Episode 096: Common Digestive Problems

Episode 096: Common Digestive Problems

I’ve been getting a lot of emails about digestive issues ranging from bloating & gas to chronic constipation and intense pain. There are a lot of factors that go into healthy digestion and I hope to tackle most of them on the show. Today, however, we’re tackling some common digestive problems that contribute to bloating, gas, indigestion, constipation and diarrhea. We’ll overview the digestive process and identify at what stages things frequently go wrong and what we can do about it.

We WILL be tackling more specific digestive topics in the coming months. Specifically, we’ll talk about bacterial overgrowth and SIBO. We’ll dive into acid reflux, IBS, digestive enzymes and more. I don’t want you to miss any of it! So I have two requests for you!

  1. If there are topics you want to hear, please let me know!
  2. Get thyself onto the free VIP email list!!! I know, I know – we all get tons of emails! I hear you. So what’s one more if it can help you reach your goals (and I totally think it can!). I regularly send out workouts, recipes, tips and motivation so I think this one is super worth it. Just pop in your name and email address over here and you’ll have immediate access to my inbox via the VIP email list! 

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Common Digestive Problems

In today’s episode we take a look at these common digestive problems and what you can do about them.

  • Not chewing enough
  • Insufficient acid production
  • Slow transit time
  • Damage to the protective barrier that is the GI tract
  • Bacterial imbalance
  • Excess consumption of toxins

We also talk about foods that cause digestive issues:

  • Sugar
  • Gluten
  • Dairy
  • Veggies high in insoluble fiber
      • Greens
      • Peas and pea pods
      • Green beans
      • Corn
      • Bell peppers
      • Eggplant
      • Celery
      • Onions, shallots, leeks, scallions, garlic
      • Brussels sprouts
      • Cabbage
      • Broccoli
      • Cauliflower

Practical Implementation – What can you do?

  • Focus on veggies lower in insoluble fiber
  • Peel your veggies and remove the stem
  • Chop them more finely
  • Cook them for longer
  • Reduce sugar
  • Limit dairy
  • Chew WAY more. Way more.
  • Track! Identify what you’re sensitive to!

Resources

FODMAPs and nightshades

How to track

Stress management and weight loss

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Episode 096: Common Digestive Problems

Episode 058 – Understanding Fat Loss: The Insulin Effect

In today’s episode we take a closer look at the master fat loss hormone: insulin. We talk about how it turns off fat burning, how it impacts health, energy, hunger and cravings and how to know if you’ve developed insulin resistance. We’ll also talk about understanding fat loss in light of insulin resistance and what you can do to improve your body’s overall sensitivity to insulin.

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Discussed in this Episode:

  • What is insulin & how does it work
  • Evolution: we were not designed to handle high blood sugar
  • The health implications of chronically elevated blood sugar and insulin
  • How chronically elevated insulin impairs fat burning
  • Insulin resistance: how it develops and how we can reverse it
  • Carbohydrate storage
  • Carb spillover – when carbs get stored as fat
  • How chronic carb consumption impairs energy and thyroid function
  • How to know if you are insulin resistant
  • Optimal blood sugar levels

Resources:

Carbohydrate Strategies for Sustainable Fat Loss

Perfecting Paleo by Ashley Tudor

Carbohydrate Spillover

Carb Tolerance and How To Improve Yours!

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Episode 096: Common Digestive Problems

Q&A 12: Information Overload & Accelerating Results

In today’s episode we talk about two common listener issues: information overload leading to analysis paralysis and the urge to do more or restrict more to accelerate progress and get faster results. These mindsets are opposite sides of the same coin and they are very likely standing between  you and the progress you are seeking.

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 Listener Questions 

  1. Where do I start? There are so many options and so many opinions I just don’t know what the right path is for me! I spend so much time planning, reading and thinking but I have no clue what to do!
  2. I’m making small changes and seeing slow progress but I really want to do more right now so I can accelerate my progress and drop weight faster! What do you think I should do?

Resources:
Lean Potential Fat Loss Mastermind

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Airport Binges…The Way, The Truth & The Light

Airport Binges…The Way, The Truth & The Light

The other day on facebook I posted a confession. I was sitting in the airport on my way to Austin and thinking about how travel days *used* to be for me. I binged like crrrraaaaaazy on travel days.

I was almost like a kid who covers their eyes and thinks it makes them invisible. Traveling alone, stuffing my purse with multiple snacks and treats, surreptitiously eating them out of my purse so the person sitting next to me didn’t judge my over-indulgence….it was a total nightmare.

I can honestly say that I did it primarily out of boredom. After all, what could I possibly do with my time if I wasn’t stuffing my face during a layover or while stuck on a plane?

It was my guilty pleasure. I’d get through security and immediately go to Hudson News or the like. I’d buy a soda, some kind of chocolate, some kind of non-chocolate sweet and something crunchy. Duh…I needed options. What if I got bored of the chocolate? What would I do when it was gone? I never left with just one thing. Never. Then I’d go park my butt at the gate and start eating. I never took the packages out of my purse. Like that invisible kid…if they couldn’t see my haul, it didn’t exist.

The mere idea of sitting for hours in an airport and then on a plane without food seemed impossible. What would I do? How could I resist Cinnabon? I’d go crazy! Heck, I might starve!

I looked forward to it. So many options! Frozen yogurt or Cinnabon? How about both? Auntie Annies? Oooh, my fave! Gotta have options, gotta have options. And, of course, I justified the indulgence by saying I’d be extra strict as soon as I got home. This was the “last time”. I was seemingly incapable of seeing that for what it was – the same story I had told a million times before and not followed through on. A convenient lie to allow me to indulge with less guilt. A primary reason I was fat despite wanting desperately to lose weight.

The result? Travel days exhausted me. I felt bloated, disgusted, frustrated and embarrassed. I had no energy. I could hardly keep my eyes open. I was mad at myself. I turned what was left of my energy toward planning for my super-strict diet that would begin in a few days. M.I.S.E.R.Y.

It wasn’t fun but I kept doing it. I didn’t consider how I’d feel when the last bite of food was gone. I only considered the escape I’d feel as I worked through it all. If I had maybe asked myself how I would feel 5 minutes later I might have made a different choice. But for years that was my routine.

Airport = binge. Binge = guilt. Guilt = restriction. Restriction = deprivation. Deprivation = binge. Gaaaahhhhhh. Such a waste of time and energy.

It wasn’t until I began to really question my behavior and my airport process that I was able to change it. I asked myself questions like:

  • Is that food even worth it? (No)
  • Is it totally delicious and am I savoring each bite? (Not at all)
  • What else could I do? (Jussssst about anything)
  • Am I hungry? (Rarely. Just bored)
  • How does it make me feel afterwards? (Disgusting and embarrassed)
  • What would make me feel amazing? (NOT doing any of that…)
  • How could I spend that time differently? (Again….so many options)

Know what I realized? It wasn’t worth it. It wasn’t like I was going to my favorite ice cream shoppe and slowly savoring my favorite flavor. That would be worth it. This was Cheetos, Twizzlers and peanut butter cups. Cheap thrills. And I wasn’t enjoying each bite. I was mindlessly working my way to the bottom of the package while reading or watching a movie. I didn’t feel good afterwards. In fact, I felt terrible. Emotionally and physically.

I wasn’t hungry. I didn’t need it. And if I was going to indulge, I want it to be an A+ worth-every-bite kinda thing. Not freaking Twizzlers. Ya know?

What else could I do with the time? Anything I want!!! I could call a friend, listen to a podcast, read a book, get work done, clear out my email, walk….you name it! Boredom is a choice and it was one I didn’t have to make.

I realized that if anything, I should probably eat less on travel days because I’m so much less active! And, with the number of restaurants in most airports, I could probably make it through just about any travel day without changing my normal eating routine much at all. Plus, if I could do that, I’d have far more energy, I’d be in a better mood, my clothes would look better and I’d be happier! Duh!

So I did it. Now, I keep my eating pattern on travel days just about the same as any other day. I have plenty of coffee in the morning whether I’m at home or the airport. If I’m at the airport I’ll often ask them to blend butter in it. They look at me weird, but they usually say yes. I’ll order a burger without the bun or a salad with some chicken at an airport restaurant. Or a steak if I’m feeling indulgent. Either way, there are no reasons for me to make excuses unless I choose to.

I don’t want cheap thrills. I’m not going to waste an indulgence on something that isn’t EPIC. Like this weekend in Austin I had salted chocolate & olive oil ice cream. THAT was worth it. Cheetos? Not worth it. Just not worth it.

I value feeling great. I value worthwhile indulgences. I value creativity and productivity. I value self-respect. I value moderation. What do you value?

12 Ways To Curb Hunger

12 Ways To Curb Hunger

Being hungry sucks. Most times, in the face of hunger, my primary concern is FOOD, not quality of food. Hunger comes out to play and “willpower” goes out the window. Plus, my dieting history had me believing for a long time that losing weight meant being hungry all the time and constantly thinking about food. What a terrible way to go through each day! Fortunately, as I stopped dieting and lost 100+ lbs in a healthy, sustainable, anti-diet kind of way, I learned to control my hunger. I can honestly say that I never white-knuckle my way through hunger. Remember that hunger is a hormonal signal and we should aim to eat meals and snacks that keep hunger at bay. I don’t know about you, but I’m a much nicer person when I’m not hungry! It is TOTALLY possible to lose fat without being hungry all the time! Today I want to share with you 12 steps to reduce hunger. As always, keep in mind that you don’t need to implement all of these strategies at the same time! Pick one or two and try them out. Monitor how they work for you. If you find one that works, practice establishing at as a habit. Work on it every day. Once it feels effortless, then you can move on to tackling another fat loss strategy. Alright. Enough of the set up. Let’s dive into the 13 ways to curb hunger:

  1. Eat more cruciferous veggies
    I’ve written in detail about cruciferous veggies here and they are incredibly effective for reducing hunger and keeping it at bay. They are rich in both water and fiber so they quite literally fill up your stomach and in the process, they reduce production of the hormone ghrelin. Ghrelin is responsible for triggering feelings of hunger so when we decrease ghrelin, we keep hunger at bay. Veggies to focus on include brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage & cauliflower. One recipe I’m totally in love with right now is Nom Nom Paleo’s red cabbage slaw with carrot/ginger dressing. I’ll make a batch or two at the beginning of the week and grab a couple cups to eat with lunch and dinner and it keeps me full for hours!
  2. Eat more fat
    I know this recommendation can make people nervous. They think of dietary fat and shudder because it is “high calorie”. Keep in mind, however, that calories are a measure of the energy potential of a given food. So, the fact that fat has twice as many calories per gram as protein or carbs means that fat has twice the energy potential! Fat is a very energy dense, slow burning fuel source that can really help to keep you satisfied. When my coaching clients are struggling with hunger the first thing I’ll look to see is if they are eating those cruciferous veggies and then I make sure they’re getting enough fat. Easy ways to incorporate fat include adding egg yolks, avocado, grass fed butter, extra virgin olive oil, fatty fish like salmon or sea bass or high fat nuts like almonds or macadamias.
  3. Include protein at most or all of your meals & snacks
    Protein is an incredibly satisfying macronutrient. Though it is less energy dense than fat, it doesn’t metabolize near as quickly as carbohydrates do. This slower metabolic process helps to really curb your hunger. Think about it: could you sit down and eat 5 chicken breasts? Doubt it! Could you eat 5 cupcakes? (Am I the only one nodding…?) If you have a big salad with lots of greens, cucumbers, tomatoes & avocado, don’t be surprised if you’re hungry shortly after. Similarly, if you have a blueberry muffin, you can expect to be hungry before you’ve swallowed that last bite! Include protein. This could include eggs at breakfast, beef jerky for a snack, or fish, chicken or beef at lunch or dinner. (Need specific meal ideas? Check out this podcast episode where I go through allllll my meal & snack ideas!)
  4. Eat fewer carbs
    A while back I explained here how carbohydrates trigger hunger and cravings. They are a rapid-burning fuel source which can be great for fast energy but terrible for hunger and cravings. Ever had the experience of eating a big bowl of cereal (or two) for breakfast and feeling hungry almost immediately afterwards? That is an incredibly common response to carbohydrates but it can pull us into a vicious cycle. We eat carbs, we get hungry shortly afterwards, we eat more carbs, we get hungry again – over and over and over. In reality, we’re over-fueling but we’re never really satisfied. We can break free from this cycle and make a major impact on our hunger if we cut back on the grains, wheat, processed foods and even fruit and focus on those cruciferous veggies, fats and proteins. For more info on specific carbohydrate strategies for fat loss, hunger & cravings, check out the e-course here.
  5. Backload your carbs
    Minimizing hunger and achieving fat loss does not mean going low carb or no carb. It also doesn’t mean mo’ carb, either!!! I don’t want anyone to read step #4 and think they need to go all ketogenic on me to burn fat. It’s just not true. There are, however, some smart strategies for carbs and fat loss. One of the most impactful ones is to backload your carbohydrates into the end of the day. Specifically, limit your consumption of carbs to your dinner time meal. If you’re going to have potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, fruit – pick one and eat it for dinner. In fact, I have 4 golden rules for carbs and fat loss. You can read all 4 here!
  6. Eat more slowly
    Most of us don’t chew enough. We wolf down our meal and then think, “Aw man, it’s gone already? How’d that happen?” Slow down. Put your fork down between bites. Chew twice as much as you’re chewing now. It sounds silly but it works. And hey, it’s worth trying, right? Slooooooow down.
  7. Get more sleep
    Just one night of poor quality sleep throws off our sensitivity to the hormone insulin. Just one night. Now imagine the impact of weeks, months or  years of poor quality sleep. Insulin is the master fat loss hormone and has a huge impact on both hunger & cravings. Don’t fight the urge to sleep so you can stay up and watch a show. It isn’t worth it. Don’t schedule meetings or events that will keep you out late unless you have to. One of my coaching clients shared a quote the other day that I totally love: Consider it a luxury to go to sleep when you feel tired. So many of us fight the urge when we don’t have to for stupid things like browsing facebook or watching TV. Get to sleep. And if you can’t increase the quantity of your sleep, increase the quality. Here’s a comprehensive podcast episode all about specific strategies for improving the QUALITY of your sleep when you can’t change the quantity.
  8. Stop the chronic cardio
    Traditional cardio workouts (jogging, aerobics classes – think moderate-high intensity workouts that are 30+ minutes in duration) elicit a hormonal response that can trigger hunger. They can also inhibit fat burning and and trigger cravings, but that’s a whole other conversation. If you are really struggling with hunger, I’d urge you to reconsider your workouts. Strength training and high intensity interval workouts do not create the same hormonal response and therefore most often do not lead to excessive hunger. If you want to understand how this works on a more detailed level, check out this podcast interview I did with trainer and author Shawn Stevenson. We talked about the types of workouts that don’t work (and why) as well as what is best for fat loss and hormonal responses like hunger and cravings.
  9. Go for walks
    Leisure walking is such a great activity and one that most of us really under-estimate. I mean, really, just walking? That’s it? No huffing and puffing? No sweating? No hating my life while I cycle my heart out? Nope. Just a slow, leisurely walk. There are a million reasons it’s great for fat loss but most of the benefits come from the hormonal benefits it delivers. Leisure walking decreases cortisol, one of our stress hormones. We all live with stress, right? Work stress, financial stress, emotional stress…you name it, we’ve got it. When we manage our stress response, even with something as simple as leisure walking, it can have a major impact on our ability to burn fat and our hunger. Remember that hunger is a hormonal signal so when we balance our hormones, we manage our hunger. Go for a walk. 🙂
  10. Watch out for artificial sweeteners
    While I’ll maintain that artificial sweeteners are not a big rock for fat loss (for most people) I’ll also argue that some people struggle with them more than others. If you find that you’re struggling with hunger and can’t really reel it in, check for artificial sweeteners. In some people they can really influence both hunger and cravings. This includes the more “natural” artificial sweeteners like stevia.
  11. Eat mindfully
    This is very much tied to #6. Satisfying hunger is both mental and physical. Sure, you might have filled your stomach but have you satisfied your mental/emotional need to eat? If you’re eating while you watch TV, surf the web or work, you’re missing out on the mental and emotional satisfaction. This can lead to searching the pantry or fridge after a meal, even when you aren’t hungry, because you just need something more. Be really mindful. Be present while you eat. Pay attention to how the food tastes. This really does go a long way.
  12. Skip processed foods
    I’m not trying to be a hater on the food industry but the reality is this: they pay a lot of money to food scientists whose job it is to make you want to eat more. These foods are designed to dissolve quickly in your mouth, metabolize quickly in your body and not trigger any satiety (fullness) signals. Seriously. I am not exaggerating. Millions of dollars are spent on making these foods both addictive and minimally satisfying. Why? So you eat more. So you buy more. It’s not you and your lack of willpower. It is food science and it is very real. If you find that you just can’t stop after 1 cookie or you’re hungry even after eating that handful of potato chips: let it go. Choose whole foods. These processed foods will work against you no matter how strong your will is!

There we have it! Plenty of strategies for you to choose from to help you curb your hunger! What do you think? Which one are you going to start with? Let me know which one you’re going to target and then check back and let me know how it’s going!

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