June is Nutrition Focus Month @ F5 Fitness!

In 5 weeks 3 fighters from the F5 Fight Team will be competing in Iowa at the Muay Thai Classic Amateur Tournament. Natalie, Jackie and Christen are currently training hard for their upcoming bouts and are excited to represent the gym at this annual event.

There is a lot that goes into training for a fight: focus, time, energy, blood, sweat, bruises and of course the discipline to eat a strict diet so that the fighters can get to their fight weight safely and effectively.

It was initially Muay Thai training that got me interested in nutrition.  I wanted to eat in a way that allowed me to train hard, recovery well and stay lean and energetic.

The real food diet described in the F5 Nutrition Guide that our members know today was developed from my extensive research and education as well as my experience as an athlete and with clients over the years.

My mentors Sean Croxton & Robb Wolf have taught me so much through their work and I’m proud to pass on a tradition of real food living to my fighters and students.

This month in June and all the way through until the fighters compete July 6-8 I propose that we as a gym (and anyone that wants to join us) focus on our Nutrition with the F5 fighters.  Dustin likes to call it “diet solidarity”. He always ate what I ate when I was getting ready for fights. It’s easier to make healthy changes and eat clean when you know others are right there with you.

For those of you that have the F5 Nutrition Guide you are in for a treat.  In the next few days I will be sending our a newly re-vamped version of our “food bible” to monthly members and personal training clients. Thanks to F5 student and talented designer Rebecca Berdel of PRQ Design.

If you haven’t read our nutrition guide it’s simple really - just eat a diet based on meats, poultry, fish, eggs, lots of organic veggies, some nuts and fruits and a good amount of healthy fats like coconut oil, avocado, olive oil and grass-fed butter. Don’t eat grains, dairy, legumes or foods with added sugar and limit your alcohol consumption (nix the mixers and beer!). Our fighters certainly don’t eat processed food when getting ready for a fight, so bars, cereals, breads, pastas, desserts and sugary drinks are definitely out of the question. Just keep things simple, from the source and try to cook at home a lot.

The F5 Guide has lots of details, but you can get lots of valuable info by searching this blog for nutrition tags: http://roxyfit.tumblr.com/search/nutrition

This month I urge everyone to treat their body like a fighter does. Our fighters eat food that nourishes and fuels their workouts and consequently that same way of eating will unveil a sexy new you for summer! ;)

This is not a strict challenge, it’s a focus - our fighters sometime have very small treats while in training, just to mentally make it through, but they never fall off the wagon entirely. Give yourself a small cheat every week if you need it. Try following the 80/20 principle or my “school nights approach” if that works for you.

If you have any hard days over these next 5 weeks just remember that there are 3 fighters, several F5 trainers and many students that feel the same way as you. Let their discipline fuel your success!  We can all do this together. When the BF truck comes back for testing in August you will all be looking your summer best if you put in the work now!

During your nutrition focus please post recipes, pictures, words of encouragement and cries for help on the F5 FB page:

https://www.facebook.com/F5FitnessLA

OR reply to us on Twitter @F5FitnessLA

https://twitter.com/f5fitnessla

Here’s to a fit and healthy summer at F5!

Roxy Richardson

31 May 2012 ·

• Tags
• nutrition
• diet
• fighters

How to be a Real Food Pro - Planning & Cooking 101

Meal Planning & Cooking 101

Knowing what to eat and why is a big step toward achieving your health & fitness goals, but only the first part of a journey.  Being a health rockstar means that you to put that knowledge into action.  Today we’ll discuss planning, storing and cooking your healthy nom-noms… as we always say,

“Great abs start in the kitchen!” 

Write it down:

Think about what you want to make throughout the week & write it down on your grocery list. Keep all 3 meals in mind. Do some math. This is 15 total meals per week plus a few snacks.

Pick a Shopping Day:

Keeping up with a routine is a good way to help keep you on track with anything. This will also give you an idea of how much food you consume on a weekly or bi-weekly basis so that you don’t over or under shop.

Set a Budget & Stick to It:

In the beginning this may change a little as you might not know how much food you need in a week. Give it a couple of weeks & you should have a pretty good idea. For example, Natalie knows she spend around $70 per week on food, which gives her some great budgeting powers. You will save money & prevent food wasting.

Get to Know the Shelf Life of Foods:

All foods are not created equal! Knowing how long something will stay fresh is imperative. For example, leafy greens will only last for about roughly 6 days in the refrigerator so you should probably eat them in the 1^st half of the week. Here is an estimated shelf life chart of some popular fruit & veggie choices. Print it out and put it on your fridge for reference!

Vegetable & Fruit Shelf Life

1-2 Days: Artichokes, Asparagus, Bananas ,Basil, Broccoli, Cherries, Dill, Mushrooms, Strawberries, Watercress

2-4 Days: Arugula, Avocados, Cucumbers, Eggplant,
Grapes, Lettuce, Limes, Pineapple, Zucchini,

4-6 Days: Apricots, Blueberries, Brussels Sprouts
Cauliflower, Grapefruit, Leeks, Lemons, Oranges, Oregano, Parsley, Peaches, Pears, Peppers, Plums, Spinach, Tomatoes, Watermelon,

7+ Days: Apples, Beets, Cabbage, Celery, Carrots Garlic Squash, Onions Sweet, Potatoes

Know Food Storage Methods:

Knowing the proper way to store & keep fruit & veggies will help save you a lot of wasted food. Here are a few pointers on simple food storage.

• Keep most veggies in the crisper. Most veggies require light oxygen to prevent botulism.
•   Wrap odorous foods such as cauliflower before storing in crisper
•   Some veggies/tubers such as onions & potatoes require no refrigeration. Store in an open cool dark area
•  Keep hard-rind fruits & veggies on counter such as bananas, apples, avocados, eggplant, rutabagas, & tomatoes until ripe, them put them in the fridge
•  Keep all berries, cherries, peaches, nectarine, & grapes in vented container in fridge
•   Melons can be stored on the counter until ripe

Leftovers are Yummy and Cost Effective:

Sometimes you may not be quite as hungry as others due to many variables such as sleep or exercise. You can store leftovers for lunch the next day, or even eat them for breakfast! We recommend using Pyrex glass storage containers reduce your plastic toxin exposure. Soups, stir-frys and stews make great leftovers.

Freeze It:

If there are too many leftovers from a meal you can freeze them for a rainy day.  We suggest making extra soups and stews especially for this reason. They freeze and re-heat very nicely. Make sure to have Ziplock freezer bags on hand for easy storage. This is also true with fruits & veggies that have ripened. If you know you won’t be able to eat them, cut them up & freeze them. Freezing bulk meat you buy is okay too. Just thaw it out in the refrigerator the night before your ready to use it.

Now You’re Ready for Cooking 101!

Learn to love the kitchen – think of it like your health & fitness wing-man (or wing-woman). It’s always there for you to ensure your success! Left to your own devices it’s hard to score. Just like with dating Google is also your friend! Search for free recipes and tips, just type in “Paleo” and the type of dish you want to cook.

There are 5 basic steps to remember:

Refer to the previous article(s) for food choice specifics.

1. Pick a Protein - meat, poultry, fish or eggs (The size of your fist for most, 2 fists for larger guys/athletes)

2. Pick a Fat - coconut oil, grass-fed butter, lard, olive oil, nuts, avocado (This is in addition to the fat in your protein 1-2)

3. Pick a Spice or a couple
4. Pick a Veggie or a couple – (Make sure you get a variety in every week)
5. Choose Cooking Methods (Bake, Grill, Pan Fry, Sear, Steam….you get the idea)

Pro Tip:

Remember that you don’t need to weigh and measure your food.  Prepare food to taste and eat until satiated, but not stuffed.  It is very difficult to over eat healthy, simple home prepared meals that are protein and fat based.  You will be full naturally. Those chips and cookies, you shouldn’t keep in your pantry, yeah those are a different story.

Daily Example Meals

Breakfast:

            -2 Eggs (Protein)

            -Pan Fried in Coconut Oil (Healthy Fat)

            -With Black Pepper (Spice)

            -And a side of Baked Asparagus (Veg)

Lunch:

            -Baked Chicken Breast (Protein)

            -Seasoned with Rosemary & Sage (Spices)

            - Served Over a Spinach Salad w/ Celery, Onions, & Tomatoes

              (Veg)

            -Tossed in Olive Oil & Light Balsamic Vinegar (Healthy Fat)

Dinner:

-Grilled Salmon (Protein)

            -Sprinkled with Cajun & Paprika (Spices)

            -And Coated with Grass-Fed Butter (Healthy Fat)

-Served with a Side of Steamed Broccoli (Veg)

This should give you a little something to work with. All of us healthy fitness pros were given the same basics that you were. The magic happens when you put it into action and start figuring out meals for yourself and your family. We must all sift through by trial & error. Everyone is just a little bit different; all you have to do is start cooking, pay attention to your body, and tweak things to get the best results. It only gets easier from here we promise J And most of all, don’t forget to get creative! Happy Cooking!!!

- Natalie Morgan, Roxy Richardson & the F5 Team

9 April 2012 ·

• Tags
• Paleo
• paleo diet
• nutrition
• cooking

Whole Food Cooking Part I: Hunt, Gather, & Save

Those of you who are Function 5 Fitness members know that nutrition is a big part of what we do.  We believe that it’s the most important pillar of all aspects of fitness and health, because without good nutrition you have no foundation to build on.

Nutrition is really very simple.  We like to call it real food. That’s right - real, not that packaged food bar in you’ve had in your glove compartment for 2 weeks now that has a list of things you can’t pronounce on the label.

You may have heard the term “Paleo” to describe how we eat, which means a diet based on the way our Paleolithic ancestors ate. To me though, it just means real food: meat, fish poultry, eggs, veggies, fruit and some nuts – just the way nature intended them to be.

I want to help you all live healthy lives and much of that starts in the kitchen.  If you are not much of a cook that’s okay, let’s break this down into steps. First, you’ll need to hunt and gather your food a.k.a. shopping.

One of the main complaints that clients make when switching to a real food diet is that it costs them more money than they’re used to. But eating healthy can be inexpensive and is very worth it. Think of your grocery bill as an investment in your health, a retirement plan that is going to make sure you live a vibrant, strong life well into your 80’s and beyond. Getting cancer is expensive, open heart surgery is expensive, that grass-fed steak and some organic broccoli are not that expensive when you look at the big picture.

Here are 10 ways, to Hunt, Gather and $ave!

1. Know your Dirty Dozen - These are 12 fruits and veggies that are loaded with chemicals and pesticides. Try to buy these organic when possible to avoid nasty chemicals. This leaves tons of produce that doesn’t have to be bought organically, but if you can that’s good too.

• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Pears
• Grapes (Imported)
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes

2. Be a planner.  Make a list and stay within a set budget. This is a good way to dodge buying unwanted items that may go bad before they get eaten.  If you are like me that chocolate chip trail mix at the end of the counter always seems like a good idea at the time. But if you have a list you are more prepared to turn it down.

Here are some staples that are always on my list are:

Ground beef, frozen fish, steaks, eggs, a variety of veggies, sweet potatoes, coconut oil, natural sausages, natural turkey breast slices, olive oil, avocados, garlic and onions (easy flavor for stir-fries) grab and go fruits like apples, oranges, pear and bananas, almond or sun flower butter.

3. Freeze it! Always have frozen fish, poultry and meat in the fridge – and remember to defrost it the day before you want it to cook.  Produce you need to plan to buy fresh twice a week, but you can get some frozen items.  Fresh is better, but I’d rather see you eat veggies than none at all. So if buying frozen veggies helps you eat them, go for it.

4. Where Smart Modern Peeps go to Hunt and Gather:

Here is a list of places you can go and what to expect:

Trader Joes: Great for wild caught frozen fish (just read labels), grass-fed ground beef, organic nuts, organic olive oil, some organic produce and the delicious organic 85% chocolate.

Whole Foods:  Good for those hard to find items: coconut oil, coconut milk, pastured eggs and poultry, any organic produce you can’t find at Trader Joes.

Famers Markets: Get to know your local organic farmers, ask questions – and even go late to barter for the real deals ;)

USWellnessMeats.Com  - The best online store for grass-fed meat – they ship it to you fresh frozen, it’s easy, convenient and delicious!

Stay tuned for next month when I go over cooking tips, until then feel free to use this easy method that The Paleo Solution Author Robb Wolf recommends and me and the F5 peeps use all the time:

•  Put some oil in a pan. (coconut oil is best)
• Brown some meat in that oil for a minute
• If you are using a hearty herb/spice like ginger, add it before the meat, if it’s delicate like basil, add it when the dish is almost done.
• Add veggies – your choice!
• Stir it a time or two, cover and set a timer for 5-10 min.
• If it’s done, eat! If not, set a timer again.
  

Hey, now wasn’t that simple???

You’re welcome. ;)

 - Natalie Morgan & Roxy Richardson

3 October 2011 ·

• Tags
• nutrition
• food
• cooking
• organic foods
• grass-fed beef

Muay Thai Authority: Supplementation for Fighters

Check out my latest health and fitness article:

We all want to maximize our time in the gym. It doesn’t matter if you are a fighter or a weekend warrior; training for optimum performance and desired body composition is always a top priority. We also know that Muay Thai and martial arts training is some of the most intense demanding exercise you can do, so treating your body right means you can train longer, workout harder and hopefully get better results. I’ve been training in Muay Thai and MMA gyms for almost 10 years now and I see plenty of people, even non-fighters putting in some serious time training time, 10-15 hours a week sometimes. Is it possible for your body to recover and perform well while meeting goals with that intensity and volume without supplementation? How much does supplementation help and what are the long-term effects, if any? In this article I will address some of the main issues surrounding supplementation and also give guidelines for smart supplementation.
I’ve dabbled in almost every legal supplement and training method over the years in search of the best way to train hard and get results and what I can tell you is this. If you do not first have a handle of your nutrition and sleep any supplement you take is almost useless.

READ FULL ARTICLE ON MUAY THAI AUTHORITY

12 July 2011 ·

• Tags
• Nutrition
• fighters
• muay thai

Your Health Responsibily & Rising Medical Costs $

Your food choices affect more than just you. Health insurance rates are rising due in large part to the obesity epidemic and degenerative diseases needing medical attention, diseases/conditions that can be prevent SOLELY by good nutrition - REAL FOOD. I pay $200 a month for healthy insurance I don’t use. There are many people just like me doing them same. It’s everyone’s responsibly to take care of themselves - if not for yourself for the future of our nation. On the whole we are sick, uneducated about health and dying. It’s up to you to learn about real nutrition and take the best care of yourself so we can fix this mess.

Say it with me: Health is a privilege not a right.

It’s simple (notice I said “simple” not “easy” – there is a difference): Don’t eat so much sugar (yes fruit and grains are basically sugar). Eat meats, poultry, fish, veggies and good fats! Avoid grains, dairy, legumes, just EAT REAL FOOD, MOVE your body and lift heavy stuff sometimes.  I’m sure I’ll get some haters from this post, but I’m feeling more passionate about this than usual this morning upon receiving another letter from my health insurance about my rising insurance rate AND a bill from my doctor for all the PREVENTATIVE care my insurance does NOT cover.

Yes I realize that this is in part due to our health care structure… but one of the main reasons medical rates are so high is the huge amount of money that is spent on care for people that have not bothered to care for themselves throughout their lives. It even says this in my letter from Anthem Blue Cross, “Below are several reasons contributing to the rising cost of health care… Lifestyles such as physical inactivity and increases in obesity.” Thanks for pointing that out Blue Cross and then charging me to get a basic blood panel.

Where has our survival instinct gone?!  As a nation do we really care more about drinking soda than we do about playing with our grand-kids at 80? Ask yourself what’s more important spending $50 more a week on groceries so that you can eat grass-fed meat and fresh vegetables that will allow you to live a long comfortable life filled with great energy, good moods and general well-being or spending $50 a week on a bar tab?  Most people choose the latter. Or how about spending $200 a month on a quality gym OR $200 a month leasing a new car? Which will give you the more long term satisfaction? Moving your body in the way it was designed to move or looking cool driving your new shiny wheels? 

This is not a sales pitch for my services.  I don’t care if you do this for yourself at the gym down the street from mine – this is a cry for help. Everyone needs to focus on what’s truly important. We are a country obsessed with instant gratification. “Hungry?  Why wait?” says Snickers.  In 1993 Pepsi told us to “Be Young, Have Fun, Drink Pepsi.” Even, Nike says, “Just do it.” We want to feel good now. There is nothing wrong with the instinct to feel good, but somewhere along the way we got our signals and timing mixed up. 

What really feels good is being healthy and strong. Binging on ice cream and sitting on your butt in front of the TV or at the bar night after night does not feel good.  Trust me I’ve done both and I can tell you that being healthy feels a million times better. Anyone that says different is in denial.

The rough trade comes in when we have to accept that what makes us healthy and strong requires a bit of sacrifice and hard work, especially when temptation is just a 5 minute drive to the 7-11. I never claim that fitness and health is easy.  I tell all my clients health is not convenient, nor will they get drastic results immediately. They will also get no results if they don’t change the way they eat, think and move – but if they are committed to positive change they will look and FEEL amazing.

So what’s the trick?  How do we get from lazy to motivated when it comes to our health?  I think the answer is simple (simple not easy remember).

The answer is to enjoy the work and enjoy in the results even more.

I would say enjoy the journey, but that sounds super cheesy and new-agey, and really what gets you results is hard work and dedication not some mythical journey. Try something that requires effort every day and see how good it feels. Remember that feeling and keep repeating the good habit that lead to it and then change something else for the better. For example: stop drinking soda, after the withdrawals notice you feel better, do not drink soda anymore. Then start going for a walk outside at lunch. Notice that you feel more energized and happy the rest of the day, and then keep walking at lunch. Keep adding more good things to your life, keep trying new healthy things, keep learning and searching and above all NEVER give up.  Sorry to end on a downer, but if you give up you end up sick with diabetes, heart disease or some other debilitating condition… never getting to play with your grandchildren. Take a moment right now to focus on what’s really MORE important in the long run.

27 April 2011 ·

• Tags
• nutrition
• rants
• health
• paleo diet

“I’m Too Busy to Eat Healthy” is a BS Excuse.

Real Food Tips for a Modern Lifestyle

When I was asked to write a blog about tips for eating healthy for busy professionals I originally thought that I would be coming from a more compassionate, forgiving perspective.  But after thinking of all the busy professionals I counsel in nutrition that have adapted right away to my suggestions and began eating a diet of only whole, real foods - no grains, no legumes, very little dairy and sugar only for the occasional treat – and how those people were very busy, some working 50 plus hours a week – I told myself if they can do it, so can everyone else.

All it takes to make a change in your diet and your lifestyle is a desire and a commitment to change. If your life is really too busy to allow for you to take care of your basic needs:  nutritious food, adequate sleep and moderate exercise - you need to check your priorities.  Your health is your life. Good, vibrant, non-medicated, long term health makes you a better worker, a better parent, a better friend and a better lover. We can only give to the world as much as we get from it and we get so much more if we are energetic, active, clear thinking, non-dependent, and healthy people.

My own adherence to my nutrition and lifestyle principals was put to the test recently when I opened my new business.  Could I eat well, get rest and exercise while running my own business full time with ridiculous hours?  While I did find that my coffee consumption increased and my sleep temporarily did decrease, after a week or turmoil, I managed to set in a healthy routine that allows me to work hard, eat real food  that’s grain, legume and mostly dairy free, workout some, rest well and enjoy life.

Quit feeling guilty about your bad habits. Guilt is a pointless emotion.  Just take ACTION and change things. Baby steps are not a required method for change.  Jump in head first and make your health a priority.

Here are my tips for all your busy people out there:

1)     Eat real food.  Put down the protein bars and shakes. Most are full or nasty sweeteners, and powdered proteins.  Soy protein is the worst of them all – but any protein powder is a processed food. Making dairy your main protein source at a meal does not favor fat loss and for many causes gut irritation. If you are trying to GAIN weight I might recommend protein shakes with good grass-fed whey protein… but again real food does the job better. Real food will satisfy you longer, cost less in the long run and doesn’t have a list of ingredients you can’t pronounce.

2)     If you say you have no time for breakfast you are full of s#!* - get off Facebook at 11am, you don’t need to be shopping on EBay after dinner, really. Power down all electronics by 10pm skip the cocktail, beer or wine with dinner which can affect sleep - set your alarm 15 minutes earlier and get up to make a breakfast with protein and fat.  Eat eggs, sausage, bacon, chicken, etc with veggies or avocado, and maybe a small apple or some berries too.  Eat real food and eat until satisfied. Breakfast should sustain you 5 hours until lunch time. If you find you are hungry earlier you probably didn’t eat the right stuff or you didn’t eat enough.

I used to be a protein shake whore.  It was one of the last processed foods I clung to in my diet and like a stubborn athlete I just couldn’t give it up. I was addicted to the convenience and the fact that I could make it taste like a milk shake (that should have given me a clue to its real health benefit right there).  But after switching to a hot real food breakfast I have more energy, lower body fat and less food cravings. I’m totally satisfied until 12pm or 1pm… AND I get to have bacon a few more times than just brunch on weekends.  It’s a win-win in my book!

3)     Skip the lunch truck. If you can pack your own lunch, great! It will save you money and be the healthiest bet.  Leftovers are great for packing.  Just make extra for dinner and save the rest for lunch. Get over the nerd factor of packing your lunch.  Avoiding diabetes by not eating pizza and donuts in the office is very sexy and cool… but these cute bento boxes are super sexy.

Don’t want to pack your grub?  Fine. There are plenty of options.  My favorite is the Whole Foods salad bar/hot food bar.  I can go there and always find some form of meat/poultry/fish that is of good quality and some veggie side dish or salad to accompany it. Just make sure to avoid the canola oil and hidden gluten sources in the prepared foods (check the ingredients list on the display case). If there is no acceptable protein at the salad bar/hot food bar, I order something from the deli case and add it to my salad. Grab a big bottle of water or some green tea and you are good to go.  I’m a sucker for the $3.69 bottles of Kombucha, but try not to have them every day so my pocketbook doesn’t take a hit.

What I also like about Whole Foods is I can pick up a snack for later If I know I’m gonna be working late. Like jerky or raw nuts or coconut water for post workout.

No Whole Foods?  Trader Joe’s or you local supermarket has some options too.  When in a pinch I can grab some deli turkey slices, some baby carrots and/or snap peas and an avocado and have a lunch and leftover snacking options. 

Business lunch?  Order meat/poultry/fish and veggies.  I don’t know why people complain that this is so hard.  Just make requests to the waiter.  You are paying and they are happy to accommodate. Order a salad no cheese, olive oil dressing with meat on it; order a piece of grilled fish or chicken with double veggies no grains. Ballin’ it at a steak house for lunch? You rock, I’m jealous and that’s super easy - get steak and broccoli or a pork chop and asparagus. If you are unsure about the quality of a sauce ask for it on the side and just use a little. This is not rocket science; it’s simply changing the way you order stuff. If I can do it after being raised vegetarian and eating a grain/soy based diet that destroyed my health for 20 plus years, so can you.

4)     Dinner is just about having a stocked fridge.  When planning your week plan what day you go grocery shopping. Buy some fresh meat and some for freezing; you can then defrost it the night before as needed. Get an assortment of fresh veggies (frozen if you must) and a little bit of fresh fruit and raw nuts. Eggs don’t go bad quickly so buy a dozen even if you live alone.  Apples keep well in the fridge so buy a bunch of those – if everything is gone at least you have eggs and apple to eat for breakfast until you go grocery shopping.  Buy some yams/sweet potato/squashes for higher starch meals if you are active.

Have coconut oil and ghee (clarified butter) on hand for cooking, olive oil for dressing or drizzling on steamed veggies and plenty of organic spices and seasonings.

Invest in good non-toxic cook ware. Like Pyrex, stainless steel or ceramic and non-plastic cooking tools. Buy a veggie steamer basket. They are cheap and easy to use - delicious veggies in about 5 minutes or so.

It takes me about 20-30 minutes tops to cook a delicious meal for dinner.  If you don’t have 20 minutes at the end of your day to cook for yourself and your family you should re-evaluate your life choices that got you to that point and make some changes so you can live better.

If I’m really rushed or simply exhausted from a long day I pick up a whole roasted chicken from Whole Foods and just steam some veggies to go with it. Boom.

5)     You can live it up a little bit on the weekends (if you really want) and still be pretty healthy. Gluten free pancakes for brunch, gluten-free pizza for a Saturday night dinner while watching a movie with friends, some brown rice sushi or corn tortillas, a little Haggen Das maybe and a couple Vodka martinis of Nor Cal Margaritas for a twist… Don’t go hog wild, just live a little and make mostly smart, real food choices with a couple fun “cheats” and then when you get back to work Monday cut out the slack. Don’t plan your binges like you are planning a Charlie Sheen style crack run - that’s neurotic food behavior. Just indulge occasionally when you feel it’s right (hopefully gluten free) and then go back to normal.

6)     Get your butt to the gym.  Even in you only make it twice during the week you can take a nice hike on the weekends - and get some natural vitamin D from the sun.  That’s enough to maintain muscle mass and get some general health benefits. You don’t have to slave away at the gym.  45 minutes is fine from warm up to cool down.  Lift some weights, do some body weight exercises, sprint a little, push it hard then leave.  If you don’t know what you are doing hire someone that does from a few sessions just so you can learn.  Check credentials and references; don’t just hire your local Globo gym trainer.  Pay cheap and get cheap.

7)     Sleep. The single most important thing you can do for your health is be well rested aim for 7-8 hours a night and get 9 hours when you can. There is no excuse for poor sleep.  If you have trouble sleeping you are having health issues that need to be addressed. Cut down caffeine, power down electronics early, get your hormones and gut function checked.  Sleep is paramount.  Get it.

This may sounds like my “tough love” blog – and it kind of is.  But I care that much about your health that I want you to realize how serious it is that you make these things a priority.  Now put down that skinny vanilla latte, skip the fries get the burger no bun extra salad, stop kidding yourself that Balance bars are healthy and make some choices in your life that really matter. You’ll feel so much better that you’ll have more energy and drive to do everything you love… and isn’t that what really matters.

10 March 2011 ·

• Tags
• Nutrition
• Health
• food
• Cooking

What’s for Breakfast?

I get asked all time by my clients, “What should I eat for breakfast?” While it’s true that breakfast is an important meal. It’s not necessarily the most important meal of the day. Some people need a large breakfast, others a small breakfast. Some people feel great on a breakfast full or fat and protein, others do better on a fruit smoothie. Big or small you should eat within an hour of getting up, even if it’s something small.

Okay… so what do I eat??

I know people want a simple, general answer to this but that is impossible to give because everyone has a different metabolic type and within that type there are even differences. If you are interested in how to test for your metabolic type and do some counseling with me, just give me a shout and we can get started (I’m taking new nutrition clients starting September).

In the mean time, this blog with give you some tips and ideas of breakfasts that are healthy and delicious, but there is a specific reason I do not list portions or ratios - those will vary drastically from person to person.

Want to know how to eat right for you without paying four nutritional counseling? Do this: 2 hours after a meal you should feel 1) satiated, not hungry with no food cravings 2) mentally sharp 3) emotionally balanced 4) great energy levels. If you do not feel this way and instead have symptoms like fatigue, food cravings, brain fog, jitters, depressed, unsatisfied, hungry etc… then that was NOT a good meal for you.

Anyone that gives you a diet plan or tells you they know the way you should be eating without getting feed back from you on how your body/mind is responding to the meals is… well, for lack of a more professional word - full of shit. Just sayin’. Anyway…

Here are some breakfast suggestions:

• Fried eggs in coconut oil, all natural sausage, small slice of brown rice bread w/ raw butter (I had this this morning, I do great on fat/protein based meals)
• Soft boiled eggs, pear slices, raw cheddar cheese
• Poached eggs, black beans and avocado on corn tortilla (optional)

Don’t like egg breakfasts?

• steel cut oats, (not the quick kind) soaked over night before cooking, raw milk, berries, pecans (or almonds or walnuts)
• Lox and real cream cheese on slice of brown rice bread, apples slices

In a rush?

Smoothies are a great way to start the day - mix & match these ingredients:

• protein powders: I use grass fed whey( www.warriorwhey.com ) and think it’s the best, but you can also use egg protein (jay robb’s is good) or if you prefer a pea, hemp or rice protein.
• Milks: use only RAW, unpasteurized milk from grass fed cows, if you don’t want to or can’t find it use unsweetened coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk or rice milk (check the labels - you don’t want one with lots of added sugar.) Do not use soy - that’s another blog… for now just know it’s bad news.
• Fruit: use any fruit you want, but be aware that if you are carbohydrate sensitive (which MANY people are) high glycemic fruits are not beneficially. don’t add too much fruit. I like frozen berries or banana in mine usually. Sometimes I add a little mango if I’m feeling saucy ;)
• Healthy fats (don’t’ skip out on these): Nut butters - almond, cashew, sunflower, peanut etc.. all great choices to add to the mix.  Also for the daring try avocado in your smoothie, it makes it creamy and delicious.
• Additions: I like to put spinach in my smoothies, tastes fresh and i know i got some of my veggies for the day. I also add this great “Super Seed” ground spouted seed mix which adds good fiber and nutrients to the smoothie.

Here’s some examples of smoothies you could create from mixing and matching:

• raw milk, whey protein, frozen banana, peanut butter
• almond milk, egg protein blue berries, avocado
• coconut milk (with water), whey protein, frozen mango

You get the idea.. BE CREATIVE!  have fun :)  and above all EAT REAL FOOD. You can also add ice to to make it chilled and frothy. Frozen fruit makes it a smoothie consistency. Also don’t add too much liquid (milks), you can always add more if it’s too thick at the end.

Literally running out the door?

Well first, if this happens to you more than once a week you have a lifestyle problem. You will need to focus on getting to bed earlier and waking up earlier so that your morning routine allows for breakfast. THIS IS POSSIBLE. Don’t tell me it’s not. If you can make time for facebook and twitter and buying stuff you don’t need online at 12am you can make time for breakfast. End of story.

But if you wake up late once in a while and need something, always have some portable fruit like pear, apple, banana, etc and a handful of raw nuts or slice of raw cheese available in the fridge. Then you have a snack that will get you by for a little bit. Some days when I’m not too hungry I just have a handful of raw nuts for breakfast and maybe some green tea and I’ll just wait to eat until lunch… but that is super rare, cause I am almost always hungry for a meal :)

Hugs and Punches,

Roxy

18 August 2010 ·

• Tags
• real food
• nutrition
• breakfast
• metabolic typing