Sometimes we get stuck in this trap of focusing more on consuming information than on implementing it. And often, we get a false sense of affirmation from all this learning, as if we’ve actually DONE something and we haven’t. Information is awesome. Learning is wonderful. But there is no value in it without implementation.
In today’s episode I want to help you bridge this gap between learning and doing. Between knowing more and doing more. I want to help you overcome information overload so you can take what you know already and what you continue to learn and use it to improve your health, your physique, your finances or absolutely any area of your life.
First, I want to encourage you to implement a habit of identifying ONE action item from everything you learn.
If you read a great book, identify ONE action item you’re going to take from it and decide immediately when you will execute it.
If you listen to a fantastic podcast, immediately choose ONE action item that you will implement into your day and decide when you’re going to make that happen.
If you attend a conference, don’t merely summarize what you’ve learned, identify what specific action steps you’ll take and put them on the calendar.
Keep a “learning journal” and distinguish between information and application.
Identify what you’ve learned but then define how you can & will apply it to your life. Then put it on the calendar if you can’t do it right now.
Practice “just in time” learning and consume only information that you have the bandwidth or desire to apply now or in the very near future.
Even though I’m bringing back the “What I Ate Yesterday” segments of the podcast (by popular demand), you guys feel these “What I Ate Wednesday” posts are helpful so I want to make sure to fit them in more often!
During the summer I had gotten away from bulletproof coffee in favor of cold brew just because I preferred cold coffee in the am. But, now that the weather is chilly, bulletproof is back! I spiced it up a bit this morning with raw cacao powder and a raw egg yolk. No, you can’t taste the egg. (If you have questions about BP coffee or MCT oil, I’ve written or podcasted about it here, here and here).
I worked out around 8:30AM and today’s rowing & airdyne work totally kicked my tail. It took me a while to feel like eating after that. When I was ready, I wanted to keep it simple since I was in my full work-swing. I stuffed half an avocado with about a half cup of kimchee. Kimchee (sometimes spelled kimchi) is wonderful for bacterial balance and I happen to think it tastes great, too! Gotta eat those foods I love that love me back! Another reason I like kimchee is because I try to ensure that I eat some of my cruciferous veggies raw each day.
Without totally geeking out (though I love that), cruciferous veggies have a super powerful component called isothiocyanates. Isothiocyanates (ITCs) are cellular super-heroes and they are formed by an enzyme called myrosinase. Unfortunately, the myrosinase activity can be significantly reduced during the cooking process. Since I knew I would be cooking my brussels sprouts at dinner, I wanted to fit in some kimchee during the day.
One of the other ways I enjoy my veggies raw is my favorite fat loss brunch – my massive bowl of cabbage, eggs, bacon & avocado.
If you feel like diving into why cruciferous veggies rock for health & fat loss, you can read more about it here.
I started dinner earlier than normal & it was a pretty big meal! I had a big plate of brussels sprouts and a bowl of my homemade chicken bone broth. I shared the benefits of bone broth & the recipe on the blog earlier this week so don’t miss that!
If I’m super hungry after dinner sometimes I’ll have a handful of walnuts or a spoonful of almond butter but more often than not I remind myself that my body doesn’t need more fuel & sip on hot tea and get to bed early. For me, sleep is magical. Like a unicorn, but way better. 😉
If these meals aren’t your jam, don’t sweat it! I’ve put together 100 fat loss meal ideas for you, plus more than 30 awesome recipes! You can get them for free when you hop on the Primal Potential VIP email list!
Let’s talk about 5 common mistakes with carbs and cravings. I think we’d all agree that motivation & willpower can only go so far. If we’re battling cravings, fat loss is a lot harder than it needs to be.
I have ZERO doubt that cravings can be eliminated. And if you’re striving for fat loss & health, they should be.
In today’s episode we’re going to talk very specifically about 5 common mistakes & misunderstandings I see related to carbohydrates and cravings.
I want you to understand that carbohydrates are not bad. They aren’t. In fact, if you look at my average meal plate (or that of most of my clients) you’ll find that the majority of my plate is carbohydrates. What?!?! Yes! Non-starchy vegetables! Vegetables are carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are not the enemy.
They do not need to be eliminated for fat loss. It’s not the carbohydrate that is the problem. It’s lack of control of blood sugar & insulin that is the problem. When we don’t control blood sugar, we set ourselves up for fat storage, low energy, cravings and hunger.
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A few days ago I posted a picture on Instagram of a big mug of bone broth. Since then, many of you have sent questions about why I drink it, what it does & how to make it. All fantastic questions & I want to tackle them today.
I tend to drink more bone broth in the winter than the spring or summer just because I crave those warm, savory, comforting types of things when it’s cold. However, I’ve been doing more research on the benefits of bone broth so its taking more of a staple role in my diet.
Before we dive into 5 reasons to drink bone broth, let’s first establish answers to some of the most common questions.
What is bone broth?
As the name suggests, bone broth is a broth made from the bones of an animal. Much of the bone broth you’ll find in a grocery store is from cows but you can also make or buy it from chickens or fish. I prefer mine from chickens.
Why is it good for you?
In addition to being incredibly rich in vitamins & minerals, bone broth is an exceptional source of collagen. Collagen is a protein found in the connective tissue of animals (and humans) which provides a wide variety of benefits from skin health to joint health & more.
It’s important to remember that there are different types of collagen and the different types have different roles. Also, the animals I mentioned – cows, chickens & fish – tend to predominantly provide a certain type of collagen.
Collagen found in broth from cows’ bones is primarily types 1 & 3 which are best for the health & strength of your skin & nails.
Collagen found in broth from chickens is rich in type 2 collagen and provides amazing benefits for joints & gut health.
Super cool factoid about collagen from fish: it appears to increase our own collagen production! Pretty cool, right?
How do you make it?
You guys know I’m a pretty simple person. I like simple, no-fuss recipes.
I buy the highest quality chicken I can find (this really matters when boiling bones) and I throw the feet & backbone section in a crockpot, submerge it with water, add onions, carrots, salt & apple cider vinegar and let it slow cook for 24 hours. There are absolutely more complex recipes but I’m a simple girl.
A word on “high quality chicken” – I buy organic, free range chicken from a local farmers’ market where the chickens not treated with hormones or antibiotics.
You can also buy bone broth. Please know, however, that much of the commercially produced bone broth contains MSG and I’d recommend you stay away from that. Buy bone broth without MSG or make your own.
(For anyone who is local to Winston Salem, North Carolina, definitely check out Caldero Bone Broth. Her chickens are happy, healthy & her bone broth is outstanding.
Are there health concerns?
Yes. We’re boiling bones. This is why I emphasize buying very high quality chicken/beef/fish if you’re making your own. Bones, including human bones, naturally contain both minerals & heavy metals. Though you’re not eating the bones, many of the nutrients are extracted while they simmer. You want to make sure that you’re using bones from grass fed animals who have not been treated with hormones, antibiotics or given feed that has been sprayed with pesticides & herbicides. When in doubt, buy your bone broth. Keep in mind, however, that you can purchase low quality bone broth just like you can make low quality bone broth. The same animal standards apply to products you purchase and you’ll want to stay away from MSG.
5 Reasons to Drink Bone Broth
It is fantastic for your immune system.
I mentioned that bone broth is rich in collagen. One of the amino acids that makes up collagen is known as proline. Proline is essential for tissue repair. When you give your body the tools it needs, like proline, for a strong immune system, you will recover more quickly & completely than if you rob your body of these critical tools.
It supports gut health.
One of the primary components of gut health is the strength & integrity of the lining of your gut. When we eat diets rich in processed foods, that gut lining begins to break down. The breakdown triggers inflammation, gastrointestinal issues and pain. The collagen within bone broth helps to protect & repair the lining of your gut.
It will make you more beautiful.
I’m talking primarily about skin & nails here. Of course collagen is a major component of our skin (and the source of many cosmetic procedures). Collagen helps with fine lines, wrinkles & even cellulite.
It can increase your own body’s production of collagen.
When we don’t give our body the nutrients it needs, our own production of collagen can slow. This may lead to premature aging, skin wrinkling, joint pain and inflammation. Fish collagen has been shown to increase endogenous production of collagen in humans!
It can reduce joint pain.
Collagen is concentrated in our joints. When collagen breaks down, we see more joint pain and inflammation. Increasing your consumption of collagen and increasing your body’s production of collagen can make a major difference in joint pain and inflammation.
Of course it goes without saying that this isn’t a miracle food. There are tons of foods with health benefits & that doesn’t mean you should eat them if you don’t love them. Telling yourself that you MUST choke something down because it’s good for you is a fast track to giving up. You’ve got to eat foods you love that love you back. That means:
Eat foods you look forward to eating & totally enjoy
Eat foods that make you feel great both while you’re eating it & afterwards (no guilt or regret)
Eat foods that give you energy and satiety without any kind of stomach upset or bloating
If this fits the bill, awesome! If not, not a big deal.
For those of you who are ready to make your own, I fashion my “recipe” after Dr. Axe. His recipe is super simple and he taught me the Apple Cider Vinegar trick: adding a little ACV helps to draw the nutrients from the bones!
Chicken necks, feet and backbone
4 tbsp ACV
1 onion
Carrots
Place everything in your crockpot & cover with water. Cook on low for 24 hours then discard the bones. I sip on a cup or two cups per day.
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