn from a grocery store tour with RBA!

By: Chelsea Davidson

 Micaela “Miki” Kooiman is a client of our very own Dietitian, Kathy Kendall, and is an inspiration to anyone struggling to lose weight. Since she has been coming to RBA on a regular basis, Miki has lost over 45 pounds and has seen a drop in her blood pressure, cholesterol, and clothing size.

So what are Miki’s keys to weight loss success? She keeps a food log, counts calories, keeps her portions in check, and has replaced processed foods with fresh fruits and veggies as recommended by Kathy. She also does 3 miles a day on her Gazelle and can even do the first 1.25 miles without getting winded; that is definitely something to be proud of!

 While eating right and exercise have been the foundation to Miki’s weight loss, her positive attitude and inspiring outlook are what have continually pushed her throughout her journey. She says one of the most important things she has learned from time with her Dietitian is: “Don’t punish yourself if you eat something laden with calories. Tomorrow is another day. Also, just because it’s good for you, if you don’t like it, what good will it do?”

 Miki’s advice to others? “Keep going. It may look hopeless sometimes but if you fall by the wayside one day, get up, dust yourself off and get back on track.”

Meallogger, a photography food journal and simple app for your smart phone, is the newest way to keep in touch with your Registered Dietitian. Whether you want to know if your homemade meal is rich in nutrients or your restaurant portion is too big, all you need to do is take a picture of whatever you are eating and send it to your RD. Click here for more information and check out this testimonial from one of our clients:

 “I highly recommend Meallogger! Using Meallogger is like having your nutritionist sitting with you for every meal or snack.  All you need to do is download the application to your smart phone, input your email and password and snap pictures of your meals and snacks.  Then annotate the meal, select the time and add any additional information you would like your nutritionist to know about your meal.  Your nutritionist reviews the meal and can send you comments.  It’s convenient and provides you with daily input from your nutritionist.  Both you and your nutritionist are able to discuss the meal, portion size and food combinations. Mealloger also tracks your weight and exercise, stores your meal photo’s allowing you to log into your pc and reuse a meal.”

-Angela, RBA client and frequent Mealloger

“I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion.”- Mia Hamm

As I continue to train for my second marathon my friends often joke around with me and asking, “When are you going to take the next step and compete in a triathlon?” Usually I shrug my shoulders and say “Once I learn how to swim fast.” Always assuming the biking component of the race will be a breeze. I was naive… my attitude about competitive cycling took a turn once I had the pleasure of learning more about the sport from RBA’s very own Christie St. Pierre.

 Christie is a competitive cyclist who rides on a competitive road racing team based out of Virginia that competes in races on weekends throughout the cycling season. On nice days she even rides from DuPont Circle  to our Greenbelt office…A great saving money on gas and enjoy the outdoors! Christie taught me there is a lot more technique and strategy involved in road racing bikes than I thought. I learned it takes pronounced skill to handle a racing  bike when riding in groups. I was also fascinated to find that cycling was very much a social sport. In fact Christie confessed that she wouldn’t be motivated for some of her longer rides (which can reach up to 50 miles!!) if she didn’t have a friend to ride with.  Biking can be a great way to be active while enjoying time with friends! For those looking to get involved Christie suggests checking out your local bike shop many have riding teams!

 The most intriguing thing I learned from Christie about road racing was the sacrifice many riders on the team make in order to ensure that their strongest rider stays a head of the game even if it means they personally fall behind. It takes great character, dedication and loyalty to sacrifice one’s own success to ensure the success of a teammate. The ability to see the whole instead of the sum of its parts is a skill often over looked but captured by these athletes. I think the sport of cycling supplies a valuable lesson for businesses in team building. Christie without a doubt demonstrates character she described as a cyclist at RBA, constantly sacrificing time, hard work and dedication to the practive. As a student intern I am grateful to have her to go to for help in advice when tackling daily administrative struggles at work! Thanks for all you do Christie!

With health care costs starting to pile up,

try our discounted group sessions for nutrition information for less!!

RBA will now be offering classes on weight loss and diabetes education on

Fridays at 12:00 pm throughout the month of September!

Email us at admin@rbitzer.com or  call 301-474-2499 to sign up!

Cost for 4 weeks: $60.00 (or $20.00 per session)

Classes will include education on:

Carbohydrate Counting for Diabetes
Weight Loss
Meal Planning
Eating Out

“Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.“- Anthony J. D’Angelo

We love getting feedback from our clients, and of course we are thrilled when hear that a session helped someone move closer to reaching their health goals.  Read below to learn how meeting with Kait helped Jenifer develop eating habits that will fuel her training as a long-distance runner.  We look forward to cheering Jenifer on as she prepares for her next half marathon!

What health and/or nutrition goals brought you in to see a nutritionist at Rebecca Bitzer & Associates?

I was/am in training for running a half marathon, and knew I needed help to keep my stamina up.  Being a vegetarian as well, I wanted to be able to talk to someone who either was also a vegetarian or who had a lot of knowledge about ways to keep my energy level up and how to eat really well.  I had been to see another nutritional consultant who had unrealistic expectations for me, including having me introduce animal products (meat) back into my diet.

What is your exercise routine?

My exercise routine is roughly like this:

- Run – 3 times a week – in training I do track work one day and a long run on Saturdays with one day in between on the treadmill

-Weights/core work along with a short (15-20minute) warm-up on elliptical or walk on treadmill – 2 times a week

What specific information were you taught at your visit that “hit home” or was most helpful for you?

Kait really helped me with creating an eating schedule that will keep my energy level up and give me the needed fuel to keep me going.  I work 9 hours a day on my feet as a RN, and I’m also a massage therapist, so I needed quick and easy ways to get energy.

What changes have you implemented since your appointment?

Since my appointment with Kait, I have made an effort to try and keep up with the eating schedule she helped me develop.  I have been trying to eat even a little bit when not hungry, knowing that my body needs the fuel.  I guess I am trying to be more aware of not letting hours go by without food to avoid that low energy, spacey kind of feeling that happens with low blood sugar.

Have you seen health benefits from the changes you made?

I have noticed that I feel less hungry and have fewer cravings for certain foods (sugar) when I keep to the schedule.  I am in between training (will start again in end of June) so I am not sure how I will do.  I am following up with Kait in July after I have had a chance to implement the routine with training schedule.

What advice do you have for those seeking to become healthier?

It really is true that what you put in your body will influence how you feel and perform.  To maintain strength and stamina you have to fuel your body.  Kait helped me look at ways to do that and then if necessary we will work together to make changes. She offered alot of great ideas, knew how to relate to me as not only a vegetarian but also as an athlete.  She was funny, professional and easy to talk with.