FHP 618 – Intermittent Fasting – worth it or not?

FHP 618 – Intermittent Fasting – worth it or not?

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Cori (00:00):
Hey guys, this is Cori from Redefining Strength. Welcome to the Fitness Hacks Podcast. This is the show where I share all my free workout and nutrition tips. I’m not going to ever fill this episode with sponsorships or ask you to buy anything. All I ask in return is if you’re enjoying the podcast to leave a review or leave a five star rating or even better share it with somebody you think it might help. This will only take a few minutes and would mean the world to me and possibly change the life of someone. So let’s jump right in.

(00:29):
Let’s talk intermittent fasting, whether you’ve considered seven day water fast because they become popular recently. A doing more intermittent fasting with a longer fast and shorter eating window on a day five and two. All the different options out there. We want to talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly. So welcome Michelle. Let’s dive into what is intermittent fasting in general.

Michelle (00:52):
So the biggest thing with intermittent fasting is it’s really just about the timing of when you eat. It’s not really necessarily changing your eating behavior as far as your diet goes, but actually the eating behavior of when you’re going to eat versus when you’re not going to eat. And a lot of times people like to couple multiple diets on top of it, but when it comes to intermittent fasting, the simplest form of it is just restricting when your eating windows are.

Cori (01:22):
And you can do a lot of different eating windows as I mentioned already. It could be that you skip breakfast and have that shorter eating window each day and a longer extended time without eating. So like 16, eight, it can be full days, it can be many extended days. But I love that you brought up that intermittent fasting isn’t a diet. We really do talk about it like it’s a diet, but it is a meal timing that can be implemented with so many different ways of eating, whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, paleo, even carnivore, and on top of that it can be used with a variety of different macros. Now we’re going to dive into some of the benefits. The downside is who it works best for. I do want to start though with the fact that all of this really depends and you have to experiment with what works for you because ultimately whether you hit your macros or not is going to make the biggest impact. Correct. So we can’t use this to restrict our eating too much or we’re going to end up binging later. We can’t sort of out fast our macros. There has to be that underlying macro focus to make the meal timing really work for us. Can you go over a little bit about that, the fundamentals of it?

Michelle (02:28):
Yeah, so when it comes down to it, this really is just a tool and it’s a tool that can help some people be able to have some calorie restriction. If they happen to really struggle during certain times during the day where they overconsume calories, having a more shut off time can allow them to be like, okay, I know that these are my times that I typically overdo things. I’m going to stop eating here and that will keep me from over consuming calories. And then there’s that benefit of, or I should say, but you have to couple it with healthy eating. This does not mean that you have an excuse to binge during that time period that you’re allowed to eat, nor does it mean that we are consuming less during that window. You still need to consume the same amount of calories and the same amount of macro just possibly in a shorter window

Cori (03:22):
And diving into some of the research and what it shows. I do just want to preface this with the fact that a lot of these different things can be accomplished in a lot of different ways. Just like you don’t have to eat one specific food to get micronutrients. There are a lot of foods that have those micros. Intermittent fasting can help you accomplish these benefits. And if it’s right for you, which we’ll sort of dive into as well, what might make it right for you, what might make it wrong for you? The upsides downsides again mentioned that. I just want to say as much as the research can be positive, we can think these things can be beneficial. There are other ways to do it if this doesn’t feel right for you. So experimentation is also always key. Diving into the research, what have been some of the benefits shown of intermittent fasting?

Michelle (04:02):
So some of the biggest benefits have been improved metabolic syndrome, so that’s like multiple facets. So that’s lowering blood pressure, lowering triglyceride levels, being able to reduce some of that waste circumference. It’s shown that we can really target some of that fat on our abdominal. We’re also looking at, of course decreasing the risk of obesity. But some things that are a little bit more unique to intermittent fasting itself compared to other items is that it does show an increase in cellular autophagy, so you actually have more cellular turnover, which is a good thing especially for women as we age. Sometimes that kind of slows down and it’s not going to be a night and day difference, but if you are promoting cellular turnover, you can actually improve your skin. And sometimes those wrinkles, some more of those superficial aspects that sometimes we do kind of stress about as we age. So there’s definitely some positives. And another big thing is it does show a decrease in inflammation that can actually lower risk and slow down both the aging process but progression of diseases as well.

Cori (05:11):
And if someone were looking to implement intermittent fasting, what are some different options for them to use fasting to their benefits?

Michelle (05:19):
So it’s really going to come down to of course the windows, like you mentioned earlier, what is going to work for them and their lifestyle? If you are an active individual having a very restricted window that you do daily, like let’s say the 16 eight where you’re fasting for 16 hours, you’re eating for eight hours out of the day, which is really not, if you look at a normal eating pattern, that’s really not that extreme, right? You’re really just extending that period just so slightly. Most of us, we stop eating 12 hours, we are awake, we’re eating for 12 hours. So you’re just making those slight adjustments. And if you’re someone that trains in the morning, you’re doing training for something very specific, like if you were a marathon runner, an endurance athlete training for an Ironman, doing something like that where you’re fasting during those period, that’s probably not the best option for you.

(06:10):
But if you’re someone that has days that you train and days that you have more rest, you could potentially do a more five to two option where you have five days that are more regular, two days that you’re kind of implementing more of this fasting state. So it really is going to depend on you and what your activity level is, what you’re kind of doing and even where you are kind of in the life cycle as well. And to go into that a little bit more, it’s not going to be something that we’re going to recommend for pregnant women, lactating women, and I’m going to focus on the women specifically because men don’t have, quite frankly, men just don’t have as much going on as we do. But for women we are seeing that for perimenopause and menopausal women, they actually respond very well to intermittent fasting.

(06:57):
And it used to be that this was more of an unknown because all the research was actually done in men. So we were trying to force women into this eating pattern and what we have found is women who are having more pre meno and are having regular hormone fluctuations, they can have fasting if they’re taking it to an extreme. So we’re going past that 16 hour fasting period, we can actually affect our hormone or hormone production and our hormone levels. So that is something to kind of consider too is we do want to make sure that we are keeping our hormone levels regulated because that’s something we want. It’s not a good thing if all of a sudden our hormone production is being shut off and that is going to be something that will be affected if we are doing extreme levels. Now, if you’re doing something more like a regular eating window, you can and your exercise isn’t an extreme where you’re doing lots of endurance activity, lots of cardio, you can still probably implement intermittent fasting in a more easier ratio to follow.

Cori (08:07):
I love that you brought up earlier that intermittent fasting is a tool. I also like that you brought up that at different stages of our life we might find it’s more beneficial or less beneficial because it’s even with goals. If you’re training for a marathon and the timing of your workouts don’t work for it, it might not be as good. However, if you’re in that fat loss phase, maybe it’s better, but maybe if you’re transitioning to muscle gaining based on when you’re working out, it’s not as beneficial. And I say this as someone who I found intermittent fasting and loved it to start, I thought it was a great experience having that eating window, learning my actual hunger cues versus being very conditioned to eat at certain times and get hungry around those. So for me it was a way to learn to listen to my body and once I did it a little bit stricter at the start, I then was like, okay, this is when it works for me, this is when it doesn’t.

(08:49):
As my schedule changed, I even found that there were days I wasn’t doing it or periods in my life where I wasn’t doing it as much. It’s learning how this can impact you when it might be beneficial to experiment with having the experiment but not forcing it as well. And there are the different meal timings you might find that you are a person that is really good about hitting your macros during the week and on the weekends you let things go a little bit more. So maybe you do find that you even do a five and two where two of those days are the weekend days and during the week you do two lower calorie days where you have that extended fast and lower calories so that everything balances out and you can sort of balance out the higher calorie weekends a little bit or maybe you have that eating window because you do train in the afternoon and you can fast in the morning and that makes meal prep easier.

(09:34):
So there’s lots of different reasons to use these strategies to make something sustainable for us. We just want to make sure that the underlying nutrition is there and we’re following our macros. We’re really still tracking that calorie deficit. A lot of the times we ignore the fact that intermittent fasting does recommend really understanding the calories you’re consuming and we just think of it as the meal timing, but we also don’t want to force something that doesn’t work. If you’re trying to train in the morning and trying to fast the afternoon, that’s not going to be beneficial. No matter how much you say there are these benefits of it and research have shown great potential for it, it’s not going to work for you, it’s not going to be sustainable, you’re not going to be using it in the correct ways with your schedule. So you want to think about your schedule and what’s realistic for you and then recognize if you’re doing something that is detrimental, like if fasting till the afternoon is making you hungrier and you’re binging because of that, that’s not a good thing despite the benefits. Now going into who it really works for, who it doesn’t work for as well. I know there’s even some nuance based on health concerns that people have. Can you talk a little bit about that?

Michelle (10:30):
Yeah, so some people that this is not really recommended for is going to be anyone that is going to have any metabolic conditions. So diabetes where we do want to make sure that we’re eating more regularly or if you’re on medications that do of course require you to have food while you’re taking those medications, that’s going to obviously be more important than your eating window. So those are going to be some for instances why we wouldn’t recommend if. Now something that I think people sometimes kind of force into this eating habit, and you kind of touched on this a little bit is this is a tool, this is a meal timing tool. However, if you are looking at it as this is a fad diet that I’m going to do this until I hit X weight or I’m going to do this for this long before this vacation, this is not going to work for you.

(11:22):
And I say that and I would say that with any diet that you’re trying to incorporate, any eating behavior you’re trying to do, if you’re looking at an end date, this isn’t going to be sustainable because you’re already having your exit plan. But the issue is this is teaching you how to incorporate it continuously. If you’re only going to do it for a short amount of time and you get off of it, you haven’t learned to be able to maintain the progress that you have gotten with another tool or another method. So oftentimes if you’re doing this for a short period of time, just like any diet, anything out there, you will oftentimes rebound and usually overshoot where you were at before you even started and it’s really just because you’re like, oh, I’m done, I’ve done it, I’ve completed myself. Everything’s free game now.

(12:12):
And that’s the behavior that we see with anyone that’s going to incorporate any diet. So you need to look at this as you are going to do this forever. This is going to be something that you employ for the rest of your life. Now other people that I would highly discourage from ever doing this would be anyone that has a history of an eating disorder or even has some of those eating disorder behaviors. And I’m going to even specifically call out orthorexia here because so oftentimes it’s one of those conditions that people get praised for being healthy. They do things in the name of health, but if you are constantly thinking about your food, you’re stressed about your food, this is causing more stress in your life because all you can think about is when you are fasting is the food that you’re going to eat and it’s going to cause that obsessive behavior that’s not a good relationship with food.

(13:08):
For some people, like you mentioned, it allowed you to notice those hunger cues. It allowed you to be able to see those things and be able to improve your relationship with food. For others this could be detrimental and this is really the important thing. There’s tons of research out there on lots of different options that you can kind of do and not everyone fits in that box and intermittent fasting is definitely one of them. There’s lots of different ways that you can utilize this tool because there’s different eating patterns, but that doesn’t mean that you have to force yourself into that box if it’s not right for you.

Cori (13:43):
And when you mention using something long-term, it’s about designing systems that all work together based on our goals. It’s not that you will be doing intermittent fasting in one form for the rest of your life. It’s having the attitude though of what is this experiment? Why am I doing it? What’s the purpose? How does it work with everything else? Too often we just say, oh, this is a good thing and I’m going to try it without thinking about how it really impacts our lifestyle. And ultimately we were potentially designing something that is a short-term fix that doesn’t really teach us what we need to ultimately make lasting habit changes. So if you’re using this and you’re like, Hey, I don’t know if it’ll be long-term, that’s okay. It doesn’t have to be something where you’re like, I’m doing this for the rest of my life needs your goals, everything will change.

(14:23):
But you do have to go in being like, this is why I’m strategically using it. I’m using because it works with my schedule. I don’t like meal prepping for breakfast or hey, I like the five and two because the lower calorie days work with my days off and I’m not as hungry and they allow me more food flexibility on other days. The one thing we don’t want to do though is jump to that seven day water fast, which I’ve seen these really push. And the only reason I’m bringing this up is because so often the three day, the seven day fast are turned to not even just for health benefits or someone wanting to experiment with how they feel and wanting that challenge, but because they want to drop weight quicker on the scale. And I want to caution against this because a lot of times, well not a lot of times that is fake weight and what I mean by that is it’s true weight changes on the scale, but it’s glycogen depletion is water weight being lost?

(15:08):
It’s potentially even muscle being lost as much as it is fat and the second you rehydrate the second you refill those diodes stores afterwards, you’re going to gain some. So it’s not a quick fix as much as that scale might change very quickly. And if you’re not implementing and learning the good habits, which you could do with intermittent fasting windows of five and two, you are not ultimately making a change that’s going to sustain anything you even built up potentially during that time. So please don’t use this as a quick fix. Please use this as a strategy to learn more about your body and how you feel. Now I did want to touch on some of the side effects of it because anytime we make a dietary change whether or not it’s a change to macros to calories to meal timing, there is a response.

(15:46):
I can tell you personally when I first started intermittent fasting because I was very rigid on meal timings before I got a little hangry at times I felt a little off at times, but ultimately when I started to do that and get off of having these set meal times, I was so conditioned to them. Now there’s a lot more flexibility when I can eat and I don’t feel like I’m die if I don’t ride away. Can make the travel day a lot easier. But talk a little bit about the side effects that people might experience and when you really have to pay attention to ’em and say this is not just my body adapting to something new but something that means this really isn’t right for me.

Michelle (16:17):
Yeah, so very common side effects. Of course you already mentioned the one being irritable. So when we’re hungry, if we’re constantly thinking about food, we can be a little hangry and snap at people sometimes. And then of course there’s headaches, there’s nausea, there’s fatigue. So those are kind of the most common ones and typically your body’s going to adjust. Everyone is a little bit different because we adjust a little bit differently whenever we’re going to change that metabolic state. So it could be a little bit longer, it could be shorter, but if you are still experiencing these things after, if you’re going into it two weeks a month and you’re still having these issues, it may just not be a right tool for you to implement. And some big things that are really going to be issues if you are doing a workout and all of a sudden you are dizzy, you are seeing black spots, your vision is blurred, that is a major sign you need to eat and you need to get some specifically you need some carbs right away because it’s most likely that you have had a major drop. So this is something that we really want to pay attention to, especially if you are working out, again, it’s one thing to implement this, but it’s a whole other layer. If we’re adding workouts and depending on how long those workouts are, how hard you’re pushing yourself in those workouts, that’s going to also cause an adjustment to that meal timing or if you’re willing to move your workouts around. So that’s something to consider as you are if you’re looking into this as well.

Cori (17:47):
And even fasted training itself, I know that’s a very popular thing to ask about, but it can really depend. It can depend on your goals. If you’re focused on building muscle, you might want that fuel beforehand, but of course if you’re training first thing in the morning and it’s just not possible for you to eat, it really doesn’t feel comfortable for you to eat, you can work around that. So if facet training feels right for you when you’re doing it to do it, but you do want to know when you’re forcing fasted training to try and get the fat burning benefits and then your workouts are subpar and you’re not able to push as hard because then the supposed benefits you’re getting aren’t really going to benefit you because you’re not able to push it at a hundred percent intensity. So it’s always sort of weighing the cost and reward and seeing how you respond and the other ways you time everything because again, if you do like training fast in the morning and that just feels better, focus on that pre-bed meal to make sure that you’re prepared for your workout session so you can have that quality session.

(18:36):
If you don’t like training fast at all and you don’t feel like you can push as hard or maybe you experiment to see what works, take that meal beforehand. There’s no one way to get a lot of the benefits that we do see with these different systems. It’s about all the systems that you implement really working together. Which brings me to something I want you to go over is the three myths that you actually find floating around about intermittent fasting.

Michelle (18:59):
Yeah, so I mean there’s obviously a lot, but one is it’s going to put you into starvation mode, which is going to cause muscle loss and lower metabolism. And we talk about metabolism quite a bit. I talk to my clients all the time, we need you eating more because we’re going to have metabolic adaptation. Now remember, intermittent fasting is just a meal tiny tool. It is not a we’re going to limit your calories, you’re still supposed to eat the same amount of calories just in a shorter window. So that right there is why it’s not going to potentially affect that metabolism or cause that muscle loss because you should still be eating healthy high quality foods when you are allowed to eat. What intermittent fasting does do is during that exercise, like you said, if you’re going to do in a fasted state or what we’re kind of mimicking is actually we’re getting the body into a little bit more of a ketosis state.

(19:57):
So kind of why people love the keto diet is because it burns fat a little bit faster. So we’re actually able to get there without actually following a strict diet like keto. So that is actually the big benefit is you’re going to burn through that fat because you’re not going to have the glucose so your body’s going to turn to the fat to burn energy, but we are still going to eat later. So you’re still going to have the adequate amount of carbs, the adequate amount of protein to make sure that we are protecting and ensuring that muscle mass that we’re not going to burn it because that of course is always an issue whenever we’re dieting is the body likes to turn to muscle for energy, but making sure that we are getting that adequate amount of calories, adequate amount of macro appropriate macros for your needs are going to keep that covered.

Cori (20:50):
And this is why even recognizing, hey, as much as you might want the fat burning benefits of training fasted, if you are looking to gain muscle, our systems have to change. If you are training for that endurance sport and carbs are the fuel that you need, being depleted might not be as beneficial. So it’s always remembering that tools are only as good as their implementation and they have to be utilized based on your goals and what you use to get to one goal will not necessarily be what you use. To get to the next off of that too, I think it’s really important to note that with intermittent fasting it’s not just restricting calories. Yes, you have that restricted window and it can help you restrict calories and with certain forms of it like five and two, there will be lower calorie days and higher calorie days, but it’s really just impacting your calorie distribution over the week. If you’re still trying to make sure you’re eating enough, you still have to eat enough to build that lean muscle. If you’re trying to create that calorie deficit, you still have to create that calorie deficit to lose fat. So it does come back to macros and calories need to be hit no matter the meal timing you use. Myth number two, hit me with it.

Michelle (21:48):
So intermittent fasting will make you feel weak, lightheaded and foggy brained, and we kind of talked about that is initially when you’re first starting you can kind of have some of those side effects where you do feel a little fatigued, maybe a little nauseated, but as your body becomes accustomed to it and as you adjust, there’s actually a lot of research and even the Society of Neuroscience has discovered that intermittent fasting actually improves our learning and memory and can actually lead to growth of neurons in our brain. So it’s actually something that they recommend as a preventative diet shouldn’t, I’m calling it a diet, but as a preventative meal timing tool to actually be able to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. So that’s not what the science is showing. A lot of people think that they’re going to have fogged brain, I want to say foggy brain, I was trying to say foggy brained and mental clarity at the same time. So they think that they are going to have a fog brained and not be able to think, but what Ashley is happening is oftentimes they’re going to have mental clarity and be able to think a little bit better

Cori (23:02):
Going back to those side effects even I think it’s really key to highlight that you never want to ignore your body’s response to something and the more dramatic the change, the more you have to expect a response. But it is good to realize that our body wants to do what it’s always done. It feels comfortable, it feels safe with those things. So anytime we make a change, there is going to be an adaptation period. So giving your body time to adjust is important, but if you find that you are very sensitive to any changes and you’ve been very rigid in your specific systems, whether it’s a specific MAC or breakdown for a long time, calories meal timing, make smaller adjustments to start. Maybe that just means even moving breakfast back an hour from where you usually have it, maybe it means moving dinner up an hour earlier, but make smaller adjustments if you know you’re sensitive and going to have a bigger response just so that you can sort of mitigate some of those side effects to see if it’s right for you and if it really fits you for meal timing. Now, myth number three.

Michelle (24:00):
So the last one is it just doesn’t really work and again, that’s just not what the research is actually showing. So we have recently they’ve had a systemic review of over 40 research studies. So they’ve looked at 40 different research studies on intermittent fasting and all of ’em did find that there was typically a weight loss of seven to 11 pounds and that’s in about 10 weeks. So it definitely is helping people achieve weight loss. Now the biggest issue with all diets is it sustainable and that’s really dependent on the person is how did they implement, and I know we mentioned this a lot just even in what we’ve discussed previously, but your mindset really matters. Your mindset matters on anything that you’re going to employ or going to use when it comes to your eating behavior or your diet. It’s really what you are putting into it is going to depend on what you’re going to get out of it. So as you mentioned, we don’t want anyone to jump in thinking this is going to be a short term solution. You can always pivot and you can always try a different fasting ratio or be like, oh no, this really wasn’t for me. But you need to enter it thinking this is going to be a long-term solution for you

Cori (25:14):
And recognizing that tools only really work if they’re focused on our needs and goals and actual lifestyle. We need something we can be consistent with. So you might find that intermittent fasting is not for you because you train first thing in the morning, you get up early, you don’t want to eat dinner any earlier, so you can’t adjust your eating window that way. Or maybe you find that you don’t feel good with it. You like breakfast, you like breaking down your meals because you struggle to fit in the calories. Otherwise there are lots of reasons this might not be right for you and there are lots of reasons it might be right for you. But even running the experiment if you are fascinated by some of the benefits can be important or key to do because you might even find that, hey, I fast now on days that I do have something come up but I don’t fast on other days or days I train.

(25:55):
You’ll find different variations of it that might not be the traditional ways of using it that really help you stay more consistent. So think of meal timing as this option to get better results from hitting your macros and hitting your calories. If you don’t hit your macros, if you don’t hit your calories, you’re not going to see the changes that you want no matter how amazing the other potential benefits of something could be, especially long-term, right? They might provide some short-term benefits because we’re making changes and you start adding in more vegetables, you cut your calories a little bit, you’re going to see initial progress, but if you don’t learn how to truly make habit changes, implement the foods you love, find your lifestyle balance, you’re not going to sustain those habits and it’s why something can work, but we ultimately fall back. So just recognize the opportunity in this and realize that there are benefits, there are benefits to all the systems we can implement, but they have to fit us and work all together. So closing thoughts, if someone’s like, Hey, I’m really interested in trying intermittent fasting. I want to see if it can benefit me, if it feels good for my schedule, how would they go about starting to do that, Michelle?

Michelle (26:54):
So go into it with a plan. Actually sit down, lay out, look at your calendar, be like, this is when I’m working out, this is how I’m going to start that or implement that plan whether it is I am going to try working out fasted or I’m not ready for that, so I’m just going to shorten my window a little bit as you mentioned. So really sometimes just kind of easing into it and even having something that maybe just as simple as you’re going to fast from seven to 11:00 AM or maybe you’re going from 8:00 PM to 12:00 PM and that’s just going to be kind of where you start. That is typically going to be an easier route to go. Another big thing is make sure that you are drinking while you fast. If you are going to intermittent fast, you still need to make sure that you are drinking and staying hydrated throughout the day.

(27:45):
Now there are some things that you can still consume that’s not going to ruin that fast, and some of those items are going to be things like herbal teas, electrolytes, as long as they’re no sugar added to it, black coffee is a great option. Anything with BCAAs, those are all going to be zero calorie options that you can kind of help. And oftentimes even the electrolytes can actually decrease the side effects of the headaches that you may suffer from when you first start. And really, really when you are getting going, you still need to focus on whole foods. Your diet needs to be coming from Whole Foods first. I would even argue to say if you don’t have that foundation down yet, that’s where you start before you actually implement fasting is improving your diet a little bit. Make sure you’re hitting your calories and macros that you need before all of a sudden we try to jump in and make it a little bit harder by changing up your eating window.

(28:44):
And really final thing is just make sure you actually are working out to that. I know oftentimes we are like, okay, I’m going to fix this and I’m going to focus on my diet and that is all great. Don’t get me wrong, nutrition is a big part, but if you’re doing that and you’re not also adding in the workout where we are really going to see the biggest benefits of intermittent fasting, which is body recomposition because it allows you to burn a little bit more fat so you can kind of take advantage with that body recomp and focusing on that weightlifting, we want you to get the most out of it. So making sure you’re adding that workout is also going to be a huge part of it.

Cori (29:20):
And I just wanted to add in that as you go through this experiment, set a certain amount of time, 10 to 14 days that you’re going to commit no matter how you feel, watch for different signals and symptoms because you don’t want to push your body to a limit that you’re not comfortable with, that there are negative side effects really impacting your functioning. But just to give yourself the time to adjust and then over that time, track how you feel with it, track the changes, track your body’s response from how are you sleeping, how are your training sessions feel not just your weight change on the scale because in that you might notice that you feel better if you get a big meal right after your workout if you’ve trained fasted and you want to time more carbs there. Or I can tell you, especially if you are skipping breakfast and then you are training fasted, you might want to time a lot more calories and a bigger dinner even though we’ve potentially feared in the past eating a big late dinner.

(30:09):
And that can have negative effects, which you won’t gain fat just from eating later, but you might need that big meal to feel really energized to do your training, especially if you are having that fasting window and not breaking it until after the workout. So you have to let go potentially of some of the things you’ve always even feared in the past or thought in the past, but play around with how you’re using that window and really record things as you’re running this experiment to see what works for you to adjust and tweak because that meal timing within the meal timing can have an impact in how you’re breaking down those macros as well. Any last thoughts, Michelle?

Michelle (30:44):
I’m just going to add this. I know we’ve kind of talked about a lot of positives that intermittent fasting has and it does. And if it’s right for you, it can really be that kind of that magic sauce for you to get your results. But I am going to add for a lot of those positive things that we said, anyone can achieve that as long as they are having a diet and are achieving weight loss. So you can still get a lot of those benefits and not actually use this as a tool to help you get there. It is a tool that can help some and may get to the results faster, but if it’s not for you, it’s not like all of a sudden all the benefits we just listed are out of your reach. It just may mean that you need to get there using a different tool and implement something else for you to have the same results,

Cori (31:31):
Opportunity and all the different options. Well, thank you so much Michelle. I’d love to hear are you guys intermittent fasting? How do you feel with it? Are you going to be testing it out? And if so, what type of fast are you going to be doing?

(31:43):
Thanks for listening to the Fitness Hacks podcast. Again, this is the place where I share all my free work out and nutrition tips. I’m never going to run sponsorships or ask you to buy anything. All I ask in return is if you’re enjoying the podcast to leave a rating review or share it with someone you think it might help. This will only take a few minutes and it would mean the world to me and possibly change the life of someone I.

*Please Note: this transcript is auto-generated and there may be some errors in the transcript

The Diets That Hurt Our Metabolism

The Diets That Hurt Our Metabolism

Fad diet are keeping us stuck in this horrible yo-yo dieting cycle…

A cycle where we oddly become really good at losing the weight…

But also really good at regaining it.

And over time we only feel more and more frustrated not seeing the results we want while working harder and harder.

It’s all because these diets with labels overcomplicate things by oversimplifying things.

Let me say that again…

They suck you in making things seem easy and simple, but really they’re making things complicated and unsustainable.

And I don’t give a flying fart in space how you want to defend your diet with a label…

A diet you’re super excited by because you’re seeing initial results after just starting a month ago while being super motivated…

But, talk to me the second life gets in the way and you’re tempted by that basket of chips and salsa…

The first time you travel and it isn’t easy to hit the arbitrary standards of clean eating your diet recommends…

Because most fad diets…those diets with a label you almost attach yourself to as a badge of honor…

Keto, Carnivore, Paleo, Raw Food…

Promise fast results and make things seemingly simple to start.

BUT…they never truly help you create lasting change or shift your lifestyle.

They create restriction…not understanding.

They actually bank on the fact that you’re not truly learning what you need…

because it means you’ll buy into another label probably only months later when someone else posts on social media it’s magical and POOF the weight just disappeared…

But lasting results are not overnight results.

And we don’t often want to look and feel good just for a day.

That’s why I want to show you the Change Loop you’re keeping yourself stuck in jumping from label to label – repeating the same mistake over and over again just packed with a different bow on top…

And why you not only need to SIMPLIFY things but also embrace the HARD LEARNING PROCESS that seems far more complicated to start if you truly want a change.

I’ve done the label hopping…

Always thinking, “This next change will be it!”

I’d pick something that seemed like it would work fast.

That seemed simple to do…

I mean…I just need to cut out THIS ONE THING right and it will all work!?

Yes!

I’d go all in.

Restricting whatever I was told, even if I loved it.

And sometimes, I’d see fast results…to start.

I’d even try to convince myself, “This isn’t so bad! I didn’t like dessert that much anyway.”

But slowly it would feel like the restrictions tightened more and more.

I felt haunted by the foods I wanted and the cravings would increase.

And worse of all…The results would stop.

I’d hit a fast plateau. And began to DREAD the diet.

The overwhelm would hit and I’d start to whine and tell myself it wasn’t worth it.

So I’d quit. I’d go straight to my craving and BOOM a month later I’d be worse off than where I started…

Sluggish on the couch nursing a food hangover, I’d start to think…“I need to make a change! And I’d go search for the next label to fall for….

This right there is the change loop.

We find a program, get caught up in the promise of it.

We go all in, never really considering if the habits match what we need or are sustainable.

And in the process of making changes, we create habit overload.

We can embrace the restriction and sacrifice it for a bit if the results happen fast.

It feels worth it.

But then we always hit that point where results slow.

Where we start to feel like we just don’t have the willpower or self control.

We do that walk to the cabinet 17 times trying to talk ourselves out of having just ONE of those mini candy bars…

We do this until we hit that emotional sabotage point of this isn’t working anyway…

And we have the whole bag.

Once the seal is broken, it can take us days if not weeks or months of “I quit” before we again get motivated and jump right back into this loop…

Being swept up in the promise of another program…

What we don’t realize is that each and every time, we’re truly repeating the EXACT same mistakes.

Sure one time we’re cutting out carbs. Or nightshades or cooking…

But what we don’t realize is that by trying to keep things SIMPLE, we’re just constantly repeating the same mistake of restricting.

We’re drawing arbitrary lines of what foods we can and can’t have.

We’re not truly learning our balance or the fundamentals of nutrition.

The stuff that is hard and complicated and SLOWER changes to start.

Sorry.

But let’s be real…

No results worth having EVER came easy…

That’s why if you want to get out of this cycle and see lasting results to feel, look and move your best at ANY age…

You need to embrace the sucky fact that you’ve got to do the HARD process of creating a balance through a slow habit stack and learning!

This hard process starts with learning about your current lifestyle and finding one small change you can make today.

And…very unpopular opinion, but busting out of this loop to see the body recomp you want and feel your best, also comes with learning about macros.

Yup macros – the breakdown of the portions of proteins, carbs and fats you consume.

Now how you learn about macros, and how you track your food may vary.

But the more we truly learn what we need, the more we can control to adjust while including the foods we love.

Many of us have heard, heck I’ve even SAID, the line “Eat whatever you want and see results.”

“See results without cutting out the foods you love.”

And while this line sounds too good to be true…

While it sounds like just another diet with a label is coming your way…

It isn’t.

This statement is true.

It’s the power of macros.

Now note, I didn’t say whatever you want whenever you want in whatever quantity you want.

Sorry that’s not the case with anything in life.

But this is the power of learning the portions of each you need to see results while not having to label things as good or bad, off limits or ok!

And this is also what helps you create a lifestyle.

One size doesn’t fit all – yet we force ourselves to fit a diet label.

We force ourselves to not embrace that food is no longer just fuel.

That we have so many things in our diet we just include because we enjoy them.

And this isn’t a bad thing.

We shouldn’t feel guilty for just ENJOYING certain things and even the events that come with those foods.

We just need to learn our balance.

And the more we assess our current lifestyle, make one change to move forward while we learn about those macros and their impact, the more we can see those results snowball.

As we then stack more and more habit changes, we will see those results build. But not only build, actually LAST.

So as unsexy as this process is…

As hard and complicated and overwhelming as it is to start…

It’s ultimately easier.

It demystifies what works.

Because those diets that make it seem so simple, are really just not showing you HOW to do it on your own. They’re not teaching you so you stay stuck.

So today, if you haven’t before, just write down what you’re currently eating.

Then pick one really easy change to make.

Don’t cut out the food you love most.

Even consider adding in.

But make one small change and then even check the video description for a link to more on the basics of macros so you can start to truly understand what YOU need for long term results!

Get off the dieting rollercoaster and learn how to truly stack those habits and make those LASTING nutritional changes…

Learn more about my Metabolic Shred!

 

FHP 617 – Light Weights vs Heavy Weights (High vs Low Reps)

FHP 617 – Light Weights vs Heavy Weights (High vs Low Reps)

LISTEN HERE

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WATCH HERE

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TRANSCRIPT

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OPEN TRANSCRIPT

Hey guys, this is Cori from Redefining Strength. Welcome to the Fitness Hacks Podcast. This is a show where I share all my free workout and nutrition tips. I’m not going to ever fill this episode with sponsorships or ask you to buy anything. All I ask in return is if you’re enjoying the podcast to leave a review or leave a five star rating or even better share with somebody you think it might help. This will only take a few minutes and would mean the world to me and possibly change the life of someone you know. So let’s jump right in.

What’s best if I want to gain muscle and lose fat, lower reps and heavier weights or higher reps and lighter weights? The first annoying answer is it depends because really exactly what our training experience is, how we’re designing our workouts in terms of other cardio we’re including is going to impact what we really need. But on top of that, it’s usually not either or. It’s not just, oh, do lower reps, or, oh, just do higher reps. The best results often happen when we use a combination and how we exactly combine those things will be based on our training experience, our schedule, exactly what we want to achieve in terms of that muscle growth or that fat loss. But you need a diversity of ranges in your workout routines if you want to see the best results as fast as possible because they drive muscle growth generally in different ways.

Not to mention, the stronger we make ourself with some of that lower rep work, the more loads we can lift with those higher reps to really challenge ourself, take our muscles closer to failure and see results build. Now when I’m talking about failure, I’m not talking about leaving yourself destroyed and slaughtered and so sore. You can’t move the next day. That’s not necessary from muscular failure. You want to recover from your training. You want to create that slow progression week over week because if you’re constantly destroying yourself and you’re not able to recover fast enough to train hard the next session, you’re going to see a point of diminishing returns. You’re probably going to get injured. Soreness is not the best indicator of growth. It generally means that something is off in our recovery even so while you’re trying to use the diversity of ranges, it’s not just to destroy yourself, but you want to include a diversity of ranges to use all three drivers of muscle growth.

Because in trying to use different rep ranges, you’re going to use the diversity of movements and different tools as well, but you’re going to drive muscle growth through using muscle tissue damage, mechanical tension, and metabolic stress, which are all three drivers. So when we’re talking about using a diversity of rep ranges, you want to use lower reps and heavier weights with compound moves, and then you might even want to use higher reps with lighter loads than the heavy loads, but still challenging. No loads should ever feel light, but you’re going to use potentially more isolated movements. And when we often think about using a diversity of rep ranges, we think about over the week, not just in a single workout, but you do sometimes want to in the same workout, use multiple different rep ranges. You might do one to five with maximal strength, six to 12 with hypertrophy, and then that 15 to 20 strength endurance rep range.

And all those can have benefit. And often when we do include them in a single session, we do so in a very traditional way of putting the lower rep compound, move heavier lifts at the start, and then the more isolated exercises at the end. So maybe we do our barbell row at the start of the workout and that bicep curl at the end of the workout, and then more isolated movement. We do higher reps because we can isolate the muscle with that, and it’s not as strong or big a muscle group as potentially we’re using with the compound lift to start like the ben over row. But this is only one way you can combine ranges. Another great way is, especially if you’re going through perimenopause or menopause or even post-menopausal, and you’re struggling to see the same muscle gains that you did when you were younger because our hormone levels just aren’t as optimal as they used to be, and we aren’t as able to use protein as efficiently for muscle growth, you might want to consider something that helps you take those muscles closer to failure and helps create that extra stress, which is that stimulus for muscle growth.

And again, we’re not seeking to be sore or just kill ourselves with our sessions, but you do need to strain muscles and create that extra stimulus when you want to see that same anabolic environment, that same stimulus for muscle growth. So this is where things like the compound burner sets or the 6, 12 25 technique can come into play because you’re using that more compound heavier lift followed up by a movement that isolates one of the muscle groups involved to take it closer to fatigue, but in a way that uses a different driver of muscle growth and in a way that doesn’t leave you just feeling so destroyed from all this muscle tissue damage that you can’t train hard the next day. So if you’re using compound burners, you might use something like a lunge for eight to 12 reps with heavier loads. And then if you’re doing a front lunge and you want to target your quads, you might do a leg extension or some sort of quad isolation movement as the 15 to 20 reps.

And when you’re doing this, you can even push a little bit past failure, which I know sounds weird, but sometimes we get caught in between loads where we can’t necessarily do all the reps with the load, but if we pause for 15 seconds even, we can then pick that weight back up and complete it. That especially for the 15 to 20 rep, more isolated movement can be a great way to really push past that fatigue, recruit more muscle fibers and see better muscle growth. So that’s how you would use it with a compound burner set versus if you use 6, 12, 25, you’re using the low end of that hypertrophy in towards maximal strength for that first move. Again, doing a compound exercise, this is where you can use things like heavy bar ball, hip thrusters, and then maybe for that 12 reps where you’re in that hypertrophy rep range towards the upper end of it, you can even use something like more of a lunge or something that you can still go really heavy on, but not necessarily as heavy as you could with that first compound movement.

And then for the last exercise, the 25 reps, maybe you do something like a kickback to really isolate your glutes even more, but you’re getting more isolated over the movements to target the muscle and push it past fatigue by sort of stepping down in the intensity of the move that you’re doing while still being able to work that area. But this stimulus is great if we really want to see those faster muscle gains. Now note, all of these tools are only as good as our implementation, and if we’re not truly pushing yourself to maximize that time and earn the rest so that we want a minute, 90 seconds, even two minutes between rounds, we shouldn’t feel like the rest is too short. We should feel like I crave this rest. To be able to go at the same intensity, you need to push yourself. So if you’re not pushing yourself at each of these rep ranges to max out even a rep or two before the rep range actually ends, you’re not going to see the same stimulus, you’re not going to see the same results.

But if you are interested in implementing either the techniques I mentioned, I will link to more information on both the 6, 12, 25 and the compound burner sets in the show notes. But remember to use a diversity of ranges in your training if you want to see this best results as fast as possible. And even when you’re doing higher rep or lower rep, no weight should ever feel light. It should always challenge you for the reps assigned and make you want to stop before you hit the top end of the rep range. And if you can hit that top end of the rep range, go heavier and work down in that rep range to really challenge yourself to create that progression week after week to see that muscle growth and ultimately help yourself look leaner, lose that body fat, have a healthier metabolic rate.

Thanks for listening to the Fitness Hacks Podcast. Again, this is the place where I share all my free workout and nutrition tips. I’m never going to run sponsorships or ask you to buy anything. All I ask in return is if you’re enjoying the podcast to leave a rating review or share it with someone you think it might help. This will only take a few minutes and it would mean the world to me and possibly change the life of someone you know.

*Please Note: this transcript is auto-generated and there may be some errors in the transcript

FHP 616 – Micronutrients For Menopause

FHP 616 – Micronutrients For Menopause

LISTEN HERE

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WATCH HERE

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TRANSCRIPT

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OPEN TRANSCRIPT

Cori

00:00

Hey guys, this is Cori from Redefining Strength. Welcome to the Fitness Hacks podcast. This is a show where I share all my free work on the nutrition tips. I’m not going to ever fill this episode with sponsorships or ask you to buy anything. All I ask in return is, if you’re enjoying the podcast, to leave a review or leave a five-star rating or, even better, share it with someone you think it might help. This will only take a few minutes and would mean the world to me and possibly change the life of someone you know.

00:27
So let’s jump right in those micros for menopause. So menopause can bring with it a lot of different symptoms and we talk about the fundamentals of macros and even working out. But we want to dive a little deeper into the nuance of things because a lot of times, how we adjust, even the types of foods we include, the supplements we include, we can really impact the symptoms of menopause and even control them. No, we might not be able to leave it all of them, but I’m super excited to dive in with Michelle as to what we can control to see better results, to function better, to feel more energized during the space of life. So, michelle, super excited to have you. Let’s talk about the first micronutrient you really want people to pay attention to when they are in menopause.

Michelle

01:11
So the first one that I’m going to suggest is actually vitamin K. I think everyone knows at least I hope everyone knows at this point how important calcium and vitamin D is for bone health. And when we enter menopause, because of our decline in estrogen, we actually have an increased risk of osteoporosis. So your bones super important it’s your structure, your foundation. The healthier we can keep that, the better quality of life and the more independent you can be as you age.

01:39
Vitamin K is one that kind of gets forgotten about, but it’s really important for those three. You want that vitamin D, you want that calcium, you want that vitamin K because that’s really going to help you actually be able to lay down that bone mineral. And another benefit is one of the areas that we also struggle with when we enter menopause is actually our heart health. Estrogen, again, is very, very cardiac protective. So when we are entering menopause we actually have an increase of heart disease. Vitamin K also helps in that area too. So you’re really hitting two birds with one stone. And it’s just something that a lot of people don’t talk about because vitamin D and calcium gets so much attention.

Cori

02:24
And even Omega 3s get a lot of attention for the cardiovascular help which I know you bring up a lot, and so it’s interesting to hear about another nutrient that we really need.

02:35
That also helps with the usage of those things and I think that’s something we often forget or ignore is like even going back to the basics of eating more vegetables. There’s certain things that if we eat vegetables cooked in fats, that’s going to allow for better digestion absorption of those micronutrients in there. So there’s a lot of nuance to things and sometimes it’s not just like this is a healthy food or we need this vitamin. There’s a lot of things that have to work together. So, paying attention to what we’re doing and then the results we’re getting, to say, hey, maybe things aren’t paying off quite the way I’d like and I’m getting a lot of calcium and vitamin D, so what else could I do to improve my bone health, which is where this vitamin K is so important in terms of how people can include more of this in their diet. Naturally, what sources are really great to get vitamin K?

Michelle

03:17
So dark leafy greens are going to be a great option.

Something that I really would suggest is the vitamin K.

Two in particular is really where we get the most benefits, and that’s usually going to be found in fermented foods. So things like sauerkraut, kefir, natto if you have an experience natto, it’s kind of like a fermented soybean, but those are really going to help you increase your amount, and oftentimes we aren’t getting nearly as much in our Westernized diets. And then a very important thing to kind of consider too is and I’ll discuss this a few more times as we kind of go through each of these micronutrients, but oftentimes things are going to overlap. So one of the benefits, too, of kind of focusing on those fermented foods is oftentimes we have some gut health issues as we enter menopause, because hormone changes can actually slow down our digestion and we want to make sure we’re feeding that good, healthy gut microbiome, and fermented foods are also going to help with that. So again, it’s kind of this thing that you’re going to be able to hit multiple areas that menopause kind of has an effect on if you are focusing on that vitamin.

Cori

04:29
K, and it’s recognizing, too, that when we’re addressing these things, we’re looking for our nutritional gaps, so areas where we might be able to improve, because we aren’t getting as much of a vitamin or mineral, or maybe we even need more of it than the recommended daily allowance, because there are going to be unique needs that we have and they will change with phases of life. So, even if you’re like, well, I’m eating a ton of leafy greens, I think I’m getting enough, pay attention to the other foods that you might be missing, because there’s also, as you mentioned, other benefits of including things like fermented foods that will overlap and help you even get more back for your buck, where you’re not having to include 70 bazillion different things. Right, you can do one thing that addresses multiple different issues.

Michelle

05:10
Exactly. Yeah, it’s really. I think sometimes we get so caught up on all these lists like this nutrient has this, but oftentimes there’s so many that are overlapping that it really, if you’re looking to include like three to five foods, you can pretty much overlap several areas.

Cori

05:26
So, moving on to the next micronutrient, you recommend B vitamins. Talk to me a little bit about why they’re so important and also which ones we need. Because, even going back to vitamin K, you mentioned vitamin K2 specifically. I think a lot of times we don’t recognize that there are different forms and that there are different forms found in different foods. So that’s why not only a diversity of foods is key, but potentially we’re getting a lot of a vitamin but not a lot of the form we need. So B vitamins why are they so important? Which ones should be focused?

Michelle

05:53
on. So B vitamins, despite whether you’re in menopause or not, by the time we are 40, our body actually will decline in its ability to absorb B vitamins as a whole. So everyone can kind of benefit from either focusing on more food rich sources or even supplementing with a B complex. So there’s lots of B vitamins. They’re all water soluble, which is also something I wanted to make sure everyone’s aware of. Because of us it makes it a little bit harder to actually have too much, because your body is going to flush it out. You’re going to pee it out if you have excess because it is water soluble. Now, off of that, there are lots of B vitamins and they are all going to have different roles in your body. So, in particular for menopause, b6 is one that I would focus on, because a lot of times and something that I don’t think gets enough attention when we enter menopause, is our anxiety and depression due to our mood fluctuations from our hormones increase. Vitamin B6 can actually help increase the neurotransmitters, the synthesis of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which is going to help regulate that mood and alleviate some of that symptoms of both anxiety and depression. So that is one that we definitely want to make sure that your vitamin is either containing, or you are focusing on, food sources that are rich in it. Another one is going to be B12. This, I do think a lot of people have heard about B12, because it’s often toted as like the energy supplement. If you want more energy, take B12. And they’re not wrong, because B12 does help energy metabolism and combat fatigue and promote, you know, fillings of vitality.

07:40
So another one to really kind of focus on is going to be B9. So B6 and B9 also can help reduce symptoms like severity of hot flashes, and this is something that, of course, is a symptom that many people in menopause experience. But another one is B1 and B2. And I feel like I’m just throwing out lots of numbers. B1 and B2 also can help decrease the risk of insomnia and irritability. So a lot of things get affected with our mood when we enter menopause and it’s so important. I know a lot of people know that food does affect mood, but these are very particular supplements or micronutrients that can actually have a better effect for us and actually make us feel better, and we can, you know, have that good feelings after you are eating. So your food really does affect your mood.

Cori

08:42
And it goes back to controlling what you can control. When we’re really looking at all the different symptoms that we’re experiencing, we want to think about okay, what are things that can impact these symptoms that we can control? Right, you can’t necessarily well, actually, you for sure can’t stop the hormonal changes of menopause, but you can navigate them a little bit better. And I think so often our food does get ignored. I’ve heard like a lot of people even comment on posts like oh, with hot flashes, I’ve done like this external thing or this external thing, we’re not really noting what we’re putting into our body and then what’s going on internally because of those things.

09:14
So the more you can look at your nutrition, your diet, and say what impacts the hormonal responses, the different chemical things that are going on within my body, to then impact the symptoms that I’m seeing, and through that you can really break things down and get very granular with them, which can feel very overwhelming, I know, but we’re also going back to hey, maybe you just start paying attention to B vitamins and then even the foods that contain B vitamins would probably overlap with some of the other symptoms and have other good things in them too.

 

09:41
So overall, you’re going to be doing a lot of good things for your health, while even noting that there’s a lot of nuance to the specific things that you need. So if you are saying, well, I’m taking B vitamins, but I’m not seeing results in these areas, Okay, well, what B vitamins are you actually consuming? The more you dig into it, the more you can make sure that you’re making changes that truly address what you need. But I love that you mentioned all these different types and the different impact they can have. What food should we be including if we really want to focus on all these different B vitamins?

Michelle

10:10
Me is actually going to be a great source of a large amount of B vitamins, but other than that, we’re really looking at things like legumes, seeds and again those dark leafy greens.

Cori

10:22
Then, moving on from here, because that’s really you know, we always want to focus on whole, natural foods and obviously we’ll talk a little bit about supplementation as well to address those gaps, because sometimes we need more and we simply can’t get it through our fueling, especially if we are on a fat loss journey. We’re in that calorie deficit and looking to lose. It’s hard to get enough of anything. But talking about the next micronutrient that you brought up, magnesium, talk to me a little bit about why this is important. It’s one that we discuss a little bit more often because it addresses some big symptoms of menopause. But let’s discuss magnesium.

Michelle

10:55
So magnesium is super important for menopause because one the majority of us are just deficient in general. But as we enter menopause, we do have those hormonal changes that are going to affect certain areas that magnesium can help with. One is a big complaint is actually constipation, again due to the hormonal changes slowing down our digestive system, and magnesium can actually help alleviate that. So it can help you stay regular. But on top of that, it really does help with sleep disturbances, and one of the things is a very calming. So not only is it going to help with things like anxiety, but it can also allow some muscle relaxation. So if you were taking it prior to sleep, you can have improved sleep.

11:46
Sleep is so vital when it comes to everyone’s journey because it really is going to affect, you know, those hormones leptin and ghrelin so you can have increased or decreased cravings based off of how much sleep you’ve had, and it can help you even have be able to fill the levels of satiety that’s necessary for you to even be able to get the signal that you are full.

12:11
And the big thing is is when we have lack of sleep, we actually are going to increase our cortisol levels, and cortisol is a fat storing hormone. So we really want to make sure that we are getting the amount of sleep that we require, and magnesium is just going to help you be able to reach that level that you actually need, and it just becomes one of those things that’s a little bit more difficult when we enter menopause. I talk a lot with clients because they’re always like you know, it’s just my partners rolling around and sleep and it’s waking. They’re waking me up, or all of a sudden my dog or my cat is making noises in the middle of the night or moving around and that’s making me up. Your partner and your pet has probably always done that, but you have actually become a light sleeper. So we really want to make sure that we’re getting into that deep REM cycle and magnesium is one tool that can actually help you get there.

Cori

13:04
It really shows how everything is a system working together. And while we want to focus on specific components, to address our specific needs and goals and even assess where we might be deficient, we really are thinking about the impact and the far reaching impact that everything has. As you mentioned, not getting enough sleep can negatively impact cravings, which can hold you back from seeing the weight loss that you want, and then, in turn, because we’re not sleeping well, we turn to caffeine, which then makes us not sleep any better and it even makes us sleep worse, right? So everything is so interconnected. So when we just look for one best something, we’re not really addressing how everything is working together.

13:39
Versus, if we look at the system as a whole, we look at what we’re struggling with and what we’re seeing. With those struggles, we can start to assess. Ok, I’m doing everything from a sleep routine to I’m trying to train earlier and I’m not having caffeine. So now what else can I do to make sure that I’m getting the most quality sleep, knowing the impact that sleep then has? So it really is breaking down all the different levels to assess what you need. And, in terms of getting more magnesium, how can we include more in our diet?

Michelle

14:06
So we definitely want to be focusing on things again like nuts and seeds pumpkin seeds as a very as a great source, legumes, dark chocolate. Those are going to be the foods that we really do want to make sure we’re including, but we’re really hoping to get at least 320 milligrams a day. So this again, supplementation is an option, but really making sure that, if you can do it food first, that’s always going to be best.

Cori

14:34
I also always like mentioning the fact that you get to eat dark chocolate for this right, because a lot of times, you know, in menopause, when you’re trying to lose weight, I’ll hear women say I have to cut out my dark chocolate, which I love, which I’m craving even more now and you actually don’t have to cut it out. You probably shouldn’t cut it out. You need to strike that balance. But now there’s a reason to include that dark chocolate, not to mention to satisfy cravings and not have them build up more, because you’re restricting and then improve your quality of sleep, which might even help with the cravings, right. So it’s this nice little cycle right there where now you have an excuse to have your dark chocolate. But anyway, moving on from that, the next vitamin you recommended was vitamin E. Can you tell me a little bit about why vitamin E is so important?

Michelle

15:12
So, first and foremost, menopause is often referred to as the slow simmer state, because you’re often a little bit. You have a little bit more inflammation going on just because of everything that’s happening within you. So focusing on anything that’s going to be have higher antioxidants is going to help combat that inflammation that is occurring in your body. So vitamin E is a high antioxidant, so it is going to help with that. But the other important things is vitamin E also helps support hormonal balance and that can really help alleviate some symptoms that are even associated with estrogen deficiency. So there’s a lot of research actually involving vitamin E supplement supplementation and the reduction and frequency of things like hot flashes, night sweats, and even improving the vascular function. So overall, we’re also being able to decrease even the level of dryness that we experience, because as estrogen declines, it acts like a sponge and you’re even less likely to stay hydrated when we’re a menopausal. So there’s really just a lot that vitamin E is going to help with, and a big part of that is actually reducing the oxidative stress and inflammation.

Cori

16:32
Which can really even pay off in terms of our workouts, because the more we’re reducing that inflammation, the easier it is to recover from the less we even feel sore or joints feel achy, the better we’re going to be able to train. So if you’re training hard and you feel like you’re taking longer to recover and you’re doing all the mobility work which of course I know no one is skipping that prehab process and then you want to dig a little deeper, is there hydration there? Are you eating enough to recover? And then if you’re like, okay, I’m doing these things, this is where you can peel back those layers and be like, well, hey, am I getting the vitamin E I need? Am I addressing the inflammation my body is seeing with the changes in hormones?

17:06
And so, going down the different little levels, you can really dive into making sure that you are filling any gaps that are there. Because, again, we don’t want to get caught up in the details before we dial in the fundamentals, but we then want to be conscious of the fact that our hard work should be paying off and if we’re tracking the data, it’s not. There are details that we can dial in to really see better results faster Now, going even full circle back to when you talked about the fact that we can see a lot of our negative impact in our gut health and our microbiome with menopause, even see more GI disturbances. You mentioned that fiber is so important. Can you talk a little bit about fiber and also really quick, what foods for vitamin E? Because I think it’s again not a vitamin.

Michelle

17:49
we talk about a ton, but really quickly, foods for vitamin E, before we even to jump into fiber, so you’re going to hear me repeating this a lot, but nuts and seeds are going to be great sources of vitamin E.

17:59
Again, we’re looking at things like dark leafy vegetables and even items like fish are going to be actually a good source of vitamin E, which all those things also generally come with an omega three punch, which extra anti inflammation fighting things right, yeah, which is again why, if you can do and if you can focus on whole food sources, that’s really where we want you to go, because you are, you know, nothing’s packaged individually, so you’re really going to be able to hit multiple things with one source.

Cori

18:32
And you’re going to find that a lot of these foods are healthy for a diversity of reasons, as you mentioned, but also very filling. So it’s going to make any calorie deficit that you’re trying to hit, any macros that you’re trying to hit, even better. Now talk about making sure that you’re feeling full and fueled, and our gut is even more important to our foul loss results. So we really recognize. Let’s talk a little bit about fiber.

Michelle

18:55
So fiber, of course, is going to feed that gut microbiome. There has been so much research regarding gut health within the last 10, 15 years and it’s really shown the importance that that diversity and being of gut, your gut bacteria, is on your overall health. So we really want to make sure that we are encouraging proper and great gut health. Fiber is what feeds that bacteria, so we really want to make sure that we are including rich sources of fiber, but also enough fiber. Most of us are not getting the requirements. You are supposed to be getting about 25 grams as a female, and the majority of us are well below that.

19:36
Now, another benefit, like you mentioned, is if you are eating high fiber foods.

19:40
Oftentimes these are lower calorie foods, so fiber helps you with feelings of satiety, so you’re going to feel full on lower calories, which is another reason why we want to make sure that you are focusing on this, because as you enter menopause, oftentimes you know the biggest complaint is you’ve gained some menopause weight and you’re looking to go into a calorie deficit, and most people that I see that are struggling with a calorie deficit it’s because they’re not focusing on foods that are going to make them feel fuller, like fiber rich foods and again, fiber is going to help you stay regular, which is going to help with that constipation that can be a symptom of menopause as well.

20:22
So a big thing is is not only are we going to decrease weight if we’re focusing on fiber, but you’re going to also improve actually your insulin resistance, which is something that does get become affected when you enter menopause. So fibers also going to help you actually regulate some of that carb intake. So you’re not dealing with highs and lows, because as we enter menopause we can have a little bit more difficulty actually processing carbs.

Cori

20:52
And slightly tanging off of this, talking about gut health in general. You know again we want to alleviate any of those GI disturbances with menopause. Taking care of our gut can help with the weight loss and fat loss process, but also skin skin health is really connected to our gut and I think that’s an important thing to note because we can see more skin issues. We can have more dryness. You know, skin fragility in general is something that we deal with as we get older. So taking care of our gut and the impact that can have even on our skin is super important, because skin is something that we’re going to see change during menopause.

Michelle

21:30
Yeah, and I mean, it’s again something that’s overlooked, but your skin is your largest organ and it’s your first layer of defense for anything. So we do want to make sure that we are focusing on that skin health as well and, as you mentioned, focusing on fiber is going to help with that.

Cori

21:48
And I think I know what foods you might recommend to get more fiber, but some big ones that even address some of the other micronutrients we’ve talked about in this podcast. What are they?

Michelle

21:58
So lentils and legumes are super great sources of fiber, and what I love about them is you’re also getting some of that protein, and we do know that protein is a huge, important macronutrient when it comes to menopause. So anytime you can kind of hit your carb source, it’s also going to have your fiber and your protein intake. That’s going to be a huge win. Artichokes are something that is another item that’s just super high in fiber, and then raspberries, but really any fruit or vegetable is going to help you get there, and most of us just aren’t eating enough plant foods that are going to have that high fiber content. So those are just going to be some of the highest options that you can kind of get the most bang for your buck with lower calories.

Cori

22:43
Cold, natural food sources are always the best bet because they come with such a punch and they address so many different areas, helping us, you know, not only see the aesthetic changes we want, but address the symptoms of menopause, improve our health right, they are really the complete package. However, it is sometimes hard to address all the nutritional areas that we need to address, especially as some of our needs increase during menopause. So, talking about supplements, what can be the benefit of supplements? What do we need to be paying attention to if we are considering going the supplement route to address any nutritional gaps we might have?

23:18
Because you do hear people say I started this one supplement, I started taking X vitamin and mineral and all of a sudden, you know, my hair is magically growing and my nails are perfect and you know all these different things. And it’s not that it was a magic pill, right. It’s more that it started addressing a nutritional gap they had, and so, in that, when they fixed or filled that gap, all of a sudden they were seeing the results that they wanted from everything else. So, talking a little bit about supplements, michelle, and how they can benefit us.

Michelle

23:43
So we really want to make sure that we’re focusing obviously on the supplements that are going to fill our nutritional gaps. Oftentimes with supplements they’re just throwing like, oh, you can get a thousand percent of this, which is great, but you don’t need a thousand percent. So oftentimes you’re overdoing things and I know I mentioned like things like B vitamins. That’s often one that’s usually way over the top because it’s water soluble, so they’re like well, if you have excess you’ll eliminate it, but when it comes to supplementation, you really just want to focus that you are getting your bases covered. We still should be focusing on getting food sources but, as you mentioned earlier, if you are in a calorie deficit, sometimes people take that route of oh well, I can’t have these foods and start avoiding foods which can also cause micronutrient deficiencies. Now, on the flip side of that, one of the benefits that can be easier is if you are working on improving your diet or in a calorie deficit. It is easier if you mill, prep and kind of have the same item and that can take off some decision fatigue. It makes it a little bit easier and you know, just easier in general. But because of that you are also probably having a less diverse diet. So really making sure that you were having a supplement that is going to be not just one thing.

25:06
Oftentimes there’s a lot of people that are like, well, if you only need this supplement to fill this gap, just take that one supplement. And while that’s not necessarily bad, the problem with that is oftentimes if you’re taking that one supplement, pretty soon you’ll be suggested to take one other one and another one, and by the end of the day you could be taking 10 supplements versus having a multi that’s going to cover the majority of everything that you need. So I really encourage people to actually look for a multi versus a single item, and this is, in particular, if you’re really just covering bases. Now, if you have been prescribed by your doctor like a very specific amount, you can always look at your multi and see what it is and add you know that one nutrient that you need on it to make sure you’re getting that adequate amount.

25:59
But I think the biggest thing is so often we kind of over complicate it by being like oh well, so and so said this worked for her and so and so said this worked for her. It is not uncommon for me to see clients that are taking between 15 to 30 supplements, and sometimes they don’t even entirely know why. And pretty soon I’m looking at it, I’m like well, this has this supplement, has this vitamin and this vitamin and this vitamin, and you are really overdoing it with all this crossover. So it’s really comes down to not over complicating it and really just making sure that you are still focusing foods and you’re utilizing supplements as they’re meant to be, which is to supplement an already healthy diet.

Cori

26:41
But it’s also to fill your nutritional gaps. It’s making sure that you’re getting the right type of B vitamins that you need in the right amounts and not wasting money on things that you don’t need as well, which I think we can do when we just throw supplements at it or get a multivitamin, and honestly, it’s why I’ve loved having our custom supplement blends shameless plug for them. But it’s because we can dive into you need X B vitamin and you need in this amount. Because, again, each of us is unique. Each of us has different activity levels, genetics, dieting practices, which are going to make us have different nutritional gaps, no matter how hard we try, especially because our foods aren’t the same nutrient density that they once were.

27:20
So addressing your needs, even as you go through menopause and you might see demands of a specific micro or even macro change over time with the hormonal changes. So addressing those gaps as they come up, because just getting enough the recommended amount doesn’t mean you’re getting enough for you, right? Because we’re all different and we’re all consuming different foods and we have different activity levels, different genes. So being able to fill those specific gaps is so important and you’ve talked a lot about it a lot, and I think it’s always interesting when it comes up like magnesium. There are different types of it, right, and if you’re not getting the right type for what you need, you might be wasting your money on a supplement that isn’t addressing your nutritional gap.

Michelle

27:59
Yeah, and magnesium is a great one because you know we talked a little bit about how heart health becomes so huge when you enter menopause. So, like, any magnesium you’re going to take is going to have somewhat of that laxative laxative effect when it comes to dealing with things like constipation, but there are some that are a little bit better than others in regards to certain areas. So magnesium ore is actually one that’s, in particular, is very good for your heart. So if you happen to know that you have a family history with heart disease or you yourself have been prescribed some particular heart care situations regarding your you know your levels or whatever your labs are showing that one may be a better option for you to actually take. So there is those minute differences and, like you said, I’m going to even kind of go off a little bit on our personalized supplements, because one of the benefits of that is not only are we actually able to take that into consideration, where a lot of times, when it comes to just kind of general supplements, they’re going to give you yeah, they’ll give you magnesium, but they’re probably going to give you the cheapest magnesium that’s on the market, and I’m not saying that’s bad because it’s still going to be helpful. But if you are in need of something very specific, like your heart health, you do want to make sure you’re changing that source a little bit.

29:21
And I even just recently, was working with someone and just by looking over all their supplements and kind of comparing and seeing the crossover that was taking or was happening, we actually decreased her pill intake by about 12 pills. So she was able to go down 12 pills. And I’m a huge believer I’m a little bit biased in this that while supplements are important and you should be taking them, if you are taking so much, I mean pills are hard for your body to digest and to digest fully, which is partially why we do overdo it a little bit when, in regards to, like the RDA, you may have it a little bit over Because even though you’re taking that supplement, it can still be very difficult for you to digest. So if you are someone that’s taking 1530 pills a day, that you don’t really necessarily know why and I’m I’m going to say that because there are there are people that need to take certain amounts of pills because their doctors have prescribed them and that’s what their needs are, but oftentimes that can just be really hard on your GI and also signifying that your diet needs an overhaul more than anything.

30:29
But the what’s cool about the personalization as well is, as you are working on improving your diet, as you are working on improving just your health in general, your needs change, so you may start at one point where you’re like these are all the supplements I need to make sure I’m having because my diet is lacking and my health. This is what I’m struggling with and all of a sudden, you know, six months, a year later, we’re not in the same spot, so you don’t need to be taking the exact same thing, which means we can actually look at what you’re taking, what your needs are, and make those adjustments that are needed so that you are getting the most out of your supplement.

Cori

31:08
And maybe it comes from me being lazy, but I definitely have the do less, achieve more whenever possible mindset.

31:16
So, even looking at the list that we’ve talked about today of micronutrients and the benefits and the overlap in the foods, you might even find that you can sort of just include specific vitamins, micronutrients, like you know, different minerals, herbs, all those different things, and they can really work for a variety of different symptoms you’re seeing, whereas right now you might be trying to throw sort of spaghetti at the wall and address all the different symptoms with all these different things instead of just honing in on the one most important that has the overlap over different things.

31:44
So I am going to put a link to learn more about our custom supplement blends, because we really can design down to the milligram what you need based on the symptoms you’re seeing, a menopause, based on any different things that you’re struggling with or goals you’re working towards. And I know this is a big shameless plug for it, but I’ve really seen the benefit in not only making it easier for me to see the results that I want in a sustainable way, because it’s one thing I’m taking, but I really do find that this addresses exactly the gaps we need. So we’re not wasting time, we’re not wasting energy, we’re not wasting money on different things that aren’t really necessary. Michelle, any closing thoughts on the micronutrients, on supplements, on the whole natural foods, any of that jazz to help people really feel their best through menopause?

Michelle

32:25
So I’m just going to add, because I definitely think that you know, focusing on the right supplement for you is needed. But if I were to tell you the four top food sources to focus on, to add to your menopause diet, to kind of make sure that you’re hitting everything that we mentioned today, it’s going to be making sure that you’re in that you are including those dark leafy greens, legumes. We want to make sure that we are hitting that fiber need and also, obviously, it hit several other areas nuts and seeds, particular pumpkin seeds, and then fermented foods. Those are going to be the four things that I would suggest that you focus on adding to your diet when you enter menopause.

Cori

33:06
Great challenge to see how many times you can really hit those, even in the next week. Thanks for listening to the Fitness Hacks podcast Again. This is the place where I share all my free workout and nutrition tips. I’m never going to run sponsorships or ask you to buy anything. All I ask in return is, if you’re enjoying the podcast, to leave a rating review or share it with someone you think it might help. This will only take a few minutes and it would mean the world to me and possibly change life of someone you know.

You’re Eating Protein WRONG! 5 Mistakes To Avoid

You’re Eating Protein WRONG! 5 Mistakes To Avoid

Increasing your protein doesn’t have to be this disgusting or hard.

Little changes and shifts to how you plan out your meals can really pay off. It just takes you pausing to assess what you’re currently doing and being open to looking at your portions and meals in another way.

That’s why I want to share 5 strategies to help so you can avoid common protein “mistakes” like these.

Let’s start with what I’ve already mentioned…

Increasing your current servings of protein by just an ounce!

Too often we try to find new ways to add in protein instead of just tweaking what we’re already naturally doing.

Which honestly just makes things feel more overwhelming and confusing.

So instead of trying to search for something new or a bigger change, just take a current protein sources your consuming and add an ounce.

If you usually have 3 ounces of chicken at lunch, make it 4.

Small increases to the protein sources you’re already eating can help you keep your meals and prep basically the same while helping you slowly increase your protein intake.

No big dramatic changes.

No having to think of new options.

Now, if you start adjusting your portions and are finding that your fat intake is way too high or you can’t keep your calories in check, this is where you can start to divide and conquer.

Often when a protein source is higher in fat or carbs, we think we just have to cut out something we enjoy.

Instead, we need to divide and conquer, which means we can simply COMBINE two different protein sources with different macros to hit our goals.

Love steak but finding it’s killing your macros while leaving you low in protein?

Try a surf and turf dish so you can have your steak but lower your fat by including another protein source you love that’s lower in fat.

This can sometimes be a better option than just eliminating the cut of meat we love.

Sometimes swapping for a completely different cut or type of protein isn’t enjoyable but the combination of two sources we love is!

So to get that 6 ounces of protein you want at a meal, you do 3 of each.

This can also help you avoid feeling like you’re just having to power through a bazillion ounces of protein as well at a meal.

Because another common protein mistake we make is just forcing ourselves to power through protein portions that simply aren’t enjoyable.

While a new and better result does mean embracing change and often that includes making some sacrifices, if we feel like we’re force feeding ourselves something, chances are we won’t keep doing that for long.

We can avoid this protein overload not only by dividing and conquering with different protein sources but even further HIDING the protein in meals.

How can you hide protein?!

Using dishes that allow you to diversify!

By diversifying your protein sources in a dish and not making yourself feel like you just have to eat more, you can often pack in more protein.

Soups, smoothies or oatmeal parfaits, casseroles or even omelets make this an easy task because it is easy to combine a variety of protein sources so the dishes pack a punch.

Try bone broth as the base for your soup with chicken or tofu and veggies to add 10 more grams of protein per cup.

Combine greek yogurt with a protein powder in your smoothie or even in your oats to pack in 30+ grams while being easy to take on the go.

Heck, even blend in tofu to add more protein while making it extra creamy, especially if you don’t consume dairy!

For your casseroles, bump the protein and cheesiness by adding in cottage cheese on top of your usual proteins included and even swap traditional pastas for edamame or lentil variations.

And in your omelets not only use eggs and egg whites to hit your fat and protein macros, but add in ground protein sources like turkey or ground beef to bump your protein intake further without getting bored of the same flavor!

But by diversifying your ingredients it can make for tasty meals that don’t just make you feel like your force feeding yourself protein.

And then don’t make the mistake of ignoring the boost you can get from so many non-traditional sources of protein.

So often we only focus on the amino acids from complete protein sources.

But there are amino acids in so many of the foods we eat that, combined over the course of the day can really add up!

This can make increasing our protein intake seem so much less daunting!

And by embracing this diversity, we can also get a great micronutrient boost.

Sooo….Don’t ignore the grams.

Small swaps like buckwheat noodles for regular white pasta can bump our protein intake.

Or peas with broccoli in our stir fry help us bump those protein grams and improve our micros.

Nutritional yeast and parmesan cheese are great little ways to boost flavor while adding protein even.

I stole this term from my Dietitian Michelle, but she calls them protein sprinkles. And I love calling parmesan cheese protein salt!

Heck, nutritional yeast is not only a great seasoning for the protein source you may be cooking up that day, but it can even be sprinkled on your popcorn snack.

Yup!

It’s a great way to make your popcorn taste cheesy and add a protein boost to a snack that normally is devoid of protein (and not in the gross protein powder on peanut butter cups way…)

You can even do this by pairing something you want with something you “need.”

Instead of putting protein into something that it doesn’t work in, consider it on the side to your usual snack or treat.

Try jerky with your crackers.

Or some natural deli meat on a snack plate with your apple and peanut butter.

But consider small ways to make those grams add up!

This can help us include the foods we love and not feel like we’re only eating bland and boring foods!

And then…stop seeing increasing your protein as having to be…well…bland and boring and diet food!

We often make the mistake of being lazy with the changes and defaulting into not trying to make the meals taste good.

It’s almost like we get this attitude of “Well it’s a diet. It’s not supposed to be enjoyable.”

But that holds us back from building lasting habit changes or even developing a good relationship with our food!

Make an extra effort to make your protein delicious through sauces and spices and seasonings!

Seasonings and spices can really make a huge impact and they come at basically not calorie cost!

Then even look for sauces that are flavor filled but lower in calories to start.

Consider things like soy sauce or tamari for some extra flavor while being low in calories.

Or use salsas even in place of other salad dressings.

Even consider making some of your own salsas or dressings out of greek yogurt and seasonings.

It’s a great way to even make some ranch variations while boosting your protein a bit, hiding that protein in your sauce!

But don’t shy away from finding some recipes that use seasoning to their advantage!

While I know it is easy to get overwhelmed by the idea of making changes and default into what seems easy but actually makes the process harder, you don’t have to fall into doing things that just aren’t sustainable and make you miserable.

Increasing your protein doesn’t have to mean destroying dishes and snacks you love.

Avoid making these protein mistakes and start building meals you love that help you hit your macro goals!

Learn how to adjust your nutrition to see all of your hard work in the gym pay off and build your leanest, strongest body EVER…

–> Learn more about the Metabolic Shred