You Are What You Eat

Don’t be Afraid of Carbs!

There are several diets out there that tell people that carbs are bad and you must restrict or eliminate carbohydrates in order to lose weight. This is extremely misleading and these types of diets make people think that all carbohydrates are bad and lead to weight gain. However, carbohydrates are a vital nutrient, and you need to get some form of all the essential nutrients. Carbohydrates are the body’s fuel, its energy source. Your body uses carbohydrates to make glucose which is used for energy. Carbohydrates are also an important source for many vitamins and minerals. You need carbohydrates to fuel your day but it is important to get the right types of carbohydrates, which are those from WHOLE, PLANT-BASED sources.

The best types of carbohydrates are those found in plant-foods, because they contain a lot of fiber which slows the breakdown of glucose. Glucose should be released slowly in the body, rather than quickly, because when it is released too quickly, it leads to a sugar spike and increase in blood sugar levels. Fruits and vegetables are high in carbohydrates and high in fiber. The high fiber in fruits and vegetables will help you feel satisfied, while the carbohydrates will keep you energized. 

Alternately, processed carbohydrates, such as bread, pasta, baked goods, and other snack foods are very low in fiber. They way these products are processed by the body is the same way the body processes pure sugar. It causes a spike in blood sugar and leaves you feeling unsatisfied and craving more sugary, fatty foods.

My advice…load up on carbs!!!! Carbs from fruits, vegetables and other plant sources.  I recommend 60-80% of your diet come from plant carbs. This may seem high, but most carbs from fruits and vegetables are low in calories, so while you are getting all the fuel you need, you won’t be consuming excess calories. These carbs will help you feel satisfied, energized, and revitalized!

Southwest Corn Mango Salad

Ingredients – makes 1 large salad, combine all ingredients

• ½ cup beans of your choice (black, pinto, great northern, or a combination)
• 1 mango peeled and cubed
• Corn kernels from 1-2 ears of fresh corn
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes - halved
• ½ avocado, chopped
• Juice from 1 lemon
• Balsamic vinegar

Benefits of Interval Training

Interval training involves alternating short, high intensity exercises, with slower, recovery exercises in a single workout. Typical interval training alternates short periods of sprinting with periods of slow jogging. You can also incorporate body weight exercises, such as jumping, high knees, and burpees into interval training.

Some Benefits of Interval Training

• Efficient – takes less time than a typical cardio workout, while achieving the same results
• Burn more fat and calories in short, high-intensity exercises compared to long, low-intensity exercises - 20 minutes of interval training will burn more calories and fat than 60 minutes of steady state cardio
• After-burn effect - allows you to keep burning calories throughout the day after your workout
• Increased fitness and performance over a shorter period of time
• Reduces injuries associated with endurance sports
  

I used to be a hard-core cardio addict.  I would run 6 or more miles every day and competed in numerous half marathons and other endurance races. After about two years of running, although I could run like a gazelle I still was not seeing the results I wanted physically. I was also dreadfully bored with my workout routine and lacking motivation. It was then that I started getting more into more strength training and high intensity interval training and noticed a difference immediately. For one, I was excited to get up and work out each morning because there was something new to do every day. In addition, I started to feel stronger and my body became more toned. I hadn’t realized how much by body had adapted to the running to the point where it wasn’t even benefitting me anymore.  I am not saying cardio isn't important; I think endurance sports are a great way to build cardiovascular strength, but they shouldn’t be the only form of exercising you do. I still run regularly, but instead of running at 6 mph for 60 minutes I do 20-30 minutes of alternating sprint/jog intervals and then do some weight lifting or body weight exercises. I have also been doing Shaun T’s Insanity program for about 3 years now and recently started his T25 program. I think these are great interval workouts to incorporate into your weekly exercise routine. Overall, I feel stronger, more energized and more motivated and I feel like I am challenging my body every day.

Why Do We Get Food Cravings?

Food cravings vary by person and are formed as a result of genetics, lifestyle, physiological factors, and emotional factors. Here are some of the common causes of food cravings and how to avoid them.

Nutrient Deficient Diets

People often crave a certain food if they have a deficiency in their diet. For example, low blood sugar can cause cravings for sugary foods or refined carbohydrates. To avoid low blood sugar or satisfy your sugar craving eat fruit instead of reaching for a donut or candy bar. The fiber in fruit slows down the breakdown of glucose in the body, which helps maintain even blood sugar levels. In general, make sure you are eating a variety of whole plant foods and whole grains to ensure you are getting all of the nutrients your body needs.

Processed Foods

Processed foods, such as cereals, frozen dinners, and baked goods, contain tons of added salt, sugar, oils, and fats. They may be advertised as “low-calorie” or “low-fat” but they are processed to the point where they should not even considered real food anymore. When we eat these types of processed foods, out body tends to crave more of them because the salt, sugar, and fat can be addictive. In addition, these foods are so lacking in nutrients that they leave us feeling unsatisfied and craving even more food.

Habit

Humans are creatures of habit. Studies have shown that people generally eat the same foods on a routine basis because certain foods are more familiar to them, which adds a level of comfort and ease in preparation. If you are used to eating a bowl of ice cream for dessert every night after dinner, this habit can be very hard to break. We crave what is in our blood, so if we eat unhealthy foods on a regular basis out of habit, our bodies will crave these foods. Alternately, if you regularly eat healthy foods, your body will crave healthy foods. It is important to get into healthy eating and exercise habits rather than unhealthy ones because they can be very hard to break for most people.

Emotions

Certain foods can be comforting to us in times of stress or sadness. In addition, humans tend to associate certain foods with times of happiness. Eating is not only a physical act, it is an emotional one and, often, our emotions win out over our physical needs. This results in unhealthy foods cravings, especially for “comfort” foods such as sugary snacks and fatty foods. In addition, we may eat when our body is not even hungry which can lead to consumption of excess calories and weight gain over time.

Most Addictive Foods – these foods contain chemicals and additives in them that are physically addictive

• Refined carbohydrates such as white bread and pasta
• Salty foods such as chips and French fries
• Non-fat, low-fat or sugar-free foods
• Sugar
• Cheese
• Caffeinated beverages
• Fatty foods such as fried foods and ice cream

How to Avoid Food Cravings

Now that you know what can cause unhealthy food cravings, here are some tips to avoid them

• Make sure you eating a calorie sufficient, high-nutrient diet
• Avoid processed foods (hint: stick to the outside of the grocery store where the fresh, whole foods are and avoid the middle aisles where the packaged, canned foods are located)
• Develop healthy eating and exercise habits – make an exercise and diet plan and track your performance over time, rewarding yourself at milestones
• Try to deal with emotions in healthy ways – exercise is a great way to manage stress and feel happier overall, replace traditional comfort foods with healthy ones such as sweet fruits and/or filling smoothies
• Avoid the addictive foods listed above – these foods activate pleasure centers in the brain which make them addictive and hard to stop eating

The good news is, once you start battling your food cravings, they become easier and easier to avoid, and before you know it you won’t get cravings for unhealthy foods anymore. After changing my diet, I actually crave fruits and vegetables on a regular basis and I don’t have to worry about battling these cravings!!! You can do it too. Change your diet, change your attitude, and change your life!

Eat THIS NOT That. Healthy alternatives to some classic unhealthy dishes.

Orange Cream Smoothie

This smoothie is so creamy and delicious and tastes like a dreamsicle!

Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth

1 ripe banana

2 large navel oranges, peeled

¼ to ½ cup almond milk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Get your Plank on!

Beat the Bloat

Do you ever have that uncomfortable, “I need to unbutton the top button of my pants” feeling, after a meal? This feeling is often a result of the types of foods you are eating and can be completely eliminated by avoiding some of the bloat-causing foods below and eating more of the right foods.

Avoid these:

Processed foods

Sugary foods and artificial sweeteners

Salt

Gluten

Carbonated beverages such as soda and energy drinks

Dairy products – lactose is difficult for the human body to digest, which causes bloating

Fatty meats and oily or fried foods

Consume more of these:

Fiber-rich foods – fiber aids in digestion and will move food through the body more quickly and easily

Fruits

Vegetables

Potassium rich foods such as bananas

Water – recommend 48 oz or more per day

What is Your Body Type?

Body types are a framework, made up of your bone structure, bone density and musculature. To an extent, you cannot change your body type when it relates to the length of your limbs or your height. However, this doesn’t mean that ectomorphs can never put on muscle or endomorphs can never be thin, they just have to work a little harder. For instance, an ectomorph should consume more calories and focus more on strength building exercises if they want to put on muscle. On the other hand, mesomorphs should watch there calorie intake as they tend to put on fat more easily along with muscle. Once you know what body type you are, you can tailor your diet and exercise plan to meet your specific goals.

I am an ectomorph. I am tall, thin and lanky. It is easy for me to lose weight but not easy to put on muscle. Therefore, I try to incorporate more high intensity interval training and strength training into my regular cardio routine. I tend to eat a lot of calories since I am very active on a regular basis, exercising 6-7 times per week for 40-60 minutes on average.