So many people struggle with hunger. They feel like they can’t be successful in weight loss because they are constantly battling hunger. Some hunger is real. Some hunger is not. Today we’re talking about how to know which you’re experiencing and how to overcome it effortlessly.
The Problem: Your body can (and will) send false hunger signals. Hunger is hormonal biofeedback and is triggered when your body perceives that fuel is needed. That doesn’t mean it is. It just means that you have done (or not done) something that makes you body THINK it needs fuel. We need to understand the difference between false hunger, true hunger and how we can resolve both.
The Solution: Avoid the triggers of false hunger. These include eating processed foods and simple sugars in the morning (especially without fat and/or protein), drinking sugary drinks, caloric restriction and more. This will avoid false hunger but also help to manage true hunger.
Practical Implementation:
Avoid severe caloric restriction
Eat your veggies (especially ones rich in fiber + water)
Emphasize protein & fat at meals and snacks
Avoid fructose (mostly from processed foods)
Stay hydrated
Limit stress and/or improve your stress response
Exercise intelligently
Eat fatty fish
Understand that hunger is not an emergency nor does it rob you of your ability to choose
In today’s episode we are talking about ketosis. We answer the common question “what is ketosis”, how it works, the major myths & misconceptions and common ways people mess it up. We go into detail on how you can find your sweet spot with the right amount of protein and carbs for your body to get in and stay in ketosis. We’ll cover the advantages and disadvantages as well as the types of people who probably shouldn’t try it.
There’s no question that carbohydrates are one of the big rocks of fat loss but that does not mean you need to go no carb or even low carb to burn fat. It truly is about smart carb strategies. If you have questions about carbs & fat loss I think it would really help you out to read about the carbs & fat loss course. This course teaches effective and sustainable carb strategies for fat loss without extremes like ketosis.
The Myths:
Many people believe that a low carb diet is a ketogenic diet or that paleo and primal diets are ketogenic. That is not true. There are 4 things you need in order to get your body into ketosis:
Calorie deficit
Very low carb (20-70g/day) and that INCLUDES carbs coming from any vegetable (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, etc)
Moderate/low protein – a ketogenic diet is not a high protein diet
High fat (a ketogenic diet is not a low calorie diet. That would be starvation)
REPEAT: it is not a low calorie diet. In fact, its often the opposite. When people count calories here they tend to really throw themselves off. You can eat a much higher calorie diet and still be in a calorie deficit with ketosis because your body is efficiently burning high octane fuel.
Your body has a very, very different response when you crash diet and cut carbs AND calories versus when you cut carbs, keep calories high enough and create hormonal balance. Let me explain that a bit so none of you get the idea to cut carbs & protein without significantly increasing your fat intake.
If your body gets alarmed that fuel is too scarce, it will break down muscle tissue for glucose and resist burning fat because it wants to conserve that very high energy fuel reserve. If you create a mild calorie deficit and consume a moderate amount of protein that the body can use for gluconeogenesis without having to tap into your muscle for that protein, your body will generate ketones from fat you eat and stored fat without burning your precious, metabolically active muscle tissue.
Another major myth is that ketosis is dangerous. For most people that is not true. This myth comes from two major misconceptions:
That ketosis is a low calorie starvation diet
That ketosis is the same as, or leads to, ketoacidosis which is totally not true at all
Let’s talk for a second about what ketoacidosis is and why it is isn’t even a remote concern for most of us.
When diabetics don’t get enough insulin, their bodies think they are starving. The body thinks there is no glucose available (there is, it just can’t get to the cells because of the lack of insulin or lack of response to insulin) so they burn fat instead. Ketone production goes into overdrive . Here’s the problem: they aren’t low on glucose. They actually have an excess of glucose. It just can’t get out of the blood stream. But the body can’t stop making ketones. When the blood ketones reach about 20 millimolars, the patient can get very sick and go into a coma. Ketoacidosis. It is very dangerous but it is really only applicable to type 1 diabetics and insulin dependent type 2 diabetics and is very rare even in both of those.
Ketoacidosis is not possible in other people because as we produce insulin, the body can’t over produce ketones. Insulin turns off ketone production.
The Facts:
Some cells in your body require glucose to function but I want you to understand that does not mean you need to eat sugar for health. Our bodies, being incredibly efficient, can manufacture glucose from protein. Why do we have this ability? Because our paleo ancestors didn’t routinely have access to carbs (only seasonal fruits). The body manufactures glucose from protein with the help of fat. Fat helps to fuel a process in the liver called gluconeogenesis – or generating glucose by breaking down protein
Ketosis looks different for everyone. Your total amount of carbs to get you into ketosis will vary. The more insulin resistant or metabolically imbalanced you are, the fewer carbs you can eat and get into ketosis. The same is true of protein. If you are more insulin resistant, you’ll have to eat less protein to get into ketosis. Everyone will be different. Some will find they can only eat 20-30g carbs to get and stay in ketosis while others will be able to eat 60-100g. Protein is the same way. Some will find they can only eat 6-8 oz protein per day. Others will find they can eat 8-12 oz and be in ketosis. People who have struggled with their weight or struggled with carb sensitivity will be on the lower end of both spectrums. And just to give you an idea of what 20g of carbs per day looks like – that’s 2 cups of Brussels sprouts and 4 cherry tomatoes. Seriously.
Common reasons people can’t get in ketosis:
Too many carbs
Too much protein
Too many calories
Not enough fat
Too few calories
Practical Implementation:
Don’t adopt any strategy that (for you) is a short term strategy
Make sure you are eating foods you love
If you want to give ketosis a try, work to identify your carb tolerance by starting at 20g per day total. This includes carbs coming from non-starchy vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower. Use the same process to identify your protein tolerance. Make sure to eat ample fat! Do not go on a starvation diet!
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In this episode I’m answering the question “what do you eat for fat loss” and identifying the best foods for fat loss. We talk about meal ideas, recipes and how to adjust your meals to combat hunger, cravings and low energy. However, it is important to emphasize that the best foods for fat loss are fat loss friendly foods that YOU love. My favorite fat loss foods are irrelevant if you don’t love them. So while we’re talking about my favorite fat loss foods, this is only meant to be a starting point for you to cultivate your own list of fat loss foods so you can identify your unique best foods for fat loss.
Coconut milk (I used the boxed stuff, not the canned)
Salt
Chicken thighs (you can use breasts but thighs are more moist)
Chilis in adobo (canned)
Green chilis (canned)
Red onion
Garlic (fresh)
Cumin
Extra virgin olive oil
The first thing you need to do is marinate your chicken. I marinated mine for about 6 hours but nex time I’ll do it overnight for even more intense flavor. So, minimum: 6 hours. Maximum: overnight.
To create your marinade: Put the following ingredients in your food processor or high powered blender:
1 can of chilis in adobo
1 small can of green chilis
1/2 red onion (I sliced it a few times before adding it in)
4 garlic cloves
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
Blend well. Once it is blended, add to the mixture 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil and blend again.
Place your chicken in a baking dish (or you can use a gallon size ziploc bag) and add the marinade. Let sit for AT LEAST 6 hours while refrigerated.
Alright – before chow time you need to make your cauliflower rice. Add your cauliflower florets to a food processor and pulse until it is shredded and a small, rice-like size.
In a large saute pan, add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. When the oil is melted and the pan is hot, add your riced cauliflower. Let that sit over medium heat, stirring occassionally for about 3-5 minutes. Then add:
The juice of 1/2 a lime
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup coconut milk
Cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occassionally.
While your cauliflower rice is cooking, remove your chicken from the marinate and chop it into bite-sized pieces. Heat 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a large saute pan and add the chicken, cooking thoroughly.
Top the cauliflower rice with your chicken, some of the sauce from the pan and garnish with avocado or guacamole! Enjoy the heck out of it! I certainly did!
PaleoIceCream– This one is so good I reserve it for once every couple of months
1 can of full fat coconut milk
5 pitted dates
1.5 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 vanilla bean (slice in half and scrape out the insides. Discard the pod)
1/4 cup enjoy life chocolate chips (or fruit/topping of your choice)
Place coconut milk, dates, almond milk and vanilla bean seeds into a high powered blender until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Place mixture in refrigerator for a couple hours. Once it’s cold, add it to an icecream maker and follow machine instructions. (I usually let it churn for 20 minutes). You can do this without an icecream maker by putting it in the freezer and stirring a couple times an hour, it just won’t be as creamy. It will still be delish!
Chocolate Avocado Mousse – I enjoy this a few nights every week!
1 ripe avocado (peeled and pitted)
2 teaspoons cacao powder (unsweetened cocoa powder is fine, too)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon stevia extract
1/4 cup fresh raspberries
Using an immersion blender, blend the avocado, cacao, vanilla & stevia. Top with raspberries. Feel free to add stevia or cacao until it meets your tastes. Some people prefer it richer/sweeter – these measurements are what works for me.
Baked Apple with Pecans – I enjoy this several nights each week!
1 large apple
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp stevia
1 tbsp butter
1 once pecans
Chop your apple into bite size pieces. Toss with cinnamon, vanilla & stevia. Put in small baking ramekin. Top with butter and pecans. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
Chocolate/Nut/Banana Chia Pudding – This could be breakfast or dessert, depending on what you add. If you do it for breakfast, omit any fruit if you’re looking for maximum fat loss.
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup almond or coconut milk (unsweetened)
1 tsp cacao powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder)
1/2 ripe banana
1 tbsp almond or cashew butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Add all ingredients to a blender and mix well. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate overnight or for at least several hours. Don’t skip this step! The chia seeds need time to absorb the liquid.
(You could make this a mocha breakfast treat by skipping the banana and doing 1/2 cup coffee and 1/2 cup almond milk instead of the full cup of almond milk).
In this episode we’re talking about calories. Is there a magic number you should shoot for? How many calories should you be eating for fat loss? Are all calories created equal? How Can you know if you’ve created enough of a calorie deficit to see results?
Question: “How many calories should I eat for fat loss” and “How do I know if I’ve created a calorie deficit”
Answer: There is no magic calorie number. All calories are NOT created equal. Calories are merely a unit of measurement and the quality of food makes a big difference. Food is information for our bodies and the information matters more than the total amount of calories. 2,000 calories of processed foods created a very different fat loss situation than 2,000 calories of whole foods.
Practical Implementation:
Start tracking & paying attention to the signals your body is sending you.
Track what you eat, how much & when
Track your quantity & quality of sleep
Track your body’s biofeedback (mood swings, energy, hunger & cravings)
Track your progress towards your goal (avoid using the scale as your primary indicator of progress)
Track your activity level
Work towards incorporating more whole foods that you enjoy eating and fewer processed foods. Track how these changes make you feel!
Implement smart strategies like balanced meal composition, carb timing and efficient fat loss exercise
