Are All Calories Created Equal?

Is a calorie a calorie no matter the food? Or are there some calories that are superior to others? Well, before I can answer this, first let’s look at the definition of a calorie.

Calorie: the amount of heat required at a pressure of one atmosphere to raise the temperature of one gram of water one degree Celsius that is equal to about 4.19 joules —abbreviation cal

So to put it simply, a calorie is a unit of measurement. Therefore, yes! All calories are created equal.

For example: Walking a mile in the sand is more difficult and might feel like 2 miles in comparison to a walk on the side walk, but we still measure the distance the same. One mile, is one mile. One calorie, is one calorie.

So you might be wondering…If all calories are the same, why am I eating a salad instead of a burger?

A calorie is a calorie, but not all food is created equal.

Our bodies respond differently to different foods, and some foods are more nutrient dense. For example: 100 calories of sour patch kids, is a lot different that consuming 100 calories of fruit. They both have sugar in them, but the fruit also has fiber and a variety of vitamins and minerals which makes it more nutrient dense.

Sour patch kid calories are what people often refer to as “empty calories” because there is no nutritional value besides simple carbohydrates.

I often see people use the phrase “there are no bad foods”. I agree with this statement to an extent as all foods supply energy that we need to survive and it is okay to enjoy a variety of food in moderation. You are not a bad person for consuming less nutrient dense foods, it is simply just a food choice. That being said, there are better food choices that can be made in regards to health.

If your goal is to lose weight, consuming 100 calories of sour patch kids while remaining in a calorie deficit will still lead to weight-loss, but if your goal is to also focus on your health, it is a good idea to save things like sour patch kids as a once in awhile treat vs. an everyday meal. Eating ultra processed highly palatable foods can also have an impact on our hormones so in that way, it can have a negative impact on weight-loss.

If all calories are created equal, why do some people say carbs make you fat?!

Do carbs alone make you fat? No. Does excess carbohydrate consumption make you fat? Excess carbohydrates usually means you are consuming too many calories, so in that circumstance; yes carbs can make you fat.

The culprit here though is not the carbs, it is just that carbs can be pretty easily over-eaten since most of our ultra processed foods are pretty carb heavy. So when someone tells you that they have lost 20lbs on the keto diet… they lost 20lbs because cutting out carbs put them into a calorie deficit, not because they cut out carbs.

Energy balance is always what is truly behind weight loss or weight gain.

• If you take in more energy than you use or excrete, you gain weight.

• If you take in less energy than you use or excrete, you lose weight.

• If you take in the same amount of energy than you use or excrete, your weight stays the same.

The concept of energy balance seems pretty simple, but there are factors that can affect energy balance and make it a bit more complicated.

The reason energy balance can be complicated is because we are complex humans, not machines.

Things that can affect the amount of energy going in:

• The type of foods you eat.

• How you cook or prepare the food.

• Digestion ( how much you digest and absorb from foods ).

• Hunger, appetite, and satiety signals.

• sleep, recovery, and stress levels.

• psychology and mindset

• emotions

• environmental cues ( like keeping ice cream or chips in the house for easy access.

• cultural practices around eating

  Things that can impact the amount of energy you burn:

• Your Basal metabolic rate ( the amount of energy your body needs just to support it’s basic functions to keep you alive ).

• Your resting metabolic rate. ( The amount of energy your body uses at rest like when you are sleeping. )

• How much heat your body produces ( thermogenesis ).

• The thermic effect of food ( yes it takes energy to digest food too! )

• Exercise

• Recovery and tissue repair. ( building new muscle )

• Sleep, recovery, and stress

• hormones

• Genetics

Those last two factors: Genetics and hormones are usually what people like to blame for not being able to lose weight, but before you go blaming your hormones and genetics, just realize that those factors can make it harder to lose weight, but it won’t make it impossible.

Metabolism is a bit of a buzz word that gets thrown around a lot. You might see ads or hear people say a product will “boost your metabolism” or you might see someone offering to fix someones “broken metabolism”, but metabolism is actually quite complex and just because your metabolism has adapted to lower calories, does not mean it is broken, it is only trying to protect you. If your metabolism slows down and adapts to lower calories it is actually doing it’s job perfectly… it just doesn’t understand that food is in abundance these days and you don’t need it to protect you.

To give you an idea just how complex metabolism is there are a number of things that happen within the endocrine system when you eat food. Some of the hormones involved in digestion are: Ghrelin, Gastrin, Secretin, Cholecystokinin, Gastric inhibitory polypeptide, Glucagon-like peptide 1, Motilin, Somastostatin, Peptide YY, Pancreatic polypeptide, Oxyntomodulin, Leptin, Amylin, Insulin, and sex hormones. ( yes our sex hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone have receptors in the GI tract, which means they can affect its function. )

I could go into detail about the functions of each hormone, but thanks to TikTok and the rest of social media creating an ADHD epidemic my chances of you reading this far down are slim enough so I won’t push my luck. If you want the detail though, let me know and I can include it in another post!

So if a calorie is a calorie and carbs don’t make you fat…what exactly does make us fat?

To put it simply; no matter what your macronutrient split is, if you eat more than your body needs, you will store it as fat.

Fat is more energy dense than carbs and protein and is easier for the body to store directly as fat in comparison. Fat has 9 calories per gram and carbs and protein have 4 calories per gram. Since Fat is so energy dense, a small amount can add up quick. A few spoonfuls of peanut butter or a handful of nuts can put us over our energy needs pretty quickly.

One other macronutrient that we often don’t consider is alcohol. It has 0 nutritional value but It has 7 calories per gram. Since there is no nutritional value in alcohol, any excess calories are directly stored as fat. You might want to re-think that glass of wine each night unless you have enough calories in the bank to spend.

I would argue that drinking is the #1 cause of why people end up frustrated with their weight-loss efforts. It is hard to track, but it is also hard to do in moderation. Not only that but once you get a bit tipsy, self control with food also tends to go out the window. Before you know it, you have had three glasses of wine, a shot of tequila, and large pizza that you may not remember the next day.

I know drinking is fun to do socially, but alcohol is a buzz kill when it comes to weight-loss AND muscle gain.

Just for some reference:

• 5oz of wine = 125 calories

• 1 can of beer = 150 calories

• 1 gin and tonic = 150 calories

• 1 oz of scotch = 75 calories depending on the proof.

Drink wisely and responsibly.

We can live without alcohol, but healthy fats are needed in our diet. Fat is more energy dense, don’t let it scare you off it plays some pretty important roles in our body.

The Role of Dietary Fat

Dietary fat has six major roles:

• It provides energy.

• Helps make and balance hormones.

• Forms our cell membranes

• forms our brain and nervous system.

• Helps transport fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

• Gives us two fatty acids that we can’t make on our own. ( omega 6 fatty acids, and Omega 3’s ).

There are three types of fats that make up the majority of our diet. Those three types are; saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated. We want a relatively balanced diet of these three fats. Dietary fat sources may include:

• nuts and seeds

• avocados

• dairy

• eggs

• fatty fish ( like salmon )

• beef, pork, and lamb

• Poultry

• olives and extra virgin olive oil

• fresh coconut

Unlike calories, not all carbs are created equal. There are two types of carbohydrates that are processed differently in the body.

Complex Carbohydrates: These come from whole food sources like; veggies, fruit, beans, and whole grains. They keep us feeling full longer and contain micronutrients, phytonutrients, fiber, and water. They help keep our blood sugar and insulin levels more stable than simple carbohydrates.

Simple Carbohydrates: These carbs usually come from refined and highly processed foods. They digest quickly, and leave you feeling hungry quicker than complex carbs. They tend to stimulate your appetite and cause larger spikes in blood sugar.

Carbs are not the enemy, but it is important to choose healthier carb sources when possible. There is a time and a place for simple carbohydrates ( athletes needing a quick digesting carb before an athletic event for example ) but if you are trying to lose weight, the majority of your carbs should come from complex carb sources.

Protein

I can’t stress enough the importance of protein. It seems to be the macronutrient that everyone has the hardest time getting enough of but it is a macronutrient that you should prioritize if you are trying to lose weight. Protein is involved in the repair and rebuilding of tissues ( like muscle ), hormones, and our immune system.

Unlike carbs and fat, we can’t store protein in the same way so we need to make sure we are getting enough in our diet. It helps prevent the breakdown of muscle for energy, and keeps us full longer.

How much protein do we need?

For sedentary adults, the bare minimum of protein required is 0.8g of protein per lb of body mass. Remember, though that this is the minimum requirement for a sedentary individual. Protein needs go up if:

• You are training hard and frequently

• You are injured or sick

• You are older

• If you have any other illness that interferes with protein digestion.

If we don’t eat enough protein, over time it can lead to hormonal imbalances, depressed immune function, or poor recovery from exercise. If you are on a weight-loss journey, not getting enough protein can also lead to muscle loss.

Now that you know to eat your protein, here are some good sources of dietary protein:

Animal based

• beef, bison

• lean cuts of pork

• lamb

• goat

• wild game such as venison

• Poultry ( chicken, turkey, duck ).

• Fish + Seafood

• eggs

• dairy

Plant Sources

• Beans and Legumes

• Tempeh, Tofu, Edamame

If you can’t seem to get enough from food, you can also supplement with a protein powder like Whey, casein, egg, plant based, etc. Just remember your first choice for getting protein should always be whole foods. Keep the supplements as supplements and don’t use them to replace meals.

So there you have it. A calorie is a calorie, so if there is some asshole out there telling you that carbs will make you fat, you can sleep soundly at night knowing you can still eat your carbs and lose weight. Just remember that food choices matter so make the best choices you can for your health and goals!

Should You Track Your Calories Burned?

“Calories in vs. Calories out.”

You have probably heard this phrase before pertaining to weight loss. It’s all about getting that energy balance right. In order to lose weight, you have to be in a calorie deficit. End of story. If you want to know how to be in a calorie deficit click here.

Accurately tracking the calories you put into your body can be hard enough as it is, but should you be keeping track of the calories you burn?

If you have ever stepped on a treadmill, an elliptical, or the stair-master, you might notice that among many other features, the machine also tells you how many calories you are burning or burned during your cardio session. All of the new fancy fitness devices like the Fitbit and Apple watch also possess this feature, and if you are not careful, MyFitnessPal ( a calorie tracking app ) will actually add calories back into your calorie goal to make up for the calories that you supposedly burned throughout the day. If you are trying to stay in a calorie deficit, this can be particularly problematic.

Before we go any further: If you are tracking your food/calories/macros with MyFitnessPal do yourself a solid and turn off the feature that adds your calories burned back into your calorie allowance.

Go into MFP Click on settings. Then, click on goals.

At the bottom you will see something that says Fitness goals. Click on that.

Then you will see that you can turn the exercise calorie adjustment feature off.

Did you turn it off?

I’ll wait.

Okay, good. Let’s move forward.

Let’s talk about the accuracy of these “calories burned” features.

Calorie expenditure can differ from person to person depending on your individual metabolism. This is why it can be problematic to rely on the accuracy of a fitness tracker.

When it comes to “calories in”: It can be a little easier to control/track, but the “calories out” side of the energy balance equation is more complicated.

“Calories out” is also known as your “Total Daily Energy Expenditure” (TDEE) and consists of 4 basic components:

1. Basal Metabolic Rate:

   The amount of energy your body requires to run basic processes.

2. Non Exercise Adaptive Thermogenesis (NEAT) and Non Exercise Physical

   Activity (NEPA):

   NEAT: is the amount of energy you spend doing unconscious little movements throughout the day that aren’t actually exercise like fidgeting, or wiggling your toes, or etc.

   NEPA: These are more conscious/voluntary movements like standing, walking etc. that are not designated as exercise throughout your day.

3. Exercise activity (EA): The amount of calories burned during exercise activity.

4. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF). The amount of calories your body burns just digesting food. ( Yes, you do burn some calories digesting food but don’t go thinking you are going to burn off that burger just by digesting it. ). Different foods have different thermic effects. Generally foods higher in fiber and protein require more energy to digest and therefore have a higher thermic effect. Eat your veggies and protein kids.

To make things even more complicated, your TDEE can vary from day to day depending upon your activity, food intake, and many other factors. That doesn’t mean you should totally discount the “calories out” side of the equation, it just means that you shouldn’t depend on that number being 100% accurate.

If you have been trying to lose weight and are heavily weighing in the number of calories burned that you are being given by your fitness tracker but you are not seeing any progress, chances are you are not in a calorie deficit. This could be for a few reasons.

1. You are not burning as many calories as your tracker is estimating for you.

2. You are not tracking your food/calories as accurately as you might think.

   Are you using a food scale and logging absolutely everything? ( Even those chips you ate while deciding if you wanted to eat chips? Or, that handful of granola you swooped up while you decided what to make for breakfast? ).

3. Your original calorie estimation is too high and you will need to drop your calories. ( see my last post on how to figure this out. )

If you are starting to feel overwhelmed by all of this information, and are feeling the urge to want to throw your fitbit off a roof and say fuck it…take a deep breath. We don’t want to or need to rely on these devices to tell us if we are in a calorie deficit. That is what tracking your progress is for. Which I laid out for you in my last post.

The bad news: The accuracy of your fitness trackers may be off by about 25%

The good news: You don’t need a fitness tracker to lose weight or get fit.

I am not against fitness trackers. I think they can be a great way to keep yourself accountable and encourage you to create new healthy habits, but just like with the scale: Don’t get too obsessed over the numbers. The data is just a tool but sometimes the numbers don’t give you the whole picture.

My favorite feature of a fitness tracker is the step counter because it encourages you to get more movement throughout your day. ( More steps throughout your day is part of the NEAT category I talked about earlier ).

More movement throughout your day = more calories burned…or as the fitness industry likes to say: “It boosts your metabolism.” ( metabolism is a whole other article topic ).

Don’t obsess about your “calories burned” estimations. Your biggest indicator that you are on the right track is always going to be keeping track of your progress.

When it comes to fitness trackers, the accuracy of the numbers isn’t the main focus— it is YOUR consistency.

Even if your fitness tracker isn’t 100% accurate— let’s say you consistently get in “10,000 steps” per day. Maybe you actually had more steps and it slightly undercounted them, or maybe it slightly over-counted your steps. You are still hitting that number within 25% each day. Hitting your steps consistently within 25% each day is still going to burn a lot more calories than not hitting any steps at all. ( Or very minimal amounts. )

You are much better off focusing on tracking your progress while tracking your “calories in” and then adjusting when needed. Don’t over complicate it, and stay consistent.

How Many Calories Should You Eat To Lose Weight?

“How do I lose belly fat?”

“How do I get rid of my muffin top?”

These are questions I get all the time and the answer is always the same. You need to be in a calorie deficit.

What is a calorie deficit and how do you get into one?

Calories = energy we get from the food we eat.

A calorie deficit means you are consuming less calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight.

We all have individual calorie needs that are dependent on:

• Age

• Sex

• Weight

• Height

• Activity level

There are other things can can factor into energy balance and everyone’s individual metabolism can vary— which is what makes it a bit tricky finding the right calorie balance for you.

So how do you find the right amount of calories for you?

Finding the right calories for you can also depend on your goals. If you are trying to gain weight you will want to be in a calorie surplus. ( eating more calories than your body needs to maintain it’s current weight ). If you are wanting to maintain your weight you will want to consume the amount of calories your body needs to maintain its current weight, and last but not least— if you want to lose weight you will need to consume less calories than your body needs to maintain it’s current weight.

To keep it simple, let’s talk about being in a calorie deficit for weight loss.

There are a variety of different formulas you can use to estimate your calorie needs.

I could list all of the different formulas out there for calculating your estimated calorie needs, but let’s be real, ain’t no one got time for that and I am not here to try to make you think I am a mathematician.

Even if you tried all the different formula’s out there, ultimately they are all just going to be estimates and the only way to figure out if the estimated calories work for you is to try them.

A simple google search will lead you to a variety of different calorie calculators. Don’t over-think it. Just pick one.

Let’s use me for example:

I just typed into google “Calorie Calculator” and clicked on the first thing that came up.

I entered in all my info into the boxes and hit calculate.

Above is the results this calculator gave me. Seeing as I have been prepping for a physique show for weeks now… I will say that this is actually quite accurate. However, that doesn’t mean it will be accurate for you, or everyone.

How do you find out if it is accurate?

Start with your preferred rate of weight-loss. I am going to suggest that you chose the mild weight loss mark because going too fast too soon usually leads to feeling deprived, hungry, lethargic, and more likely to end up head first in a pint of ice cream or a bag of chips within a week. Faster is not always better when it comes to weight loss. Adherence is the most important factor. If you can’t adhere to something long term… it’s not going to work.

Once you pick your calorie intake suggestion, you are going to start tracking your food intake and aim for the given amount of calories.

Picking a food tracker

There are a variety of different food trackers out there but my personal favorite is MyFitnessPal. Food trackers are currently the most convenient way to track your food/calories. Back in my day we used to have to write our food down with a pen and paper and add up the calories ourselves. I guess I do some math after all, and I guess I am also old as fuck.

MyFitnesspal not only does all the math for you, but it can also scan barcodes for easy entry of foods, and breaks down your micronutrients and macronutrients. ( I will go over macros here in a bit ).

After you have selected your favorite food tracker, you will want to be as accurate as possible with measuring out your food portions.

The most accurate way to measure your food portions is with a food scale.

This is the food scale I have had for five years and it was only $14.00

Using a food scale is going to be your best bet when it comes to accuracy. If you don’t have the money to spend for a food scale, you can try using cup and teaspoon measurements but:

1. Cups and teaspoon measurements are actually way more of a pain in the ass ( ends up being more dirty dishes ).

2. Weighing by volume vs. weight leaves a lot more room for error.

Think about how some recipes call for a packed cup of brown sugar vs. just a cup of sugar. A packed cup of something, or a heaping tablespoon of something, can leave you eating way more than you think. It might seem minuscule in the moment but that shit adds up.

I can’t tell you how many people have come to me thinking their metabolism was broken because they have been tracking their food, thinking they are in a calorie deficit when they are not.

Tracking your food won’t automatically mean you are in a calorie deficit. Tracking your food accurately is key.

Alongside tracking your food accurately with a food scale, the next step to finding out if those estimated calories are right for you is weighing yourself daily.

Just like weighing your food has to be done accurately, you must also log your weight accurately and here is how:

1. Weigh yourself at the same time each day. Get out of bed, use the restroom, and then weigh yourself. You should be either naked or wearing the same clothes. Clothes add weight and if you are wearing sweatpants one day and shorts the next…obviously that is going to impact your weight on the scale. Make sure you weigh yourself before eating or drinking anything.

2. If you have an iphone download the app Happy Scale. If you have an android, download the app Libra. These apps allow you to log your weight each day and it will create a trend line for you so that you don’t freak out when you see scale fluctuations. Enter your weight in these apps every day.

Now that you are tracking your food accurately and logging your weight each morning you will want to pay attention to your “weight trend.” Both of these apps take your 7 day average weight so that you get your real weight vs. freaking out about weight fluctuations.

Your weight will fluctuate from day to day and that is completely normal.

If you are shaking your head right now to the thought of weighing yourself everyday because seeing your weight go up and down has caused you distress in the past ( perhaps even 1-5lbs from one day to the next ). You are not alone, but also… this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t weigh yourself everyday, it means that you have not yet become acquainted with scale fluctuations and why they occur.

When you start to understand why the scale fluctuates, it becomes much less scary.

Reasons why the scale fluctuates from day to day:

1. Hydration levels

2. Hormone fluctuations

3. Stress

4. Lack of sleep

5. You ate more sodium than usual

6. You ate a late meal

7. You ate more carbs than usual

8. You had an intense workout the day before. ( my weight usually spikes after leg day. )

9. You need to take a shit.

One of the main reasons the scale did NOT fluctuate: FAT GAIN.

Let’s say the scale went up one pound from one day to the next. In order for that pound to actually be one pound of fat, you would have had to of eaten an excess of 3,500 calories on top of your daily calorie needs. That is actually quite difficult to do. ( This is not a challenge I am just saying it’s not as easy as some may think. ).

The more you weigh yourself and start to learn how your body works and are able to identify the reasoning behind the fluctuation… the less impact the scale starts to have. It is merely a tool that gives you some pretty damn insightful data into how your body works.

Take this image for example: This is the weight trend of a client of mine. If they hadn’t logged their weight each day… they would continuously freak out every time the scale fluctuated. However, you might notice that when the scale spiked up, it was followed by a new low weigh in not long after. This is what we call the “whoosh” effect.

The last step to finding your calories is…

Taking starting progress photos.

You will want to take progress photos because sometimes the scale doesn’t show you the whole picture.

For example: These pictures below are a month apart. My weight is actually .8lbs heavier in the right picture. If I had not taken a progress photo I would have thought I was gaining fat. Turns out, I was experiencing some body fat re-composition. I had gained a little bit of muscle, but had simultaneously lost fat.

You will want to take pictures from the front, back, and side wearing just underwear for the best view. ( for you not other’s unless you intend it for that too ).

How to know if those estimated calories are right for you.

Now that we got all of the tracking shit out of the way, we can talk about how to know if those estimated calories are right for you or not.

In order to find this out you will need to track all of the things listed above for at least two weeks straight as accurately as possible.

If in two weeks you are doing everything accurately and you don’t see any type of progress on the scale, or in the photos then it is time to adjust. If you gain weight that is obviously fat weight, ( pants don’t fit, scale is up, etc.) you need to take your calories down lower. Start by lowering them down by 200 at a time. Don’t go crazy.

Once you lower them down. Try this new calorie estimation and repeat for another two weeks.

If you didn’t gain weight but also did not lose weight… then congrats you found your maintenance calories. You will still want to take them down if your goal is weight-loss.

If you lost weight quickly ( more than 2lbs per week ) There is a chance they are too low but you can go off how you felt during this time. Did you feel ravenously hungry or were you okay?

If you were ravenous then you will want to take your calories up by 100-200 calories so that you make sure you are not dipping too low too fast. Not because you will kick yourself into starvation mode ( that is a myth btw ) but because it is less likely to be sustainable and you might end up with a case of the “fuck it’s.”

“The Fuck It’s”: When you have been dieting too hard and end up ravenously hungry wanting to eat everything in sight.

Now that we have covered calories, let’s go over macros.

What are macros?

Macros stands for macronutrients.

Food is made up of micronutrients and macronutrients.

Micronutrients are your vitamins and minerals which are important for health, but they do not contribute calories.

Macronutrients are: Protein, Carbs, and Fat. These are the nutrients that make up the calories in your diet.

Calorie count for each Macronutrient:

Protein: 1g = 4 calories

Carbs :1g = 4 calories

Fat: 1g = 9 calories

Alcohol: 1g = 7 calories ( this isn’t a macronutrient but it is good to know if you are someone who drinks regularly ).

If you are already counting calories, and all you need for weight loss is to be in a calorie deficit… why should you pay attention to macros?

Let me break it down for you:

When it comes to weight-loss or weight-gain: Calories are king. Energy balance will be the most important factor. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the thought of macros. Focus on your calorie goals first. 

When it comes to body composition: Macros are king. The main focus with macros is usually getting in enough protein in order to increase or preserve lean muscle mass during gaining or losing phases. 

When it comes to health: Micronutrients are important to keep your body nourished and running optimally. 

The pyramid above illustrates the importance of calories, macros, micros, meal timing, and supplements.

Unfortunately with all of the savvy internet marketing around these days, the fitness industry is really good about getting you to think that supplements or fad diets are of the upmost importance to losing weight. Do not be deceived.

Any diet that has ever “worked” for someone for weight loss is not due to the magic of the diet. It is due to them being able to adhere to a diet that has put them in a calorie deficit. Whether that diet is keto, paleo, vegan, intermittent fasting, etc. If you lose weight on any diet, it is because you are in a calorie deficit.

If you are just getting started with all of this and are suddenly feeling more overwhelmed…

Take a deep breath.

Start by focusing on your calories. Go back up to step one and start with the initial estimation.

Take it one step at a time. Once you find your calories and get the hang of tracking them accurately, start paying attention to the numbers on your macronutrients. Don’t do anything with them, just start being mindful of what foods contain which macros.

Once you get a hang of calories, start paying attention to protein.

If you are starting to feel ready to set macro goals for yourself, I suggest you go here.

I will go deeper into macros at a later time, but until then, hopefully this gives you a good starting point. Take it one day at a time, don’t be tempted to drop your calories too low, and don’t let perfection be the enemy of good.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring For Better Health?

I try to stress that dietary needs can be very individual and sometimes it can take some trial and error to figure out a way of eating that works best for you. If anyone ever tells you that keto, paleo, carnivore, veganism, etc. etc. is 100% the best diet for everyone then you should turn around and run in the other direction as fast as possible. Sure, some of these diets might work great for some people, but that doesn’t mean it is what is right for you. Although we are all human ( well, hopefully you are ) we can all have different responses to food. One of those responses being glucose levels.

You may have heard some of the biggest contributors to Covid19 complications are: obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. These are all part of our metabolic health.

The word metabolism gets thrown around a lot in the fitness industry. You may have seen products claim that they will “boost” your metabolism or you may have heard Karen talk about her slow metabolism over lunch. But what exactly is metabolism?

Metabolism is the set of cellular mechanisms that produce energy from our food and environment to power every process in the human body. 

Metabolism may be a fitness buzzword but its actually quite broad and complex. It is not just about how many calories you burn or don’t burn. It involves all the systems in the body. Metabolism regulates our sleep, appetite, and energy levels. It is what keeps us alive.

Unfortunately a vast majority of the US population struggles with their metabolic health mostly due to poor nutrition and exercise habits.

Statistics from the CDC:

Diabetes:

• Total: 34.2 million people have diabetes (10.5% of the US population)

• Diagnosed: 26.9 million people, including 26.8 million adults

• Undiagnosed: 7.3 million people (21.4% are undiagnosed)

Pre-diabetes:

• Total: 88 million people aged 18 years or older have prediabetes (34.5% of the adult US population)

• 65 years or older: 24.2 million people aged 65 years or older have prediabetes

Considering uncontrolled diabetes is one of the leading causes of complications from Covid19 it really got me digging deeper into prevention and ways to improve metabolic health even for the average “healthy” individual such as myself.

I stumbled across a company called Levels that is doing something called Continuous Glucose Monitoring for healthy individuals looking to improve their metabolic health, find their optimal diet, or improve their sports performance. CGM ( Continual Glucose Monitoring ) is common among diabetics but it is now being used for people to get more specific data about their current health.

According to the ADA the standard guidelines for glucose levels are:

You have probably had your fasted glucose tested at least once in your life via a blood test, but it turns out post meal glucose levels can also be important in regards to your health.

“High post-meal glucose levels are linked to worsened glucose control over time, development of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, and impaired exercise and cognitive performance. While it is not unexpected for glucose levels to increase after a meal as the glucose from the meal is released into the blood, if this level is too high it is not good for health and can predispose one to disease over time.  According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) guidelines for the management of post-meal glucose levels, nondiabetic people should have a glucose level of no higher than 140 mg/dl after meals, and glucose should return to pre-meal levels within 2-3 hours. Post-meal hyperglycemia (elevated glucose) is defined as a glucose level >140 mg/dl 1-2 hours after ingestion of food or drinks.”

After doing more research about metabolic health and disease prevention, I got super curious about my own metabolic health and how different foods affect me. I’ve tried a variety of different diets throughout my life to see what I felt optimal on. I had a pretty rough struggle with IBS for years. I’ve been vegan/vegetarian, and then moved on to more of a “paleo” type of diet. Eventually I fell upon a diet that is just sticking to whole foods as much as possible. I’ve got no labels for it, I just avoid foods that don’t make me feel great, and stick to eating foods that my body seems to agree with.

Although I feel great with how I am eating now, I am a nerd and I love data and insight to how my body reacts to what I am eating. CGM takes a bit of the guesswork out for you which I find kind of amazing. I am always down to make some improvements with my diet based off data that I can’t ignore.

So far I am on day two of using the Levels CGM program. It has been quite fascinating to see real time data about how my body uses the food I eat, and how exercise has an effect on my glucose levels as well. For example: If I drink a kombucha while I am working, I will see my blood sugar spike up into the 100’s, but if I drink a kombucha and take a walk after, it tends to stay in the 90’s. It just show’s how important both diet and exercise can be when it comes to metabolic health.

It can be easy to ignore your nutrition when the effects of your questionable choices take years to build up. With this program showing you in real time how food affects your body, it makes it much harder to ignore. This could be a game changer for those having a hard time making a connection with health and food choices. Then again, i’ve seen plenty of people ignore data…but hopefully this data will hit on a more personal level.

I might continue to document my own experience on here with Levels/CGM for shits and giggles. Looking forward to finding more info out about my own health!

If you want to know more go to www.levelshealth.com

Oh and if you are wondering… no I didn’t get paid for this. I actually had to pay for the sensors and program, I am just really excited about it because I am a nerd.

This is why I always have a hard time answering the question “What do you like to do for fun?” — I like to collect data about my metabolism and write about health and fitness. Definitely have no idea why I am single.

Let me know your thoughts!

Why Covid-19 Is a Wakeup Call to Better Your Health

It’ has been a crazy few weeks. Hopefully you are reading this from the comfort of your home at the moment and you are practicing social distancing, hand washing, and taking the proper precautions laid out for you by the CDC for the prevention of Covid-19. Especially if you are considered high risk. According to the CDC high risk is defined as:

Based upon available information to date, those at high-risk for severe illness from COVID-19 include:

• People aged 65 years and older

• People who live in a nursing home or long-term care facility

• Other high-risk conditions could include:

  • People with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma

  • People who have serious heart conditions

  • People who are immunocompromised including cancer treatment

  • People of any age with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] >40) or certain underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled, such as those with diabetes, renal failure, or liver disease might also be at risk

• People who are pregnant should be monitored since they are known to be at risk with severe viral illness, however, to date data on COVID-19 has not shown increased risk

There is no cure for Covid-19 at this time, but they are working on some possible treatments using already FDA approved drugs like Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine whether these drugs are effective or not hasn’t quite yet been determined. They are also in the beginning stages of working on a vaccine… however, that can take 12-18 months and I hate to break it to you but this is not going to be the last virus we come across.

So beyond the current preventative measures of hand washing and social distancing, something we might be able to also control is our own health and improving the chance that you will not fall under a high risk category.

Obviously, aging is out of your control, but some of the high risk conditions are those of metabolic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes. Some people are more prone to these conditions, but the risk can be greatly reduced with proper diet and exercise. Also, if you still smoke now is the time to quit.

According to the CDC 34.2 million Americans have diabetes and 88 million are pre-diabetic. That Is a lot high risk Americans, and this is only covering diabetes.

Data and prevention information from the CDC

Moving onto the topic of heart disease.

Heart Disease in the United States

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States.1

• One person dies every 37 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease.1

• About 647,000 Americans die from heart disease each year—that’s 1 in every 4 deaths.2,3

• Heart disease costs the United States about $219 billion each year from 2014 to 2015.3 This includes the cost of health care services, medicines, and lost productivity due to death.

What are the risk factors for heart disease?

High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease. About half of Americans (47%) have at least one of these three risk factors. Several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease, including

• Diabetes

• Overweight and obesity

• Unhealthy diet

• Physical inactivity

• Excessive alcohol use

One person dies every 37 seconds from cardiovascular disease. That means by the time you are even done reading this, several people have died and it wasn’t from Covid-19. In a time where we are focused more than ever on death and mortality rates… we can’t forget about the chronic diseases that people were dying from before Covid-19, and will continue to die from long after Covid-19.

As you can see so far, many of these high risk conditions can all be present at once and one of the leading causes of heart disease and diabetes is obesity.

Obesity is a common, serious, and costly disease

• The prevalence of obesity was 42.4% in 2017~2018. [Read CDC National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) data brief]

• From 1999–2000 through 2017–2018, the prevalence of obesity increased from 30.5% to 42.4%, and the prevalence of severe obesity increased from 4.7% to 9.2%. [Read CDC NCHS data brief]

• Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer that are some of the leading causes of preventable, premature death. [Read guidelinesexternal icon]

• The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the United States was $147 billion in 2008 US dollars; the medical cost for people who have obesity was $1,429 higher than those of normal weight. [Read paperexternal icon]

• For children and adolescents aged 2-19 years:

  • The prevalence of obesity was 18.5% and affected about 13.7 million children and adolescents.

42.4% of adults and 18.5% of adolescents in America suffer from obesity. That is huge high risk category for Covid-19.

If you fall into some of these high risk categories, I am not writing this to shame you or make you feel like your worth as a human being is any less. I am sharing these facts because you are worthy of living a long healthy life and I feel like I would be doing more of a disservice to not touch on this topic. I am also not sharing this to blame you. Truth is, that at some point or another the food and medical system has failed you, but I believe in you and I know you are strong enough to push forward despite that.

I am also aware that me sharing the facts isn’t going to be what helps move you forward to better health. Doctors may refer patients to dietitians or even prescribe meds or surgery, but they generally overlook the core issues. Studies have shown that obesity is linked to higher cases of depression, anxiety, ptsd, and mood disorders.

So when it comes to obesity, why is it that we are not first recommending seeking help from a mental health professional? To me, it makes the most sense… in the same way that a doctor would not tell someone who is anorexic to just gain weight. They know how to gain weight, they know how to get healthier, but there is an underlying mental health issue that needs to be addressed. It is no different for someone who needs to lose weight.

The way that we currently approach obesity seems incredibly counterproductive in my opinion. In the future, I hope to see more referrals to mental health professionals as a first step to treatment. Perhaps Covid-19 is not only a wake up call for physical well being, but for mental and emotional well being. The uncertainty this situation brings to the table definitely helps put things in perspective. You never know what can happen. This virus has shown that our jobs, money, and etc. can all be gone in a second… and all you are left with is your health. It is time we stop putting everything else above our health. Change doesn’t happen overnight. Start from the inside out.

If I were to prioritize the steps to better health it would look like this:

1. Therapy

2. Nutrition

3. Exercise

Stay healthy folks. If you are looking for some mental health resources currently these are sources I recommend:

https://www.duffthepsych.com/

https://www.betterhelp.com/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us

Don't Underestimate The Power of Walking

There is so much fitness information out there these days that it can be hard to even know where to start. The internet is full of supplements promising fast results, bullshit fitness gadgets, and flashy workout routines that don’t actually do much… if anything. How do you decipher where to start? Should you buy Karen’s Herbalife supplements? Buy all the Beach Body DVD’s? Or try Vanessa’s booty popping workout routine from instagram?

If you have absolutely no experience with exercise or it has been awhile since you have been active, one of the best things you can do to get started is walking. YES WALKING. You learned how to do it when you were a toddler and it costs zero dollars. — This is why you don’t see the fitness industry selling you walking.

But will walking really do anything? Is it enough?

One of the biggest keys to success when it comes to fitness goals is creating new habits. Walking can be a great new habit to start with and it can help prepare you to add other forms of exercise in as you progress. You don’t need to start off your fitness journey with intense “feel like you are dying” workouts. There is a high chance that if you start out with a death workout that you won’t want to do it again. This fitness stuff takes time, start slow, build up your confidence and work your way up.

If you are not yet sold on starting with just walking, let me fill you in on some of the health benefits:

1. Improved Cardiovascular health— Can help lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol, improve circulation.

2. Improved mood: Decreases anxiety and depression, especially if you walk outdoors.

3. Help’s with weight-loss/weight gain due to increased activity level.

4. Low-impact so it is easier on the joints and can actually help reduce pain.

5. Improves posture

6. Reduces the risk of cancer

7. Boosts creativity

The list goes on…

You really can’t lose by starting out with walking. It’s a win win situation. If you are someone who is bored by the idea of walking it can also be a great time to multi-task. Things to do while you walk:

1. Take a furry friend for a stroll.

2. Listen to podcasts.

3. Listen to audio books.

4. Phone a friend.

5. Listen to music.

6. Brainstorm your next creative project.

7. Use it as a form of meditation

To begin a walking routine, you can start out by setting a distance goal or a time goal. For example: Your first time out for a walk set a goal of 10 minutes. Work on hitting that 10 minute goal until you start to find that getting easier. After you find that the 10 minutes is feeling pretty easy then set out to hit 15 minutes, then 20, and so on. You can also progress by adjusting the incline and upping your pace as your fitness improves. If you want to track your distance you can download an app on your phone such as MapMyWalk or use a Fitbit or Apple watch to track your steps.

Walking combined with good nutrition can be a way more powerful start to your fitness journey than you might think.

Happy Walking!

How To Not "Fall Off" The Wagon

Summer is coming to an end and the fall season is fast approaching. You are no longer looking to get summer ready and you can almost taste those holiday treats. The Fall/winter season is notorious for being a time to kind of "fall off" the wagon. You have holiday parties, and gatherings all centered around food. There is nothing wrong with this, it is tradition after all and I love good traditional food as much as the next person, but just because you no longer feel obligated to put on a bathing suit doesn't mean you can put your health on the back burner. This is a lifelong journey after all. 

With the colder weather and the abundance of comfort foods and can be pretty common to pack on a few winter pounds. I wouldn't necessarily be alarmed by this unless a few pounds turns into double digit amounts. Weight can fluctuate. We are human after all, but how do you keep your health in check in the fall so that you are not in a constant battle with getting your body summer ready? 

Forming good habits, discipline, and accountability can be one of the best ways to stay on track in the fall and winter seasons. Days are shorter and colder, so it can be easy to want to skip out on the gym. This is where discipline and good habits come into play. One of the biggest myth's when it comes to exercise is that you need to be motivated every time you go to the gym. The question "how do you stay motivated?" is one I get asked often. The truth? I don't. Most day's I have to force myself into the gym just like anyone else. I am probably only feeling truly motivated about 20% of the time. The thing that gets me in the gym day after day is habit and discipline. Going to the gym is something I have built into my routine.. kind of like taking a shower or brushing your teeth each day. ( Well, lets hope you do these things already :P ). If you struggle with creating habit, accountability can incredibly helpful. I know that I am way more likely to do something if I have someone keeping me accountable. 

Hiring a trainer ( oh hey, like me! :P ) can be one way to have someone keep you accountable or finding a workout partner. Group training classes that are offered at most gyms can also be a good way to stay accountable during the fall and winter and as of TODAY I am offering online group training. The first group training is set to start Sept. 1st. It is a 4 week program and it is a great way to stay accountable and keep your costs down. Group training is only $20 a person and you get direct contact with me via messenger, nutritional guidance, free entry to live cooking classes and the chance to communicate and build community with others in your group. 

I am super excited to announce this new training feature and make things more affordable for some who are unable to pay the full $65 a month for individual training. Don't fall off in the fall, round up a few friends and start training with me in September! 

To sign up for group training click here!

If you have any questions please feel free to email me at coachcodyharman@gmail.com 

Are Online Personal Trainers Worth It?

I've found that when most people ask what I do and I tell them I am a personal trainer they usually follow up by asking what gym I train at. When I tell them I am an online trainer they tend to look at me puzzled and think that I am full of shit. Online trainer is just code for unemployed right? If I was a real trainer I would train at a gym right??

People might think this is crazy but I actually believe that online training can be superior to in person training if the client utilizes all of the tools at hand. How can online training be superior to in person training? Where is the accountability, the motivation... and the instruction? How does that work? Well, I will explain that in a bit but the three ways that I find online training to be more beneficial are: 

#1 Time: When you choose an online trainer you don't have to adjust your schedule to meet up with them at any certain time or any specific gym. You get to workout any time of day, either at the gym or at home. There is a lot more flexibility when working with an online trainer. 

#2 Cost: I charge less for a month of customized training than most in-person trainers charge per hour. By training you online I am not paying for any sort of facility fees so I can keep cost lower.

#3 Discipline: Through online training you are learning self motivation and discipline. Although I offer as much accountability as distance training permits, you are still responsible for moving yourself through the workouts and pushing yourself to the finish. I am sure we could all use a little in person motivation from time to time but what about when you stop working with a trainer? Can you stay motivated when someone is not there to hold your hand in person? 

These are only a few reasons why online training can be just as good if not superior to in-person training. As an online trainer I offer customized plans that fit your lifestyle and goals ( a gym membership is a plus but it is not a requirement ) I offer nutritional guidance and communication via text messaging throughout the day. Don't knock it until you try it. If you are on the fence about online training I suggest you take the leap. 

If you would like to give online training a try click here to learn more about my training plans:

www.codyharman.com/coachcody

Self Awareness

I am a low key fan of IIFYM ( if it fits your macros ) but by low key... I mean have the occasional treat and fit it into your macros, not eat whatever you want as long as it fits into your macros. Macronutrients are pretty much king when it comes to obtaining a certain physique but if you also want a great physique and optimal health then you best pay attention to the micronutrients you are putting into your body as well. 

I have to admit I have been pretty lenient on people asking for nutritional advice. I say don't go crazy, don't be too strict but the reality of it is that my own macro plan is based completely off of whole foods. I have no secrets to six pack abs besides discipline, which isn't much of a secret, it is just what most people don't want to hear or practice or don't have the emotional tools or self awareness to be able to do so. 

I could lie to you and say that I am not a fan of sweets which is why I don't eat them much, but anyone who knows me well also knows I love me some baked goods ( or non baked goods if you count cookie dough ). But this is also why I eat these on a very rare occasion. I can go to town on these items.. and maybe I will one or two times a year around the holidays but that is about it. I believe in the Gretchin Rubin World of the Four Tendancies  I would be something called an abstainer. I abstain from things most days and go to town on them on occasion. I don't even try to fit them into my macros at that point :P 

I am completely aware that this is not how all people work when it comes to food. Emotional aspects play a huge role in eating habits. So I guess the real key here would be self awareness. 

Being self aware instead of giving excuses is what I expect most from clients. If someone tells me they over-ate because they were sad or bored, it is a lot easier to work toward changing their relationship with food than if they told me they didn't have time to cook, or they had no other choice. 

There are so many factors that go into the way we eat and emotions are a really big part of that. Food is not a straight forward thing and I am aware of that, which is often why I feel like people need therapists over trainers ( yet, here I am ). 

So until then some ways to practice self awareness when it comes to food are to ask yourself a few questions before you eat: 

Am I truly hungry or am I just bored/sad/angry/etc. ( if something such as chicken or fish does not sound appealing, it is usually not true hunger ). 

When I am craving something, what am I feeling emotionally and what is triggering the craving?

How do I usually feel after eating this food? 

What Kind of Coach Am I?

I often say that people don't need trainers, they need therapists. Or in my case preferably both because hey I need a job too. I am finding that I tend to fall into both roles but that is part of the job I love so much. I say this because people often fail to recognize how intertwined the mental aspect of life is with the physical aspect. It takes a lot of work emotionally to get yourself to change bad habits, or to push yourself to get off the couch into an uncomfortable situation such as working out. Naturally we are not wired to move if we are not hungry or running from a herd of lions. We no longer have to move to survive in this world. There is often a back story to how someone let their health decline, or why someone wants six pack abs. 

The backstory; Everyone has one whether they have acknowledged it yet or not. Maybe it is childhood trauma, some other sort of life event that led them to where they are at. Maybe they truly just want to look good naked. Either way, I am always interested in the backstory, or the WHY. It inspires me, and it allows me to take a peek into someone else's journey. I am always fascinated hearing other people's stories and I feel lucky I get to do that on a daily basis.

So the big question; What kind of trainer am I? 

First and foremost I listen. Listening is incredibly important. I don't care if a client wants to tell me about what they ate that day or an awesome movie they saw over the weekend... I am always going to listen. That IS in my job description. I am also kind. Not too kind. I will call you on your shit, but I am not going to make you feel like shit because deep down you know what you need to do, it is all a mater of taking action. I will encourage, support, and remind (or hey maybe sometimes nag ) a client to take responsibility, and be self aware. Last but not least, I am empathetic. I have a low tolerance for excuses but I understand that life is complex and journeys to health are not always binary. There are ups and downs, steps forwards, backwards or sideways.

I am here to guide you, give you the best advice that I know, and help you reach your goals when you are ready to take action and put in the work. 

This is the kind of trainer/therapist/friend/coach I am. 

Food Matters

I can't emphasize enough how much the food you put into your body matters when it comes to reaching your health and fitness goals. There are a shit ton of diets out there that are just confusing the hell out of people. Keto, Paleo, Vegan, blood type, etc. etc. The list goes on. You have probably heard this before but balance really is key. You also have to find what works for you. What works for one person may not work for another. We all have different bodies, different backgrounds, and different personality types. Anyone who thinks one diet fits all is out of their mind.

Relationships with food are emotional...sometimes like an abusive relationship. It can make us feel good, and then make us feel bad, guilty, and shameful. We swear we are going to quit the cycle but always end up coming back for more. Perhaps this is why it is the biggest struggle. Food is a comfort, it is a way to nourish ourselves and we can't just straight up quit it. We have to eat to live and in our world today we have so many choices to chose from it can be daunting. I don't think a specific diet is the biggest key, I think changing our relationship with food is. 

I always recommend that people eat food that is as close to its original form as possible. The less processed the better. A processed food every now and then isn't going to kill us if we fill the rest of our diets with nutrient dense food. Instead of thinking of food as good and bad, think of the best way to be kind to your body. Food is not the enemy. We are all doing our best to survive and food is needed for survival. You are actually doing your body good by feeding it. 

Changing your relationship with food isn't going to happen overnight. It is going to be a long process with small changes, one step at a time. Be patient with yourself. When you are ready to make a change. Start with small steps that you know are achievable. It can help you gain the self confidence you need to make the next change, then the next change... and then next. 

Slow change is okay. Slow results are OK. What matters is that you are moving forward and that is better than going nowhere. You WILL get to your goal. 

Why You Are Not Getting Results

I get asked all the time why people are not seeing results, how to get abs or etc. They have tried this or that diet.. they have tried exercising or etc. but nothing seems to work. Why not? My first question to ask them would be. How long did you give these programs a try? 

Not only does choosing the right program for your goals matter, but so does the time and effort we give it. We live in a world where instant results are not just expected, they are demanded. We want internet fast results, we want two day delivery for absolutely everything. No matter how advanced technology is, our bodies will not advance in the same way. Duh. 

If you want to see results. It is going to take some time. You can't just give a diet or workout program a try and expect to see anything change. It takes months, or years depending on your goals. It is a patience game and there is no other way around it. Time is going to pass regardless so you might as well keep moving forward no matter what pace. You are only slowing yourself down if you give up. 

Give yourself room to screw up. Give yourself time to struggle, to complain, to whine, to be stubborn. Do what you need to do but keep going.