Spring Into Good Nutrition

Carla Burns wants you to get passionate about your nutrition

Carla Burns, RN, CPT, has been passionate about health and nutrition since she was a child, even helping to plan healthy family meals when she was just in middle school! In this Q and A, the innovative mind behind FITworks!™ gives her perspective on proper nutrition, talks about what should be on your plate, and explains why she is so passionate about your health.  

The It Works! Way (IWW): There have been all kinds of studies and stories about how poorly the average person eats. How would you recommend people get their plates into shape?

Carla Burns (CB): What I love about the FITworks! program is that it includes all food groups. When developing this program, I wanted to be sure [people] not only lost weight but also gained [their] health. The way the plate is divided in the FITworks! program looks like this: 50% carbs, 30% protien, and 20% fat. Now those carbs are also divided into two groups: slow and fast. It’s all about keeping blood sugar stable and providing your body with proper nutrients and "good" fats. I would also suggest using a smaller plate; this will help keep your portion size under control.

IWW: The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services recommend that half of your plate be filled with fruits and vegetables. We know that most people don’t do this so what do you recommend for those who just won’t eat their veggies?

CB: Fruits and veggies are great for so many reasons, but for weight loss sake, you eat them because they fill you up without too many calories and their nutrient value is high. For those that just can’t do it, we have Greens™ (8+ servings of fruits and veggies in every scoop!), or you can try some of our fantastic FITworks! recipes that incorporate fruit and even veggies into our Ultimate ProFIT™ shakes.

IWW: The newest addition to the It Works! lineup is Ultimate ProFIT™, and it is referred to as “Advanced Superfood Nutrition.” Could you explain just what that means?

CB: For me getting enough protein in a day was a challenge, as well as getting the right protein. When I was creating Ultimate ProFIT, I wanted a product that would not only give us the right protein to see results but also supercharge it! This is why I added ingredients like cacao powder and maca. These are feel good energy boosters without any negative side effects. They’re also known as "superfoods" because of their high antioxidant benefits. “Advanced” comes in because we are ahead of the competition using technology to ensure the highest quality and combinations that work in synergy to give the best results.

IWW: You’ve often said that you hate the term “diet.” How do you think dieting distorts people’s views of food and nutrition?

CB: When I hear DIET I think of restriction. No one likes that feeling, and we will fight it rather than embrace healthy choices that can change our overall lifestyle. Most diets require reduced calories, and [over] long periods of time this can do more harm than good. FITworks! is simply learning to make better choices and educates on what really works to lose and maintain ideal weight.

IWW: When people think about “nutrition,” they generally think about the food they are putting in their bodies, but how does being physically active play a role in complete nutrition?

CB: When it comes to overall health, exercise is crucial. Now to be honest, weight loss is 80% nutrition, BUT without exercise you are missing the hidden benefit of longevity. I recommend 30 minutes of some form of exercise every day. Choose something you enjoy because they key is sticking to it! I love the FIT Total Body Workout™ because it uses resistance and incorporates cardio for a maximum fat burn, overall fitness, and strength.

IWW: You’re passionate about health, nutrition, and wellness. How did this passion lead you to develop FITworks!?  

CB: I have always been fit and love how I feel when I am active and eating well. I also LOVE food and I love to cook so finding new ways to make [food] yummy yet healthy is fun for me. The idea behind FITworks! is not new information. It is based on science; I just made it fun and easy to follow a plan that you can do for life.  Because a huge part of the program is the support from the online community, FITworks! [is] free to all loyal customers and distributers. It is a gift I have been given and wanted to share with millions. My reward has been to hear [how] so many lives have changed. I am blessed to be a part of the journey.

Get more health and fitness tips from Carla, download nutritious recipes, and meet new friends on the same journey to better health as you at the online FITworks! community.