Health is by far one of the most important aspects of life. An individual’s quality of life is highly correlated with their level of health, physically, mentally, and spiritually. This blog will contain information that pertains to improving your health and the goal is to help as many people as possible to maximize their potential on Earth by choosing to live healthier and happier lives.
Let’s begin with nutrition. You are what you eat; there is no doubt about that.
Everything you ingest has the power to fuel you to take action or drain you of
mental energy. Many inner states can be altered just by the quality of food you’re
ingesting. Eating a whole food diet is healthier for your body and mind than eating fast or processed foods. The question I always hear from people seeking a healthier, fitter, leaner physique is: how much protein do I need daily? How can I lose weight and keep it off? Isn’t
it about calories in versus calories out, so whatever “quality” of food doesn’t matter as long as I burn more calories than I eat?
Your relationship with food is the base of life. When you understand how to eat, how much food your body needs, and what happens when you start skipping meals, you will look at nutrition very differently.
The goal is to answer all the questions and provide a guide for a healthier, more sustainable relationship with food while attaining your fitness and health goals.
So let’s begin. The first step to creating a healthier version of yourself is to contemplate what you are currently eating daily:
– Do you skip breakfast?
– Do you tend to do fasting?
– How much sugar do you ingest daily without knowing it is a part of your daily snacks?
Let’s talk about the science of the body. The thing about muscle that most people don’t know is that it requires about 15 grams of protein every 3 hours to maintain itself.
When it comes to maximizing your performance, mind, and body, we must ensure we are feeding muscle first and foremost.
A great majority of Americans tend to eat maybe twice a day and late at night snacks.
However, science has proven that eating 5-6 times a day, 15-20 grams of protein per meal, maximizes muscle retention and maintains your blood sugar level over time. After years of experience in the weight loss industry, I have learned that when the muscle isn’t fed, the body uses it for energy before it taps into fat. To use stored fat for energy, you must ensure that you eat enough protein in every snack; skipping meals isn’t an option. Instead, find out your basal metabolic rate through any body scales that measure body composition and create a deficit of calories while maintaining the protein at 15-20g every time you eat (5-6 times daily).
How about intermittent fasting? Does it work? In the beginning, most people respond well to it, only to find they hit a plateau. I like to explain intermittent fasting to patients to imagine our ancestors. During cave times, we used to hunt for food; sometimes, it would take us two days or more to be able to find any source of food. So the body developed a survival mechanism: store fat for such situations. The problem is that we are in 2022, and food is not scarce anymore. So now, when we start with intermittent fasting, the body goes into starvation, and as a way to keep us alive, it begins consuming muscle for energy, and when we do eat, it gets stored as fat. So how do you break free from that?
It’s simple, don’t fast. Eat five times a day (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, and dinner), and if you exercise, make sure to eat six times a day.
The ideal diet consists of lean animal protein, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats.
In addition, eating processed foods should be kept to a minimum. My favorite protein is Isopure, and because of my sweet tooth, I love to bake little sugar-free vegan muffins using the protein alongside Cocodensado spreads. If you are interested in learning about healthy, protein muffins, the perfect breakfast or afternoon snack, check out our recipe page under “Cocodensado Muffins.”
When it comes to hydration, many studies have been conducted that highlight the importance of a minimum of 65-100oz of water daily, but not water by itself; there must be electrolytes in it.
I was reading this excellent article by Robb Wolf called “WHY YOUR BRAIN NEEDS ELECTROLYTES (ESPECIALLY SODIUM),” which talks about the importance of electrolytes. This information is especially accurate for someone with an active lifestyle, and he explains how electrolyte deficiency affects your brain and possibly leads to serious health complications.
Out of all the electrolytes essential for brain health, Robb highlights the importance of sodium “Maintaining proper fluid balance is critical for brain health. Your brain, after all, is suspended in the liquid inside your skull. And sodium, in particular, is a key determinant of cerebral fluid balance.” Lack of electrolytes can cause Hyponatremia which will lead to the following, according to Robb: “Heart failure, Kidney disease, Liver disease, Cancer, Diarrhea, Vomiting, Diuretic usage, Excessive water consumption.”
Here’s the recommendation of my favorite brand of electrolytes to add to your water daily: XTEND Sports BCAA Powder.
For more information regarding Robb Wolf’s article on the importance of
electrolytes, check out this page: