Many women wonder if it is OK to work out during their period. Short answer: YES! In fact, it may even be more beneficial to stay active during this point in your cycle. There are plenty of reasons women shy away from their workouts during this time of the month—bloating, fatigue, cramps—but there’s really no reason to skip out on exercise just because you have your period.  

The key is knowing your own body, because, let’s face it, every body is different. Some women report low energy levels during their period, while others have more energy than usual. This is due in part to changing hormone levels through the menstrual cycle. The week leading up to your period, hormone levels associated with menstruation drop, so on the first day of your period, estrogen and progesterone levels are at their lowest. This is when many women report feeling premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms—these, too, can be different for everyone, so keeping a fitness journal to track your menstrual cycle and energy levels might help you see when you have more or less energy during your cycle. Physical activity can help with PMS, even if your energy levels are low, because exercising gives you an endorphin high. Endorphins elevate your mood and are a natural painkiller, so when you get moving there is a higher chance that cramps, headaches, back pain or any of the other uncomfortable symptoms associated with your period will temporarily be alleviated.  

So, what exactly is the best exercise to do when your period arrives? The one you feel like doing. Yes, that’s right, you’re allowed to listen to your body, give yourself a break and ease up on the intensity. The menstrual cycle has not been shown to affect your ability to exercise; rather, it impacts the intensity of exercise you choose to do. While some women find they are able to continue their regular fitness routine with minor adjustments, others find that their body doesn’t perform like it usually does and should consider cutting back on intense cardiovascular or endurance training. During this time of the month, increased fatigue could have an impact on your perceived rate of exertion, so what you’re normally used to might feel like too much. 

If you feel unusually fatigued or nauseous or there is an increase in pain or discomfort, stop what you are doing and rest. This may be a good time to reduce your exercise intensity, relax your body and potentially relieve symptoms like cramping, breast tenderness and muscular fatigue and soreness. If these symptoms continue, stop completely. This is not a time to subscribe to the idea of “no pain, no gain.” Listen to your body. If you feel up to it, light aerobic exercises like walking, low-volume strength training, yoga or gentle stretching are great options to keep your body moving.  

Being gentle with your body and moving it in ways that feel good will set you up for a better experience during your period, but exercise is only 20% of the equation. The other 80% is dependent on your diet. While you might experience more cravings during this time of the month, choosing whole, nutrient-dense foods instead of reaching for that bag of processed potato chips will make a huge difference in the physical symptoms you experience. A little “treat yourself” moment here and there is encouraged, but in the long run, healthier choices will be more beneficial—especially during your period.  

Believe it or not, the foods you eat can help reduce period cramps, help you feel less swollen and bloated, and help with mood swings. Too much sugar and processed carbs—while tasting delicious! —will likely only make you feel more bloated and lethargic. But rather than avoid specific foods completely, try to focus on adding foods into your diet to make up for the nutrients you are losing due to menstrual bleeding. Here are a few great examples: 

Iron: Women lose about 1 milligram of iron every day of their period, so it’s not surprising that iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in women. An inadequate amount of iron is associated with common PMS symptoms—including overall tiredness. Try adding iron-rich foods such as dark greens, beans, nuts, red meat and eggs. 

Calcium: Low levels of calcium are associated with symptoms of PMS, like depression and irritability. Dairy products are great sources of calcium; if you don’t eat dairy, try dark leafy greens, like kale or spinach.  

Magnesium: Fun fact: Foods rich in magnesium, like nuts, beans and tofu, are thought to reduce bloating in menstruating women.  

Complex carbohydrates: Listen, we love the snack aisle as much as the next person, especially during that time of the month. But if there is one thing we aren’t fans of, it’s cramps. Choosing the pack of cookies or chips may seem like the solution, but having a piece of sprouted- or whole-grain bread with honey, almond butter or peanut butter will make you feel way better. 

Vitamin E: Raise your hand if you want to reduce period pain! Yeah, us too! Vitamin E is our friend when it comes to decreasing the severity and duration of PMS pain. Avocados are great source—slice up half of one as a snack or whip up some guacamole. 

Vitamin C and zinc: These nutrients help with iron absorbency, which is particularly crucial during your period. Try eating foods like broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, red berries, kiwi and bell peppers for an extra kick of C. And a great source of zinc is pumpkin seeds, which double as a tasty topping for salads, oatmeal and yogurt.  

H₂O: Being dehydrated is the easiest way to feel even worse when you’re on your period. Women with heavy periods lose extra fluids, so drink a little extra water during this time of the month to make up for it. Eight to ten, 8-ounce glasses of water throughout the day should do the trick (not all at once)! 

To summarize:

During your period, it’s OK to take a break! If you are up for it, keep moving—just back off on the intensity, especially if you’re feeling fatigued. Make sure to honor your body and fuel it with the proper nutrients to make up for all of the ones you are losing. Lastly, remember that you’re a boss babe and we are all in this together—you got this!  

We are constantly surrounded by social media, TV, magazines, friends, family, actors, influencers—you name it—telling us the next best thing we should be hopping on the bandwagon for, promising results. But which trending diets, foods and supplements are the real deal?

Well, the truth is, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Luckily, we know a few people who can help us get to the bottom of this. Our trainers are experts in their field—each one is certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine, after all. Needless to say, they have been around the block a few times and have tried a lot of these fitness trends themselves. So, who better to ask about which trends are worth the hype and which ones you should steer clear of? We asked our trainers what they think, here’s the inside scoop!

Let’s start with the diets that are better left on the trending page. Most of the nearly 600 trainers we asked agree that these top health trends are not worth the hype.

1. FAD DIETS

Keto, paleo, low-carb, Mediterranean, juice cleanses—they all have one thing in common: They are fad diets. Trainer Megan Vinyard of Burn Boot Camp Kennesaw, Georgia puts it best: “Burn focuses on long-term results. I always say that your relationship with food should be a long-term relationship as well. Keto and other fad diets, most of the time, will show results—but never long term. I always ask, ‘So you are never going to have pizza again?’ or ‘What do you do for Thanksgiving?’ or ‘Why deprive yourself when you can learn balance?’ And usually they end up losing all their progress when they come off these fads and go straight back to bad habits. Learning healthy habits and [having a] healthy relationship with food is so important. You should never single out carbs, fats or proteins but instead have a balance of all. Food is energy—especially carbs—so learning those healthy relationships is key. We focus on a 80/20 lifestyle and it works! You can be human and realistic without hurting your progress toward your goals.” 

2. FAT BURNERS

A product is claiming to be a “magic pill” that will do all the work for you without you lifting a finger—really? Yeah, we laughed too! Trainer of the Year Cody Burns of Burn Boot Camp Verona, Wisconsin has seen people looking for a “quick fix” time and time again. He says, “Most believe that if they take this magic pill or drink, they will instantly shed the unwanted fat off their body. That’s not exactly how your body works. The best way to lose body fat and gain lean muscle is by eating clean and training. A better approach is to save your money and invest in healthy whole foods and a clean pre-workout, like Ignite, to get you energized for your next workout.” 

3. SWEAT GELS

Don’t sweat it! This fitness trend goes right along with the quick-fix schemes that just don’t add up. Burn Boot Camp HQ Training Manager Jamal Gibson compares using a topical sweat gel to buying a car and car insurance—and then expecting the same car to go faster because you have insurance. The truth is, sweat gels don’t burn calories like you may think. Jamal explains the science behind the myth like this: “Sweating burns calories but doesn’t require rebuilding and repair, which continues to utilize energy for days after the incident for a workout. It feels great to sweat, but sweating is an accessory result of working out. There are many people who sweat in atypical patterns naturally. My wife doesn’t sweat nearly as much as I do when we work out together. The reason I burn more calories is because she weighs 100 pounds less than me. Stick to what you know to be true: Consistency is only beneficial with intensity. Work hard enough to get the results you desire and avoid the gimmicks.” 

4. WAIST TRAINERS

Another glamorized trend in the fitness world is waist trainers. We’ve seen the Kardashians promoting them on social media, swearing by their results. Red flags start popping up for us with the guarantee of a smaller waist just from wrapping a band around your abdomen, and our trainers are on the same page. Although waist trainers can help with posture and may make you eat less frequently due to the compression of your organs, many fitness trainers believe you’re better off keeping those bands and belts off your waists. There haven’t been enough studies about waist trainers to conclude any long-term results. What does deliver long-term results: consistently eating right, getting rest, staying hydrated and exercising.

Got all that? Great! Know that you know which fitness trends aren’t worth your time or money, here are four that you should consider.

1. SUPPLEMENTS

A whole foods approach is a great place to start to make sure you are getting all the essential vitamins and minerals from natural sources. But you may need to supplement your diet to keep your body functioning in top condition, especially with an active lifestyle. Here are two our trainers love to include in their own diets and encourage clients to try for themselves: 

COLLAGEN POWDER— Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. Think of it as one of the major building blocks of bones, skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. We know that what we put in our bodies has external effects, so adding collagen is a great start to glowing from the inside out. Trainer Jessi Drayer of Burn Boot Camp Bethel Park, Pennsylvania says, “Ever since I started taking a quality collagen protein on a regular basis, I have noticed that my complexion is much clearer, and my skin feels like it glows! On top of that, my hair, skin and nails are much healthier, and my joint pain is gone! It’s such an easy way to take care of your skin when you have limited time for skincare products.”

PROTEIN POWDER— Adequate protein consumption is truly a key to building and sustaining muscle mass. Don’t think of this as being “bulky.” Maintaining muscle takes work and is beneficial to any fitness journey. Lean muscle mass allows you to burn more calories at rest, so hitting your protein goal daily is incredibly important. Having a quality protein powder at hand allows you to ensure you hit that daily. This will also help with muscle soreness and a faster recovery time.

2. VITAMINS

Like Trainer Danielle Miller of Burn Boot Camp Gilbert, Arizona says, “Even if you eat balanced, it’s so difficult to get all of the micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) your body needs. We often stick to the same fruits and veggies we enjoy, which can allow for a gap in important vitamins.” Before we dive into some different supplements, it is important to remember that quality is key here, so be sure to check your supplements for high-quality, clean ingredients before buying! 

MULTIVITAMIN— Taking a daily multivitamin along with eating a variety of fruits and veggies will set you up for success to give your body everything it needs!

VITAMIN D— We get it—you are stuck at a desk, have errands to run and can’t just sit outside and soak up the sun. Neither can we! The truth is, we don’t get enough sun in our modern-day lifestyle. So, it only makes sense that we are missing out on some good old-fashioned vitamin D. But that doesn’t mean we should forget about it! We need it to absorb calcium and promote bone growth. Too little vitamin D can result fragile, misshapen bones in adults and other health problems like breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, depression and weight gain. Trainer David Rhodus of Burn Boot Camp Evanston, Illinois adds, “There have been multiple meta-analyses that have concluded supplementing with vitamin D can reduce the chances of catching the flu, improve bone health (and reduce the incidence of fractures) and decrease overall mortality rate in adults.”

MAGNESIUM — Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in your body. You’d be shocked to know that it is involved with over 600 cellular reactions, including regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels and blood pressure, strengthening bones and creating protein and DNA. Yet up to 68% of American adults don’t meet the recommended daily intake! Low levels of magnesium have been linked to many negative health outcomes, including overall weakness, depression, high blood pressure and heart disease. Trainer Yonit Arthur of Burn Boot Camp Apopka, Florida  adds, “It’s incredible for helping people who have sleep issues and for people who are prone to constipation.”

3. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

This is the product of adding yeast to apple juice, which turns the fruit sugars into alcohol—otherwise known as fermentation. Although highly acidic in this state, vinegar has chemicals known as polyphenols, which are antioxidants that can curb cell damage that can lead to other diseases. More studies are needed to determine its effectiveness, but Trainer Christen Jackson of Burn Boot Camp Mt. Juliet, Tennessee says that taking a tablespoon of ACV every morning “helps aid in digestion and promotes a healthy complexion, amongst other health benefits.” This definitely isn’t something you want to drink copious amounts of. In fact, drinking more than a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar can damage your teeth, hurt your throat and upset your stomach. Our trainers like to cut the acidity by taking it with a bit of honey and a dash of lemon juice right out of a shot glass, or adding it to a tall glass of ice water and using a straw so the acidity doesn’t harm your teeth. Trainer Jordan Riding of Burn Boot Camp Exton, Pennsylvania says, “I make mine as a tea with warm water, blue agave and apple cider vinegar. I also add some cayenne pepper to help with dehydration and throat sorene­­ss.” As with anything you are putting into your body, it is important to consult your doctor to make sure adding ACV to your diet is right for you, as it could interact with certain medications or medical issues.

4. SLEEP

You can eat clean, train hard and supplement your diet with the nutrients your body needs, but without sleep you are basically a walking (healthy) zombie. But really—our trainers agree that you aren’t doing all that hard work justice without giving your body the rest it needs to recover. Sleep is the prime time for the body to get its hormones back to a healthy level. Need proof?

Sore muscles? Sleep! Your brain releases the hormones that encourage tissue growth to repair blood vessels, which restores sore or damaged muscles.

Feeling under the weather? Sleep! Your immune system relies on sleep to produce more white blood cells that can attack viruses and bacteria that protect the body from infection.

Inflammation? Sleep! Your heart rate naturally slows when you are asleep, letting it take a well-deserved break so that hormones can be used to relax other muscles in the body, which leads to reduced inflammation.

Cravings? Sleep! Poor sleep patterns can impact the level of the hormones that make you feel hungry or full. If you don’t get enough sleep, your “hunger hormone” (ghrelin) levels go up and your “full hormone” (leptin) levels go down. So you may experience cravings for sugar or salt instead of the nutrients your body needs. 

Feeling down? Sleep! After a good night of sleep, hormone, energy and stress levels are all back on track. Your body has the amazing capability to adjust and restore all of these while you’re in dreamland so that you can start your day on the right foot! A healthy amount of sleep (the National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours a night for adults) helps your body feel refreshed and more prepared to face the challenges of a new day instead of feeling defeated and stressed. (Warning: A positive mood has been associated with boosted recovery outcomes and better overall well-being!)

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When you are working out hard, you are breaking down your muscle fibers and you need protein in order to rebuild and grow your muscles.

Protein also helps boost your metabolism. Your body burns 20% to 30% of calories from protein during digestion, as opposed to roughly 5% of calories from carbs and 3% of calories from fats. Ramping up your protein intake will also ramp up your daily calorie burn without any extra effort!

Eating more protein also causes your body to release more leptin, which is your hunger-suppressing hormone. This has been shown to reduce your appetite, cut your cravings and reduce your desire for late-night snacking.

While that all sounds great, I know adding more protein into your diet isn’t that easy and eating a bunch of chicken at each meal gets boring quickly! And for me personally, eating a lot of meat tends to make me feel weighed down and causes me digestive distress. So here are my top three favorite and unexpected ways to add high-protein foods that aren’t meat into my diet!

Hemp Seeds

• – Serving size: 3 tablespoons

• – Protein per serving: 10g

There are a bunch of things I love about hemp seeds, but one of my favorite things is that it is a source of protein that doesn’t require any meal prep! On days I don’t have time cook, I never have to stress because I know I can sprinkle a few tablespoons of hemp seeds on my meal to ensure I am including protein.

Most nuts and seeds—and most plant-based protein sources, for that matter—are not considered complete proteins, as they do not contain all nine essential amino acids. These sources have to be combined with other foods to form a complete protein.

Hemp seeds, on the other hand, are special because they contain all nine essential amino acids and are considered to be a complete protein. What’s so special about having a complete essential amino acid profile? Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, which is ultimately the building block of muscle. If you want to become leaner and stronger, your body requires amino acids.

Hemp seeds are also a great source of fat. For me, it’s important to always include a healthy source of fat into every meal I eat. It helps keep me satiated, my blood sugar levels in check and my cravings at bay. So with one serving of hemp seeds, I am not only getting a great source of protein but I am also getting a great source of fat.

Hemp seeds are especially a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids are found in abundance in our diet, but omega-3s are more difficult to come across. When you consume way more omega-6s than omega-3s, you promote fat storing and not fat burning. Consuming too many omega-6-rich foods also triggers inflammation in your gut, joints and other parts of your body and can even be the cause of bloating. Incorporating more omega-3s into your diet with the help of hemp seeds can help you burn fat as fuel as well as keep your gut happy and healthy!

Hemp seeds add a great nutty flavor to any dish. I often incorporate them into salads, oatmeal, yogurt and even pasta. I actually haven’t come across a dish that I haven’t enjoyed with the addition of hemp seeds!

You can find my favorite hemp seeds here.

Nutritional Yeast

•  – Serving size: 3 tablespoons

•  – Protein per serving: 9g

Nutritional yeast is another high-protein staple in my kitchen. Like hemp seeds, it’s a source of protein that requires no time to prep and is a great addition to most meals.

You’re most likely thinking, what exactly is nutritional yeast? It is a deactivated yeast that provides an amazing nutty, cheesy and savory flavor. Nutritional yeast is extremely popular among vegans, as it’s a great replacement for cheese in many recipes. It’s also a  complete protein, which as I mentioned earlier, many plant-based foods are not.

Another reason nutritional yeast is popular among vegans is because most brands fortify it with vitamin B12, which is a vitamin you miss out on when you cut animal foods out of your diet. When you become B12-deficient, serious and permanent damage can be done, such as irreversible anemia. So if you are eating a plant-based diet, nutritional yeast is not only a great source of complete protein but a great source of vitamin B12. (Side note: If you do eat a plant-based diet, I cannot stress enough how important it is to speak with your doctor about the right supplementation of B12.)

Apart from providing you with 9 grams of protein per serving, nutritional yeast also gives you a boost of fiber. Personally, I am just as aware of my fiber intake as I am of my protein, fat and carbohydrate intake. With bad gut health now being the known cause of so many health issues, I pay close attention to eating foods that fuel good gut health, and with that comes eating enough fiber each day. We can increase the good bacteria in our gut all day long through probiotics, but without providing them with anything to feed off of, that bacteria will quickly die off.

Eating enough fiber each day ensures your gut contains prebiotics for the good bacteria to live off of. Many health experts suggest a minimum of 30 grams of fiber each day, and most of us are not getting anywhere near that! Long story short, fiber is important for optimal health and nutritional yeast can help you reach your daily fiber goal.

I love getting creative with nutritional yeast in my diet. I often sprinkle a serving of it over a salad with a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt to replace unhealthy salad dressings. I also love mixing one serving of nutritional yeast with ¼ cup full-fat coconut milk and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder. This creates a cheesy-like sauce that is perfect for pouring over rice, pasta, roasted veggies and salads. I would also suggest mixing it into marinara sauce, hummus and stir-fries.

It’s important to note that nutritional yeast is not for everyone. Researchers have recommended that people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), glaucoma and hypertension avoid it, as it may make their symptoms worsen.

You can find my favorite brand of nutritional yeast here.

Tempeh

• – Serving size: 3 ounces

• – Protein per serving: 16g

Out of the three, tempeh is by far my favorite. It may look a little intimidating and not sound very appetizing, but let me tell you, it can be delicious! Tempeh has a very neutral flavor on its own and really takes the flavor of whatever you cook it with.

Tempeh is yet another plant-based protein that is considered to be a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids. Tempeh contains a higher amount of protein than both nutritional yeast and hemp seeds, with 16 grams per 3-ounce serving. It’s also a much better alternative if you are looking to replace meat on your plate, as it is has a similar texture to ground meat when crumbled.

Like tofu, tempeh is made from soybeans; unlike tofu, it is not highly processed and does not contain a long list of ingredients. Tempeh goes through a natural fermentation process, and generally soybeans are the only ingredient. It’s minimally processed and provides you with more benefits than just protein.

Since tempeh is fermented, it is a great source of prebiotics. As I mentioned before, prebiotics are essential for feeding the good bacteria in your gut and maintaining good gut health. And prebiotics provide more than just gut-healing properties—they are great for improving digestion, balancing hormones, increasing immunity, aiding in weight loss and decreasing inflammation.

Tempeh is also an amazing source of fiber, with an entire 7 grams per 3-ounce serving! If you are aiming for 30 grams of fiber a day, tempeh is a huge help for reaching that goal. Fiber is an essential part of your diet and, when included, you’ll notice you won’t need to eat as much to feel full and you’ll also feel fuller for longer between meals. Plus, if you struggle with digestive issues, incorporating more fiber into your diet can be extremely beneficial.

Tempeh doesn’t need to be cooked, and many times when I am on the go, I’ll quickly crumble it up into a salad and allow it to take the taste of my salad dressing. But there are many fun ways to cook tempeh, as it is interchangeable with ground meat and really embodies the flavor of whatever you cook it with. Take any recipe you would generally use ground meat in, toss in tempeh instead, and I promise you’ll love the flavor!

To take control of your gut health, you have to work on repopulating your gut with good bacteria as well as providing that good bacteria with an environment it can thrive in. Introducing prebiotics and probiotics into your diet is a great place to start.

Probiotics are the actual bacteria in your gut, and prebiotics are what the probiotics—or gut bacteria—live on. A simple way to look at the two is by imagining probiotics as seeds and prebiotics as soil.

So which is more important: prebiotics or probiotics? Herbalist and wellness practitioner Rachelle Robinette says, “You can make the case that prebiotics are more important because if you take probiotics but there is nothing in your gut microbiome to sustain their wellbeing, they will die very quickly.” Ultimately, consuming probiotics without prebiotics is like planting a seed in dried-up soil.

How do you add prebiotics to your diet?

Prebiotics are found in fibrous foods. Therefore, more fiber in your diet equals more prebiotics. The best way to ensure you are consuming enough prebiotics daily is by tracking your fiber intake, just as you might track your carbohydrate, protein or fat intake. If you consume at least 30 grams of fiber a day, more likely than not, you will be eating enough prebiotics to feed the good bacteria in your gut. 30 grams is a great starting point, but don’t be afraid to build from there. “There has been research on people who have eaten 100 grams of fiber a day and they have shown to have extremely diverse gut flora (good gut bacteria),” shares Rachelle.

How do you include more fibrous, prebiotic-rich foods into your diet? “I am a fan of high-fiber smoothies; it’s a simple way to boost your intake. Acacia fiber, dandelion root powder, high-fiber hemp protein, flax seeds, chia seeds, raspberries and plantains are all great high-fiber, prebiotic-rich options to blend into your protein smoothies,” says Rachelle. “You may find getting enough fiber each day is difficult at first, but if you make small swaps in your diet, it can easily be met. For example, if you eat raspberries instead of strawberries, you can increase your fiber intake by 10 grams.”

Some other great options include root vegetables (especially sweet potatoes, yuca or cassava and jicama), chicory root, garlic, onions, green bananas, cacao powder, seaweed, coconut, coconut flour and cabbage.

How do you add probiotics to your diet?

While it’s common to supplement with probiotics, you can also add probiotic-rich foods to your diet to boost your intake. Probiotic-rich foods include many fermented foods, such as kimchi, kombucha, miso, tempeh, kefir, apple cider vinegar, sauerkraut (not canned—the raw, unpasteurized kind from the refrigerated section of the grocery store) goat cheese and full-fat, grass-fed yogurt.

Probiotic supplements can also be extremely beneficial, but it can be overwhelming to figure out which probiotics actually work and which ones are a waste of money because there are many varieties out there. Dr. Mark Hyman, a physician and best-selling author, says, “When shopping for a probiotic, look for one with at least 25 to 50 billion living CFUs (colony-forming units), including the most beneficial strains like bifidobacterium bifidum, bifidobacterium longum, bifidobacterium breve, lactobacillus acidophilus, lactobacillus rhamnosus and lactobacillus bulgaricus.”

The United States does not have any federal regulations or standards for probiotic supplements, which means it’s possible to purchase ones that either do not actually contain the strains of bacteria stated on the label or, even worse, contain strains that are no longer alive. This makes it extremely important to research different brands prior to purchasing to see if there is any evidence-backed data supporting the effectiveness of the product. Dr. Mark Hyman recommends the brands Align, Culturelle and Florastor.

Will consuming prebiotics and probiotics heal your gut?

While prebiotics and probiotics are essential for a well-functioning gut, there are many everyday exposures, lifestyle habits and gut-damaging foods that you must avoid as well. To learn more about what you can do to heal your gut, listen to Coffee & Kettlebells Episode 25: Is Your Gut Healthy? Why It Matters and How to Fix It with Dr. Jennifer Noonan as well as Episode 51: Becoming Metabolically Fit with Primal Health Coach Courtney Bursich.

You don’t need to deprive or restrict yourself from feeding your body certain foods. Your body is way smarter than you think. Your body knows what it needs; you just have to listen to it.

This is where intuitive eating comes in.

What is intuitive eating?

Intuitive eating is a way of eating that resets your relationship with food.

Intuitive eating is not a weight management program. It focuses on letting your body find its natural weight. We all have a set point that our body feels its best at. When you nourish your body properly, listening to what it needs, eating when you are hungry and stopping when you feel full, your weight will level out at a point that is comfortable for your body.

Intuitive eating is not anti-nutrition—you focus on eating a balance of nutrients while still including the foods you crave into your diet. You tune into what your body is telling you it needs without restricting or depriving yourself from eating at certain times or eating certain foods. Intuitive eating focuses not only on balance but also including the foods that make you feel good. When you learn to eat this way, you build a healthier relationship with food as well as see better results in the long run.

“If you are constantly thinking about food, you are not on the right diet plan.”

“I was under-eating during the week and binge eating on the weekend, constantly thinking about food and eating a meal and thinking about what my next meal was going to be. Food was always on my mind. Since becoming an intuitive eater and balanced eater, it’s barely on my mind anymore. Of course I still think about food, but I don’t have those crazy cravings for those bad foods because I don’t have that restrictive mindset. If you are constantly thinking about food, you are not on the right diet plan,” says Morgan Kline, COO of Burn Boot Camp and host of the Coffee & Kettlebells podcast.

How do you know if you are eating right for your body?

If you experience the following symptoms, you most likely are not eating right for your body and may want to consider adopting an intuitive eating style:

• – You are constantly hungry
• – You stress and obsess about food
• – You feel deprived all day
• – You experience regular bloating
• – You have digestive issues
• – You have developed new food intolerances
• – You have eliminated entire food groups from your diet
• – You lack energy and feel sluggish, fatigued and tired
• – Your skin breaks out regularly
• – You have crazy food cravings
• – You over-restrict your calorie intake
• – You struggle with binge eating
• – You regularly yo-yo diet
• – You have lost your period

So how do you begin to eat intuitively?

What works for one person may not work for you. Intuitive eating allows you to learn to eat right for your body. You can begin eating intuitively by implementing these twelve principles into your daily life.

• – Let go of dieting
• – Give yourself permission to eat all foods
• – Give yourself permission to eat when you are hungry
• – Stop eating when you are full
• – Relate what you eat to how you feel
• – Stop defining foods as either “good” or ‘bad”
• – Don’t allow the diet industry to influence your diet/food choices
• – Eat foods that actually satisfy you
• – Deal with your emotions without using food
• – Love your body regardless of what you eat
• – Exercise
• – Focus on eating foods that make you thrive

If you struggle to give yourself permission to eat certain foods or you regularly overindulge, ask yourself the following questions:

• – Am I hungry?
• – What am I in the mood to eat?
• – Am I full?
• – How does this food make me feel?

You also want to ask yourself why you are making the food choices you are making. Are you eating certain foods because of something you read somewhere, because someone else is doing it, because your emotions are taking control or because these foods make you feel your best?

Most importantly, be honest with yourself and what your body needs.

Keep track of your answers by writing them down in a food journal, or regularly go through these questions in your head throughout your day.

Let go of “cheat meals” and allow all foods to fit.

“I think they set you up for a poor relationship with food and make you feel unnecessary guilt for eating the food you love. Cheat meals can lead to dieting, restricting and a cycle of bingeing, which can do more damage to your body overtime rather than eating the food you want.” says dietician Chelsey Amer.

If you are craving pizza on Tuesday and your cheat meal isn’t until Saturday, this leaves you with four days of salivating over pizza, obsessing about it and over-analyzing what it would do to your diet. Instead, give yourself permission to eat the pizza on Tuesday. You will save yourself a lot of mental energy and stress. Over time, you won’t be so obsessed with this “off limits” foods that you are only allowed to eat one day of the week.

“When you take food off of its pedestal, either a good pedestal or bad pedestal, it’s easier to create a much healthier relationship with food.”

“When I have a craving for pizza and make myself wait until a ‘cheat meal’ to satisfy it, I overindulge way more than I would have if I would have just eaten the pizza right when I was craving it. When I wait for that ‘cheat meal,’ I eat the entire pie. But now, when I eat the pizza right when I am craving it, I am okay eating only one or two slices. That is all that it takes to satisfy me,” says Morgan.

Don’t put your foods into a box of good or bad. Allow all foods to fit into your diet. “When you take food off of its pedestal, either a good pedestal or bad pedestal, it’s easier to create a much healthier relationship with food,” says Chelsey.

Following a meal plan and dropping a certain amount of weight in a certain amount of weeks will actually do more harm than good. When you start introducing the foods you eliminated back into your diet, you will gain the weight back. Cycling your weight, losing and gaining, causes damage to your metabolism. Intuitive eating promotes sustainable eating habits like balancing the nutrients on your plate and choosing foods that make you feel good.

How do you reach your weight loss and fitness goals while eating intuitively?

“A lot of my clients don’t know which foods will make them feel their best and which will give them the energy they want,” says Chelsey. She suggests getting educated and learning more about nutrition to find out what foods make your body feel best. It’s important to know the difference between carbs, fats and proteins, as well as the different types of each one in order to reach your health and fitness goals. Understand how each macro fits into your diet and which macros provide you with optimal energy. You may not adhere to this 100% of the time, as each day you burn more or less calories and your body’s needs will constantly be different.

If you are eating white bread every day, you may find yourself lacking energy throughout your day. When you switch to a sprouted grain bread instead, you may notice you have greater sustainable energy. With intuitive eating, you wouldn’t define sprouted grain as “good” and white bread as “bad.” You would observe your energy levels and base your choice to switch breads on how each one makes you feel.

Portion sizes have the same effect.

Eating an entire pizza most likely will make you feel sluggish the next day in your workout, but eating one piece for lunch may still provide you with the energy you need. So observe not only how each food makes you feel, but also how the portion size of each food makes you feel.

Through only eating foods that make you feel more energized and nourished, rather than sluggish and unmotivated, you will set your body up for success to reach your health and fitness goals.

If you struggle with binge eating, how can you begin to eat intuitively?

Intuitive eating may seem impossible for you if you struggle with binge eating or overindulging. Here are three steps you can take to begin eating intuitively without triggering your binge response:

1. Avoid getting overly hungry. If you are starving when you start cooking dinner, by the time you sit down to eat, it’s inevitable that you will overeat. Give yourself permission to eat when you are hungry instead of shying away from your hunger. Eat a balance of nutrients throughout your day and you will tamper down your overeating.

2. Anticipate and prepare. When you are well planned out, you are able to make the best choices for yourself. Keep snacks with you at all times so you are prepared when you get hungry. When you come prepared, you are able to choose foods that provide you with sustainable energy and reduce the chance of triggering your binge response. Keep healthy snacks in your office, your car and your bag.

3. Meal prep. “Meal prep is a great tool if that is something that works well for you,” says Chelsey. “Meal prepping doesn’t mean you have to eat the same thing every day. Cook a variety of vegetables, grains and protein and mix and match throughout the week to keep it interesting.” Keep in mind that if you are meal prepping and feel bored with what you are eating, and you are always craving more foods, meal prepping may not be working for you. That’s okay, it’s not for everyone! You don’t have to meal prep in order to eat healthy.

Is giving yourself permission to eat everything scary?

How do you you know if you are giving yourself too much permission when you start eating intuitively? You may be fearful you will allow yourself to indulge too much, leading you to gain weight.

When you first begin eating intuitively, you might find yourself eating indulgent foods more often. It’s common to overindulge in the foods you have kept “off limits” for so long, as you are now allowing these foods back into your diet, so it is normal to allow yourself to eat them more often. But when you do so, you will notice that you do not feel your best. You may feel bloated, sluggish, a foggy brain and also that you are lacking energy and nutrients.

Soon you will realize that these foods are not working for you and naturally you will begin to gravitate toward more nutrient-dense foods that provide you with optimal energy and nourishment. Chelsey says, “Over time, that shiny object syndrome for those foods you previously restricted will wear off.” The more you allow yourself to eat your previously “off limits” foods, the less power they will have over you, the less you will crave them and the less you will overindulge.

So if everyone is claiming to see amazing results from each of these diet trends, is one actually better than the others? And if you want to see better results through your diet, should you be sticking with only one?

The answer to both of these questions is no.

Many people see amazing results with a fad diet because it encourages them to become more aware of what they are eating. Either their previous diet habits included eating whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, in any amount they wanted, or they thought they were eating healthy foods but weren’t educated on what “healthy” actually means. When they began fad dieting, they were given boundaries and rules to follow, as well as better education on what healthy food really is.

Whether it’s paleo, keto, intermittent fasting or vegan, most diets have three common principles: Eat more whole foods, eat less sugar and processed foods, and either control your caloric intake or control your eating times (which helps to control caloric intake).

So if these advocates shifted their diet from eating processed carbohydrates, fats and protein to eating high-quality real food, of course they lost weight, regardless of what eating style they followed. The fad diet simply encouraged them to make better eating choices.

So is it the fad diet to thank for the amazing results or is it the healthier foods they are now consuming on a regular basis? The next time you hear that someone lost 25 pounds in two months on the ketogenic diet or by going vegan, ask what their diet was like prior to their new eating style before forming your opinion.

Another reason many people see significant results quickly through fad diets is due to losing water weight. Unfortunately, many times this weight loss isn’t real weight loss. Most processed foods are high in sugar and carbohydrates, and when you cut them out of your diet and consume more whole foods, your carbohydrate intake will drastically drop. As eating 1 gram of carbs causes you to retain 3 to 4 grams of water, reducing your intake of carbohydrates leads you to retain much less water. Therefore, the majority of the weight loss is actually water weight and if you do not stick to whatever diet you are on, you will quickly gain that weight back.

So what should you be eating?

Every person and every body is different. There is no one-diet-fits-all approach to better nutrition. Each of our bodies has different metabolisms, digestive systems, hormone levels, gut health, genetics and activity levels that all have different needs. While one person may be able to metabolize fat easily and find success eating a high-fat diet, others may not be able to digest fats as easily and fats should be limited in their diet. While someone else may have a fast metabolism and thrive on carbohydrates, someone else may have imbalanced hormones and need to control their intake.

Just because one person lost a drastic amount of weight through a certain diet trend doesn’t automatically mean you will see the same results if you jump on the bandwagon. While you might see amazing results, your body might also have the complete opposite reaction! Find what works best for you by experimenting and observing how your body feels and reacts to the foods you consume, the amounts you consume and the time of day you consume them.

Begin to observe your hunger and energy levels as well as your body composition with the foods you are eating. Take note after each meal and after a few weeks. For instance, if you regularly eat a higher carbohydrate breakfast and always feel a mid-morning hunger pang, then maybe your body is telling you it needs more fat or protein in the morning. Switch up your breakfast to eggs and notice any differences you feel mid-morning and observe if your body composition changes over a few weeks.

Through becoming mindful of what your body needs, tuning into what it is telling you and actually giving it what it needs is the right diet for you! Rather than not eating oatmeal for breakfast because you heard someone say it spikes your insulin and causes you to store fat the rest of your day, don’t eat oatmeal because maybe it doesn’t provide you with the right energy and vibrancy you need—or continue to eat because it makes you feel like you are thriving!

What if you don’t know what to look for when observing whether or not your diet is right for you?

Here are signs your diet isn’t working:

• – You are constantly hungry
• – You have intense food cravings
• – You are regularly bloated or gassy
• – You are tired all the time
• – You have irregular digestion or are constipated often
• – You get sick a lot- 
• – Your have brain fog
• – You have a lack of motivation
• – You experience regular energy crashes
• – You lose your menstrual cycle
• – You are always cold
• – Your have regular breakouts
• – You have regular mood swings

And here are signs that your diet is working for you:

• – You are energized
• – You are happy
• – You have great digestion
• – You are at peace with food and your body
• – You sleep well
• – Your mind is sharp

More importantly, what works for your body now may not be best for your body one month or one year from now. You as a person are constantly changing, and so is your body. Continue to evolve your diet as your body evolves. Don’t be rigid with high-carb, low-carb, low-fat, high-fat or whatever it may be. What your body needs right now might be different from what your body needs in the future.

So what is the best diet?

The best diet for you includes:

• – Eating habits you can maintain long term
• – Eating foods that make you thrive
• – Eating foods that satiate you
• – Eating foods you thoroughly enjoy
• – Consuming primarily whole foods
• – Eating the proper portion sizes

The diet that is NOT for you definitely does not include:

• – Quick fixes that you cannot and should not maintain long term, such as drastic caloric restriction, deprivation or diet supplements
• – Eating habits that work for other people but may not be best for you
• – Eliminating entire food groups. Life is all about balance!
• – Not being able to be social with friends and family

I want to help educate you on ways to help burn fat faster, as part of a lifestyle change, not a quick fix that is promised to you that will create miracles 3 weeks before your next planned vacation. I want to help bring out the healthier, stronger version of you through these methods which all can almost be grouped into two categories… you guessed it… diet and exercise. So here it goes, 10 Simple Ways to Burn Fat Faster.

1. Increase your protein intake – Increasing the amount of protein you get in your diet will help boost your metabolism and also help maintain your muscle mass which we will talk about later. Both increased metabolism and increased muscle mass are catalysts for burning fat. 
2. Drink more water – The more hydrated you are, the more efficiently your body will run. If you are not properly hydrated, your body will not do its job efficiently and will in turn slow down your metabolism. Slower metabolism = slower fat burning process. 
3. EAT BREAKFAST – Kick start your metabolism from the get go! Eating breakfast will get your metabolism going early, so that your body will process properly for the rest of the day. Also, if your first meal is early, you are less likely to overeat/over snack during the rest of the day as a result of being hungry. 
4. Increase fiber – Increasing your fiber through clean, healthy sources (fruits and vegetables) will help keep you fuller longer. Dark colored vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and artichokes are all great sources of fiber. 
5. Increase good fat intake – When you increase one macronutrient (protein, fat, carbohydrate) you must decrease another to reach your caloric goals. By decreasing carb intake, and increasing fat, you lower insulin levels in your body. By doing this, you allow your body to access fat stores and use them for energy, while “also allowing fat to enter and fuel your muscles (https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/how-eating-more-fat-helps-you-lose-more-weight.html) 
6. Eat smaller, more frequent meals – By doing this, you allow your metabolism to be continuously running smoothly throughout the day. 
7. Take a look at when you are consuming your carbs – The timing in which you consume your carbs, as well as the source of carbs can play a role in fat loss. Try and keep your carb consumption to the morning, and/or after your workout. This way your body will use those carbohydrates as fuel instead of storing them as fat. Also, try and get your carbohydrates form clean sources such as sweet potatoes, oatmeal, other vegetables, etc. 
8. Increase lean muscle mass (LIFT WEIGHTS! That means you too ladies!) – Increasing lean muscle mass will allow your body to burn calories even after you are done working out! Simply put, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn even at rest. 
9. Incorporate HIIT into your training – High Intensity Interval Training will give you a better bang for you buck when it comes to cardio. Adding short bursts of high intensity followed by brief rest periods will allow you to burn more calories, in a shorter amount of time. 
10. SLEEP – How great is it to be told you need to sleep more!? This means going to bed earlier for those of us who wake up before the sun. Studies show that people who get more sleep make better food choices, and consume less extra calories than those who are sleep deprived.
    

So, as you can see, these are not necessarily easy lifestyle changes to incorporate into your every day, however they are simple, necessary steps that need to be taken in order to increase fat loss. Try adding 2-3 of these methods into your daily routine to start, and see what differences you notice! Eat clean, train mean, burn fat, and become a stronger, more confident, more energetic version of you.