Happy Tuesday Friends, as promised here are the answers to most of your nutrition questions submitted to me via Instagram. If you have more please leave them in the comments below. If you are reading this from your email you have to click the link at the bottom of the email to be taken to my website, from there you can leave a comment asking for elaboration or to submit a new question. If you want elaboration please include the question # you are referencing. Please remember this information is based off of my experience and expertise, I AM NOT A CERTIFIED NUTRITIONIST OR MEDICAL DOCTOR. Please use this information at your own risk. I am not responsible for the use, or misuse of the information below.
1. “How do I gain thick healthy weight?”
I’m assuming you mean muscle? If so the most efficient way to gain muscle is by consuming protein rich meals. I show my meals on my Instagram story all the time, protein is the base of all of my meals. Protein is what builds muscle; it is the healthiest weight you can gain. High protein, low sugar promotes lean muscle mass. If you eat animal protein, when you eat a chicken breast you’re essentially eating they’re healthy weight lol! I strive for 20-30 grams of lean protein every meal. I eat about 5-6 times a day. So total that’s about 100-180 grams per day. Most people have trouble consuming this much food, start small and work your way up!
2. “Do you do hot lemon water to get your day started and why?”
I don’t drink hot lemon water every morning but most mornings I do. I drink it religiously every evening. I drink it often because I love lemon, it helps me get rid of cravings & cleanses my taste palette, it helps with digestion & elimination, it’s good for several different parts of your body, & has several other benefits.
3. “What to eat to keep good abs?”
When it comes to abs, digestion is very important. You want to make sure you know what foods work for your body. Some foods don’t digest well and some fiber rich foods in general are know to cause gas and bloat such as veggies that contain cruciferous. Cruciferous is a sugar that remains undigested until your gut processes it or “ferments” it. Until it is fermented it can cause bloat and produce gas. Broccoli is one & there are several other veggies like that so you have to do your research. I love green beans because from what I know of them, they do not contain cruciferous & they’re yummy.
4. “What can I substitute for oatmeal? I absolutely can NOT eat oatmeal”
I love quinoa or hot cereal as a substitute for oatmeal. Red Mill & Arrowhead Mills makes hot cereal, it is typically harder to find so try to order it online if you have to.
5. “Is the only way to get as lean as you, to completely cut out carbs? Thanks in advance!”
No! I don’t suggest any one way of eating or working out to anyone. This is something you have to test overtime. After years of training, and tweaking my nutrition I learned how my body functions optimally, and that’s not to say it won’t change again. I took into account several variables to figure out what works for me. A few of these variables include: knowing what foods work for my blood type, my metabolic rate, my food sensitivities & allergies, how long it takes me to digest certain foods, tracking my weight over long periods of time, measuring my body fat, using supplements, and most importantly increasing my muscle mass while simultaneously decreasing my body fat. Lastly, STRESS LEVELS. When you are stressed your body releases insulin just like it does when you eat sugar/carbs which will create the same result. When I am stressed I can weigh up to 5 pounds heavier and carry water weight all over my body and I do not look lean.
6. “What’s the best way to eat to get lean? No carbs at all?”
It’s hard to say it depends heavily on your starting point and your body type. A lean diet is typically associated with the type of protein you eat. Such as skinless/boneless chicken breast and white fish which has less fat then beef and salmon in turn considering it to be “lean.” To promote “leanness” I would definitely suggest eating minimal carbs and timed meals. Putting your body on an eating schedule will rev up your metabolism and promote fat burning.
7. “Not nutrition but, can I do HIIT workouts if I’m pregnant?”
I definitely did. I did sprints until I was about 8 months, after that I would do a brisk walk on an incline or sprint intervals on the bike. My mom would always tell me not do moves where I had to put my hands above my head, because it could cause the umbilical cord to wrap around the baby’s neck. I thought it was just an old wives tale so I still did them, and G’s umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck twice up until delivery … luckily everything turned out fine. Definitely ask a professional, and ALWAYS listen to your body.
8. “What are the 5 main healthy ingredients you always keep readily stocked in your fridge?”
• Minced garlic
• Bell peppers
• Onions
• Fish or Chicken Breast
• Egg whites
9. “Does eating less help someone with weight loss. Would you recommend it?”
After I had my son my goal was weight loss. I had to change my diet and my workout routines. I ate significantly smaller portions but I definitely got about 6 meals in a day. The goal was to kick up my metabolism which is why I had to get in my 6 meals, but by eating smaller portions my body was better able to burn the excess fat while feeding my muscles with the lean protein. I was literally eating egg whites and avocado every meal lol. That’s because I know that my body can digest it well. You will know how your body reacts to foods several ways but one of the cheapest and most efficient ways is by elimination. Releasing waste daily is key. I had to significantly reduce my portion size to shock my body. I was only consuming 2-3 ounces of protein and no sugars/carbs at all.
10. “Hi – fan from South Africa here. Do you think a low carb ‘diet’ is the best way to lost weight?”
Awe how cool, hi!! Yes, I think low carbs is very conducive to weight loss. But, you have to eat your lean protein to promote weight loss. Your body NEEDS protein, you will not lose weight without it. There’s so much more to know when it comes to this, such as when to eat what, soon enough I’ll be releasing more specific information.
11. “What to eat to keep good abs?”
Ab definition stems from being lean and from actually having muscle mass in your abs that give it definition. The best way to eat to have good abs, is to eat CLEAN. If you eat clean you allow your body to easily digest foods and store the nutrients it needs and release what it doesn’t. Avoid acidic foods and foods that cause gas, because they cause bloat. Also by drinking lots of water, because water follows water so if your body is holding on to water the extra water you consume will push it out.
12. “I need to drop 10 lbs, done eat fish.. help!”
It’s tough to assess this without more information, have you gotten your metabolic rate tested lately? It’ll tell you exactly how many calories you should be consuming based off of specific testing, it may help you reach your goal more efficiently.
Things to consider when trying to lose weight is:
• Are you eating too much or too little?
• Have you been going to the restroom daily?
• Have you switched up your workout routine lately?
• Have you been eating carbs? If so, switch to no carbs and try eating fats in place of carbs. Vice versa.
13. “What are some things I can eat to keep me full? I eat constantly and still find myself hungry”
First question is, what are you eating? Just because you eat constantly doesn’t mean you’re eating foods that will nourish your body. You should definitely base your meals around protein, if the majority of your meal is not protein you will continue to feel hungry. Aim for 20-30 grams per meal.
Are you stressed out? Stress will definitely cause anxiety and the urge to eat. Try meditating consistently or get in the routine of doing things that relax you.
If you are eating protein rich meal’s then maybe consider a cleanse. Also look into a parasite cleanse, maybe you have a tapeworm in your tummy? Lol! Seriously
Definitely consult with a professional if you truly feel like it is something out of the normal.
14. “Any advice for someone who has hypothyroidism? I’ve been trying to lose weight for” months.
I asked my husband about this, he is a doctor. He had a lot of information, definitely consult with an MD about this I don’t want to speak for him and unfortunately I am not knowledgeable on this. In my down time I will definitely do some research on it, I will post what I find.
My advice that is unrelated to fitness is to pat yourself on the back. Sometimes the stress we place on ourselves sets us back farther than we can even imagine. You may just need to keep going and worry less. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be, but with consistency you will figure it out.
15. “How tall are you and whts ur weigh?”
I’m 5’7 and I currently weigh 125 lbs.
16. “How do you figure out your macros?”
The term “macros” is short for macronutrients which is a breakdown of proteins, fats, and carbs that make up foods composition. My nutritionist of 10 years based my macros off of my metabolic rate, based off of the testing she does and it tells her how many calories my body burns without working out. From that information she was able to do a detailed breakdown of the calories and macros. This helps form a diet that allows my body to get in a specified amount of calories from protein, fat, & carbs (macros) that we know it will burn, since I workout all of the excess calories I burn in the gym will contribute to my fat burning (more on this come soon).
17. “Thoughts on protein shakes?”
I love shakes, and will start to post my favorite recipes soon. I think it’s helpful to get at least one in as a meal replacement a day because it’s an easy way to consume a high amount of protein.
18. “What are the health benefits of using Tobasco sauce?”
Tobasco is my everyday seasoning lol! I eat it on everything. As you may or may not know it is a Pepper Hot Sauce. It helps your metabolism. Some research shows that the capsaicin in it has the ability to raise your body temperature which in turn helps you burn more calories. It is low in sodium, the lowest amongst the other most popular hot sauces. It is low in fat and low in carbs. I love the taste, it has been my go to for years.
19. “How do I know what my macros are and how do I prep my meals accordingly?”
I answered this in question #16 please take a look at that answer. You should be able to find some websites that will tell you your metabolic rate based on general questions but to truly be accurate you should go to a nutritionist and have them test your metabolic rate and form a diet around it so you can reach your specific goals.