NIFS Healthy Living Blog

Protein is all the craze lately, and rightfully so due to its many benefits. However, many protein sources, especially animal based protein sources, can be high in nutrients that can harm the heart, specifically saturated fat, trans fats, cholesterol and sodium, if not selected carefully.

Intake of foods high in saturated fat, trans fats in cholesterol can increase LDL cholesterol levels in the blood, or the “bad” cholesterol, that is associated with heart disease. Trans fats can also lower your HDL cholesterol levels - the beneficial cholesterol that works to lower the amount of LDL/bad cholesterol in the bloodstream. Sodium, on the other hand, when consumed in excess, is associated with an increase in blood pressure, which makes the heart have to work harder to successfully pump blood throughout the body. Over time, high blood pressure can result in injury to the blood vessels, speeding up the buildup of plaque, which can lead to heart attack or stroke.

Foods high in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol include fatty cuts of beef, lamb and pork; beef tallow (and foods that are fried with it); poultry with skin; full fat dairy products such as butter, cream, ice cream, and most cheeses; and “tropical” oils such as coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil. While we don’t frequently use or cook with coconut oil, palm oil, or palm kernel oil, it is used in a variety of processed and packaged foods, including some protein supplements like protein bars and shakes. Similarly, many protein-rich foods can also be high in sodium, especially processed meats like cold cuts and cured meats (deli meats, sausages, hot dogs, bacon, etc) and highly processed protein supplements and protein foods (protein crackers, protein chips, protein breads, protein pastas, etc.) which are increasing in popularity.

So how do you meet your protein needs while also protecting your heart health? It’s all about balance. When opting for animal based proteins, it is best to choose those that are leaner, such as “round”, “loin”, and “sirloin” cuts of red meat, skinless chicken and turkey, fish and seafood, eggs and egg whites and low fat dairy products (nonfat, 1% or 2% milk products - greek yogurt, cottage cheese, milk). Many animal based proteins are likely to still provide some saturated and trans fats and cholesterol into the diet, so it’s important to also include plant based proteins, such as tofu, tempeh, lentils and legumes, nuts, beans, and seeds. Fruits and vegetables typically provide little protein, however, they are still equally important for heart and overall health, so be sure to incorporate them alongside your protein sources at meals and snacks!

Celebrate Heart Health Month at NIFS ❤️

February is Heart Health Month at NIFS, and we’re putting your heart first with FREE Bod Pod & NIFS 3D Scans, blood pressure testing, HIIT & Burn classes, a Heart-a-thon Walk, and our Heart & Hustle Challenge.

Register for classes in the NIFS app, and earn raffle entries for every class you attend in our new Group Fitness Room 1. The more you move, the more chances you have to win—while doing something great for your heart.

Follow us on social for event updates and reminders, and stop by the Service Desk for full details. 

Note: Please consult with your physician and/or a nutritionist before incorporating any major dietary changes or restrictions.

How Exercise Affects Your Body

Your entire body is put under stress during a workout. Each body system fires in its own unique way in unison to keep pushing. Quite simply put, you might think of exercise as a controlled practice of breaking your body down to rebuild stronger.

With each repetition, your muscle tissues are breaking down, releasing byproducts that stimulate your energy systems for sustained effort. We need this to keep moving, once we’ve used up our initial ATP Phosphocreatine and glycogen.

In recovery phases, these byproducts of lactate contribute to growth responses at the cellular level. Through the process of rebuilding, in recovery, our body utilizes nutrition, sleep, and hydration to “fortify” itself. It is amazing the adaptations the human body can make to a stimulus it is exposed to.

We also see with weight training or impact loading in aerobic exercises, that our bones have little cells called osteocytes that calcify and contribute to denser bone structures. All processes in your entire body are affected by physical activity, but the adaptations I mentioned are only optimal when we fuel our bodies correctly.

Why You Might Not Be Making “Gains”

Let me ask you this… How much do you eat every day? How much are you sleeping every night?

If you answered conservatively or with a low estimate of calories per day, that is your first issue. To gain muscle mass, or any mass, a surplus of daily calories is ideal. That isn’t eating the maintenance level of calories per day; that is eating above that range.

Prioritizing healthy and nutrient-dense food options may be an obvious thing for some. Assuming you do not have special dietary considerations, you might look at a macromodel of nutrition.

Understanding the Macromodel of Nutrition

The macromodel of nutrition is a generalized diet practice incorporating an emphasis on the content of major macromolecules in our foods. Carbs, Proteins, and Fats are the Macromolecules that our body utilizes.

Daily Caloric Split (Macromodel Example):

• Carbohydrates: 45–65%

• Proteins: 10–35%

• Fats: 10–25%

Carbohydrates: Fuel Your Activities

Carbohydrates consist of an average of 45-65% of our total caloric intake per day. These molecules can be simple and complex. Simple carbs are found in sugar, bread, fruits, and quickly digested foods. Complex carbs consist of starches, vegetables, legumes, and fibrous options. Complex carbs take longer to digest, but keep the body fueled for sustained effort due to a generally higher caloric content.

The positive aspect of simple carbohydrates is that they offer quick energy with less time to digest and offer availability in our tissues for rapid use. The drawback of simple carbs is that they hike up our blood sugar, which puts a higher glycemic load on the body. In a healthy individual, that is fine and could offer recovery benefits if training (paired with protein), because they have a healthy insulin response to this sudden sugar spike. The sugar gets to our muscles and “where it needs to go” with insulin release from our liver. In an older individual or an individual with compromised energy systems, such as diabetes and metabolic conditions, it may be better to favor more complex carbs that slow digestion and the release of sugar due to the fiber content.

For the general person, the main consideration for training days would be windows of digestion and bioavailability. Typically, 2-3 hours would be a good timeframe before training to prioritize your simpler sugars. Beyond that, 3-5 hours before exercise would emphasize complex carbohydrates. For example, when you train legs at 4 pm, you might look at a 12 pm lunch with a fibrous salad and lean protein. At 3 pm, you may eat an apple for a quick pick-me-up before your squats. You allow that digestion time for fibrous foods in advance and rely on the quick, simple carbs before your higher activity level. 

Fats (Lipids): Essential and Beneficial

Many people are misinformed by thinking that limiting fats in their diet is “healthy” is good, but this is a nuanced subject. Fats (Lipids) support our health more related to sustained low-intensity activities, cellular function, and hormonal responses. We need an essential level of fat stored on our bodies to allow for healthy bodily functions. Our body can convert excess energy into body fat from other macromolecules like carbs and proteins, when eating those in surplus as well.

Don’t shy away or eliminate fat in your diet, because it is necessary for your health and functioning. In a macromodel meal plan, you might prioritize 10-25% of your diet to involve a balance of saturated animal fats and unsaturated fats such as nuts, olive oil, avocados, and chia seeds.

Saturated fats can be moderately consumed by healthy individuals with well-regulated metabolism and regular physical activity. However, when eaten in excess amounts regularly in our diet, it may be connected to endothelial dysfunction and, in the long term, may contribute to atherosclerosis. This happens when the endothelial layer (inside walls of our blood vessels and capillaries are unable to release Nitric oxide as effectively to dilate. The reduced endothelial function leads to the formation of superoxide and oxidative stressors, which, over time, can lead to heart disease. Continued moderate to high intensity aerobic activity is one way to protect against the oxidative stress caused by excess fats in our diet.

One consideration before exercise would be to avoid high-fat content in your food choices before exercise, because it may negatively affect nitric oxide bioavailability when going into exercise.

Proteins: Your Body’s Building Blocks

Proteins are less involved in our daily energy levels during activities or at rest, and are more involved in the recovery processes across your entire body. As members of a gym, we think in terms of muscle tissue, but realistically, protein and amino profiles from our diet are involved in building all cells from our own DNA structures. We need proteins to utilize our “genetic scaffolding” and, from that, adapt and build new tissues after they break.

Maintaining a consistent protein intake of around 0.8-1.1g per kilogram per day is a minimal maintenance guideline. That need could be higher based on the individual, their regular physical activity, and other lifestyle factors.

One consideration after exercise would be to consume protein and carbohydrates within a 45-minute window after exercise. For strength training, that would look like a 3:1 ratio of grams of protein to carbohydrates. This would aid in replenishment of glycogen (“sugar” in our muscles) after exercise and may mitigate loss of muscle mass after exercise.

How NIFS Can Help

If you’d like to learn more about your caloric needs at rest or with activity, please contact our fitness center. We offer RMR (resting metabolic rate) testing, as well as Vo2 Max testing. Both assessments may help you dial your diet to reach your goals.

We made it to 2026! NIFS has your back this year, and we want to see you reach your big goals and be the healthiest version of yourself. So, where do we start this year?

The hardest part of adopting healthier habits is envisioning where we truly want to be long term. It is hard to start if we don’t know the finish line. If there is a disconnection between our intrinsic motivation and our current behaviors, then that is a good place to explore first.

Check-In / Let’s Stop for a Moment…

Take a moment to think about what fitness and wellness goals you might have for yourself. If you don’t have a clear one, you might explore areas of your life you’d like to improve upon.

In health coaching, we often use a wellness wheel activity or a self-rating scale (1-10) to gauge how you feel about your performance in different areas of life. There are eight dimensions of wellness: physical, emotional, social, financial, occupational, environmental, intellectual, and spiritual.

Think about how you might grade yourself in these areas. You may be an A+ student in physical wellness while giving yourself a D- in finances. That is okay! We are in a constant state of growth every day and taking on new opportunities.

How Can Your Strengths Help You Grow?

Lean into your strengths—they are your north star. For example, maybe you’re a student and very disciplined with your time management. You could approach a new fitness goal in terms of time management. Instead of jumping straight into a new routine, build momentum into your day-to-day schedule.

Perhaps set a calendar reminder for ten minutes of walking and some bodyweight exercises. You don’t have to reach the end goal immediately; start by using your strengths as resources. Excelling in one area can eventually help you grow in others.

Start SMART

Setting a goal with SMART formatting is a perfect way to tackle the areas of wellness you want to improve. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.

The specificity of a goal is important because lasting habits are often tied to our values. Start with an “I” statement, such as “I will be going to the gym more often” or “I will eat more whole foods.”

Measurable goals clarify how you will know you’ve made progress. For example, “Going to the gym more often… after work on at least three days every week” gives you a tangible habit and a way to track success.

Set goals that are attainable within a realistic timeline. In health coaching, we usually start with three months to adopt new behaviors, though it can take nine months or more to make them habits. A three-month goal challenges you to grow but is short enough to fit your current schedule. Be realistic about your abilities to avoid discouragement.

Let’s Put It All Together and Tackle 2026!

Remember, set yourself a goal that sounds possible to yourself in a foreseeable timeline. It may take effort, but by clearly articulating WHAT you want or WHERE you’d like to be it removes some of the challenges around the unknown. Focus on the behaviors you want to improve and hold yourself accountable to how you are measuring your progress.

Setting a weekly action plan can help with accountability. This can be something simple like 3 small actions to perform that can assist the great goal.

If your goal is to get to the gym more, then maybe you might be setting these weekly action steps, for example:

1. I’ll pack my water bottle, and gym shorts the night before.

2. I’ll turn off my email at 5pm to get to the gym.

3. I’ll look at my fit watch to make sure I hit my goal.

Keep things simple and clear for yourself. You can easily spot when you may be falling off a bit and put yourself back into gear. You will have periods of a lack of motivation or perhaps many distractions in life…

Going back to your plan and focusing on small action steps will keep you moving forward foot by foot… day by day… and year by year. If you need help in setting a SMART goal, please reach out to me at acarpenter@nifs.org. I’m a health coach (NBC-HWC) here at NIFS and would enjoy the opportunity to help you reach your long-term goals.

You’ve got this!

The wait is over! Welcome to our improved Fitness Center!

NIFS is thrilled to share that our new Fitness Center redesign has officially been completed as of 12/19. We have reopened with some noticeable changes for our newer and long-time members. The Fitness Center is now divided into 11 distinct zones, each with unique equipment and spacing options for different needs.

How does the new layout benefit our members?

The fitness center re-design offers our members improved accessibility, well-organized and clearly designated areas for equipment options, and improved membership experience. This layout was constructed using staff and member feedback and partnering with a company to ensure NIFS complies with industry standards.

Improved Organization

Having equipment be accessible, regardless of capability or time available, was important for us to improve for all members. We listened to membership feedback and now offer zones that can be reserved to ensure there is space for everyone.

The Zone-based structure also assists our members by keeping equipment for similar purposes in the designated areas. You no longer must search for where the equipment is located. We wanted you to have less time walking to and from the next part of your workout, and more time chasing your goals!

Professionally Designed: Flow That Just Makes Sense

NIFS partnered with Exercise and Fitness Solutions, a professional company, during the layout design. They specialize in designing gyms so you can anticipate the flow of your workout being more comfortable and orderly.

For example, you may notice the warm-up and cardio equipment is now housed next to the sectorize and free weights zones. Now, you will be able to go straight from your warmup to your resistance training.

Plyometrics and power options (kettlebells, sleds, boxes, etc.) are also housed together towards the south end of the facility. This improves the experience for those members seeking strength gains by creating a space for them to build their community while seeking that new PR.

The Zones

Zone 1 – Cardio
Treadmills, ellipticals, Stairmasters, and more to boost heart health, endurance, and calorie burn.

Zone 2 – Selectorized
Pin-selected strength machines for guided adjustable resistance and easy progression.

Zone 3 – Plate Loaded
Plate-loaded machines and barbells built for strength training with flexible loading options.

Zone 4 – Free weights
Dumbbells and EZ curl-bars for classic strength work and functional muscle building.

Zone 5 – Power
Olympic lifting platforms designed for safe, explosive training and performance lifts.

Zone 6 – Strength
Full squat racks and barbells for foundational strength training at any level.

Zone 7 – Performance
Specialty equipment like glute-ham, med balls, TRX, and more for dynamic, functional training.

Zone 8 – Sprint Lanes
Great for speed drills, agility, and sport-style performance training.

Zone 9 – Auxiliary Court
Rowers, competition kettlebells, and open space for training, challenges, and collaboration.

Zone 10 – Basketball Court
The historic Pacers’ Market Square Arena court—train where the game made history.

Zone 11 – Track
A full-length indoor track for walking, jogging, conditioning, and interval training.

Introducing the “Zone Up Challenge”

To help members get comfortable with the new layout and make the most of the redesigned Fitness Center, NIFS is excited to introduce the Zone Up Challenge, starting January 1.

The idea is simple: when you work out, choose the one zone you used the most that day and submit it online. You can submit one zone per day, and each day gives you the opportunity to try a different area of the gym. Over time, you can explore all 11 zones at your own pace.

If you’re looking for a little guidance, our Health Fitness Specialists have created workouts for nine zones to help you learn the equipment and feel confident using the space. If you already have a routine you love, feel free to stick with it! You can still submit the zone you used the most.

Each daily submission earns you an entry, so the more days you participate, the more chances you’ll have to win. All participants will be entered for a chance to win two free entries to the DEKA Competition in March.

You can submit your daily zone and find the zone workouts at: https://www.nifs.org/zone-up

If you have questions or want help planning your workouts, stop by the Fitness Center and talk with a NIFS Health Fitness Specialist!