I follow my own advice when I say you should ask other Young Living distributors to guest blog for you.  Adam Green and I met on Facebook.  It’s fun being professional colleagues doing favors for each other and I’ve enjoyed cashing in on this favor of having him share with you guys his “personal trainer expertise” on separating facts from falsehoods when it comes to finding the right balance of eating the right foods and the in right amounts. Once you’ve been edified by his great tips below, go “friend” him on Facebook and check out his other great tips.

Nutrition is a key component not only to your fitness program but to life! Food is fuel, and it is important to fuel your body properly and effectively. I highly recommend seeking the advice of a personal trainer when embarking on an exercise program as they can provide you with personalized programs and education specific to your needs. Please read below what I view as some of the top nutrition mistakes people make when starting an exercise program.

1. Skipping Meals/ Improper Meal Frequency

A key mistake often made is skipping meals in hopes of cutting calories to lose weight. However this often works against your goals. Food is fuel for your body and mind.  It is essential to consistenly supply nutrients throughout the day.  My ideal meal frequency is every 2-3 hours consuming 5-6 meals per day.  This will result in more stable blood sugars, less cravings, and sustained energy throughout the day.  To begin with, I suggest setting an alarm on your phone every 3 hours to remind you to eat.  Don’t skip breakfast!!!

2. Not Eating Enough Calories

Your body has a Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) which is the basic amount of calories your body needs to sustain proper function if you were to lie in a room doing nothing. In order to lose weight, you still want to consume more calories than your BMR. Consume any less and your body sees it as being deprived of its essential nutrients and calories needed to sustain itself, so it feels the need to store energy for future use. Stored energy is… FAT! You want to ensure that you are eating enough calories of the right foods with frequent and proper meals.

3. Avoiding Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates get an unwarranted bad reputation. There is a plethora of bad carbohydrates out there with the key ones to avoid being anything processed. Good carbohydrates are essential to your body. Most times good carbohydrates make up 50% of your daily caloric consumption. The key is to consume the right types of carbohydrates such as fibrous vegetables and whole foods like sweet potato, brown rice, quinoa, and fruits. When I am shopping, I purchase items that do not have labels. If they do have labels, I look for single ingredients. For example oatmeal is oatmeal, sweet potato is sweet potato. However look at a box of cereal and you will realize how processed some foods really are.

4. Improper Macronutrient Balance

As a general rule of thumb when working with clients, I traditionally start them with 50% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 20% fats. Everyone does have their own unique body type and preferences, and after monitoring progress adjustments can be made in ratios to find an ideal balance. Again, the key is not necessarily to cut carbs like many try to do, but to eat the proper carbs, proper lean proteins, and healthy fats. Balance is key. Keeping a food journal is a great way to monitor your food intake.

5. Consuming Diet/Sugar Free Products

Many diet products are marketed as calorie free, sugar free, and as a healthier alternative to sugar laden drinks. There is a lot of research suggesting that not only does the consumption of diet products actually lead to weight gain, but the safety of these products is also questionable. Some big players in the artificial sweetener world are Acephulame potassium (Ace-K), Aspartame, and Sucralose (splenda). I highly recommend anyone looking to become more educated on the dangers of these products read “Sweet Deception”.  A brief summary on sweeteners can also be found on my site here.  I encourage the use of natural sweeteners such as Stevia and Yacon, but ideally, I try to get people to stay clear of sweets in general so they can break those cravings and addictions and get back to the basics of eating good, clean, whole foods.

6. Consuming Empty Calories in Sauces

One look at the labels on most sauces and dips and you will quickly see why they are contributing to your weight gain. These are often loaded with huge amounts of sugar (from High Fructose Corn Syrup) or  artificial sweeteners. I recommend things like hot sauce as a better alternative, and when choosing dressings I go with any kind of vinaigrette. I am a big fan of balsamic vinegar myself.

7. Consuming Liquid Calories

Cut out soda pop of any sort, high-sugar specialty coffee beverages, juices, etc. Cutting out these things can make a big impact on your results. There is no nutrient/health value in many of these drinks and they are sabotaging your success. Even your daily double/double from Tim Hortons can be adding in an extra 280 cals/day into your body, translating to an extra 102,200 calories a year, or approx 29.2lbs!. I personally only consume water flavored with essential oils, 2-4oz of Ningxia Red, Slique Tea, and Zevia (stevia sweetened soda) when entertaining company.

8. Missing Digestive Enzymes

There is a massive amount of research on the benefits of digestive enzymes. We do not get near the amount from our food that we used to due to the highly processed nature of our food supply.

A simple analogy: Food is fuel like logs for a fire. Imagine two different fires, one made with big thick logs, the other is made with the exact same logs but chopped up finely into kindling/tender. Which one will burn better, quicker and more efficiently? The second fire, of course. Enzymes help to break down food inside your body and assist in the absorption of the nutrients so everything you are eating is being used faster and more efficiently. I challenge you to add in Essentialzyme-4 with your major meals, and add Essentialzyme or Detoxyme with your smaller meals and in-between meals. You WILL notice the difference!

Yours in health,

Adam Green
DipKin CSEP-CPT
www.adamgreen.ca
Be sure to check out my Facebook page http://on.fb.me/Essential_HF and follow me on twitter @Essential_HF.

Important, the information provided is for educational purposes only. It is not provided to diagnose, prescribe or treat any condition of the body. The information provided should not be used as a substitute for medical counseling with a health care professional. If you have any concerns regarding this information, please consult your health care professional.