Hey Angels and Alphas,

In recent years, adopting a plant-based diet has become appealing to many athletes. However, taking on a completely new eating style involves drastic changes that should be done with slow and careful consideration. Your nutrition plan will affect every aspect of your life, from your health to your athletic performance, your mood and general lifestyle.

Today, we’re here to break down the pros and cons of plant-based eating and its relationship to an athlete’s lifestyle and performance.

THE PROs TO PLANT-BASED EATING

Lower overall calories. Meat lovers tend to eat more calories overall than plant-based dieters. Plants are more fibrous, provide more volume for less energy, and have higher water content. If you’re someone looking to reduce caloric intake so you can facilitate better weight loss results, this could actually be a good strategy.

It’s sustainable and eco-friendly. The food system in the United States is generally considered to not be sustainable. Meat production takes a massive amount of land, water, and fossil fuels compared to plant-food production. If you’re looking to put those health and taste preferences behind, giving up meat is actually a great way to make a positive impact on the planet and reduce your carbon footprint.

Cardiovascular health. Studies have shown that meat-eaters have a higher risk of all-cause mortality and this is especially true for heart conditions. You shouldn’t be fooled into thinking that just because you’re an athlete, this will remove any added health risks. Improved arterial function is a benefit of plant-based eating since it allows more blood and oxygen to flow to the working heart and the muscles, boosting performance and delaying fatigue.

Faster recovery. We’re not talking about muscle recovery here. Plant-based dieters have a higher antioxidant and phytonutrient intake than people who consume a lot of meat. Antioxidants help the body by clearing up free radicals, massive contributors to inflammation. Excessive exercise, poor sleep, and a high intake of simple sugars are all variables that contribute to inflammation. You can combat this via dietary antioxidants that help you recover more quickly and come back better for your next workout.

More healthy carbs. Animal foods are largely limited in carbohydrates while most plants are abundant in them. Relying on protein sources that don’t come from animals should technically increase overall carb intakes. In men, it has been shown that increased carbohydrate intake improves performance in endurance tasks.

THE CONs to GIVING UP MEAT

Nutrient deficiencies. There’s a large variation in the different styles of plant-based eating. Ovo-lacto vegetarians, vegans, pescatarians, etc. Research has shown that the most nutrient-dense group are the pescatarians, the vegetarians who eat fish.

Strict vegans are highly likely to be deficient in minerals such as iron and vitamin B12. These two nutrients are vital to an athlete’s body. Iron is a compound found in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout your body, and B12 is crucial to fatty acid metabolism and the proper functioning of the nervous system.

Although you can find iron in plants, it’s not absorbed as efficiently from plants as the iron found in animal products. You’ll have to eat much, much higher quantities of iron-rich plant foods just to meet your needs. B12 is found in animal products and absent in plants.

Compliance. Taking on the plant-based eating lifestyle can be hard to plan for, shop for, and execute on a busy schedule. Athletes already deal with high amounts of stress on the daily, fitting in a demanding training schedule inside their work-family life. When you put strict dietary restraints on that, it can be easy to set yourself up for failure.

Plant-based eating can be masked disordered eating. Athletes are usually at a high risk for disordered eating and big dietary restrictions in the hopes of achieving the perfect body and performance. Adopting a plant-based diet can sometimes be a fixation that stems from wanting to eat “clean” and can be used to mask disordered eating habits. Always be honest with yourself about why you’re going plant-based and remember you have to meet your body’s demands for energy and nutrients. 

THE BOTTOM LINE…

As with anything, there are plenty of benefits and plenty of disadvantages to eating a plant-based diet for performance and health. In the end, your choices will determine how healthy this eating style is for you. A vegan diet can include many non-nutritive foods (like chips and oreos,) which aren’t inherently healthy at all.

Vegetarians who choose to include dairy, fish, eggs, and other similar foods have the healthiest reported intake all around. So you should always try that approach first and see how it works out for you, your body, your stress levels, and your lifestyle.

If you’re an athlete trying to maximize your performance, you should already be working with a sports dietitian to determine the best eating plan for your needs, so don’t forget to check in with them, as well.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

Let’s talk a little bit about the grapefruit diet and its effects on weight loss.

If you’re not familiar with the grapefruit diet, it’s pretty much a diet that has outlasted several decades of diet fads and nutrition trends.

It was once called the Hollywood diet, and it was born way back in the 1930s. It involves eating half a grapefruit with each meal.

But does this bitter-sweet juicy citrus fruit actually hold up to any of the hype?

To be honest, not really. Sadly, the myth of the grapefruit diet and its amazing results on weight loss has been around for years and it refuses to die.

Let’s be honest – depending on what protocol you follow, you may either consume the fresh fruit or drink the juice of a grapefruit before a meal. A couple of decades ago, grapefruit was believed to be one of those foods that promote weight loss.

But technically speaking, what people called the “Hollywood diet” was just a 12-day diet that brought you down to about 1,000 calories a day… and it’s easy to see why someone might be losing weight by following that.

The truth is that, if you’re consuming the juice of a grapefruit, depending on whether you bought it at the store or you squeezed it yourself, you might be adding a ton of unnecessary sugar to your meal. You might as well be drinking high-sugar lemonade or sweet tea. And when you’re drinking this, you’re not helping your body burn any extra fat. On the contrary – you’re helping your body store more fat with this excess sugar you’re throwing on top of your meal.

Here’s the science behind it…

Don’t get me wrong – there’s nothing wrong with eating grapefruit. Even if you’re trying to lose weight, it’s still a great fruit, but there’s just no evidence that this citrus fruit “dissolves fat” or whatever it’s being promoted as. It’s not a magic ingredient for weight loss.

Some of the research suggesting grapefruit works this way is so old and so small you might as well ignore it altogether and the people doing the research came to an entirely different conclusion than what they actually set out to research.

There’s no data proving that grapefruit is anything more than a delicious fruit.

There was this neat little study done back in 2012 that evaluated 74 overweight (but healthy) adults. They broke them down into two groups:

• One group consumed ½ grapefruit 15 minutes before each meal.
• The other group consumed a control diet for 6 weeks.

Both groups were told to restrict fruit and veggie consumption.

The results were exactly what you would expect – grapefruit did not help people eat fewer calories and they didn’t lose any significant amount of weight. That being said, they did notice grapefruit lead to a decrease in waist circumference. This is one of the studies that fueled the idea that citrus fruits help reduce the risk of heart disease.

An earlier study published in Nutrition and Metabolism did something interesting. They randomly assigned obese adults to start consuming grapefruit and grapefruit juice or a few glasses of water before meals for 12 weeks.

What they found is that people did in fact eat less of the meal when they consumed grapefruit… but the effect was just the same as when drank water before the meal.

Let’s talk about the volumetrics approach.

Researches in the second study concluded that this is evidence for the volumetrics approach to eating. One tactic is to eat or drink something that’s rich in water before a meal, so the volume fills you up before the meal even starts. Volumetrics actually has a lot of data behind its potential for weight loss. It actually works. And this could be one of the reasons why grapefruit was initially deemed effective.

But let’s be honest – who wants to eat half a grapefruit before every meal? That’s going to get really old really fast. Imagine eating a grapefruit before digging into veggie pizza. How uninspiring. And let’s not forget the acidity of citrus fruits can cause major GI distress.

Instead, use the volumetrics approach to your advantage. A cup of herbal tea, broth-based soup, a salad, or even plain water, can help you consume less calories with every meal.

Here’s the bottom line…

Grapefruit does not have magical weight-loss powers, sorry to say. If you’re a fan of it, keep eating it, but don’t expect any weight loss to happen as a result of that.

If you do see it happening, it’s likely going to be because of the volumetrics approach to eating which can be achieved just by drinking a glass of water before a meal.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

If you’ve found yourself daydreaming thoughts such as “I would really love a burger right now”… you’re not alone. There are both psychological and physiological reasons why those cravings pop up throughout your day.

And when you’re trying to lose weight, it’s very easy to start feeling like giving up those foods you crave so much could be the secret to your success.

But we all know this can backfire, causing more unhealthy behaviors and overeating.

That’s why today, we’re here to look at the science behind food cravings, and why sometimes, giving in to them could actually be the SMART thing to do.

Why do we get food cravings, and do they stop us from achieving weight loss?

Food cravings can happen for countless reasons. Some people experience them because of stress, boredom, or other emotional reasons. For others, it’s just habit. Psychological factors could also be the cause, with hormones, blood sugar levels, and hydration becoming in the top three.

And let’s be clear here – everyone experiences cravings. Some people are just more vulnerable to them.

We’ve seen a lot of clients who are actively restricting calories or intake of certain nutrients, end up using food as their main way of coping with stress. That’s why if you’re trying to lose weight right now, or you consider yourself someone who eats in response to certain feelings… it’s time to take a look at how you’re feeling when those cravings arise.

How do we manage our cravings and not let them sabotage our weight loss efforts?

From a psychological standpoint, restricting something and pushing it down into our psyche, or making it “off-limits” is never a good idea because it sets us up for temptation. And you know what that means – binge eating later on!

And while this doesn’t happen to everyone, just think about it – how many times have you thought to yourself you can’t have something only to end up wanting it even more?

That’s why you should never swear off certain foods altogether. Instead, allow yourself small indulgences along the way to your specific, measured goal. When you do this, you’re ensuring that your eating plan is enjoyable… which is key to keeping it sustainable.

If you love pizza, allow yourself to have it. Learn to satisfy the craving without going overboard, and you’ll have a much easier time maintaining your physical and emotional health. Learn how to incorporate the foods you desire into your diet so you can actually enjoy them and still make progress. Yes, it IS possible.

Learn to indulge… the smart way.

If you indulge in your favorite cravings once in a while, and not every single time they strike, is the smart thing to do. It won’t stall your goals, you’ll get to enjoy the foods you want, and guess what, you’ll actually enjoy them even more!

Here’s a list of 3 go-to strategies you can start using today to make these indulgences work for you:

1. LEARN HOW YOUR HUNGER WORKS

You need to learn how to make a difference between real hunger and emotional hunger. Next time a craving strikes, just mentally clock out for a second and evaluate how you’re feeling both physically and emotionally. Here’s how you can distinguish between the two types of hunger:

• Emotional hunger comes on suddenly, and it’s often related to a very specific food. It’s like an alarm clock that goes “I need to eat this now!” and leaves you feeling guilty.
• Real, physiological hunger is something that comes on gradually. It doesn’t attain to a specific food and leaves you feeling like you can wait a little bit before you start munching.

When you actually take a step back and evaluate how you’re feeling, you’ll start to differentiate between the two types of hunger.

2. PLAN YOUR INDULGENCES. WHAT GETS PLANNED GETS MANAGED.

Next time you’re feeling like you’re dying for a burger, plan a meet out with a friend at your favorite burger joint and make it something you look forward to.

When you plan ahead, you’ll also get the extra time you need to reevaluate whether or not you really want that specific food or not.

Don’t just get seduced by the fast-food joint you pass by on your way to work… plan it out! Make the indulgence feel special and enjoy it slowly instead of making it a last-minute binge that you don’t really tend to think much about.

3. INDULGE IN THE HEALTHIEST WAY POSSIBLE

This means that, if you want to indulge correctly, be mindful and take the time to truly enjoy the experience. If you find yourself craving a cookie, just take a break and go get that one favorite cookie you always love instead of just mindlessly rushing to get the first cookie you can get your hands on.

The cookie is a metaphor for a specific food, by the way.

And guess what – chances are, you can make a cookie that’s actually healthy! Granted, it won’t be as delicious as your favorite sugar-packed sweetness bomb, but it can still get the job done if you do it right.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

We all know that usually, the search for weight loss hacks starts just before summer actually arrives because people are in anticipation of beach season.

But the warm weather months are also an amazing time to either get started or just revamp your weight-loss efforts. After all, we all have a thing for these mood-boosting summer days, nutritious foods and cookouts, and the countless opportunities to get outside for a fun workout.

That being said, we still have to stick to our healthy eating plan even when those summer barbecues are making it a little difficult.

That’s why today, we’re here to talk about 5 weight-loss hacks you can use to stay on track to your goals without missing out on all the fun and parties that come along with the hot summer days ahead.

#1 ALWAYS DRINK BEFORE YOU EAT SOMETHING

Any health expert will tell you fluid intake has to go up during hot summer months. That’s all the more true if you’re someone who is active in the outdoors.

However, sometimes this can lead to mistaking hunger for thirst, and you might end up eating a bunch when all your body needs is some hydration… and that’s not really helpful if you’re trying to stay on track with your weight loss goals.

That’s why we suggest drinking two cups of water before you sit down to eat a meal. This will keep you hydrated, and you’ll be much less likely to overeat. If you’re having trouble staying on track with your water intake, try using an app or calendar notes and remind yourself to stay extra hydrated.

#2 IT’S FRUIT AND VEGGIE SEASON… USE THAT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE!

If you find yourself on a block party or a summer barbecue, don’t start dwelling on how you can eat less. Just focus on eating more of the good stuff! Why not make half of every meal a fruit or a veggie?

Summer staples include mangoes, berries, watermelon, corn, peaches, tomatoes, peppers… all amazing options that are both delicious and rich in vitamins, minerals, and much-needed fiber. And let’s not forget – natural sugars and fiber will help you stay full and keep those cravings at bay.

Here’s a review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that proves increasing your fiber intake can help you lose body fat in case you needed another reason to stock up on fruits and veggies this summer!

#3 PACK UP YOUR OWN SNACK BARS!

Whether you’re at the beach, the pool, a ballgame or a park, snacks from the concession stands are likely going to be packed with saturated fat and sodium. Why not save extra money (and calories) by making it a habit to pack your own little bag of healthy snacks such as fresh fruit, dried fruit, or nut mixes?

#4 DON’T FORGET ABOUT ICECREAM

When summer rolls around, we’re all tempted to stock up on ice cream pints at home. Instead, why not make ice cream more special by going out for dessert as a special occasion? (Bonus points if you end up walking there.)

If you’re thinking about stocking up on sweets, not just ice cream, remember to keep those portions in check and think small. Mini popsicles and mini ice-cream cones are all great options. If you have a toddler at home, make mini-muffins and aim to exercise the same portion control for yourself as you would for them.

#5 DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AN BLACKOUT YOUR ENTIRE BEDROOM

I can’t stress this enough. One of the most important hacks for losing weight in the summer is honoring your need for quality sleep.

If your social calendar is revving up this summer, you have to make it a priority to not sacrifice your sleep. Research has proven time and time again that sleep-deprived people eat more calories per day. This could be for a variety of reasons, but most experts agree it’s because your ghrelin and leptin levels (which are both hormones that regulated hunger and satiety) get disrupted when you don’t get enough sleep.

Research published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that the average extra calories a person consumes when they’re sleep-deprived is about 385 calories!

That’s why I always recommend, when the time to catch some Zs rolls around, keep distractions to a minimum and do your best to darken your bedroom with the help of light-blocking shades. Remember, in the summer, daylight hours are longer.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

With the weather cooling off in the Autumn and Winter seasons, you might be one of the people who rush in to start adding warm soups to their diet.

Not only are they easy to make, easy to consume, and comforting, but they can also be super nutritious if they’re filled with fiber-rich, low-calorie veggies.

They also have another massive perk: soups could actually help you lose weight, hydrate properly, and feel satisfied and satiated.

Let’s talk about the science behind soups…

Researchers have discovered that, when you start off your lunch with a serving of low-calorie, low energy-dense soup, such as veggie-filled chicken broth, you tend to eat 20 percent fewer calories than your usual lunch meal. And then, you tend to eat just as many calories as you otherwise would throughout the rest of the day instead of feeling ravenous and further trying to make up for the missed calories at lunchtime.

Over the long term, eating 20 percent fewer calories at lunchtime will help you a lot while you’re trying to achieve great weight loss results.

Experts suggest that, when you consume soup for lunch, you tend to eat the same amount for dinner mainly because soup is a really satisfying food. If you start comparing calories in and calories out when it comes to soup, or crackers, or another typical lunch meal, you start to realize that you’re going to get much more soup in your body at lunchtime because of the lower calorie density it has.

The water that soup contains gives you that volume, weight, and absolutely no additional calories… and just like other water-rich foods, it gives you more bang for your calorie buck.

Okay… but what’s the difference between soup and a glass of water?

If you want your meal to feel satisfying, the water needs to be cooked inside the soup itself… you won’t get that result if you just eat the ingredients and drink the glass of water separately.

Soup also provides your body with multiple signals of satiation:

• When soup actually reaches your stomach, the volume of it starts stretching your stomach, helping your body release hormones related to satiety… indicating to your body that it’s full.
• When you see a bowl full of soup, you’ll recognize you’ll actually be enjoying a pretty large amount of food.
• Smell and taste are also vital contributors to satisfaction and satiety levels.

So how do we use soup to our advantage when we’re trying to lose weight?

Both clear soups and broth-based soups are amazing options for the first course of a meal. They tend to be lower in calories when compared to cream-based soups, pureed soups, chowders, and more.

There’s also egg drop soup which is a great example of a soup that’s both broth-based and low in calories, with approximately 66 calories for every cup that’s about 150 grams.

Other soups, such as potato soup, can contain up to 350 calories. What you should be looking for is something that’s high in fiber and contains lean protein so you’re getting the maximum satiety possible out of it.

If you do opt-in for chowders, cream-based soups, or bisques, they will serve you better as the main course of a meal rather than the first. If it’s your first course, however, look for one that has at least 10 grams of protein. Then, you also have bean-based soups, which are absolutely amazing because they’re both high in protein and high in fiber.

One thing you should be careful about, though, is the level of sodium inside your soups.

There’s, more often than not, a fair amount of salt added to these homemade soup recipes. And many canned soups are also high in sodium. That’s why you should consider replacing some of the salt that’s in your soup with other spices such as pepper.

If you do end up choosing a soup that’s pre-made, try to go for one that has less than 20 percent of your daily value of sodium per serving.

And finally, keep in mind that canned soups contain more than one serving and the amount of sodium that’s in there increases based on how much you consume. Other than tracking sodium levels, you have nothing to worry about – soups are an amazing meal that can aid your weight loss efforts like few others can.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

You’ve probably heard that when it comes to losing weight and the process of weight loss in general, slow and sustainable is the way to go.

And that’s because most fitness and diet professionals (who actually know what they’re talking about) advocate for consistency and sustainability over the idea that you should just do a complete overhaul of your fitness and diet habits so you can reach perfection.

That being said, losing weight slowly – meaning in the range of 1-2 pounds a week – might not always be the best option for those of you looking for long-term success.

Here’s why.

There’s a case to be made for fast weight loss…

For adequate weight loss, the energy you consume has to be lower than the energy you expend – a concept known as energy balance. This means you have to maintain a caloric deficit if you want to shed pounds. And the higher the deficit, the faster this usually happens.

You might have also heard that research shows people who lose weight fast are more likely to bring it back up. This is because when we lose weight, our metabolism starts adapting downward – so when weight loss is over, we have to keep eating less and less food to maintain this new weight. This is also why dietitians recommend the less “rapid” approach – so the body has a chance to gradually adapt to this new normal instead of shocking the body with something it can’t sustain.

However, there’s new and emerging research showing that, for some people, losing more than 2 pounds a week can still be sustainable.

And while this won’t apply to everyone, there are several reasons why some people who lose weight rather quickly can actually keep it off.

Experts have suggested that losing more than 2 pounds a week may also indicate that people have made extremely effective changes to their exercise and diet regimen. And what’s vital in those cases is that keeping up those healthy habits for months to come can be both effective and sustainable.

Not to mention, quick weight loss can be an amazing motivator to keep doing what you’re doing. Some people might give up prematurely on their weight loss goals because they are not seeing the results they want quick enough. But if someone sees their efforts are paying off – and paying off well – they will have all the more reason to keep going.

Furthermore, there’s research out there that points to the fact that quick weight loss improves bad cholesterol, blood sugar, insulin resistance, and insulin sensitivity way more significantly than slow weight loss. These positive changes to your overall health can make it easier to maintain that weight loss and sustain it.

Let me give you a scenario: there are actually times where someone might need life-saving surgery, and in order to perform that surgery, rapid weight loss is necessary. That being said, expediting weight loss under the proper care of a doctor is the best possible method.

But let’s be honest – even if you are losing weight quickly and it’s working out great for you, the key is in sustainability. It’s vital for you to find a weight-loss regime that not only works for you now but will work for you for the rest of your life.

And there’s also a case for the slow approach to weight loss…

On the other hand, losing weight quickly could be successful in the beginning… but may fail to be sustained in the long term. People could initially lose a ton of weight (not a literal ton,) but then rapidly start experiencing burnout. That’s because the changes they made, like, for example, exercising more than usual or restricting their diet from certain food groups, can cause more harm than good. For this reason, people find that sustaining a smaller calorie deficit is much easier to accomplish in the day-to-day.

Moreover, rapid weight loss could also make you lose muscle, slowing down weight loss in the future. Slow weight loss, on the other hand, could potentially help you retain more of your muscle mass as you’re shedding fat. Lean muscle mass must be preserved as we age because, not only is it more metabolically active than fat tissue, but it also tends to be much, much harder to gain as we get older. Preserving what you have is vital.

To wrap it all up…

If you’re considering the fast lane route to weight loss, take a step back and think about where you want to be six months or a year from now. Do you want to continue eating fewer calories just so you can maintain your weight? If the answer to this question is a resounding NO, then you might find that the slower approach is the better option for you.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

Have you ever felt like your body is just hovering around certain numbers on the scale? No matter how much you try to clean up your diet or how much cardio you do, you can’t get the weight to move.

When it comes to weight loss, however, this is referred to as the set point weight theory. It suggests that the body will combat to maintain this specific weight range tightly regulated by your genetics and you have little control over that.

Set point weight is a theory that could, technically, be the result of evolution – wanting to hold on to excess energy may have allowed our ancestors to stay safe from famine. But it could also come down to the simple design mechanisms of the human body.

Your body works very hard to maintain a balanced internal environment. This means it’s constantly adjusting temperature, hormone levels, energy levels, and so much more. And just like your body sweats to cool you off, it might hold onto energy when you start cutting calories or working out too hard.

Sure, while you might be born with upper and lower set point ranges for your body weight, you still have the power to shift that and end up where you want to end up.

Here are 7 ways you can get started on the journey to doing exactly that:

#1 LOSE HALF A POUND A WEEK (OR AT LEAST AIM TO DO SO)

Fad diets that promise quick results are uncomfortable and largely unsustainable… they’re, in a way, build to backfire. The more rapid the changes you make, the more your body wants to fight back. To prevent this from happening, aim to lose a safe, healthy amount of weight every week and month.

If your body is getting the nutrition it requires to properly function, or just a little less than it’s used to, it’s going to be much more willing to finally let go of all that extra energy. This will help you lose more weight in the long term – and keep it off.

#2 FOCUS ON THE 5-10 PERCENT RULE

Research has proven that losing 5 to 10 percent of your total body weight is a smart approach. Losing more than 10 percent of your total body weight causes it to backfire and make it much harder to maintain weight loss results.

#3 LOG YOUR FOOD

Tracking what you’ve been eating is one of the most surefire strategies to lose weight. While monitoring your calories can help you notice if you’ve been overeating, it can also help you focus on your macronutrient breakdown.

Most people are shocked at how little protein they consume or how little fiber they’re taking in through their diet. Find ways to ramp up that protein intake.

#4 LOSE WEIGHT IN PHASES

If you want to lose 20 pounds, you need to first set that 5 percent goal. After that, try to maintain your new weight for a couple of months before starting another cycle of weight loss. This allows your body to gradually adjust to the new weight… and give you a psychological break from limitations you might be putting on yourself. The extra time taken might be worth it.

#5 THINK ABOUT PROBIOTICS

Changing your gut bacteria and their environment will help your weight-loss efforts and might change your set point weight. One recent review showed that probiotic supplementation has helped slightly reduce body fat percentage and body weight. If you’re thinking about supplementing with probiotics, or just eating more probiotic-rich foods, talk to your RD first.

#6 START STRENGTH TRAINING

Your basal metabolic rate is basically the number of calories your body burns while you are resting… meaning when you’re just sitting around breathing, sleeping, or fidgeting.

One way for you to shift your weight into a healthier range is to increase your BMR. Body composition is key here: muscle tissue will burn more calories than fat tissue, so you should be aiming to increase your muscle mass by doing compound movements that work multiple muscle groups at a time. This includes squats, pullups, deadlifts, and more.

#7 INCREASING YOUR NEAT

It’s a fact – the number of calories you will burn during your exercising is relatively small compared to the number of calories you burn through daily activities. The moment-to-moment calorie burn, also known as non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT,) can be a useful tool to propel you to your new set point weight.

When you’re losing weight and taking in less and less calories, you tend to subconsciously start moving less than your body wants to.

The fix here is to add more NEAT into your life… by taking the stairs, carrying groceries, working standing up, cleaning up around your house, and more.

Hey Angels and Angels,

Have you ever noticed, for example, when looking at your mom and dad, that they’re rather inconsistent in their reactions when facing a difficult situation?

Men and women could experience stress in different ways, and respond to different stress triggers. According to the APA (American Psychological Association), women have more physical and emotional responses to stress than men.

While these stress reactions will ultimately play an emotional role, they can also translate to impact on their exercise, diet, and weight.

Stress leads to weight change…

That’s no secret to anyone. According to the APA, 45 percent of women and 40 percent of men say they’ve gained weight during the pandemic. On the other hand, 20 percent of men and 17 percent of women have reported that they unintentionally lost weight during the pandemic.

The reason? External stressors.

Some people consume comfort foods as a reaction to challenging circumstances, more often without even realizing they’re responding to anxiety-inducing situations. And the situation doesn’t even have to have anything to do with food.

The APA reported that many more women were actually leaving the workforce (and feeling more stress) in response to that work-at-home division of labor, likely feeling as if it were falling more on them. Sure, if you already had a plan for education or child care (and taking care of them wasn’t a part of your job description) the thrust falls upon you.

And other high-stress situations such as the pandemic could make females more likely to turn to food for comfort, or on the flip side, cause their appetite to significantly drop.

We often see women portrayed as emotional eaters on television and in the movies… with characters stereotypically chugging down pints of ice cream to soothe their feelings. But this behavior doesn’t just affect women.

Men can also be emotional eaters. Emotional eating is more of an association where we say, okay, this is how I will comfort myself or this is what I’m going to do when I’m bored. Whatever that emotional trigger is… the response is usually that person’s favorite comfort food.

Making yourself a priority…

Women can often find themselves in the role of the caregiver, whether they are looking after their partners, children, or parents. Men could also be caregivers, but statistics show two out of three family caregivers in the United States are women, likely leading to the increasing stress levels. If you’re in a position like this, you might want to find time for yourself and the activities you enjoy so you can have an easier time managing stress.

Even if you don’t have a lot of free time on your hands, a few minutes here and there, whether it’s for a walk, or a meditation, or a healthy meal… is really all you need to get yourself in a better frame of mind.

Doing things like this will decrease your desire to reach for junk food, spend unhealthy screen-time, or skimp on your workouts.

Making small, incremental changes in the places in which you spend the majority of your day can result in massive wellness rewards. This means that figuring out creative ways to change up your work environment (so it’s less stressful) could be one of the best things you can do to slowly adapt to a more stress-free way of life.

You might find it helpful to create new healthy rituals such as listening to podcasts, creating nightly routines, and reading more instead of checking your social media every night until you go to sleep.

Be more mindful…

Whether you’re a female or a male, practicing mindfulness will help you lower your stress levels – guaranteed. It will also help you focus on your exercise and diet. And recognizing what you’re actually doing (and how that differs from what you’d want) will help keep you away from emotional eating and responding to emotional stimuli.

Ask yourself this: when you begin to feel stressed, are you able to directly link it to something specific? If you keep a journal or log and you’re looking for those repetitive triggers and patterns, this could be the first step to deconstructing your stressors.

And always remember to leverage physical activity for releasing stress…

Both women and men undoubtedly benefit from exercising regularly. Physical activity is one of the most well-researched and proven ways to improve your mood and lower stress levels. Just be sure to watch out for your intensity level and not stress yourself further.

Remember that exercise is also a form of stress… and if you’re already stressed, you might not get many benefits from doing HIIT or going out for long sprints. Instead, use exercise as a way to release the stress you’ve built up instead of building on top of it.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

Whether you’re someone looking to lose weight or just maintain it, we all know how important it is to maintain a well-balanced diet that consists of all three major macronutrient groups: protein, fats, and carbs.

And while carbohydrates often get a very bad rap in the weight loss community, certain types of carbohydrates, especially those that contain resistant starch, can promote proper gut health and reduce inflammation (among other amazing benefits.)

What exactly is resistant starch?

Just like the name suggests, resistant starch is… well, resistant.

It resists digestion and absorption in the small intestine, and then travels to the large intestine where it can naturally be broken down and fermented by the bajillions of gut microbes that reside there.

So how does this benefit gut health exactly?

Resistant starch is another name for what we call prebiotics. Prebiotics basically serve as the food for probiotics. A gut that is heavily populated with the right type of microbes will have a much easier time regulating blood sugar function, as well as give you the added benefit of a stronger immune system that creates vitamins for the body.

When the bacteria in your gut start feeding on these prebiotics, they naturally produce specific fatty acids that then nourish the lining of your gut and strengthen your gut microbiome.

This lining is made up of just a single layer of cells which is like tile with grout in the middle. When your gut lining is nourished and resilient, it protects things from going in and out and escaping from your gut that, among other problems, can cause damaging inflammation.

How does resistant starch help with weight loss?

There’s this 2015 study published in the Journal Biomedical and Environmental Sciences that concluded that eating foods packed with resistant starch can reduce your overall calorie intake, lower your blood sugar levels, and increase satiety.

Sure, more human research is needed, but there’s another theory from animal research that consuming more resistant starch may allow the body to burn more fat.

When it comes down to it…

If you’re someone who wants to lose weight, improve digestion, decrease inflammation, and help manage your weight and blood sugar, you will need a certain type of diet… which most likely consists of plant-based foods that incorporate different types of starch, including resistant starch. These types of foods will also fit if you’re on a low-carb diet.

The right way to start is to incorporate some of the foods we’ve listed below in your diet. Keep in mind that certain probiotics can cause gas and pain in some people, especially those who have a sensitive intestine or experience irritable bowel syndrome.

Here’s a list of the foods containing healthy starch:

• Oats

Raw oats contain way more resistant starch than their cooked alternatives. Try them either in no-bake granola bars, overnight oats, or just add 1 or 2 tablespoons to your morning smoothie.

• Unripe Bananas

On their own, green bananas sure aren’t very delicious. However, you can try adding them to your morning smoothie or try roasting them for an enjoyable low-sugar snack.

• Green Banana Flour

Easily found on Amazon, real green banana flour makes it super simple to add this starch into your favorite foods and meals such as smoothies or oatmeal.

• Cold Potatoes or Rice

Research shows that after these carbs have been cooked and then cooled after, they contain more resistant starch. Try making them into a potato salad or add them into delicious burrito bowls.

• Konjac

These trendy “miracle” noodles — also known as shirataki noodles — are made from a type of resistant starch native to the konjac root. Try using them as an alternative (and actually delicious) pasta noodle.

• Tiger Nuts

The tiger nut is a root vegetable that’s rich in fiber. You can buy it pre-roasted so you can snack on it at work or throughout the day. Then use the flour in recipes as a replacement for traditional white flour.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

Have you ever been to a sauna, be it for weight loss or just to try it out? Most likely, you have, seeing that almost every gym is equipped with one now. If you have been to a sauna, you know that just a few minutes of basking in that dry heat can help you relax your muscles, open up your lungs, and do wonders for your stress levels.

Because of these well-researched benefits, countless health enthusiasts are adding the sauna to their regular health and wellness regimen.

Not to mention, residents of Finland are way ahead of the game, with Finland being a country that has more saunas per capita than any other in the world… about one sauna per household! As it turns out… they’re really onto something.

The many health benefits of saunas!

There was a long-term study done by the University of Eastern Finland that basically looked at the impact that saunas have on cardiovascular incidents and overall mortality. What they did is they analyzed the frequency of sauna use among people who were middle-aged (about 2,300 people,) over the course of about 20 years.

They broke these people down into groups based on how often they used saunas:

• One sauna per week.
• 2-3 saunas per week.
• 4-7 saunas per week.

What they found is that the more saunas they used, the better it was for their health.

A higher frequency of sauna use and sauna bathing was directly linked to a reduced risk of sudden cardiac death, fatal cardiovascular disease, fatal coronary heart disease, and pretty much all-cause mortality (which is absolutely huge.) Now that’s what we call compelling data.

Now, before you get the urge to move to Finland, or at least install a sauna in your house, there’s more we should talk about.

Building on this piece of research, there is a scientific review that looked at all the available trials and studies on saunas and their effects on cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular outcomes.

What they found was pretty similar to the research we talked about before. It furthered the case for adding a sauna to your health and wellness regimen.

The researchers, who were based in the UK and in Finland, noted that there is an emerging amount of evidence suggesting that bathing in a sauna had numerous health benefits, most notable of which was the reduction in the risk associated to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and countless neurocognitive diseases.

This research also showed that bathing in a sauna had numerous health benefits for conditions such as the common cold, and not to mention, certain skin conditions, headaches, and even rheumatic diseases.

But the most mind-boggling of all the findings was perhaps the fact that sauna bathing caused a reduction in all-cause mortality among participants.

Saunas… are basically kind of like a form of exercise.

Sure, sitting still in a very, very hot room isn’t the same as running a 5K or jumping on the treadmill for a couple of HIIT sprints. But luckily, sitting in all that steam might be doing way more than you believe.

That same scientific review that we talked about basically found that the physiological responses that bathing in a sauna generates somewhat correspond to those produced by moderate physical activity such as walking.

And once more, that’s some BIG data when it comes to health and wellness. But unless you believe that there’s a reason to stop exercising, the scientists have noted that exercise combined with saunas is such a powerful one-two punch for your cardiovascular health. When you’re keeping your fitness levels in a great overall medium, courtesy of strength training and aerobic exercise, bathing in a sauna can help you further by allowing you to leverage those numerous health benefits.

Saunas can be an added level of protection against the risk of cardiovascular disease… and pretty much all-cause mortality! If your local gym has a sauna, or you have one in your home, it might be an excellent idea to include it in your wellness regimen.

If you’re already exercising, make sure to keep it up. If you’re not exercising, do your best to start. But regardless of which step you’re at in your wellness journey, there is growing evidence that sauna sessions translate to big health benefits… make sure to use that to your advantage.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

It’s no secret to anyone that fish is a great addition to a healthy, balanced weight loss diet – granted you choose the right kind and preparation.

Most fish are very high in protein but contain a minuscule amount of calories when compared to other protein sources such as beef or poultry. Protein is also great for increasing satiety and preventing overindulging in or between meals. They’re also high in healthy fats and loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, all vital nutrients that promote heart and brain health and help you manage your weight.

That being said, one thing we can’t forget to mention is that adding seafood to your diet won’t directly lead to you losing weight. However, incorporating nutrient-dense options into your balanced diet and committing to a regular exercise routine will propel you toward your weight-loss goals… fish is just one way to achieve that balanced, nutrient-rich diet.

Here are 5 nutrient-rich types of fish you can instantly add to your weekly meal plan:

#1 CANNED TUNA!

Canned tuna hits the perfect weight loss meal plan trifecta… it’s versatile, it’s healthy, and it’s affordable. Tuna canned in water is one of the best protein-rich options for those of you looking to lose weight. However, it still keeps the calories lower than most chicken options when you compare the same portion sizes. For a 3-ounce serving of tuna, you have about 70 calories, whereas 3 ounces of grilled chicken would equal to about 120 calories on average.

Canned options also provide a long shelf life and can be incredibly convenient when thrown into simple and quick meals. Just make sure you’re one of the people who buy light tuna, since it’s considered a fish low in mercury. When you mix it with avocado and spread it on top of toast or even apple slices, you’re in for a healthy and delicious meal that racks up your protein intake like *snap* that.

#2 SARDINES

Sardines are one of the unspoken champions of seafood (and weight loss.) These small fish are often overlooked, but they’re still an inexpensive and delicious option for those looking to rack up their protein intake. A can of sardines, which is about 4 ounces, contains 25 grams of protein and about a third of your daily calcium needs. They’re also rich in vitamin D and iron, helping you decrease inflammation throughout the body through their omega-3s (which is vital when trying to lose weight.) And they’re rather low on the food chain which means they contain fewer contaminants such as metals and mercury.

#3 SALMON (wild-caught)

When salmon is wild-caught and not one of its farmed varieties, you’ll find that it’s much more flavorful. Salmon is also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and lean protein – three ounces of wild salmon contains about 23 grams of protein for about 150 calories, which keeps you satiated and helps you preserve lean muscle mass.

For an easy, healthy, and delicious meal containing salmon, top a bed of seasonal veggies with a serving of baked (or smoked) salmon.

#4 COD

Cod makes for an excellent addition to any weight-loss meal plan because of its impressive nutrient profile (and a rather mild flavor.) A standard serving of cod has about 20 grams of protein at just 90 calories, helping you stay satiated and manage your weight more easily.

And did you know the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study in which they found that people who consumed cod at lunch consumed 10 percent less food at dinner when compared to people who consumed beef for lunch?

And another similar study discovered that people who ate five servings of cod per week lost 4 more pounds compared to people who consumed the same amount of calories but without seafood?

#5 HALIBUT

If you’re looking for a simple, delicious, and nutritious meal, one of your easiest go-to choices is frozen fillet of white fish such as halibut. A 3-ounce serving of halibut can supply your body with about 20 grams of protein at just 90 calories. Not to mention, it’s packed with nutrients such as magnesium, selenium, and vitamin B12.

And let’s not forget, white fish is less oily than, let’s say, salmon, for example. It can be baked without thawing which makes it very easy (and fast) to cook.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

Whether you weight loss lovers realize it or not, getting older is not the only reason your metabolism can slow down. According to a review in the Public Health Nutrition Journal, getting older is associated with progressive declines in basal metabolic rate. And on top of that, you have countless daily habits that ultimately drain your metabolism even further.

That’s why today, we’re here to talk about 10 habits you need to watch out for if you want to improve your energy levels and keep your metabolism in check.

#1 SKIPPING BREAKFAST

A nutritious breakfast is by far the best way to start your day in terms of health management. Your metabolism slows down while you’re sleeping and eating after you get up can immediately boost it up and allow you to burn more calories throughout the day. When you eat breakfast, what you’re telling your body is that you’re expecting a lot more calories to come in through the day. When you skip breakfast, you put your body in a conservation mode instead of burning any incoming calories.

#2 TOO MUCH SITTING!

If you’re one of those people that goes from their bed to their office chair to the couch at home, you’re probably no stranger to the term sedentary lifestyle. If you sit for extended periods of time, you’re putting your body into energy-conservation mode, slowly killing your metabolism. This also affects your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, break down body fat, and manage blood pressure.

#3 NOT ENOUGH PROTEIN

Protein isn’t just a muscle-building, satiety-promoting nutrient. It’s also vital for sustaining healthy weight. When you consume too little, you’ll have trouble maintaining and building muscle mass – and we all know how important that is for your metabolism. Not to mention, protein requires more energy to break down than fat or carbs, so you’ll end up burning more calories purely through digestion.

#4 NOT HYDRATING ENOUGH

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism published a study in which researchers discovered that drinking 500 milliliters of water increases your metabolic rate by up to 30 percent for almost an hour. Drink water throughout the day so you can stay hydrated and you’ll even get that extra benefit of a boosted metabolism.

#5 TOO MUCH STRESS

When your stress levels increase, so does your body’s production of a hormone named cortisol. Higher cortisol is linked to an increased appetite, decreased desire to exercise, comfort eating, reduced sleep quality, and more – all things that negatively impact your metabolism. While stress levels are something rather hard to deal with, managing them can help you come a long way toward protecting your metabolism.

#6 REFINED CARBS…

If you’re someone who loves pasta or white bread, you should know this could be leading you to a slower metabolism. Research has shown that people who consume the most refined carbs end up burning fewer calories and have higher rates of the ghrelin hormone; the hormone responsible for managing hunger and satiety.

This happens because refined carbohydrates turn into glucose very quickly; blood sugar is used for energy by the body but when it’s not utilized, it immediately goes into your fat stores.

Carbohydrates are a vital source of energy, though skipping refined carbs in favor of unprocessed, fiber-rich carbs will be one of the best choices you can make for your diet.

#7 NOT ENOUGH DAIRY

Some interesting research published in the journal Nutrients discovered that people with higher intakes of cheese, yogurt, milk, and similar dairy products have the lowest rates of obesity. This is essentially a part of a bigger study on the relationship between dietary calcium and energy metabolism regulation, but it serves as a pointer toward the fact that dairy products are great metabolism boosters.

#8 SLEEPING IN A HOT ROOM

Did you know that sleeping in a cold room – either by turning down the heat in the Winter or leaving the A/C on running in the Summer – actually leads to increasing levels of “brown fat” which generates internal heat and helps you burn calories? According to research, the best room temperature is around 19ºC.

#9 NOT GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP

Even one night of bad sleep is enough to have you feeling sluggish and lacking focus. Imagine stringing a few of those nights together in a row – or a lifetime of inadequate sleep – and you’ll learn why science shows sleep deprived people experience hormonal imbalances and a decreased metabolism.

#10 TOO MUCH FAST FOOD

Not only will ordering a burger with fries at your local drive-thru add a ton of extra calories to your day but it may also cause your metabolism to slow down. Due to the high fat content, this food takes longer to digest, and this can slow down your metabolism… while stress can compound this problem. Studies have shown that women who experience at least one stressor in the last 24 hours have burned around 100 calories less after eating a meal containing 900 calories than the women who were not stressed. That small difference adds up to 11 pounds of weight gained/lost every year.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

When you’re on a weight loss journey, it’s easy to start seeing hunger as a bad thing. And while it’s surely an inconvenient feeling, it’s as innate as the need to yawn.

Hunger is a crucial biological signal, and to understand what this means, we have to refresh our understanding of the autonomic nervous system.

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is made up of our sympathetic nervous system and our parasympathetic nervous system. While the first controls our body’s response to threats, the latter is our body’s counterbalance that returns the body to a state of calmness.

Our bodies need (and want) to spend some time in that “rest and digest” mode for the ANS and SNS to properly function. During this mode, your heart rate decreases, your blood pressure lowers, and digestion and absorption are greatly increased.

As a result, you probably won’t feel the need to eat all throughout the day. Most people feel at their best when they consume smaller meals more often.

If you find yourself feeling hungry throughout the day, here are a couple of reasons you could be experiencing this:

#1 NOT ENOUGH FIBER OR PROTEIN

It’s no secret to anyone that we all need macronutrients like protein, carbs, and fat regardless of whether or not we’re trying to lose weight. And we should all know that not all calories have a similar impact on satiety.

While carbs are great for providing quick energy, nutrients such as protein and fiber are great for sustaining energy. Studies published in the Nutrition Journal discovered that high-protein snacks are directly linked to reduced hunger and higher satiety. It’s a well-known fact in the fitness community that high-protein or high-fiber foods are great for generating satiety due to the slow breakdown and release of energy from those foods.

#2 EATING TOO QUICKLY

Rushing through meals is sort of common for a lot of people, but this makes it hard to register feelings of satiety and fullness. That’s why you always have to make it a priority to slow down.

If you tend to just devour your meals and snacks as soon as you get them, you should try consciously allocating a specific amount of time to finish your meal.

Include small sips of water between your bites, and also reflect on your fullness level after each and every bite. Use all of your five senses and allow yourself to enjoy your meal – always check in with yourself and ask yourself “how does this taste?” “do I enjoy the texture of this meal?” “Is it satisfying my needs for the moment?”

You’ll likely find that you feel full much sooner than you thought (and not to mention, you’ll feel satiated for longer.)

#3 YOUR HORMONES ARE OUT OF BALANCE

If you’re in a state of constant daily stress, the hormone cortisol (linked with stress) rises, causing an increase in appetite. And not to mention, stress eating usually causes people to reach for foods that are more palatable, such as refined carbs and sugary foods.

Don’t forget to always line up some other coping mechanisms to help you deal with stress aside from just eating – exercise, talking, journaling, meditation, reading, anything but not stuffing yourself with empty calories.

#4 YOU’RE EXPENDING MORE ENERGY THAN YOU ACTUALLY REALIZE

A mismatch of energy levels will often lead to increased (or constant) hunger. If you’re exercising more, whether it’s at longer durations or higher intensities, your appetite will likely increase because your body will be trying to burn through more calories than usual.

Other life changes and lifestyle tweaks could also lead to increased energy needs. If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, chasing kids around, got a new job, taking daily walks, pretty much anything could be an unrealized energy expender that boosts your calorie needs.

#5 YOU’RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP

Sleep plays a significant, or rather vital, role in regulating your hormones. As we mentioned above, not managing your hormones properly will lead to cortisol skyrocketing alongside your hunger levels. Short sleep durations are also linked to elevated levels of ghrelin, one of the key hormones in regulating appetite. Furthermore, they’re also linked to decreases of leptin, the satiety hormone.

What does this mean? It means that when you’re short on sleep, you’re more likely to feel hungry and crave refined foods. That’s why you should take some time to develop a healthy sleep schedule and avoid alcohol and heavy dinners before bed so you can make sure your digestive system is doing efficient work and that you’re getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep that keeps your hormones in check.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

When you’re on a weight loss journey, exercise is a vital part of the whole equation – that’s no secret to anyone. And even though most experts already agree that working out on its own will not be enough to lose weight, there are still more than enough reasons for you to include it in your weight-loss journey.

Most people who have been successful with their weight-loss goals can definitely tell you it took a few failures before they got down the right workout strategy – the one they benefitted from the most.

Today, we’re here to explore exactly the most successful tweaks that gym-goers have used to rev up their workouts and make them more effective for weight loss. And even those small differences will result in big results in the long haul.

#1 DON’T JUST WORK OUT TO LOSE WEIGHT

You will notice you will start to lose weight when you stop focusing on exercising solely for the purpose of losing weight. And you can see this effect whenever you start working with a fitness client.

The moment you start focusing on exercises that are enjoyable and fun, you will find a rhythm that works for you and you won’t feel any pressure that “you must do this in a specific way, for this long, at this time, or else you won’t see results.”

When you get this internal shift that you must do what you enjoy and stay active, weight loss will start to happen on its own.

#2 ADD HEAVY STRENGTH TRAINING TO YOUR WORKOUT

High-intensity interval training does have its own share of benefits – no one denies that. But many experts actually recommend that, if you want to lose weight, you should start prioritizing heavy strength training over HIIT or another form of cardio… which may be a surprise given HIIT’s popularity and touted benefits.

Too many people start focusing too much on cardio when they jump on a weight loss journey. There are a few reasons why strength training is often a much better first pick. Not only can it burn just as many, and if not more, calories, but it can also help you develop more muscle mass which will allow you to burn more calories at rest. Strength training builds muscle mass which increases your basal metabolic rate… which means your body consumes more calories even when you’re not exercising.

#3 INSTEAD OF CARDIO, DO SUPERSETS

If you just incorporate a day of superset training into your routine, you will potentially see much better results in your progress toward your weight loss goal. During a superset, your heart rate is elevated both during and after the exercise, making it one of the best options for people looking to burn fat. This small tweak has propelled clients to their goal, and let’s be honest, you will get a great pump and you’ll love these workouts way more than you do your cardio workouts.

#4 MAKE YOUR RECOVERY A PRIORITY

When it comes to weight loss, many people tend to believe that taking days off is not as important… or not necessary at all. If you’re already pretty fit and you want to get leaner, this tends to be true in the majority of cases.

Though it sounds counterintuitive at first, skipping a part of your workouts will favor your recovery a lot… and make all the difference in the world. That “no days off” mindset will absolutely ruin your health goals and make you miss out on your potential weight loss results.

You have to give your body the adequate rest it needs, and this isn’t just true with strength training. You will drop much more body fat, sleep better, and have more energy in your intense workouts, if you just increase the amount of rest you’re taking throughout the rest – and this includes active rest.

#5 TAKE BIG BREAKS DURING STRENGTH TRAINING WORKOUTS

Sometimes, rest breaks make all the difference in your workout performance and the results you get from it. You can be someone who is super high-energy who always approaches strength training workouts with a “the more, the better” attitude, and you’ll naturally want to boost your heart rate up when lifting weights.

But when you start to take more (or larger) breaks between your sets to catch your breath before the next round, you will start seeing a massive difference in your performance especially during strength training bouts. You’ll find that you will have much more energy for the next set, leading you to become stronger, put on muscle easier, and find yourself dropping extra weight extra fast.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

For the majority of people, not just those trying to lose weight, three meals a day is just the norm. You have breakfast, you have lunch, you have dinner, and (for many of us) a little grazing in between.

But with the rise of new nutrition trends such as intermittent fasting (IF) and time-restricted eating (TRE), which basically have you skipping meals or entire days of eating as well as having smaller eating windows, it’s absolutely understandable that you’d start to question how many meals a day you should actually be eating if you want to slim down.

According to a study done in 2012, published in the journal Obesity, people who eat up to six smaller meals a day instead of three big meals usually have fewer cravings throughout the day. And in reality, both groups lose the same amount of weight.

So… should you be ditching the three meals a day thing so you can try IF, TRE, or another new form of performance eating?

Let’s debate the cases FOR and AGAINST the three meals a day plan.

FOR

Generally, consuming three meals in one day alongside one or two small snacks is a great rule of thumb for weight loss. When you have a structured meal plan in place, you’ll be achieving the results you’re looking for and you will be satisfied with and by your food.

Eating three meals every day can indeed help you stay full for longer, reduce hunger and cravings, and prevent the overeating that happens on the “one meal a day” diet. An example – overweight adults who consumed oatmeal for breakfast were generally more satisfied and consumed fewer total calories compared to people who only drank water in the morning, according to a 2015 study in Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism.

While we definitely need more research to prove this, a viable option here would be the three-meal-a-day plan combined alongside two meals a day plus a couple of snacks. Skipping breakfast and hitting that time-restricted eating quota can also help you slim down further and make the plan much easier to maintain.

For many people, making breakfast the biggest meal of the day and following that up with smaller meals makes much more sense in terms of having energy. Research actually shows that eating more calories early in the day will benefit your blood sugar control which will decrease cravings.

When you eat more frequently, and add some more snacking throughout the day, this will lower your overall calorie intake and body mass index… and can actually help increase your intake of filling fiber and your intake of essential minerals and vitamins.

AGAINST

If three meals a day actually works for you, go for it! But there’s basically no hard evidence that a three-meal eating pattern can be more effective in terms of losing weight than others. If that’s your goal, you should choose whatever best fits your lifestyle.

But that being said, we still recommend choosing smaller mini-meals rather than three big meals because (1) this allows more flexibility and (2) results in a more filling and nutrient-dense meal thanks to a greater fiber intake.

Without a doubt, three meals a day will not be a good approach if most of those meals are huge. There’s a big problem you can notice with people who choose this meal plan is that they go heavy on those three meals, and not to mention, some of them leave their dinner too close to bedtime which is linked to less weight loss results.

The bottom line is…

You have to find out what works best for you. Most restrictive diets or non-traditional eating plans such as time-restricted eating aren’t very sustainable unless you can turn them into a habit. And if your plan is not sustainable, you won’t be able to stick with it and you will rebound and regain all the weight you lost.

The research on the topic is mixed. The ideal meal frequency for weight loss isn’t accurately determined as of yet. But we can all agree that what works best for you will ultimately… be the best for you.

If you’re struggling to lose weight, and you’re interested in the three-meals-a-day approach, make sure you’re adding a few 100 calorie snacks between your meals and tracking your intake so you can calculate your overall calorie goal and keep your hunger in check.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

There are countless ways you can decide what you’re going to add to your plate – you can read nutrition labels, count calories, follow point systems, or stick to a strict diet that tells you exactly what and when to eat.

And the “stoplight food” system is a great option for those who want to add more healthy foods and veggies to their diet without much hassle.

The stoplight system is essentially a visual guide for the consumers that want to make good food choices.

• Just like in traffic, green means go. Those are foods you should eat consistently and regularly.
• Yellow foods are sometimes foods.
• Red foods should be limited or just avoided altogether.

That being said, we all know there are no universal rules for what foods you should include in your diet. For example, many dietary programs consider green foods to be the most nutrient-rich such as veggies and fruits. Yellow foods tend to have a bit more fat such as granola bars and dried fruits. Red foods are basically chips, donuts, junk foods and more.

However, other stoplight systems are usually tailored toward the calorie density of certain foods. That means that high-fat foods could be slapped with a red or yellow label regardless of whether it’s a healthy source of fat.

Example:

Red: Nuts, olive oil, chia seeds

Yellow: Lean protein, beans, avocado

Green: Fruits, veggies, oatmeal, quinoa, berries

The countless benefits of spotlight foods!

First of all, let’s examine the benefits of the stoplight system as a whole.

For one, it essentially boils down nutrients into a very easy-to-understand format. And when diets get simple, they become sustainable, and translate into real life changes.

You have some studies out there have shown us that the stoplight system can instantly change consumer behavior and reduce the purchases of foods labeled “red” while increasing the purchases of green foods. Sometimes, this could mean reducing intakes of added sugar, saturated fat, even sodium.

One study in PLOS ONE looked at over 20,000 Canadian people and found that the stoplight system reduced calorie consumption by almost 5 percent, sodium by 6 percent, and total fat by a whopping 13 percent.

Another study used the stoplight system to “code” different beverages based on sugar contents. Monthly sales of drinks labeled “red” dropped by almost 20 percent while green beverages (e.g. low-fat milk, water, tea) rose from 12 to up to 38 percent! That’s HUGE!

Whenever the stoplight system is applied, people start buying fewer red foods and more green ones.

This green-yellow-red labeling is super easy to understand as opposed to the alternative where you have to wade through all the claims on the front of the package and spend some time decoding all the ingredients yourself. This system also means you’ll be much less likely to be swayed by marketing terms such as low-carb, keto-friendly, natural, or organic.

However, there are some drawbacks…

As with countless other diets and dietary approaches, there are drawbacks to this stoplight method. Namely, you have to basically understand exactly which criteria the stoplight system you’re using is based on… and the criteria that make sense for you, your diet, and your goals.

Each stoplight system has a different criterion for all the food categories. This can be sometimes confusing when you’re trying to choose foods based on a mix of stoplight systems.

And a certain system may not even meet your personal nutrition needs, too. For instance, if you’re a vegan athlete, you can really use seeds and nuts to then meet your nutrient needs. But when you see them labeled “red,” you might think you should avoid them (when foods like these can be super useful for you.)

This can further reinforce the idea that some generally good foods can be labeled bad, affecting how you view food.

And when you consume something labeled red, you will think you’ve done something bad… just because you wanted a handful of almonds? And this will affect how you look at foods in the future, even long after you’ve stopped paying attention to the green, yellow, and red… not to mention, past research has indicated that guilt over food can actually promote more weight gain!

Bringing it all together…

The stoplight food method can be an effective way to simply your dietary approach, and it’s something definitely worth considering. As with any weight loss and diet tool, you have to maintain your awareness of your physical and mental health… not to mention your relationship with food.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

As we all know, spring brings in both a metaphorical and a literal breath of fresh air as the weather starts to warm up after the cold and long winter months (at least in most part of the world.)

Along with that warm weather, the blooming flowers, and the extra outdoor activities, also come in a variety of healthy and delicious foods.

From the in-season produce to the fresh flavors that our taste buds love, light and zingy flavors of spring foods also mimic the entire mood of the season.

And for the people who are looking to lose weight, add muscle, or just generally be healthy, spring offers a lot of new and nutritious opportunities for nutrient-dense diet picks.

Today, we’re here to explore 8 spring foods that you can’t go wrong with adding to your plate, regardless of what your health and fitness goals are.

#1 ASPARAGUS

Asparagus is by far one of the most versatile veggies during the Spring season. They’re budget-friendly and packed with vitamin A that promotes good eyesight, vitamin K to help your bones and ward off heart disease, and insoluble fiber to improve your digestive health.

Simply seasoning some grilled asparagus with some olive oil, salt, and pepper is absolutely delicious. If you’re someone looking for something more dynamic, try this asparagus pea pasta bowl or an asparagus rice bowl with pesto.

#2 ARTICHOKES

Artichokes are sort of a March-May veggie. They turn very soft when you cook them and have this nutty flavor similar to asparagus. They’re also very budget-friendly and are chock-full of vitamins C and K, folate, and antioxidants. All these nutrients actually work together to support your health by lowering bad cholesterol.

Artichokes have a good reputation because of the luscious and yet cheesy spinach and artichoke dip that’s such a healthy and delicious party favorite.

#3 CARROTS

Introducing one of the most budget-friendly veggies out there, carrots have a fiber content that makes them an amazing choice for people looking to manage blood sugar. They’re rich in vitamin A that’s a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning that the body can absorb a lot of this nutrient even when the carrots are cooked.

They can be eaten alone, in salads, in desserts, caramelized when cooked, there are just so many options when it comes to carrots. Roasted carrot butter, carrot cake bites, roasted carrot salad, you name it – it’s healthy and delicious.

#4 EGGS

Yes, eggs aren’t really a spring food per se, but they’re such an amazing protein you can just throw in any spring recipe. Eggs also contain omega-3 fatty acids that boost brain health and lower inflammation, and the healthy fats inside the egg yolk also increase the absorption of healthy vitamins. They’re also abundant in choline, promoting proper cell function and fat metabolism.

#5 LIME

Limes are so much more than your favorite margarita addition. They usually start to peak around May, which is later than the other spring foods on this list, but their date can vary on a ton of factors – mainly where you live. Limes are generally an amazing low-calorie flavor booster for any spring recipe you’re cooking up. And they’re also rich in vitamin C, aiding immunity and healthy skin, as well as the well-known citric acid, known to prevent kidney stones like no other.

#6 RHUBARB

Rhubarb is a spring veggie that goes for a few dollars a pound depending on where you live… but it’s an undercover nutritional superfood! Thanks to its high levels of calcium and vitamin K, it’s one of the best fruits out there for bone and heart health. Not to mention, its high fiber content does wonders for your digestion.

People usually treat rhubarb like a fruit, but it’s not. It’s naturally sour due to the high malic acid content, but it’s traditionally a great addition to desserts and jams.

#7 Strawberries

When strawberries are in season, they tend to be very budget-friendly. They’re low in calories and sugar when compared to other fruits from their color, and they’re incredibly potent antioxidants. They are also about 90 percent water, supporting your hydration. And with the added potassium and magnesium, they keep your blood pressure in check.

Strawberries can be added to smoothies, salads, desserts, everywhere – even just out the carton. For a few more creative options when incorporating strawberries, you can try oatmeal strawberry pies, chia jams, cashew butter toasts with strawberry salad, and so much more.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

We all know that if we want to lose weight, gain weight, or even just maintain your weight, the key is and always has been in “calories in vs calories out.”

That being said, the total amount of calories you burn will likely be made up of the calories you burn when you exercise and the calories you burn through your metabolism… and the latter amounts for a much higher number of calories burned daily.

The process of converting calories into energy is a process that occurs naturally throughout the day – the calories we use when we breathe, when we digest, and when we’re just generally being alive and active are known as our basal metabolic rate (BMR.)

And if we increase our BMR, we increase our daily calorie burn.

This naturally brings us to the process of thermogenesis… which is just a fancy way of saying the metabolic process through which your body produces heat by burning calories. You can think of the process of thermogenesis like your body’s internal furnace. You basically crank up that furnace when you exercise, when you’re digesting food, when you’re cold, and for countless other reasons, resulting in calorie burn.

According to the Journal Nutrition & Metabolism, the diet-induced thermogenesis will account for up to 15 percent of your total calories burned throughout the day.

So the question is – can we increase our metabolism by eating specific foods? The answer is yes… but it’s not that simple.

There’s no food that will boost your metabolism in the long haul. However, some foods can help give you a little bit of a boost after eating. Let’s see how eating these four specific foods can affect your metabolism:

#1 FOODS HIGH IN PROTEIN

Protein takes more energy to break down than other nutrients. Consuming an adequate amount of protein from your daily meals and snacks can help boost that metabolic burn and the thermic effect of the food after a meal. Essentially, it will take up more energy for your body to digest a high-protein meal.

If you want to take advantage of this, you have to make sure you’re consuming an abundant amount of protein regardless of whether it’s animal or plant protein. Some amazing sources include lean beef, eggs, legumes, chicken, beans, and more.

#2 CAFFEINE

Caffeine is a stimulant that impacts the central nervous system. As such, it can help you burn more calories… and potentially, more fat. One study has shown us that caffeine can increase our metabolic rate by up to 11 percent… while other studies have discovered that people who consume around 270 milligrams of caffeine every day burn an extra 100 calories.

That being said, caffeine affects people differently. If you are sensitive to caffeine, you should be really careful and make sure you’re not overdoing it. 270 milligrams of coffee is equivalent to about 3 cups of coffee… which will likely be way too much for a lot of people.

#3 HOT OR CHILI PEPPERS

If you’re one of those people who likes spicy food, your metabolism is in luck! Capsaicin, a chemical found in peppers, has been shown to play a slight role in boosting your metabolism.

Experts point us to research that suggests that consuming around 150 milligrams of capsaicin could result in burning an extra 50 calories every day. And while this doesn’t sound like much, this effect can compound and account for about 5 pounds of weight loss per year.

#4 TEA, GREEN TEA, OOLONG TEA

Furthermore, the caffeine found in tea has also been proven to boost your metabolism in small amounts. Some studies have shown us that oolong tea could potentially increase the body’s energy expenditure by up to 10 percent over a 2-hour period. Tea could also be very effective in increasing the oxidation of fat in the body, further helping you burn fat.

But regardless of what you eat to lose weight… you still have to exercise!

Eating specific foods is surely a great way to ignite that internal furnace in your body… but moderate training and high-intensity exercise are also vital (and necessary) metabolism boosters.

We know that metabolism is increased significantly after interval training, and it even stays elevated for a longer period of time after periods of steady-state activity. That’s why if you want to keep your metabolism going and that furnace burning hot, you have to supplement your healthy diet with plenty of intense exercise.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

Early Sunday mornings on social media can provide you with a ton of great weight loss insights: entire counters filled up with hard-boiled eggs, colorful veggies, lean chicken, and brown rice… all ready to go, perfectly placed in portioned containers for meals throughout the week. It’s meal-prep goals at their finest.

We all know that spending a few hours to make sure you have all the meals you need for the week is one of the most productive strategies for reaching your health and fitness goals.

If you want to adopt healthier eating habits and lose weight, you have to make it as easy as possible to follow a balanced diet. Sometimes, it might feel challenging, overwhelming, or too time-consuming, and that’s exactly what will stop your progress and prevent you from making it sustainable.

Meal prepping actually makes it so much easier to eat healthy, regardless of what your day looks like. Work stress, busy schedules, last-minute deadlines, everything adds up and you’re likely to reach for more calorie-dense foods in those situations. Meal prep gives you this no-brainer healthy alternative and supports your goals.

Meal prep allows you to lose weight without willpower. Instead, you have a plan!

And while that’s all well and good, many people still find meal prepping to be rather laborious, and many people don’t actually enjoy cooking. If you loosen up your meal prep, however, you will likely find it much more natural to fit it in your schedule.

So how do we make meal prep a little bit more flexible?

The good news? You can still shed pounds with less complicated meal prep than those you see on social media. Today, we’ve compiled a few tips you can use to make the meal prep process less complicated and more sustainable.

#1 HAVE A GENERAL IDEA OF WHAT YOU WANT

Before you head off to the grocery store, take a look at your week. Create a rough outline of what you’ll be making, and leave some room for extra meals and leftovers.

Maybe you plan only 2-3 breakfasts and 2-3 lunches throughout the whole week. Breakfast could be some overnight oats. Lunch could be lean chicken breast over a bed of greens. Dinners could be whole-grain pastas or turkey burgers.

Give yourself the freedom to mix and match proteins, carbs, and veggies – this will make your entire meal prep journey more sustainable. Look for what’s in season, what’s in store, and create this general overview of what you’ll be eating throughout the week to support your fitness goals.

#2 SHORTCUTS ARE A GOOD THING (IN THIS CASE)

One thing a lot of people don’t realize about meal prep is that you don’t even need to make it all yourself. You can choose what part of your meal prep is actually dependent on you and streamline the rest. Maybe you find that the whole wash-chop-clean process of preparing veggies is too time-consuming for you.

That’s where all the pre-washed veggie bags, salad kits, and other similar products can come in handy. A lot of the work is already done for you and all you need to do is cook. You also have heat-and-eat grains such as quinoa or rice, as well as countless pre-made options in the frozen foods section.

Or if there’s a specific ingredient you want to eat more of, say beans, and you find them particularly time-consuming to cook. They can also come in ready-to-eat bags. Same is true for other foods such as lentils and beets.

#3 PREP YOUR MEALS ONCE, EAT THEM TWICE

Chopping a dozen veggies and fruits for the week isn’t fun for anybody. But it’s also not fun to have to take out your cutting board every single day. Why not combine the two tasks, get your cutting board out, and cut one extra item to save yourself a ton of time?

If you’re chopping down broccoli, just cut red pepper strips as an extra snack and save it for tomorrow. If you’re making something like farro, just double the batch and you’ll have a whole extra meal done for you.

#4 MEAL PREP ONLY WHEN YOU HAVE THE ENERGY FOR IT

Sure, the weekend is normally a time when people have more time to meal prep. But if that doesn’t work for you, that’s completely okay. Prepping in the moments when you have the energy and time makes it way more enjoyable and sustainable instead of always dreading the upcoming Sunday. Remember – whether it’s portioning your snacks one morning or just stocking up on frozen meals, make it count.

#5 UNLEASH YOUR CREATIVITY

It’s easy to prep the same meals over and over. But it gets boring fast. Not to mention, it leads you to overeating on certain foods or ditching meal prep altogether. Always create extra leeway so you can make impromptu decisions and try new-to-you fruits, veggies, and entire meals. This will keep things interesting and help you create a much more flexible and sustainable path to weight loss success.

Hey Angels and Alphas,

If you’re a foodie or nutrition lover, you know very well that simply scrolling through any social media feed for a few minutes will result in you seeing countless images of what appears to be mouth-watering sweet snacks.

And sure, while the images alone might have you craving that piece of cake or cookie (obviously,) you can then go to the caption of that image and see them being labeled as “healthy.”

But is that too good to be true?

Before you go ahead and start making sweet snacks and cookies to support your health and fitness goals, it’s important that we take a small step back and find out whether or not these foods are actually helping you progress toward your goal… or bringing you back.

Let’s take the example of a sweet, delicious cookie, and use that example to figure out whether a cookie recipe can live up to the “healthy” label.

First of all, the key to finding out whether a sweet snack is good for you is always in the ingredients.

When you’re going over and reviewing your favorite recipes, go straight to the list of ingredients. If the only modification you can find is substituting regular old cane sugar for coconut sugar, we have some news for you: it’s still sugar. Nothing about the actual nutritional value of the cookie has changed.

By reading through the ingredients and potentially making meaningful swaps or additions from whole-grain flour options such as spelt or buckwheat, high-fiber ingredients such as oats, chia, or flax, or even nutrient-dense fruits, veggies, and nuts, you’ll find that you can actually add a ton of health-boosting properties to your foods. By adding these nutrient-rich ingredients to your recipe, you will indeed boost the “healthfulness” of your sweet snack.

Second of all, remember to focus on the purpose of the snack. 

How can you decide if something is healthy for you if you don’t first relate it to your goals? Think about it: why (and when) are you eating the sweet snack? When you opt for recipes that basically fit inside your required nutrient profile, you’re golden.

If you’re chugging on a sweet snack as a pre-workout so you can consume some energy-giving carbs, which is actually the preferred source of energy for your body during intense workouts, you’re actually using that sweet snack productively.

You can also use that sweet snack as a grab and go meal, or even add some protein powder or fiber-rich veggies to help fill you up and reduce the impact it will have on your blood sugar levels.

And when you go as far as to increase the fat content of your snack with coconut oil or something like nut butter, you will be adding a ton of satiety to your snack and you’ll be able to fuel your body for lower-intensity exercise since your body tends to use more fat as energy during this type of training.

Just because it says “healthy” doesn’t mean it actually is healthy for you and your goals.

Most dietitians cringe at the word “healthy.” While that word can definitely have good intentions, for the most part, healthy tends to be a very vague word, almost to the point where it has absolutely no meaning. What’s healthy for you and your goals will not be healthy for the next person, and it can be extremely difficult for recipe creators to label their recipes as healthy if they don’t know who’s the “end consumer.”

That’s why you have to go the extra mile to understand your individual needs and define the results you would like to achieve. Only then can you actually choose sweet snacks that are “healthy” for you, or in other words, productive towards your goals. Only then can you use foods to promote better health and better fitness.

Finally, just focus on eating the original!

What does this mean? Well, we know that mashing a bunch of oats and nut butter together alongside some healthy fruit can result in a sweet snack that’s definitely rich in terms of nutritional value. That being said, attempting to add a bunch of healthy ingredients to a meal hoping it makes it better can trigger those indulgent cravings that potentially backfire on you and your goals.

Not only can they provide a “healthy halo” to a food that results in overeating on that “healthy” food, but it might also be likely to eat one healthy snack and then bring in some less nutritious options to satisfy your cravings.

A lot of the time, what’s truly healthy for you is to just eat mindfully and enjoy the treats you’re treating yourself to. It’s very easy for a mindset of guilt to overtake you if you’re on a fitness journey and trying to eat well, but it’s also very easy for you to fool yourself into thinking you’re being healthy when you’re really chugging down spoon after spoon of nut butter and racking up calories.

Yes, you should use sweet snacks to fuel your nutrition needs and your performance goals but remember that satisfaction should also be factored into the “bigger picture” of your health and fitness.