Best friends makeover: Month 1

To the rescue: A yearlong Best Friends Makeover program with Canadian Living and their own team of coaches.

Health
Meet the coach: Dr. Rita Dahlke is the health director at CUPS (Calgary Urban Project Society) Community Health Centre in Calgary. Based on Tracy and Tanya's vital statistics, she recommends the following.

Tanya
• Regular exercise
Regular exercise will help Tanya lower her current resting heart rate of 84 beats per minute to the 70s. (Normal resting heart rate is between 70 and 80 for most adults.) Physical activity will also help get Tanya's blood pressure in the normal (120/80) range (it's now "high normal"). Elevated blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease, stroke and other serious conditions. Losing excess weight, eating a healthy diet and taking necessary medications also help lower blood pressure.

• Weight
At 36, Tanya weighs 117 kilograms (258 pounds), which puts her in the unhealthy category. Losing weight will lower her risk of diabetes, heart problems and weight-related joint problems. As she gets older, her metabolism will slow down even more, which will make it tougher to lose weight, so now is the time to start shedding excess pounds. The how-to: healthy eating and regular exercise, which will increase resting metabolism to burn more calories at rest.

Tracy
• Regular exercise
Tracy used to be a lot more physically active; she liked to in-line skate and hike, and she did boxercise, weights and step classes at a gym where she used to belong. But work and other demands got in the way. As with Tanya, getting back in a regular exercise routine will help her feel good physically, improve her outlook on life and reduce stress.

• Bone health
At 45, Tracy should have a bone-boosting diet that includes lots of calcium and vitamin D. Tracy's body mass index (20.8) is still in the healthy zone (between 19 and 25), but if it gets too low, and even at the lower end of normal, it's important to look at bone health. Excessive caffeine -- one of Tracy's bad habits -- can decrease bone mass.

Nutrition
Meet the coach: Rory Hornstein is a registered dietitian and the nutrition for exercise consultant to Mount Royal Recreation, as well as several other clubs in Calgary. Her specialties include nutrition for sports, exercise and weight management. Rory acted as cochair of Sports Nutrition Network, and is now working with sports dietitians on an international level. She is also a certified fitness, YogaFit and Pilates instructor.

Tanya
Coach's comment:
"Tanya wants to have healthy eating habits, but she sometimes eats emotionally, and we need to look at that. Budget is also key -- it's going to be challenging, but we can make healthy changes."

Objectives:
• Make affordable healthy menu choices that fit in with her lifestyle (and make her feel good and help control her blood pressure).
• Deal with evening cravings for salty, sweet or comfort food.
• Eat right for increased exercise.

Action plan:
• Talk to Rory every two weeks; meet with her monthly.
• Focus on making healthy eating habits a part of her life.

Strategies:
• Use a food journal to keep track of daily intake.
• Eat five times per day starting with breakfast (small meals and snacks no more than three hours apart).
• Emphasize whole grain foods. (A steady diet of whole grains is good for health. Ideally, eat at least three servings of whole grains every day.)
• Choose fruit and vegetables as morning and afternoon snacks.
• Review favourite recipes and modify for lower fat, higher fibre.
• Take turns with Tracy being the healthy chef to give each other a break.
• Take a grocery store tour with Rory.
• Shop with Tracy and the kids, then together prepare healthy, nutritious dishes that can be portioned out and frozen for the busy work week.

Tracy
Coach's comment:
"Tracy is a bit of a caffeine-junkie. She has more than four cups -- as much as 800 milligrams (mg) -- of java a day, while Health Canada recommends a daily upper limit of 450 milligrams a day. Tracy finds her energy supply is uneven and often nonexistent. We can change all that by making healthier, more steady food choices."

Objectives:
• Increase both energy level and metabolic rate.
• Balance nutrition needs with Spencer's needs. (As a teen, he's completing his final major growth spurt and needs nutrient-rich, low-fat foods, including good sources of iron and calcium for energy and bone health.)
• Choose healthier foods as part of a healthier lifestyle.

Action plan:
• Set short- and long-term goals to reach her objectives.
• Learn how to prepare quick and easy healthy meals that fit into her budget.
• Talk to Rory every two weeks; meet with her monthly.

Strategies:
• Start eating breakfast (whole grains, calcium and fruit).
• Emphasize whole grain foods.
• Instead of eating one small and one large meal per day, eat a small meal or snack every three hours.
• Reduce the amount of coffee (caffeine) she drinks. While studies show that a modest amount of caffeine may boost health, too much may overstimulate the central nervous system and cause insomnia -- this could explain why Tracy is tired all the time. Caffeine also acts as a diuretic, which can cause dehydration and increase the amount of calcium the body excretes, which is detrimental to bone health.
• Increase the overall amount of fruit, vegetables, calcium-rich foods and fibre in her diet.
• Keep a food journal.
• Take a grocery store tour with Rory.
• Shop with the family, then together prepare healthy, nutritious dishes that can be portioned out and frozen for the busy work week.

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Photo by Roth and Ramberg