In today’s episode Tim Bauer of TinierTim.com and I are discussing two opposite approaches to lifestyle change: moderation vs. abstaining. We both use both approaches in different ways and we’re talking about the pros and cons of each and how to know which approach is best for you.
How do your genes impact your weight? Are you destined to be fat? Can you overcome your genetic predispositions? The answer is yes and the power lies within your epigenome. The study of epigenomics and nutrigenomics show us how our diet, lifestyle and environmental choices significantly impact the expression of our genes. In this episode learn about methylation and how it can set us up for a lean life, a healthy life or quite the opposite.
The Problem: Many people think that their genes are just their lot in life. That’s not true. Yes, your genes are fixed but their expression is not. Not even close. Your diet, lifestyle and environmental choices dictate how your genes are expressed.
The Solution: Understand that the food, stress and toxins can turn on or off the expression of genes. You have the power to determine how your genetic code is expressed. Listen to the full episode for specific strategies!
Practical Implementation:
Eat whole foods
Limit sugar
Emphasize leafy, green vegetables (lightly cooked, not raw)
It’s been a few weeks since I shared my daily eats so even though it’s a Monday, I thought I might give you a little look inside my life, my eats and my workout!
On this particular day I woke up around 5am. That’s pretty typical. I love mornings and I wake up each day like a kid on Christmas thinking, “Is it time for coffee?!?!!” I’m definitely not someone who dreads getting out of bed. It excites me. Well, in truth, coffee excites me. I start the grind & brew coffee pot and grab a huge glass of (filtered) water. While the coffee is brewing I settle into my home office with a book and my journal. My pre-work routine involves some combination of reading, journaling, affirmations and meditation. I don’t have strict time limits here. Some days I feel like meditating for 30 minutes and other days 30 seconds feels too long. I just roll with it. Before I start reading (I read 5-10 books each month) I grab my coffee. The first cup is always black, as is the second. The last cup is bulletproof. Don’t ask how many cups I drink per day. I’ll never tell.
Then I get to work. Like I said, I’m a morning person so I get the majority of my work done in the first half the day. I’m tremendously more productive before 2pm than I am after. I am solar powered, I think. As I powered through my work I got a delivery: my first box of bulletproof bars. These are new protein bars from The Bulletproof Executive made with collagen protein, MCT oil and cashews. I don’t eat bars all that often (I prefer real food) but I like to try new stuff so I can have great options when I travel or don’t make meal prep a priority. These were good. They were smaller than I was expecting and that always kind of annoys me (you can see how they compare to my computer mouse) but the amount of fat/protein/fiber really filled me up. They were suprisingly crunchy, too. They were kinda….wet (?)….probably due to the oils and the ground cashews. I don’t usually snack in the morning but when these got delivered I tried one pretty much right away.
The bar really satisfied my hunger and, though it may have been a placebo effect, seemed to really support my energy & endurance during my workout. I did a 20 minute circuit of weighted jump rope, reverse lunges, squat jumps and pushups. Hurts so good!!! I had to run errands post-workout and though I wasn’t particularly hungry, I was tempted by the idea of a Jimmy John’s unwich so I stopped in and got one. I love that you can get any sandwich wrapped in super sturdy lettuce leaves. I think I got the Beach Club (add bacon, hold the cheese).
Dinner was super simple. I had some Sizzlefish salmon that I wrapped in foil and threw on the grill and then took a container of shredded carrots and cabbage from Whole Foods and sauteed it with butter and coconut aminos. I had an avocado about to go bad so I threw that on the plate and sprinkled some salt on it. I don’t really do a whole lot of meals that take longer than a few minutes to prep & make! I like to keep it simple and I think simple can be totally delicious!
Sometimes I do have the urge to snack after dinner (even though I’m rarely hungry). When this urge sneaks up I usually go for some tea. I’ll often add stevia and unsweetened almond milk, especially to apple spice tea, and it is incredibly satisfying. If the urge to eat gets super strong (usually fueled by boredom or emotion) I just go to bed. Sleep makes everything better, don’t you think?
In today’s episode we’re answering a listener question about strategies for dealing with intense emotion that drives you to eat. How do you overcome emotion that is so intense you just don’t care about your goals in the moment? We talk about how you can practice perspective, how you can create new energy and how you can take control of your emotions instead of letting them take control of you!
Question: I find that I am always eating my emotions. How do you handle those moments when you’re feeling lonely or sad/frustrated/stressed and in that moment you just don’t care about your food choices? I’m tired of having those moments frequently enough that I can’t make consistent progress.
Answer: Oh, you thought you’d find that here? Not today! Listen to the episode. Hugs & kisses! 🙂
In today’s episode we’re talking about what truly holds people back from achieving their fat loss goals. in many cases, it isn’t as much about what you eat as it is about why you eat! We talk about the power of affirmations, the power of thought, the power of the spoken word and how you can utilize your brain power to help you reach your fat loss goals.
We spend so much time instructing our mind and our subconscious by thinking and saying unproductive things about our bodies, our choices and our abilities. These things, though descriptive, are also prescriptive. They are instructional. We create a reality we are trying to avoid but constantly reinforcing self-limiting behaviors. Lasting fat loss is actually much more about why we eat than it is about what we eat.
When we argue for our limitations we get to keep them. Be very careful of what you choose to argue for.
The Solution:
We first need to become aware of these negative thoughts and beliefs and then we need to choose to send different messages. This is most easily accomplished by becoming aware of the negative thoughts/beliefs and then actively replacing them with positive affirmations on a daily basis. Then we need to follow up these affirmations with consistent action, even when we don’t feel like it. You are in control. You have power. Do not tell yourself that you are powerless.
If you are powerless it is because you choose not to exercise your power.
Practical Implementation:
Complete an inventory of your negative thoughts and beliefs
Create affirmations that begin with “I am…”
State your affirmations in the positive
Link them to positive emotions like joy, pride, confidence, etc
Recite your affirmations (with conviction) multiple times each day
Choose to act in accordance with your affirmations
