My BIGGEST Nutrition Pet Peeve...EVER!

"Don’t eat sugar, only eat fruit. 

Honey is bad for you only use Agave Nectar. 

Whole grains are evil and make you bloat and you should only eat fruit and vegetables and lots of nuts. 

 Fruit is too high in sugar, stay away from fruit after breakfast.

   

Don’t eat meat….just kidding eat tons of meat!  

Beans are bad, we aren't meant to digest beans.  

Milk is really a carbohydrate and it’s not good for you so stay away from that and only drink soy milk.

Soy is bad; it increases our estrogen levels and gives men “man boobs." 

Caffeine is bad for you.  

Green tea and coffee have proven health benefits; you should drink coffee and green tea. 

You should never workout on an empty stomach.  

Did you know fasted cardio is the best way to shed off fat?  If you eat a lot of food one day just fast for 24 hours the next day because you have a surplus of calories to use up as energy.

Fasting is horrible!  It will burn muscle and slow down your metabolism, you have to eat every 3-4 hours to keep your insulin levels stable and your metabolism running."    

 IT GOES ON AND ON AND ON!  Is your head pounding yet?  Are you ready to just throw in the towel because of all this gibberish?    You are probably saying to yourself, “F**k you Nutrition!”  Am I right?

(Quote from one of my favorite movies, 21 Jump Street)

"One particle of unobtanium has a nuclear reaction with the flux capacitor, carry the two changing its atomic isotope into a radioactive spider. Fuck you science!"

– Brad, aka Jenko (Channing Tatum)

There are a zillion products, companies, websites, trainers, coaches, health enthusiasts, and your average Joe who claim to know everything about what is bad and what is good for this reason and for that reason when it comes to nutrition.   

You want to know a little secret?  IT’S ALL BULL SHIT! Why? 

The deal is we all have a unique metabolism and preference for certain foods, therefore there are no simple, "one-size-fits-all" solutions for personal nutrition.

I can spend HOURS debunking all of the above random “words of wisdom” you hear and see everywhere, but that would just take too long.

Instead, I will address my biggest “pet peeve” that I am sick and tired of hearing and reading about:

           “Carbohydrates make you fat!”  

Not true.  Any of the 3 macronutrients in excess can cause body fat accumulation.

Carbohydrates (or "carbs" for short) are not the fat-promoting villain they are made out to be.  

Not only do carbs play an essential role in supporting performance, muscle growth/maintenance, and recovery for people who workout, but they also are a critical component of a healthy, balanced diet for anyone looking to lose or maintain body fat. 

The key, of course, is balance.  Everyone's body needs glucose (a simple carb) to a certain degree to function properly.  Finding the right amount of carbs, as well as proteins and fats, is the only way to obtain leanness in a healthy, sustainable way.

Bodybuilders (including bikini competitors) especially need carbs to build and maintain lean muscle mass while manipulating the dimensions of their physique.  

I am so tired of people claiming that the key to losing weight is to simply eliminate your carb intake and increase your fats.  

No or very low carbs = mental fog, reduced work capacity (crappy workouts), and flat muscles

In my professional opinion carbs are not the enemy.  Understanding the amount of carbs your body needs to function while losing or maintaining body fat levels is the key. 

Plus, there's always the issue of sustainability.

Ask yourself this question; “Am I really willing to cut out carbohydrates for the rest of my life?”  

Sure, a few weeks of no carbs or eating under 1000 calories is doable and you probably will get great results if you are looking to cut down for short term goals.  But what do you do after that?  How will you reintroduce carbs back into your diet without gaining everything back?  That’s what you need to consider if leanness is a longer term goal.   

If you are constantly restricting yourself from certain food groups then you are setting yourself up for constant stress.  Anything that is restrictive is NOT sustainable.   

Get Carb Educated

In order to make a lasting transformation, you need to LEARN how much and when you should consume your carb sources. 

This solution takes time to learn, but it is the only way to hop off the diet roller coaster and actually get the results you desire.

I know it’s funny to compare my argument to one of my favorite movies, 21 Jump Street.  But hear me out for a second. 

Channing Tatum’s character Jenko, avoided academics in high school because he didn’t want to put in the effort.  Therefore he did not LEARN anything about science and drew his own conclusion that he hated it and that he was bad at it.  

When he goes back to high school as an undercover cop and befriends “science nerds” his attitude changes towards science.  As he takes the time and effort to LEARN about science he surprisingly discovers that he actually likes it and becomes quite good at understanding the fundamentals of chemistry.  

Nutrition is a science!   It is not a trend or a gimmick.  Take the time to learn the science of nutrition and then apply it to your specific goals.  If you always cut corners to get results but never take the time to understand nutrition then you are destined to be in a constant struggle of weight gain/ weight loss, etc. 

Depending on my body composition goal, I tend to keep my carb intake between 25-35% of my total caloric intake.

You may find you do better on significantly more or less, but it is up to you (or your coach) to help you discover that amount.

Here is a simple process to help you figure out your ideal carb intake:

1) Start with 1 gram of carbs per pound of body weight

So if you weigh 150 lbs, you'll be consuming 150 grams of carbs per day


2) Save about 30 grams of carbs to consume with whey protein following your workouts

For example, have a full banana with your post workout protein shake


3) Split up the rest of your carb intake among your normal meals, such as breakfast, lunch, and dinner

So if you are 150 lbs and like to eat 3 square meals a day, have 40 grams of carbs per meal


4) Have your body fat % taken via skinfold caliper before you begin and after a full week of consistent eating and working out (yes, the body should change in one week!)


5)  Adjust your intake based on results:

If you gained both muscle and body fat, decrease your carbs slightly
If you lost muscle and gained body fat, increase carbs slightly (counter-intuitive, i know, but you are under eating)
If you lost muscle and body fat, increase your protein
If you gained muscle and lost body fat, keep going...you are right on target!

So, here is the bottom line.  Do yourself a favor and empower yourself with practical knowledge; not marketing hype.  Don’t worry about what your neighbor is doing to lose weight or the girl you see posting on Facebook every single day of herself in front of the mirror.  

As always, I encourage you to stay focused and take meaningful action.  

XOXO,

Abby