Nutrition

Just Say NO to KETO! My $.02 on the Keto Diet.

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  Should you go on the Keto Diet?   I guess the Keto Diet & other low carb/no carb diet extremes must be making another wave of popularity in diet culture because I’ve been hearing stuff about it on Facebook and some of the members at my gym keep asking me about it.   If you want to be be miserable and have no energy for your workouts, go ahead and try this.  In my personal opinion, KETO = MISERY!  It’s diet extremism at it’s peak.  Black and white, with no room for gray!   This diet cuts out a major food group (carbohydrates) and only allows 30-50 net grams of Carbs per day through fruits and vegetables only.   If you’re curious about what 30 grams of Carbs is, it’s about one hamburger bun, a 1/2 cup of cooked rice, or a couple of slices of regular bread.  This is extremely low, especially if you participate in […]

Why Meal Plans and Diets Don’t Work

This entry was posted in Habits Healthy Eating Nutrition on by

  I get asked all the time to write diets or meal plans for people who want to lose weight or start a healthy eating program, and all the time I say, “No, because meal plans & diets don’t work!”  I’ll definitely give people guidelines or lists of healthier choices, but meal plans and diets aren’t going to cut it for the long term.   Now some of you may be thinking, but if I know exactly WHAT and HOW much to eat, then I’ll be able to lose weight.  Well, maybe, but what if you hate every single food on the meal plan/diet I give you? Now what?  What are the chances that you’re going to stick with it….really?   I’d say highly not likely, at least I wouldn’t.  I’m not going to eat a bunch of foods I don’t like, so why would I assume that you would.  I […]

Are Detoxes, Cleanses, & Green Drinks a Good Way to Lose Weight?

This entry was posted in Fat-Loss Nutrition Weight-Loss on by (updated on )

 

It usually starts out a little something like this, “Hey Tommie, what do you think about juice cleanses?”  My first response is always, “Why do you want to do a juice cleanse?”  Almost always the answer is, “Well, I thought it might help me get a jump start on my weight loss goals.  I just want to get a little bit ahead of the game, and then I’ll start eating healthy.”

 

It might seem like a good idea and even one we could stick to, but there is usually a good amount of restriction and the ALL or NOTHING approach to these types of detoxes and juice cleanses.  We restrict and cleanse for 3-5 days, and then all we can think about is all the food we aren’t able to eat, so after the cleanse or detox is over, we usually end up binging on our favorite foods.

 

Watch the Video Below for Further Clarification

 

 

Quick Break Down of the Video:

I think doing cleanses, detoxes, and juice/liquid diets are not the best way to jump start weight loss.  All it’s going to do is jump start a Yo-Yo cycle.  You may lose weight initially, but these extreme conditions are not sustainable, and the extremes will either cause you to binge on junk food, or you will gain the weight back just by eating your normal diet again.

 

Also, the Yo-Yo cycle is not good for us to do long term.  It damages the metabolism, making weight and fat loss even harder, especially as we age.

 

When Might I use Detoxes, Cleanses, and Green Drinks or Juices:

 

1.  To cure a Medical Issue:  People with Cancer, Candida, &/or Digestion Issues may benefit and become healthier by doing cleanses or detoxes.  However, cleanses and detoxes are best overseen by a Homeopathic, Naturopathic, or Medical Doctor for the best results.  Please don’t start taking weird supplements or drinks that you don’t understand.

 

2.  Food Elimination Diet:  There are people who have major digestive issues, chronic pain, &/or major bloating after or between meals.  This is a situation where it may be appropriate to do a cleanse or detox before certain food groups are eliminated to find the food allergen or cause of the previous mentioned symptoms.  Again, this is best overseen by a medical professional.

 

3.  Drinking Green Drinks or Smoothies CAN make you healthier!  Drinking Greens/smoothies are a great way to balance the PH of the body and make it easier for you to burn fat and build muscle.  There are tons of vitamins and minerals in these types of drinks.  However, watch the SUGAR content.  A drink composed of mainly fruits will make the sugar content way too high and will be detrimental to fat loss.  Look for a drink that is under 10 grams of sugar.  I would use this drink as a snack or a quick meal on the go.

 

Ask yourself, this ONE Question…

 

Before you start your next cleanse, detox, or juice diet, ask yourself,  “Can I eat this way or do this plan FOREVER?”  If the answer is, “NO,” then most likely the RESULTS that you’ll receive from this restrictive approach will be temporary and not sustainable!

 

In my opinion, the best way to jump start your fat or weight loss, would be to start incorporating a source of lean protein and veggies at most meals.

 

Lean Eating-featuredClick HERE to Start Building Healthier Meals with my FREE Lean Eating Guide!

 

There is a psychological satisfaction of chewing food, so drinking liquid meals will leave us feeling deprived, searching for more food, and we won’t be able to keep this up for the long term.

 

If you want to add a Green Drink or Smoothie to improve your health, I suggest using it as a snack, or replace breakfast with it, as it’s easy to to do when we are on the go!

 

What has been your experience with green drinks, juices, &/or cleanses?  I’d love to hear your thoughts or suggestions in the comments below!

 

Thanks for Stopping By,
Tommie

Why am I in Constant FEAST MODE?

This entry was posted in Fat-Loss Nutrition Weight-Loss on by (updated on )

  FEAST MODE, not to be confused with BEAST MODE, which is where we go hard at the gym!  FEAST MODE is where we go hard at the dinner table, or wherever there is an opportunity to eat!   Lately, I feel like I’ve been in constant Feast Mode.  I’ve been thinking about food a lot more and eating and nibbling on food, even when I know that I’m not hungry or need food.  But, even though I know I’m not hungry, I’m still EATING!  W.T.H., It’s so annoying, right?   Can any of you relate?  Ever feel like food can become an obsession?  It’s like food is everywhere, lurking at every corner, and saying, “EAT ME!”  And, I feel like the food WINS more than I do; leaving me feeling powerless and defeated.   I also know that constant Feast Mode can be detrimental to our physique, fat loss, […]

“How’s that Workin for Ya?”

This entry was posted in Fitness Goals Lifestyle Nutrition on by (updated on )

Did you think that Dr. Phil had stopped by for a guest appearance on my blog?  Nah, I’m not that famous….YET 😉  But, his infamous question, “How’s that Workin for Ya?”, is a relevant question to ask ourselves as it pertains to our current diet and exercise plans to see if they are really working for us or against us!  So, let’s dive in a little further! Can you imagine yourself eating and exercising the way you are right now, a year or two from now?  If you answered, “NO WAY JOSE,” to that question, than I would bet that you are eating foods that you don’t enjoy and/or depriving yourself from the foods that you do. If you aren’t enjoying exercise or being consistent with it, you might be participating in exercise that is boring to you, spending TOO much time working out per day, or the exercise is […]