Hope – Nutrition

How to Lose Fat & Stop the Yo-Yo Cycle

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… with Facts Not Fads™

 

For 4 weeks, students and I spent hours together in my Transformation 101 course, going deeper than ever before. With 6 months of intensive nutritional school behind me (and 6 months to go! 🤦‍♀️), I know more about why we can’t lose weight easily, nor keep it off.

 

This deeper level of information builds on what I wrote years ago, so students and clients see better results faster.

 

The first thing you should understand is online calculators are incorrect, setting you up for failure. I use MyFitnessPal with a couple of clients for food tracking, so I entered my age, current/goal weight, height, activity level—it said I should eat 1430 calories per day.

 

When I use the calculator from school (the Harris Benedict calculator, if you’re interested), I get 1379 calories. That’s a 51-calorie difference PER DAY. In a week, I’d overeat 3500 calories. That’s almost a pound of weight in calories, gained each week. All because of inaccurate calculations, which by the very nature of the app you’re using, SHOULD be correct. Wow.

 

No wonder we yo-yo so much. We’re not given accurate tools for calculations!

 

The second thing you need to know is our biggest concern is overall health, which is an ever-moving target. Fat loss is obviously an important metric of health, because many of the top disease-related deaths are because of excess weight. But when we focus on our health and body as a whole, we’re considering how we feel about ourselves through our Senses, Intuition, Movement, Plants, Love, Exploration—and nutrition is just one aspect of this model of health.

 

With both goals in mind, I’ve shared a few important video conversations around fat loss and nutrition you need to understand: [read more]

Unexpected Importance of Food Tracking

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Recently, a client gave me unexpected feedback about the food journal I have them use each week. While I understand there are difficulties with tracking1 (unreliable food data entered, challenging in social situations, time constraint), the pros often outweigh the cons.

 

If I don’t know what a client is eating, I can’t help them with their nutrition or lifestyle goals. It’s certainly impossible to see which foods are problematic, especially if there’s a digestive issue at hand… quite often, symptoms don’t appear immediately, unless it’s a food allergy (less common than many would believe).

 

A current client suffers from a couple health conditions, is on multiple medications, and wants to lose fat. We’ve worked on these issues in that order, by their request. (My clients decide 100% what they wish to work on, and in what order.)

 

While I know the multiple positives of a food journal, I never considered this aspect: uncovering a relationship between symptoms and medication. [read more…]

How to Lose Fat Quickly (or Not!)

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If you’re 50+ pounds overweight and want to lose fat quickly, I’ve outlined how you can do that. As your Health & Wellness Coach, I’m giving you the protocol I use with my clients IF their goal is: 50+ pounds fat loss, reduction of medications, and regaining their health.

This allows you to make an informed decision about this course of action, including:

  • The benefits and consequences of rapid fat loss,
  • Methods you can use to create rapid fat loss,
  • Things to keep in mind if you want to reduce the risk of experiencing some consequences I list initially.

If you have less than 50 pounds you want to lose, please pay attention to the very last bullet point starting with “We’ll also change the % we decrease your calories as you go along, too…” This is the guideline for those with less fat to lose (because this matters a lot!)

Note: to understand the content, it’s important you understand the context… I wrote this as a response to a request for rapid fat loss (i.e. any diet promoting over 5 pounds of weight loss per week). Email me or comment below, should you need any clarification with any of it. As always, thank you for your consistent and continued efforts in improving your health!
[keep reading]

What Would Happen if You Knew Nuances Around Nutrition?

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Before I dive into some tips to help you navigate your health journey in January, here are some startling facts. Read to the end, consider the tips for success, and let’s change the overall success rate to a higher number!

New Year’s Resolution Facts1, 2 :

  1. 83% of us never even set goals, yet
  2. People with goals are 10x more likely to achieve them
  3. Of the 17% who set goals, most set unrealistic goals or don’t have a plan on how to achieve them (which is why I teach my clients how to set small, manageable, realistic goals that are what’s called Optimal Goals… not too easy, not too difficult… because that matters!)
  4. Only 55% of the 17% mentioned above keep their pledge after one month; we’re down to 43% after three months (the math is getting harder, isn’t it!? Just know the goal-setting group is getting smaller and smaller.) In fact…
  5. Only 8-9% of those who set goals accomplish them by year-end. Here’s how you can help bring that to 10% or higher…

3 of the keys to their success?

I’m Going Back to School!

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For the next year, I’ll be knee-deep in research, biology, and nutrition at a deeper, functional level. Though I’ve studied nutrition for 2+ decades, I now get to read the research papers IN all of the books I’ve read, and guarantee the information is accurate. <hard swallow> We’ll see if I have to retract any of my past/present teachings! 🤣

 

There’s no longer a middle wo/man to distort the information I pass along to you. I already have access to specific fat loss tools to coach you at a deeper level! I’ll have new skills to help you through specific behaviors, skills, habits, etc. that keep you stuck (in whatever way you’re stuck… it’s not always about nutrition, is it!?).

 

So, please bear with me if I miss a week here and there with these newsletters. I am still coaching 1-on-1 (at a discounted intro rate until January 1!), and will offer group coaching soon. I’m still teaching via the beautiful partners I have, and plan on launching the 8-week S.O.S. of Nourishment Group Coaching in a few months. I still offer private meals for folks on Long Island, and am getting coached on writing professionally.

 

While it seems like a lot, I manage my time well (and teach you to do the same in Transformation 101!). I also know when to take a step back from something that no longer serves me. But this certification is important—it will serve all of you so much. As I go along, I’ll share the journey and of course, what I’m learning.

The Truth of the Dangerous Legume and Bean

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For thousands of years, cultures everywhere have enjoyed beans. When they emigrated to the U.S., they brought bean recipes with them: Hoppin’ John, Cuban black beans, red beans and rice, kidney & lentil dal, so on.

Bean crops, especially chickpeas/garbanzo beans, heal the soil by putting nitrogen back in it. They’re often called “nitrogen fixers” in the permaculture community.

Yet suddenly, according to many fad DIEts and doctors, beans are dangerous. They contain lectins that harm your gut, lead to leaky gut, and upset your stomach. They also contain oligosaccharides—sugars that cause digestive issues. Never mind that they’re high in carbs, leading to weight gain.

This is simply not 100% true, though I understand the confusion around beans. Let’s look at the truth behind the previous claims:

  • They do increase flatulence in most people—they’re high in fiber, which many in the SAD lifestyle aren’t used to having. And even when you are used to the fiber, gas may occur. I don’t believe gas is a sign of serious health trouble—animals fart.There’s a lot of money in inducing fear, even if it’s targeted towards a normal body function.

     

  • Reduce or remove lectins by soaking, rinsing, and pressure cooking your beans. I don’t subscribe to the aquafaba trend, by the way. Rinse that stuff off your beans, and don’t worry about whatever “it replaces” in your diet.Have the spritz of oil… make meringue out of ethically sourced eggs.

     

  • Oligosaccharides cause digestive issues in a small fraction of the population. But they also feed gut bacteria, so you need them for a healthy digestive system.Removing food after food only increases food issues—it doesn’t remove them.

     

  • Beans are high in protein and fiber, which slows their digestion, keeps you full longer, and moves food out of your colon.No one, and I mean NO ONE has died of an illness because they ate too many lentils and sweet potatoes.

In my upcoming Transformation 101 class, I mention something worth repeating:

“… it is popular to isolate and sell functional components of foods as dietary supplements and many supplements are marketed for their ‘antioxidant’ properties. However, functional ingredients may not produce the same effects when delivered outside a whole food matrix.”

So let’s look at the truth behind the stories around beans, and how to purchase, cook, and enjoy them with the most nutrition possible…

The REAL Plant Paradox

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The #1 Mistake Healthy People Make When Trying Plant-Based Meals

 

You need to eat MORE whole-food, low-fat, plant-based food to fuel your body, brain, and hormones properly. The old strategy of “eat less, move more” is a broken model. We can’t apply the same DIETing mindset to this way of eating and expect success.

Always hungry? Snacking? Gaining weight though eating less and less? You may not be eating enough…

Just remember these basic guidelines:

  1. Lots of veggies! Don’t shame any of them because they’re “high in carbs, lectins, phytates,” or whatever the latest trend is. Yes, focus first on greens and cruciferous veggies like cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels, kale, so on… then add more yummy veggies.
  2. Cycle carbs and protein throughout the day, so you’re creating hormonal balance. You need carbs. They’re not the evil food group some want you to believe. When you feed rats hundreds of times the amount of grains we eat, never do human studies, and claim carbs and beans are dangerous, you’re giving people faulty and dangerous data. The real plant paradox is how many you can eat and still lose weight!
  3. Make sure you’re eating protein at each meal. Despite what most fitness experts and doctors tell you, beans ARE NOT a carb—they’re a whole-food source of protein. And you need protein for too many reasons for me to cover here. Eat beans and soy… they make you fit and strong.
  4. No snacking… this is crucial, my friend. I can’t possibly explain the reasons snacking is so counter-productive, but I cover it in my book and course, Transformation 101.

 

Here’s the link for the LG Plate… the download explains the correct portions, based on 2decades of plant-based nutrition, cooking private and public meals, and medical research.

 

Try it for a week and see how you feel. You can see it in action here:

And Now, Gardening May Kill You-Part II

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As an avid gardener, plant merchandiser, assistant grower, farm hand, plants are my passion. While this post is political and may turn some away, understand why I’m discussing this, despite possible backlash: I stand for Nature. I believe in Her healing power. I’ve experienced it, researched it, and know how healthy it is to live as close to Her cycles as possible in our industrialized country.

 

My mission is to create a society that relies on Nature as a healer, not trends… full of folks who believe in Hope (nutrition), Grace (sensory input), Ancient Wisdom (Nature). They understand medicine is good for acute issues, but long-term solutions aren’t found in the latest media outlet or social media headline. Nature always has, and always will be, our greatest source of healing.

I love the community food creates, whether it’s the farm or the table… it’s a way to share with others. Many of us garden for our own food—we have sweet potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, and herbs on our back deck. It takes practice, so I play with different methods of gardening each year.

 

But now, GARDENERS have been warned that their habit could leave them at an increased risk of heart disease.

 

What!?

Plants are Your Path to Healing

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A recent hormone test led to a deep dive into specific hormones… leading to a new perspective on the importance of carbs (AKA plant-foods) vs the keto/paleo/Atkins claims.

Claim: carbs are bad for you, cause digestive issues, increase inflammation, and lead to diabetes and other diseases.

Truth: not all carbs are bad for you, and definitely not in moderation. They can relieve digestive issues when taken with other foods, in certain quantities/time of day, and spices. The right carbs actually reduce diseases, because of the high fiber and nutrients in them. And our body needs them…

The Industrial Age created a host of over-processed foods, which ARE the cause of most disease-related deaths. Carbs aren’t the real problem…

Anthropologists know we’ve eaten grains and high-carb foods for THOUSANDS of years. If they caused deadly diseases, our species wouldn’t still be here. In fact, most cultures thrive off of high-carbohydrate foods until they add in excess fats, meat, and dairy… or, the typical western DIEt.

There’s a nuance to consider for our high-stress lifestyles, and low-carb DIEts may create a problem we never considered: chronic low cortisol.

  1. If you know little about cortisol, it’s a nifty lil hormone that courses through your body, normally peaking 2 hours after you awaken, then dipping as the day progresses. It helps you cope with stress, helps metabolize foods, regulates blood pressure and glucose, controls your sleep/wake cycle, and is anti-inflammatory. That early morning rise helps you wake with gusto, and the evening dip helps you relax for a good night’s sleep.
  2. Not only do we have stressors from being overworked, watching the news/social media, fearing the economy/our health/retirement, but we also face environmental stressors that take a toll on our health. These stressors raise cortisol levels.
  3. Besides triggering the release of serotonin (a happy hormone), carbs increase insulin levels. Insulin has a see-saw effect on cortisol, so that higher insulin levels = lower cortisol levels. Good, bad, or indifferent, this is how Nature designed us. And for a good reason… [keep reading to discover the reason]

Cold, Hard Truth (With Love)

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The worst part about most fad DIEts is that the food is boring, confusing, costly, and you have ZERO interest in it. Ya almost WANNA to get off the DIEt, because the food isn’t appealing.

And maybe you don’t even know you have the wrong information—how do you google what you don’t know to google? How do you solve a problem you don’t even know you have?

I’ll help you with that over the next few months, if you’re willing… I give you the tools I’d need to start all over again, when I was 24, morbidly obese, suffering from multiple health issues.

I don’t want any of this for you, your friends, or family. Have you ever lost a loved one to diseases, all because they wouldn’t change their lifestyle? Have doctors handed you a diagnosis you want to reverse, and don’t know where to start? Are you, a friend, or family just curious about the hype behind the “plant-based food trend?”

If you or anyone you know wants to:

  • make better food choices
  • spend less on food, so there’s more for other fun or retirement
  • make some basic plant-based dishes, using plant-based protein foods you may not be familiar with yet
  • create a few sample menus
  • adjust meals to your personal tastes, offering substitutions you and your family will love
  • discover how to eat MORE, so you lose weight and get the nutrients your body needs for optimal health
  • eat without counting points, macros, or calories

I’m here to help. But I’m not for everyone.

 

I work with people who need to lose 10+ pounds and will give a plant-based lifestyle a chance. (Plant-based means no meat of any kind… we discuss dairy and eggs during our initial call.) The people I work with usually have one or more health concerns, often controlled by medication(s). And they usually have a respect and love for Nature, even if it’s just caring for house plants.

If you’re ready to create a new life and don’t know where to start, let’s talk. And if you’re not ready, please pass this along to anyone you know who may BE ready to make a change. You may save a life or two…

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