Reading nutrition labels can be daunting when buying food if you do not know what you are looking for. So here is a simple guide to navigating nutrition labels and figuring out what to look for when reading them. It is good to be aware of what’s in your food. How Do Nutrition Labels Work? The FDA requires that trans fats, or hydrogenated oils, to be listed on food labels. Even though hydrogenated oils are not the main topic of this post, it’s a good ingredient to start with. If a product has more than one gram per serving, the FDA requires it be put on the food label. But, this is where it gets tricky. There is a way to get around that. If a company reduces the serving size down enough, so the amount of hydrogenated oils in each serving is just under 1 gram, they do not have to list it. Peanut butter is a good example to start with because it has hydrogenated oils in it. But, the nutritional label says 0 grams of trans fats. That way when you pick it up, you see trans fats are zero and automatically think that it must be healthy. The serving size has been cut down enough that there is less than 1 gram per serving so that it does not have to be listed in the nutrition label itself but there is still hydrogenated oil in the product. Nutrition Label or Ingredients? We want you to not only look at what’s in the food label itself, but what’s in the ingredients list. On peanut butter labels, if it’s unnatural, then right there on the ingredients list you can see hydrogenated oils. That also means that if you go at all over the serving size, which most of us do because it’s not hard to, you’ll be consuming at least a gram of trans fats. There are some other things to be looking at when reading the nutrition labels. Breakfast cereals are laden with food coloring, artificial flavors and preservatives. Some studies show links between these artificial food coloring and artificial flavoring and ADD and ADHD (1, 2, 3). Another example of something to watch out for on food labels, especially cereals, is that they are also often labeled as “fortified.” What Does Fortified Mean? Fortified means that the cereal, or product, has had to add vitamins and minerals because their product is so processed that it no longer contains them naturally. Companies are trying to show you that their products are healthy by listing the things the fortify them with. But this is not the case, because the extreme process that took them out of the product in the first place makes this high processed food bad for you. These cereals, and other products, might also boast that they are gluten free to make themselves look healthier because we associate the word gluten with unhealthy. Just because a product is gluten free, doesn’t make it healthy. These are considered health “buzz words” that make the consumer feel like they are making a healthy choice. Other buzz words to look for are sugar-free, lite, whole wheat, and balanced. It is this type of confusion that helps motivate us to create our Custom Meal Plans. We know what that companies are trying to sell you unhealthy food by marketing them as healthy. We know there is so much of it out there, it can be hard to learn what is really good and what isn’t. Instead of guessing what products are healthy by the label, we do all of that work for you and make it easy to buy healthy foods for yourself and we have already helped thousands of people around the world eat healthier. What Determines What Is On The Food Label? There are also certain things that have to be listed by law on a nutrition label. Some brands list the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, but not all brands do because the breakdown of unsaturated fats is not required by law. It is only required that they list fats and saturated fats. They are also required to say how much cholesterol and sodium, how many carbohydrates and sugar a product has in it. Fiber is another thing that doesn’t have to be listed. Not all foods have a complete vitamin breakdown either. Vitamin E and Vitamin C have to be listed. But Folic acid, Vitamin B 12, Niacin, and Zinc are often being left out because those are things that people don’t often get enough of. Products that are fortified in these vitamins and minerals want you to see it on the label to make their product look better. Besides hydrogenated oils, here are other things to watch out for and avoid: Sugar (in any form) Dyes (any and all that are not natural) Preservatives Artificial Flavors Any ingredient you do not know, or cannot pronounce Moral of the story, read the food labels, as well as the ingredients list. Remember to look up ingredients you don’t know and know what you are putting in your body. At the end of the day, we are what we eat. This is why we’ve created our Custom Meal Plans, so you don’t have to worry about what food to eat and what food not to eat. Each plan is designed specifically for your body and your goals. Be patient, stay the course, and let’s get fit together.
There are a bunch of diets out there that tell you that you should avoid carbs or at least limit them to a small amount. I’m sure we have all heard of at least one of them, or at least know someone who has tried a low carb, or no carb diet. But are carbs really that bad? Sure carbs are the only nonessential macronutrient, but I believe after years of trail and errors on myself as well as thousands of clients, and of course all of the research that I have seen into the subject, that it isn’t all that simple. The truth is, it all depends on what type of carb you consume and even when you consume them. Eat them at the right times, and they’ll accelerate your fat loss and get you leaner. Get the timing wrong and over-consume, and you may sabotage your goals. Here are the top 3 times that you should be consuming your carbs in order to maximize your fat loss and use them to your advantage! 1. Morning One of the best times to consume carbs is in the morning, right after you wake up. Overnight, while you sleep, your body fasts and goes through carbohydrates that it stores away, also known as glycogen. When you eat carbs first thing in the morning, your body uses these carbs to replenish what you lost over night, rather than storying them as fat. One of the best things that you can do is to reach for some steel cut oats, granola, or even a little bit of fruit. Remember to also consume protein in the morning a long with your carbs. 2. Pre-workout Because carbs are so critical to providing energy, consuming carbs before your workout is a must, as the more energy you have, the harder you train. Consume your carbs about an hour before you workout. You could easily opt for the same carb sources you had at breakfast, or, alternatively, switch things up a little. Quinoa, white rice and sweet potatoes are all nutrient-dense, minimally processed carbohydrates that will work just great for fueling your workout, whether you’re hitting the weights or getting in some high-intensity cardio. I talk more about the best carb sources in the video below: 3. Post-workout The reason why you need carbs after your workout is similar to the reason you’re taking them in first thing in the A.M. Those glycogen stores are used up when you train hard, and in order for you to replenish and allow your body to shuttle nutrients, you need carbs in your post-workout meal[1]. Additionally, carbs help shuttle insulin to the muscle cells, and this accelerates the delivery of nutrients such as protein to the broken down muscle tissue. This is absolutely critical, and something many people usually don’t take into consideration. Neglect your post-workout carbs, and your muscles simply won’t recover like they should. You’ll likewise feel more sore, and over time you may even lose some lean muscle tissue. When you don’t feed your muscles, your metabolism drops, and you’ll likely be training at sub-optimal levels until you get this under control [2, 3]. I like a lot of the same choices here too. However, it’s important to switch up your carb sources, so if you had oats before training, have some potatoes afterwards, or vice-versa. Bonus Tip – Always Have Protein with Your Carbs I can’t stress how important this is. Adding protein to your carbs slows down the digestion process, and ensures that you’re getting more protein delivered to your muscle cells. Protein also helps you feel fuller longer, so you don’t get those terrible hunger pangs and cravings that so many dieters suffer from. The Wrap Up – Why Carb Timing is the Key to Your Fat Loss Success There’s no getting around the fact that the low-carb people are on to something. To torch body fat and lose stubborn weight, you do need to cut your carbs. But going too far will lead to losses in muscle mass and drops in performance, hence why carb timing is so critical. Although cutting carbs may be helpful, you CANNOT cut carbs too low for extended periods of time without doing more harm than good to your metabolism. This is one reason why a carb cycle can be helpful, as you don’t cut out carbs long enough to do harm, and it keeps your metabolism guessing, rather than letting it adapt to a new diet. By eating carbs at these times, you guarantee that when you do eat them, they’re utilized optimally, and not shuttled straight to your cells and stored as body fat. For the rest of your meals, stick to proteins such as chicken, lean red meat and fish (grass-fed and wild caught if possible), green vegetables and healthy fats like nuts and avocado. Time your carbs right, and you’ll see some positive change in both your body as well as your performance. Prime Your Body for Perfect Carb Control Follow the guidelines in this article, and you can’t go wrong. These rules surrounding carb timing work well. And remember, timing only works if you are eating the right carbs. Click here to discover the difference between bad and good carbs. But, like anything with training, diet and fat loss, to get things absolutely perfect, and make fat loss as efficient as possible, your meals should be personalized. Everybody has different genetics and a different metabolism, so what works great for your best friend or brother/sister likely won’t be ideal for you. Today you can put your success first, and ensure that you really are getting your nutrition and your carbs just right at all times, by putting it in the hands of an expert, with Custom Meal Plans. Through this program we customize a meal plan according to your individual stats and needs, telling you what to eat and when. We take out all of the guess work. Never again will you have to try and figure out when to consume carbs,
When looking to burn fat, everyone is looking for tips, tricks and hacks to get their metabolism working better and faster than ever before. Metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories and it is entirely in control of how many calories you turn over each day, how your body functions, and how much fat you lose. Because it is so important, it’s vital that you take care of it. Unfortunately, too many of us fall prey to the pitfalls of super-low calorie plans, crash diets, restrictive food lists, zero-carb menus, and supplement schemes and scams. While these may result in a speedy drop on the scales, they can wreak havoc on your metabolism and do more damage in the long run. This can seriously hinder your attempt to lose weight, get lean and/or build muscle. But all is not lost and there are actually some things you can do to increase your metabolism. If you take care of your metabolism, and implement certain protocols and procedures, you can repair it to the point where it’s back to being a fat-burning machine, torching calories like never before, and getting you fast, sustainable results in a healthy way. 4 Ways to Increase Your Metabolism For a round-up of all 4 points, check the video, then keep reading for a full description. 1. Eat More. This may sound ridiculous, but it can actually work if you do it right and eating more is one of the best ways to increase your metabolism. When you drop your calories too low and remain there over time, your body starts to adapt, and it finds ways to burn fewer calories by lowering your metabolic rate, leaving you eating less and going nowhere. We’re not talking about eating more by suddenly shoveling down huge bowls of cereal or entire pizzas, but a small bump up in calories, using whole foods, can do wonders for metabolic repair. 2. Eat More Frequently While there’s some debate on this one in the scientific realms, I will always preach what works for me, and what has worked best for my clients. And in this case, that’s eating frequently. My top advice is to instead of eating just two or three big meals per day, you eat the same amount, but split it over five or six feedings. Try eating within 30 minutes of waking, then every few hours after that to give your metabolism fuel and keep it burning hot. By eating less at once, but more often, you may even feel like you are eating more and thus staying fuller longer. There are studies that show people who eat less in one sitting, don’t necessarily miss the food they didn’t get, nor do they begin to feel hungry any sooner than normal [1]. 3. Move Your Muscles Moving Muscles = Moving Metabolism By getting active, and constantly moving, your metabolism will love you. It’s no secret that exercise and physical activity burns calories, and this calorie burn is a direct response to your metabolism working harder. Yes, this includes training, but it also means movement in general, so try to walk a little more. Get up from your desk every hour, or even just start playing with your kids or doing some gardening on the weekends instead of sitting in front of the TV. The goal is to stay as active as you can. 4. Build Muscle A lot of people (women especially) are scared of building muscle. And sure, you may not want to look like a bodybuilder, but did you know that lean muscle tissue is a powerful factor in raising your metabolic rate and burning more calories? It takes more effort (and therefore more calories) for your body to maintain muscle than it does to maintain fat, so even just a few extra pounds of muscle can give your metabolism a huge boost. Oh – and that bodybuilder thing – those guys and girls only look like that because they’re following muscle-building specific diet plans and routines. So don’t worry, you’ll look great, and burn fat so much faster by adding a few pounds of muscle. I promise you won’t turn into a big muscle-man or muscle-woman! Want Faster Fat Loss? You can implement each individually, or, for the ultimate progress boost, why not go the whole distance and try everything? You can eat a little more, space your meals closer together, add in some daily activity, and start hitting the weights harder, and see drastic visual progress in your body. It will take a little adjusting and tweaking, but none of these are super complicated. That’s the beauty of monitoring your metabolism – small changes can yield huge gains. You’ll be healthier, happier, and leaner. Learning what works best for you on your own can be frustrating and challenging and that is why we offer Custom Meal Plans and Custom Training Plans, meals and workouts specifically designed for you, your body, and your goals. When trying to figure out what you should be eating to get to your specific goals, it can be very frustrating. There is so much conflicting information out there telling you what to do, but none of it works. This is because everyone is different and so everyone needs different things to get to their goals. Let our nutrition experts do this for you. We have completed over 40,000 Custom Meal Plans to date – these are specifically designed for you and your goals, and designed around your unique body type. This means we use your specific body stats, your wants, needs, and goals. Plus, we take into consideration your activity level in order to make sure you know just what to eat, and when, every day of the week. This removes 100% of the guesswork!
There are a bunch of diets out there that tell you that you should avoid carbs or at least limit them to a small amount. I’m sure we have all heard of at least one of them, or at least know someone who has tried a low carb, or no carb diet. But are carbs really that bad? Sure carbs are the only nonessential macronutrient, but I believe after years of trail and errors on myself as well as thousands of clients, and of course all of the research that I have seen into the subject, that it isn’t all that simple. The truth is, it all depends on what type of carb you consume and even when you consume them. Eat them at the right times, and they’ll accelerate your fat loss and get you leaner. Get the timing wrong and over-consume, and you may sabotage your goals. Here are the top 3 times that you should be consuming your carbs in order to maximize your fat loss and use them to your advantage! 1. Morning One of the best times to consume carbs is in the morning, right after you wake up. Overnight, while you sleep, your body fasts and goes through carbohydrates that it stores away, also known as glycogen. When you eat carbs first thing in the morning, your body uses these carbs to replenish what you lost over night, rather than storying them as fat. One of the best things that you can do is to reach for some steel cut oats, granola, or even a little bit of fruit. Remember to also consume protein in the morning a long with your carbs. 2. Pre-workout Because carbs are so critical to providing energy, consuming carbs before your workout is a must, as the more energy you have, the harder you train. Consume your carbs about an hour before you workout. You could easily opt for the same carb sources you had at breakfast, or, alternatively, switch things up a little. Quinoa, white rice and sweet potatoes are all nutrient-dense, minimally processed carbohydrates that will work just great for fueling your workout, whether you’re hitting the weights or getting in some high-intensity cardio. I talk more about the best carb sources in the video below: 3. Post-workout The reason why you need carbs after your workout is similar to the reason you’re taking them in first thing in the A.M. Those glycogen stores are used up when you train hard, and in order for you to replenish and allow your body to shuttle nutrients, you need carbs in your post-workout meal[1]. Additionally, carbs help shuttle insulin to the muscle cells, and this accelerates the delivery of nutrients such as protein to the broken down muscle tissue. This is absolutely critical, and something many people usually don’t take into consideration. Neglect your post-workout carbs, and your muscles simply won’t recover like they should. You’ll likewise feel more sore, and over time you may even lose some lean muscle tissue. When you don’t feed your muscles, your metabolism drops, and you’ll likely be training at sub-optimal levels until you get this under control [2, 3]. I like a lot of the same choices here too. However, it’s important to switch up your carb sources, so if you had oats before training, have some potatoes afterwards, or vice-versa. Bonus Tip – Always Have Protein with Your Carbs I can’t stress how important this is. Adding protein to your carbs slows down the digestion process, and ensures that you’re getting more protein delivered to your muscle cells. Protein also helps you feel fuller longer, so you don’t get those terrible hunger pangs and cravings that so many dieters suffer from. The Wrap Up – Why Carb Timing is the Key to Your Fat Loss Success There’s no getting around the fact that the low-carb people are on to something. To torch body fat and lose stubborn weight, you do need to cut your carbs. But going too far will lead to losses in muscle mass and drops in performance, hence why carb timing is so critical. Although cutting carbs may be helpful, you CANNOT cut carbs too low for extended periods of time without doing more harm than good to your metabolism. This is one reason why a carb cycle can be helpful, as you don’t cut out carbs long enough to do harm, and it keeps your metabolism guessing, rather than letting it adapt to a new diet. By eating carbs at these times, you guarantee that when you do eat them, they’re utilized optimally, and not shuttled straight to your cells and stored as body fat. For the rest of your meals, stick to proteins such as chicken, lean red meat and fish (grass-fed and wild caught if possible), green vegetables and healthy fats like nuts and avocado. Time your carbs right, and you’ll see some positive change in both your body as well as your performance. Prime Your Body for Perfect Carb Control Follow the guidelines in this article, and you can’t go wrong. These rules surrounding carb timing work well. And remember, timing only works if you are eating the right carbs. Click here to discover the difference between bad and good carbs. But, like anything with training, diet and fat loss, to get things absolutely perfect, and make fat loss as efficient as possible, your meals should be personalized. Everybody has different genetics and a different metabolism, so what works great for your best friend or brother/sister likely won’t be ideal for you. Today you can put your success first, and ensure that you really are getting your nutrition and your carbs just right at all times, by putting it in the hands of an expert, with Custom Meal Plans. Through this program we customize a meal plan according to your individual stats and needs, telling you what to eat and when. We take out all of the guess work. Never again will you have to try and figure out when to
61 SHARES ShareTweet If you’re anything like me, then you love the things that give you more energy and allow you to accomplish more. This is why I drink so much coffee and why I am such a believer in caffeine to help me through my workouts. If you’ve been following me on social media, I’m sure you’ve seen me doing Grind day in and day out. Once again, Brian Johnson joined us to talk to me about some other natural alternatives I could use to help me boost my energy. If you’ve seen our latest blogs, then you know how much respect I have for the knowledge that Brain offers. You can find out more about him and what he does by checking out his site, www.thinkgreatloseweight.com. Being able to be more energetic can really give you an advantage and this is why I want to bring you some more alternative, all natural, sources of energy, including some that may surprise you! Some all natural alternative energy sources are: Beet Juice – Beet juice can increase your oxygen uptake by up to 400% by cleansing your blood. If you are on medications or use an air purifier, this is one thing that you can do to help cleanse and purify your blood. This is amazing as a pre-workout. I have actually been drinking this as a pre-workout over the past few days before I even knew why it worked so well, and I have noticed a big difference. The more oxygen we get flowing through our system and the more oxygen that is delivered throughout our body, the more energized you are going to feel. Apple Cider Vinegar – The benefits that you get from drinking apple cider vinegar is something that we talk about a lot. ⚡ Related: Check out the Top Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar! Not only does this help to naturally energize you by creating oxygen in your lower intestines, but it also helps if you have digestive issues by acting almost as a probiotic, putting good bacteria into your gut and alkalizing your body. Cordyceps Mushroom – Although this may not be the best tasting snack, cordyceps can have a big effect on your workouts, specifically how well you can breathe, how hard you can push yourself and how well you maintain peak performance levels. Water – Water alone can be extremely energizing and a lot of the struggle is getting enough water into our system. If you didn’t already know, when you don’t get enough water, we tend to overeat, as we confuse the signals our body is sending us, and we can get headaches. Lately, for myself, I have been drinking Kagen water, using a Kagen machine. This is a Japanese machine that produces several different levels of pH water and puts my water at about a 9.5 pH level. It also actually restructures the water so that it is better absorbed at a cellular level. It helps keep you more energized than regular water as it improves your alkalinity. I am now drinking a gallon and a half of water every day! Goji Berries – These raisin-like berries help give you more energy by increasing your blood flow and oxygenating the cells and tissues of the body. A couple of other all natural things you can take to help improve energy and overall performance are THRIVE and nnnSPORT®X-Cell. You can learn more about THRIVE here and more about nnnSPORT®X-Cell here. These are some things you can begin to integrate into your daily life to help increase your energy at the gym and as you go throughout your day. They are all natural and have many other amazing benefits other than providing you with more energy.
Essential oils are becoming popular among people for many reasons. Some, like the way they smell in a diffuser and others love the benefits that they get from them. To be honest, when I started using essential oils, I was a little skeptical and so wanted to talk to my buddy Brian about how they work and if they really are all they’re cracked up to be. You see, Brian is not just an expert on digestion and health, he is also an expert on essential oils. Because he has proved his knowledge time and time again, I really wanted to know his opinion on essential oils, whether they were helpful or if I was just wasting my time. Over the years, I have heard so much about essential oils and some of it just seems too good to be true, so I wanted a little more in depth explanation. According to Brian, there is an oil for almost anything you can think of, from ADD, brain fog, respiratory function, pain, stress and hormones. Essential oils can be helpful in so many different areas of your life and in ways you never thought was possible. Check out some of the things that I didn’t believe essential oils could help with, but are actually true: 1). You can actually take essential oils to improve brain function, as they work a lot like medicines. One oil that helps with brain function is called Brain Power, made by Young Living Oils, as it contains sesquiterpenes. Sesquiterpenes are a class of terpenes (organic compound produced by plants) that are able to pass the blood-brain barrier and enter into the brain and raise brain function by promoting memory and the release of emotions. Other oils you can use are Frankincense and Myrrh. 2). You can use essential oils for stress management. Lavender is great put put on your forearms and feet in order to relax you. This is the same concept behind lavender candles or adding lavender to your diffuser, as it is a scent and an oil that will calm and destress you. Aromas can actually help to balance out the physiological chemistry of your body. This can help you with challenges you face, whether it is with food or with stress. 3). There is a specific set of oils that deal with digestive challenges. One such oil is Peppermint and this just like the mint that you find in so many different products, such as mint tea, which is really good for digestion. Peppermint oil is like an oil version of this. If you are having digestive issues, place some oil on the back of your hand and breathe it in. This can even help you with headaches. 4). Pain relief. Panaway oil is a great way to help you get rid of pain and inflammation, just by putting some onto your temples and your forehead, between the eyes. It also helps if you breathe it in and you can do this either in a diffuser or adding some right below your nose. This type of essential oil is perfect after a hard workout. 5). Essential oils can help you get a better nights sleep. One of the best ways to do this is through a diffuser and adding in the right combination of essential oils, such as Lavender, Cedar Wood and an oil called Peace and Calming by Young Living Oils. These types of oils are great at relaxing you and putting you into a meditative state, allowing you to rest easier and fall asleep faster. The trick is to let your diffuser run for about 30 minutes before you head to bed, preferably with the fan on, to allow the oils to saturate the environment. This helps to precondition you to a state that is ready for sleep. Just as with anything, you can overdo essential oils. What you have to do is try them out and find out what works best for you. Just like with your nutrition program, what is best for you will be different than what is best for the next person. If you are going to start with three oils, the top three you should grab: 1). Peppermint 2). Lavender 3). Thieves – Although we didn’t talk about this one above, it is still highly recommended as it can impact your health. This oil smells like cinnamon and clove and is great in a diffuser for when you are getting sick as it helps you breathe better. There is so much stuff that is out there and for many, essential oils are something you need to see for yourself. Keep an open mind and use them consistency and you will be hooked! Test out these amazing benefits for yourself! If you like the information that Brian has to share, you can find out more about him and what he does by checking out his site, www.thinkgreatloseweight.com.
Today I want to share with you a 5 Move-Metabolic Shoulder Workout using only dumbbells, but I also want to share with you my pre-workout routine to get carbs in before killing it in the gym. In order push yourself, go further and complete the best workout that you can, you need to be sure that your body is fully prepared with enough energy to keep you going the whole time. In order to do that, you need to be able to plan out a routine. Because I want to be able to perform at my best, I start by eating a complete and balanced meal an hour before I plan on going to the gym. Then, about 20 minutes before actually going to the gym, I eat some rice cakes and drink some beet juice. What this beet juice does is increase the oxygen uptake in your blood and giving you more energy for your workout. You don’t need too much and I normally only drink about 4-6 oz. Once I am done with my rice cakes and beet juice, I prepare a shaker with about 20 oz of water, 1.5 scoops of BCAAs and a scoop of nnnSPORT®X-Cell. nnnSPORT®X-Cell actually works at the molecular level to help you push your limits further and help your body recover faster once you have completed your workout. And of course, if you’ve been following me on social media, then you know my favorite pre workout is Grind coffee. Start off with a shot of espresso and add another if you need it. Caffeine is an amazing, all natural pre workout! If you want to read more on why caffeine is such a great pre workout and what other amazing benefits it has, click here. Now that you’ve got the pre workout down, check out the 5 Move-Metabolic Shoulder Workout below: Now that you’re done with your workout, check out this great recipe for a post workout smoothie!! Post workout, carbs are a MUST! No matter who you are. How many you should consume depends on the duration of your training, the intensity of your training and what your goals are. Carbs post workout are necessary as they speed up recover, push nutrients into the muscles, and they restore your glycogen levels [1, 2, 3]. 8oz of Almond Milk 1/2 cup of Frozen Blueberries 1/2 a Banana 2/3 cup of Quinoa 2-3 scoops of your favorite Protein Isolate Blend all of your ingredient in a blender and enjoy! If you liked this video and want more workouts, follow us on Snapchat (@morellifit) and Instagram (@hiitmax or @morellifit) for tips and full workouts.
There are many reasons why drinking energy drinks is a bad idea and if you are one of the millions the rely on these sugary drinks to provide you with extra energy, then perhaps you should think twice about taking another sip. One of the big problems with energy drinks is that they are labeled as dietary supplements and so are not well-regulated by the FDA. In fact, these energy drinks are often promoted as natural sports drinks that will keep you awake and focused. These chemical-filled drinks are sold in bright, attractive cans and bottles and endorsed by celebrities, athletes and sexy models. They are targeted to a younger generation of adolescents and young adults. It would be nearly impossible to walk through a college campus, high school or gym without spotting a variety of brands of energy drinks. What they don’t promote is the unwanted side effects and health concerns. While there may be a lot of natural ingredients in some of the top energy drinks, there are still artificial flavors, sweeteners and other chemicals that are added. What Makes Energy Drinks Dangerous? Most people assume these energy drinks are full of caffeine and that is what causes the issues…too much caffeine… But this isn’t really the whole story. Although some energy drinks have more caffeine in them than others, for the most part, most of the major brands have less than a Grande Starbucks Coffee [1]. While Starbucks probably isn’t the healthiest choice for your morning stop, it isn’t known for sending people to the hospital or having scary side effects. If you look at the list of ingredients found in most energy drinks, you would think they are things you would be ok consuming, or would even want to have. But the combination of so many different types of stimulants, such as ginseng, guarana extract, taurine, B-vitamins, amino acids, and herbal stimulants (just to name a few), combined with the sugar and artificial ingredients, make this drink dangerous, especially if you have several over a short period of time [2]. These ingredients may be ok for you, or even good for you, on their own, but consuming so much at once, combined with the effects of caffeine and high amounts of sugar can lead to outcomes that are less than desirable. Individuals consuming large quantities of energy drinks have led to some disastrous outcomes, including caffeine overdose. In fact, energy drink consumption has been linked to over 20,000 ER visits per year, anxiety, heart palpitations, nervousness, dehydration, and even death [3]. 3 Reasons You Should Rethink That Energy Drink 1). Possible health issues, which include low blood pressure, headaches, heart palpitations, nervousness and dehydrations. There have been many reported cases linked back to the consumption of energy drinks, especially in those who are younger. For kids and teens, it can be especially dangers and there have been cases of cardiac arrest [4]. 2). Can cause stress and anxiety. Because of the mix of so many high level stimulants, energy drinks put a lot of stress on your body and can cause panic and anxiety attacks. In fact, they can cause your body to do into fight or flight mode. A recent study in JAMA showed the consuming energy drinks can change norepinephrine level, the stress hormone that controls your fight or flight response, by 73% [4]. 3). Energy drinks have a negative effect on weight loss and can make you gain weight. Most energy drinks have a high amount of sugar and a high amount of calories that are not friendly to the waistline. This can also lead to a sugar crash, leaving you more exhausted than you were before you drank your energy drink. However, going for a diet or a low calorie energy drink doesn’t do you any better, as these contain artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame and this can be worse for you than sugar. Excess sugar and artificial sweeteners can have adverse health effects and lead to metabolic disease [5]. Energy Drink Alternatives These are our top reasons why energy drinks are not worth the risk that they bring. We understand that we all need a pick me up from time to time and caffeine definitely has its benefits. In fact, it can be useful when trying to lose weight or even as a pre-workout. The best alternative to energy drinks is to drink black coffee. You’ll get more caffeine, which will give you energy and make you feel more awake, and it isn’t full of so many other stimulants that it becomes dangerous. To help you make the switch, and encourage you to stop drinking energy drinks, check out Grind, Michael’s favorite coffee that he drinks everyday and uses as his pre-workout. In fact, you can even get a free bag to help you make the switch by clicking here.
3 SHARES ShareTweet Keeping up a healthy gut is important, both to your overall health, as well as to your weight loss goals. When your gut is not healthy, there can be some major consequences, such as digestive issues, like leaky gut syndrome. It can even help to influence obesity and make the fight against fat even harder. You see, your gut is made up of hundreds of different microorganisms, most of which are good for you, as they produce key nutrients, such as vitamin K and B vitamins. These microorganisms also play a large part in how you break down the foods you eat, especially things you can’t directly digest, like fiber [1]. Most of the microorganisms that are found in your gut are bacteria, with the two main groups being Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. There have been several studies over the years that show a difference in the bacteria that is found in the gut of those who are healthy and those who are overweight or obese. What these studies found was that people who are lean tend to have a much wider variety of Bacteroidetes than those who are obese. Bacteroidetes specialize in breaking down bulky plant starches and fibers. This allows the body to be able to use this for energy. People who are obese, on the other hand, tend to have more Firmicutes and fewer Bacteroidetes than people who are a healthy weight [2]. When trying to balance your gut, the ideal ratio of bacteria you want is 80% good bacteria and 20% bad. Overall, we have a total of 4 pounds of bacteria that reside in our gut. How Do You Balance Your Gut? Balancing your gut with the right types of microorganisms begins with your diet, which shouldn’t be surprising. We know that eating a healthy diet is essential to our overall health and it is no different when it comes to the health of our gut. To maintain a healthy gut and healthy digestion you need to eat a diet that is full of fiber, healthy protein, and healthy fats. Consuming good fats, such as Omega-3 and monounsaturated fats (avocados, almonds, extra virgin olive oil), work to improve the balance of the different types of microorganisms within your body. Here are some foods you can easily add to your diet or Custom Meal Plan that will help to improve and balance your gut health. Apple – If you’ve heard the saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”, then you may be one step ahead, as there is some truth in it. The apple is extremely high in pectin, which is a fiber that helps your gut to help you process more food as it goes through your digestive tract. This means that the apple is a great help with constipation. Apple Cider Vinegar – This is great for gut health because it primes your stomach with alkaline acids in order to boost the acidic nature of your stomach. This is good before you begin to consume food. It is also, especially helpful, for balancing gut bacteria, something that can actually affect your ability to lose weight. Click here to check out our video on why Apple Cider Vinegar is so amazing! Kimchi – This is a form of sauerkraut that helps to boost our immunity and even knock out some illnesses, such as bird flu. This is because it actually improves a number of good bacteria in our gut. Consuming only 1-2 tablespoons a day is enough to massively improve your good to bad bacteria ratio. Raw Sauerkraut – This is especially good for women with estrogen based cancers, as it is extremely potent. Plus, it is also a great alternative to Kimchi. Kombucha – When you drink it, you want to drink it on an empty stomach so that it goes straight into your gut and past your stomach. Chances are, you will feel a bit of a jolt. As it hits your intestinal track it creates oxygen, which is also a sign of being healthy. When trying to decide what you should eat to balance your gut and feel the best, the key is to try different things and keep track of how they make you feel until you find what works best for you. You can also take a supplement like nnnSPORT®X-Cell, which helps with the absorption of nutrients from the different foods and supplements you consume.
21 SHARES ShareTweet There are many benefits to taking BCAAs (Branch Chain Amino Acid). BCAAs are something that I drink several times a day…you can say I am almost addicted to them! But because I love them so much and get so much from them, I wanted to share my top 6 benefits with you. These are things that I have found through research and my own personal experience. While not everyone needs to be taking BCAAs, if you are working out and active, this is one thing you will want to be drinking. I drink BCAAs throughout the day and throughout the night. During the times that I wake up at night, I’ll drink some BCAAs and, through research, what I found was they do offer some benefit when consuming through the night. When you sleep, your body goes into a catabolic stage because, technically, you are fasting overnight. Plus, it helps with muscle retention and muscle recovery overnight. Top 6 Benefits of Drinking BCAAs: Muscle Growth: There are studies show athletes that take BCAAs have a significant increase in muscle growth versus those who do not. Whether you are trying to lose weight or put on lean muscle, muscle growth is important to your goals [1]. Delay Fatigue: Drinking BCAAs increases the rate of perceived exertion, meaning you can go stronger, faster, longer and more efficient while you are working out. This is why I recommend you taking them inter-workout if you were to only take them one time once a day. No matter what your goals are, exercise most likely plays a large part, so you don’t want to fall short mid-session. With BCAAs you will have the energy to make it through your workout [2]. Mental Focus: I’ve come to learn that BCAAs are also good for mental focus and brain function by modifying large, neutral amino acid (LNAA) transport at the blood–brain barrier. These help me stay focused on the work at hand so I can get even more done. And if you know how busy I am, you know I need to be able to stay focused! [3] Boost Fat Loss: Some studies even suggest that consuming BCAAs can boost fat loss. A study out of the University of Illinois suggests that drinking BCAAs can help enhance glucose and insulin homeostasis by stabilizing fasting and postprandial levels of blood glucose, and has unique roles in metabolic regulation [4]. Wards Off Hunger: This doesn’t happen right away, but if you drink them routinely over a period of time, you will start to notice that you are less hungry, as BCAAs can help you ward off hunger. This is something that I didn’t know until I began to notice it as a side effect. In fact, this helps me to curb many of my cravings as well [5]. Repair and Recovery: Before and after a workout, drinking BCAAs can help you recover from all of your hard work. Muscle go through a process of repair and recovery after use, especially after an intense training session and drinking BCAAs can help your muscles through this recovery process [6]. The two most optimal times to take your BCAAs is during your workout and post workout. You want to take them during your workout because they fuel your body and allow you to workout longer and more intensely while extending the rate to perceived exertion. It is also important to take them post workout to help your body with muscle recovery and regeneration. Leucine, the most important of the three Branch Chain Amino Acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine), actually stimulates muscle protein synthesis. It also boosts insulin levels, which is an anabolic hormone. When you ingest amino acids, they are preferential to the liver and go directly into the liver. The Morellifit BCAAs are the cleanest and because they are so clean, I drink them 3-5 times a day. In fact, they are so clean, I don’t have to worry when my two-year-old takes a sip. When looking for quality BCAAs, you need to make sure that there are no artificial coloring or flavoring. This means no artificial sweeteners! To learn more about sugar and artificial sweeteners, click here. If you are going to drink and use BCAAs for any of the reasons mentioned above, the most important thing is to make sure the ones you are consuming are clean and of high quality, otherwise, you could be doing just as much damage as you are doing good.
