Courage

28th Annual Scan Symposium: Motivation for Education

This weekend I had an awesome opportunity to volunteer at the 28^th annual SCAN Symposium in Baltimore, Maryland.  In exchange for volunteering as a student member of SCAN I was granted full admission to the symposium which I definitely took advantage of! I was lucky enough to attend the event with my bosses Rebecca Bitzer and kait Fortunato.

For those of you that do not know, SCAN stands for sports, cardiovascular, and wellness nutrition and is the largest dietetic practice group within the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Attending the symposium for me was like a 13 year old getting to go back stage at a Justin Bieber concert. I  had the amazing opportunity to walk around and interact with some of my greatest role models in sports nutrition including Nancy Clark, Nanna L. Meyer, and many more. As a nutrition student with a strong passion for sports and wellness the event gave me the to opportunity to network, learn about the history of SCAN, dine at an awards luncheon, and attend stimulating presentations on the hottest topics in sports, wellness, and cardiovascular nutrition.  I even learned a thing or two about social media and technology from the well-known media & self-care focused dietitian Rebecca Scritchfield.

Two of my favorite presentations I still haven’t stopped talking about include:

The Inactivity Physiology Revolution: The Story Behind the New Physical Activity Recommendations by Marc Hamilton, PhD

o   Marc Hamilton is a professor at Pennington Biomedical in Baton Rouge, LA where he runs a lab focused on researching the Physiology of Inactivity. I had heard a little about the inactivity revolution since the concept was presented in 2004 but did not pay much attention to the information. Dr. Hamilton's presentation convinced me the topic is worth paying attention to. The evidence of the harmful effects of sitting around on our butts too many hours in the day really hit home. As, a runner I always considered my hour or more of exercise a day a healthy bout of daily activity however, Dr. Hamilton made me realize that sitting around for too long despite my excise may have an unhealthy impact on my life. He presented the hypothesis that inactivity and too little exercise are two very different topics and speculated that part of the obesity epidemic is due to the cellular processes that occur during the 20 or so hours in a day when we are inactive despite how active we are in our  few hours of exercise and movement.

Exercise and Appetite the Double Edged Sword presented by Barry Braun, PhD

o   Barry Braun a professor from the University of Massachusetts gave my favorite presentation of the event discussing the regulatory mechanisms that link energy intake with energy expenditure.  In his presentation he stated there is so much we do not know and may never be able to know about the link between exercise, hormones, and appetite in determining  energy intake.  Dr Braun suggested that we many never be able to devise generalized rules and statements about exercise and appetite to manage weight. However he emphasized that Registered Dietitians and Health Professionals should play a critical role in making specific recommendations based on individual characteristics such as psychology, hormonal changes, and intake history.  I enjoyed this presentation so much because Dr. Braun was honest about how little we can infer on the subject of appetite, he had a great sense of humor in his presentation, and the way his presented the unknown mysteries relating to exercise and its impact on appetite made me really think about how exercise impacts one's eating habits! Additionally, he ended on a positive note including that some exercise is always better than none since being in-activity does not lead to eating fewer calories but does lead to an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. It’s know wonder he received several awards for outstanding undergraduate teaching.

In addition to stimulating so many of my brain cells with dynamic presentations the SCAN Symposium provided me with great meals and snacks from exhibitors such as Chobani, Power bar, Gatorade, Kellogs, California Almonds, Sharkies, and many more! I even won a admission to a Tough Mudder event from the Sharkies table!

Overall, the SCAN Symposium was an amazing opportunity for me, as a student, to learn, network, and be inspired from leaders in the sports and nutrition field. 

A Life Long Commitment to physical Movement

A Life Long Commitment to Physical Movement

My favorite aspects of working at RBA is the environment. Every time I go into work I am surrounded by strong motivational professionals that devote themselves to helping others. The dietitians at my job continue to teach me through example that in order to truly help others you must first be helping yourself.



Shelley Alspaugh is a devoted registered dietitian who spends the majority of her day helping others improve the quality of their lives through nutrition. One of the most inspiring things about Shelley is that she truly believes in the healthy balanced lifestyle she encourages to her clients.



One morning Shelley came in to work lit up with a new energy and excitement. She confessed she just completed her first session of boot camp...yes boot camp! The fitness guru in me had to find out more. I set up an interview to learn all about Shelley's motivation for boot camp!



Shelley joined Mirror Image Fitness for a four week commitment run by two fitness twins that left the corporate world to pursue their passion in fitness and help others reach their fitness goals. Shelley says the twins are excellent coaches that provide the perfect balance of challenge without adding intimidating pressure to working out...not mention they play great music that makes the non-morning person in Shelley come alive with laughter!



When I asked her what her motivation for joining boot camp was she said her GOAL was to recommit to exercise and not just for the four weeks of boot camp but for life. Not only does Shelley wake up at 5 something in the morning to go to boot camp two days a week but she also has taken up yoga on the weekends and is training for both a 5 k and mini triathlon. She will be competing in the triathlon with her father and a client who have made engaging in physical activity less intimidating, social and more fun.



Shelley is pushing herself to get out of her comfort zone and seek new, fun, and challenging ways to reconnect with physical activity. In my interview with Shelley she said physical activity had been her missing puzzle piece. She had been walking and jogging for years but was having a hard time recommitting. She stressed that the key to regular physical activity is finding something that works for you, that you enjoy and overall gives you a sense of peace and accomplishment.



Shelley's new commitment to fitness is not always simple the number one challenge she is facing now is finding the time for sleep. Waking up at 5:00 am means Shelley needs to be in bed by 9:00pm to get the 8 hours she needs in a night. With a busy work and life schedule, fitting in physical activity can be tough but again it all comes back to her commitment to taking excellent care of herself.



The take home message: If your not having fun with your physical activity or its not fitting into your lifestyle then don't give up, look for something that works for you. Shelley is grateful for each day to accept herself and improve. She stated that she is always learning from her clients, fellow RDs and students.



Thank you Shelley for being an inspiration and embodying the lifestyle of self care you inspire in others.