HEALTH AND FITNESS

In The Gym

Did you know that when you exercise chemicals called "Endorphins" are released in your brain? Endorphins make you feel euphoric and diminish the sensation of pain. Serotonin works with Endorphins like a team to make working out feel good. Serotonin is the chemical in your brain responsible for happiness and the more you exercise the more your Serotonin levels will increase! Long story short, the more active and healthy you are, the happier you will become!

In The Kitchen
We've all heard the rumors that diet plays an 80% role and exercise plays a 20% role in the results that you'll get from your fitness journey... and it couldn't be more true! You will not get the results you want in the gym by exercise alone, you have to make sure your diet stays consistent and matches your commitment to living a healthier life. The saying "you are what you eat" isn't that far off because food turns into the energy that we need to move around, however, the food you eat can sit around and turn into fat. You need to make sure your body is producing the right kind of fuel to stay in good shape. Everybody has a different metabolism so diets that might work for some, might not work for others. Every single type of food has different properties that affect your body in some way, Some good, others not so good. That's why it's important to know how to make the best of our daily calorie intake. I made a couple of lists of healthy foods that you should consider putting into your diet if you want to get good results in the gym or if you just want to live a healthier lifestyle in general. From these foods I suggested below, you can pick and choose which ones work for you and create your own diet! You'll notice some of these foods repeat in the different categories, but that's because they have many kinds of beneficial properties!

HEALTHIER/VEGETARIAN ALTERNATIVES:

1. Pasta Noodles/rice: Butternut Squash, chickpea pasta, Zucchini, Pasta Zero, cauliflower, lentils, quinoa, and chickpeas.

2. The Meat In Your Burger, Salad, omelet, or stir fry:

Lentils, Avocado, Quinoa, Tempeh, Tofu, and Mushrooms (Portobello for burger).

3. Chips: Taro Root Chips, Popcorn (Low/No Butter), Sweet Potato Chips, Pita Chips, Grapes, Pickles, Raw Veggies(such as bell peppers, cucumber, carrots, celery, ) (If you use a dip make sure it's low fat, you can also refer to #6 on this list), CORN tortilla chips, Low Sodium Pretzels, Apple Chips, and Banana Chips.

4. Sugar: Pure (unfiltered) Honey, Raw Sugar Cane, Date Sugar, Agave Nectar/Agave Tequilana/Blue Agave, and Coconut sugar

5. Butter To Cook With: Organic Coconut Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Cocoa Butter, and Shea Butter.

*I also must stress the importance of only cooking with healthy oils. Coconut oil, Olive oil, Avocado oil, & Grapeseed oil are the ones I like to use and switch between depending on what I'm cooking and the temperature at which I am cooking it.*

6. Spreads To Put On Food: Hummus, Mashed Avocado/Guacamole, Dairy-free Yogurt, Sun dried Tomato Pesto, Nut Butters, and Pumpkin Puree.

7. Soda: Sparkling Water ("Clear American" is a great brand and it has 0 calories) and Gatorade (As long as you match the amount of Gatorade you drink with water).

10. Flour (Starch): Almond Flour (it provides protein instead of starch), coconut flour, and rolled oats that have been blended to a fine powder.

10. Salty flavoring (Like soy sauce): Liquid Aminos, Himalayan Salt, Pure Sea Salt, and Powdered Granulated Seaweed

According to the CDC 1/3 Americans will have Type 2 Diabetes by the year 2050.

HOW TO PREVENT DEVELOPING TYPE 2 DIABETES

Getting rid of Sugar, Starch, and EMPTY Carbohydrates (all of those things are white btw) is the MOST important thing you can do for your diet. Insulin is what turns good food into energy, but it's harder for it to turn Sugar, Starch (flour/white bread), and Empty Carbohydrates (like pasta) into energy so most of it just gets left over and turns into fat. Diabetics lack Insulin so It's harder for them to turn Sugar, Starch, and Empty Carbohydrates into energy, and almost all of it gets converted into fat. Diabetes can give you cancer and heart problems, so it's important to be kind to your body and the Insulin that decides what your food turns into. Your Pancreas is what manufactures the Insulin in your body and when you eat a large intake of Sugar, Starch, and Empty Carbohydrates your body will have to demand more Insulin to keep up, and eventually, you will wear out your Pancreas. The best way to solve a problem is to prevent it from happening entirely, so you will have a better chance of avoiding Type 2 Diabetes if you give the Insulin in your body nutritious food that's easier for it to turn into energy. Thus, as the old saying goes, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".

*If there is a particular kind of unhealthy/fatty food you are having trouble giving up, please let me know and I will do my best to find and add healthy substitutes for it to my website*

FOOD I LIKE TO EAT THAT IS GOOD FOR YOUR BOOTY (Protein rich foods/help build muscle):

Ezekiel Bread, Sweet Potato, Oats, Any kind of fish (not fried), Brown Rice, Veggie Burgers, Eggs, Avocado, Tofu, Seaweed, Edamame, Tomatoes, Any kind of nut (Cashews, Pecans, Walnuts, Lentils, Almonds, Pistachios, etc.), Beans, Almond/Peanut Butter (The natural kind with ONLY nuts), Quinoa, Any kind of dark green vegetable (Broccoli, Asparagus, Brussel Sprouts, Spinach, Kale, Collard Greens, etc.), and Bananas.

FOOD I LIKE TO EAT THAT IS GOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN:

Avocados, Any type of dark green vegetable (broccoli, Asparagus, Brussel Sprouts, Spinach, Kale, Beans, Collard Greens, etc.), Celery, Eggs, Watermelon, Blueberries, Seaweed, Quinoa, Mandarin Oranges, Tomatoes/Cherry Tomatoes, DARK chocolate, Nuts (Walnuts, Pistachios, Cashews, Almonds, Brazil nuts, Pistachios, Pecans, Pine nuts, etc.), Green Tea, Chamomile Tea, Black Beans (Most beans really), Green Beans, WILD Salmon (NOOO Mercury), Beets, Tumeric (it's a spice), Organic Coconut Oil, Pomegranate Juice, and Whole Grains.

*Healthy Fats = Great for your brain AND booty!!!*

DETOX FOODS/TEAS (Helpful for Loosing Weight):

Beets, Cauliflower, Ginger, Artichoke, Asparagus, Grapefruit, Guacamole, White Tea, Turmeric (It's a spice), Collard Greens, Lemon Water, Sweet Potatoes, Acai Berries, Spinach, Bananas, Tomatoes, Kiwi, Pecans, Walnuts, Plums, Legumes, Oats, Blackberries, Edamame, Detox Waters (Made by adding certain fruits and cucumber into your water, you can google Detox Water to find recipes that you like!), Avocado, Watercress, Wild Salmon (NO MERCURY), Beetroot, Sauerkraut, Plums, Eggs, Dandelion, Cruciferous Vegetables (Broccoli, Kale, Brussel Sprouts, Seaweed, Cabbage, Cauliflower, etc.), Olives, Chlorella, Seeds (Chia Seeds, Hemp Seeds, flaxseeds, etc.), Organic Apples, Fermented Foods (Kombucha, Sauerkraut, Pickles, miso, tempeh, and Yogurt), and Matcha.

FOODS THAT FIGHT AGAINST CANCER:

Plums, Carrots, Berries (Blueberries, Strawberries, Acai Berries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Cranberries, etc.), Tomatoes, Dark Green Vegetables (broccoli, Asparagus, Brussel Sprouts, Spinach, Kale, Collard Greens, etc.), Turmeric (It's a spice), Garlic, Tea, Flaxseeds, Legumes, Whole Grains, Beans, Cinnamon, Seaweed, Cruciferous Vegetables (Broccoli, Kale, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, etc.), Any kind of nut (Cashews, Pecans, Walnuts, Almonds, Pistachios, etc.), Olive Oil, Citrus Fruits (Oranges, Lemons, Peppers, Bell Peppers, Seaweed, Clementines Grapefruit, Key Lime, etc.), Squash, Sweet Potato, Mushrooms, Melons (Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Honeydew, etc), Cabbage, Cherries, Grapes, Pomegranates, Onions, and Papaya.

*Antioxidants = Great for losing weight and fighting against Cancer*