Does Intermittent Fasting Really Work?
How to do IF, LSF style
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Friday, May 31, 2019
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Friday Faves
Hi friends! Happy Friday and helloooooo from the Disney Wonder. We’re having the most magical time on this cruise and I can’t wait to report back with all of the details. In a nutshell, the Alaskan scenery is absolutely breathtaking, I’ve been eating salmon upon salmon for pretty much every meal, we’ve loved spending all of this extra time with the Pilot, and the girls are living their best Disney lives. They’ve met so many characters already and are fully enjoying all of the activities and fun aboard the ship.
It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party! Here’s where I share some faves from the week and around the web. I always love to hear about your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re lovin’ in the comments section below.
Random + fun:
Vancouver adventures. You guys. Vancouver is INCREDIBLE. We got to spend a few days in Vancouver before heading out to Alaska, but we already can’t wait to go back. There’s so much to do there and so many unique local restaurants.
While we were in town, we ate sushi at Kamei Royale,
(the sashimi salad was out of this world!),
swam at the hotel,
got gelato at Bella Gelateria
(this flavor was a mix of rose water, saffron, and turmeric)
and enjoyed a full day at the aquarium. This one was highly recommended and didn’t disappoint. The girls LOVED it and the exhibits were so much fun. We got to see live sloths, enormous sea lions, bats (!! this ended up being one of our favorites! They flew around the cave stopping to eating fruit from giant fruit skewers), a dolphin, otters, jellyfish, a tide pool, and so much more.
We took advantage of public transportation and I was thankful we didn’t have to lug carseats around. We took the Sky Train from the airport to downtown and the rest of the time, we took the bus or walked.
Another memorable meal was breakfast at 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters. We shared a few donuts (vegan double chocolate, peanut butter and jelly, raspberry cheesecake) and for my entree, I chose the keto plate with salmon instead of bacon. (Got the salmon party started early.)
Betsy and I also took an early morning Orangetheory class overlooking the water! Class on Monday morning was super intense (a 1.5 mile run followed by a 2000m row and bodyweight circuit) but a great way to start off vacation.
A recent find:
Havenly! I’ve been wanting to update the formal living room for a while now and came across Havenly. They ask for dimensions and photos of your room, info about current products you have and want to keep, and you go through a few rounds of questions for the stylist to determine your style preferences. From here, your stylist presents concepts for your room, including where to buy each of the listed products. I LOVE her idea for the formal living room! I asked for an updated feel, wanted to add a plant, and wanted to keep our leather chair and couch from World Market. Here’s what she came up with:
If you want to check it out, my referral link is here! (It gives you $50 off a full design package and $20 off a mini design.) It’s a great way to get ideas for a full refresh or just an update, especially if you’re like me and you get overwhelmed once you start looking online for products. (#notsponsored)
Fashion + beauty:
Beautycounter sunscreen. We’ve been using this a lot lately. I love that it’s mineral-based (so much better for your skin and for the earth!), and it glides on smoothly without being chalky. The kiddos also enjoy using the sunscreen stick. I always have one in my purse to put on my hands while I’m driving.
Ordered this swimsuit before we left for our trip and it’s SO cute. It’s extremely flattering and the bottoms are high enough to hide the scar on my belly. Wins all around. (It’s on sale right now, too!)
My splurge sandals. I got these in a recent Trunk Club delivery and while they looked incredible and fit well, I felt like the price tag was too steep. I was flooded with DMs on Instagram, and it was a mix of “Keep the sandals, I have three pairs and love them!” or “They have these ones that look the exact same on Amazon.” In the end, I decided to stick with the original ones because the quality is fantastic and they feel really comfortable to wear. The reviews for the Amazon ones were mixed as far as comfort goes and I’m really picky about shoes fitting well and feeling good since we’re out and about all day. The thing that sealed the deal: the Pilot saw them lying on a chair in our room while I was debating and said, “Those are really cool shoes. You’re keeping them, right?” Welp, twist my arm.
Nordstrom half-yearly sale is heeeeeere. This is pretty much a holiday (and ends this weekend).
Some fave picks from the sale:
The famous Leith dress is 20% off. I have three of these because they’re incredibly flattering and perfect to dress up or down.
Love these wedges! They give me extra height and are extremely comfortable to wear all day.
This dress is perfect for summer weddings or date nights.
Fitness:
One of my fave treadmill workouts.
An interesting reason to maybe consider that marathon…one of these days.
Read, watch, listen:
Where the Crawdads Sing. I feel like I was the last person to read this one and why did I wait?? I’ve been devouring this each night before bed. The descriptions in this book are so vivid, you feel like you’re living the story along with the main character. I can’t wait to finish this one.
The podcast will be back next week! Make sure you’re subscribed if you haven’t already, and I’ll have a giveaway next week to celebrate its return.
Good eats:
You need this s’mores in a jar.
Delicious packable sandwich options.
Can’t wait to try this baked strawberry oatmeal.
Happy Friday, friends! Hope you have a beautiful weekend.
xo
Gina
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Thursday, May 30, 2019
5 personal trainer red flags
When I first started working with a personal trainer (in college) I had no idea what to expect. I got suckered into a contract through a big box gym – it was a pickle to get out of it, let me tell ya – and had a guy with very little experience training me. He had a high school degree and no fitness-related certifications. I learned a lot about muscle groups and how to strength train in the first couple of weeks, but it went south very quickly. For example, he told me to get a bagel with cream cheese after each training session but also said I should only eat 1000 calories per day. (<— never ever do this)
Now that I’ve been in the fitness industry and have been certified as a personal trainer for 10 years (!), I thought I’d share some red flags I wish I would have known as a personal training CLIENT. We all know that personal trainers should support clients as they work towards their goals in a safe and strategic manner. There are so many incredible trainers out there, but unfortunately, there are some jokers in the mix.
Here are some red flags to look out for when you’re considering working with a personal trainer:
– They don’t do any type of movement assessment before training you. A good trainer should be able to determine your strengths, weaknesses, and body composition, and use this information to develop your training plan. You should also complete a Par-Q (which determines your readiness for exercises), a health history form, and a form that indicates your exercise experience and goals. The first meeting should be very little training; lots of paperwork and movement assessments. You’ll often have to do something like a 3-minute walk or jog, an upper body strength and/or agility test, lower body strength and/or agility, overhead squat assessment, push, and/or pull assessment.
– They don’t help you with proper form. As a gym-goer, it’s surprising for me to see trainers with their clients, and they’re not actively watching them. They should be correcting you along the way to make sure you’re executing the moves safely and with proper form. If they’re daydreaming, or looking at someone else: red flag.
– They tell you what and how much to eat. This is a huge NO. It’s outside the scope of our practice to tell clients what and how much to eat. We cannot give specific eating plans. However, we can share healthy meal ideas! If your trainer writes you a meal plan without any background training (like an RD or reputable nutrition certification), bye Felicia. This also holds true for supplements. The only person who should consult you on the types of supplements to use is a medical professional. This also holds true for medical diagnoses. A good trainer will always refer you to a medical professional if you need specialized care.
– They spend the whole time talking about themselves. Yes, friendly banter is important (and makes the session more fun) but the emphasis should be on YOU: your goals, your family, your jobs. If you want to talk about it! And if you want to be silent while your trainer counts reps and corrects form for you, totally cool.
– They don’t create a plan for you, and seem to “wing it” each time. Many trainers will wing sessions based on a goal they have in their mind. At the same time, they should have a file for you with weight progressions (how much you’re squatting, etc.) so they know how to build up. They should also phase your training (an endurance phase, a max strength phase, and a hypertrophy phase) so you don’t hit a plateau.
So tell me friends: have you worked with a personal trainer? What was your experience like?
Any red flags you’d add to the list?
xo
Gina
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Wednesday, May 29, 2019
How to Stay in Shape Despite Working Weird Hours: Surviving the Graveyard with Workouts and Meal Plans
If you work a 12 hour or night shift, this guide is going to be a game-changer.
Working weird hours provides a challenge for those looking to get in shape, so I’ll provide a step-by-plan to help you reach your fitness goals.
Because I’m nice like that. And I like you.
This is 100% doable.
After all, Batman is super ripped and he works nights too.
Today we’ll cover:
- How to lose weight working a 12 hour or night shift? Diet is still the most important thing.
- How to not gain weight while working 12 hour and night shifts: Avoid these things!
- What liquid calories will help your 12 hour or night shift.
- What foods to avoid on a 12 hour or night shift.
- Workout routines for a 12 hour or night shift.
- Prioritizing healthy living 24/7.
Weird hours be damned, I’m gonna help get you healthy.
These are the exact strategies we work with our night-shift clients in our 1-on-1 Coaching Program! Although each situation is unique, we have certain principles that are universal and can help you start living healthier even when your work life is crazy.
Want to see if we are a good fit for each other? Click on the button below to schedule a free call. We’d love to talk to you, no matter what!
How to Lose Weight Working a 12 Hour or Night Shift?
Now, whether you work weird hours or normal hours, diet is still responsible for 80-90% of your success or failure when it comes to staying healthy.
80-90 PERCENT.
This is both a blessing and a curse. It means you don’t need to freak out if you miss a workout after a long night shift, but it also means you gotta take care of yourself while you are working.
Simply put, if you’re not losing weight, it’s because you’re eating too many calories. So if you’re trying to lose weight while working a night shift or working 12-hour shifts, you need to find ways to eat fewer calories without driving yourself crazy.
I’m a fan of any diet that gets you to accomplish this goal, but you’re a unique snowflake, and you know yourself better than others. So any “diet” may help you, as long as you have access to food for that particular way of eating.
This isn’t a problem, as we have a plan for that!
This just means you need to become the master of meal preparation.
“But Steve I don’t have time to prepare food!” you say.
Yeah, I heard you.
What you’re REALLY saying is, “But Steve, preparing food ahead of time isn’t a priority for me.”
If you are working overnight shifts, you’re gonna need to bring in your own food. Want to know how easy it is?
Here are 3 easy steps to feed yourself on a graveyard shift:
- Purchase a bunch of chicken breast on Sunday Night (or whatever night you actually have off). Cook them on a tray in the oven, ALL of them. Put them in separate containers or bags in your fridge.
- Purchase a bunch of $1 steam fresh bags of frozen veggies. Stick them in the fridge at your workplace.
- Need more calories/carbs in your diet? Buy some sweet potatoes. Microwave one and put it on your plate.
In about 3 minutes and minimal effort, you know have a well balanced meal.
“But that’s boring!” Sheesh, I have to do EVERYTHING, huh? Welp, get creative, sucka!
- Chop up the chicken and put it in a big salad with whatever you prefer (and keep in your fridge).
- Make stir fry, put some in containers in your fridge, and then heat it up on your break.
- Google “chicken paleo marinade” and mix up how you prepare chicken. Or steak. Or pork. Or salmon.
YES, this does require effort. YES, this does require preparation. YES, it does work. YES, you will find your rhythm with it.
Again, it comes down to two things: priorities and excuses:
Do you REALLY not have time? Or are you using “I don’t have time” as a crutch to eat poorly and feel sorry for yourself? I’m currently playing the world’s smallest violin for you. And it sounds terrible, because I haven’t played the violin since second grade.
Is your job REALLY stopping you from being healthy? Or is it a convenient excuse to use when you go to Taco Bell or the vending machine?
Remember: nobody believes your excuses except for you. You can do this. Just don’t let “perfect’ be the enemy of the good.
How to not gain weight while working 12-hour and night shifts: Avoid these things!
Let’s talk about things to eat and avoid while on shift work: the good, the bad, the ugly.
Whether you’re at a desk or up stocking shelves or making your rounds, you probably deal with one of four points:
- Exhaustion: Let’s be honest, when you work a night shift or early shift, you never get as much sleep as if you were sleeping during the night with normal hours.
- Lack of “time.” If you’re working long days/nights and trying to raise a family/have a social life, food preparation probably doesn’t figure into your schedule. You need convenience, even if you have to pay a bit more for it.
- Hunger: If you forgot to pack your “meal” or “meals,” your only option is to eat what you can find, which is unlikely to be healthy at that time of day.
- Boredom: If you are making rounds or stuck at a desk during the middle of the night, there may be more periods of down time than if you were working during the day.
So you’re tired, hungry, bored, and struggle with time management. Where do you turn? Caffeine! Now, I have no problem with Caffeine. I wake up every morning and drink a few cups of green tea while sitting at my desk to write. We’ve even covered caffeine extensively on this site already. The short version? Don’t get caught in bad liquid calorie trap:
- Empty liquid calories are the devil. If you are drinking soda, energy drinks, or lattes for the caffeine, understand that you are also probably consuming hundreds of calories and 50+ grams of sugar. And these extra calories are contributing to your waistline. So read the labels or do the research before you drink six Monster drinks, a case of coke, or a Coffee Coolata.
- If you’re going to get caffeine, get it from a healthy source: Black coffee, green tea, and as a last resort, a no calorie or low-calorie energy drink (Monster Zero Carb, for example). Try to wean yourself off the gallons of caffeine and work your way over to black coffee/green tea as time goes on. Hopefully, once you start exercising, you’ll have more energy and need less caffeine to survive your shifts.
Avoid the drinks that don’t give you any nutritional value and are full of sugar and calories. See if you can get your caffeine from better sources. Speaking of better sources of calories…
What Liquid Calories Will Help Your 12 Hour or Night Shift
Low on time? Need a meal? Make yourself a smoothie!
Depending on what you put into it or where it comes from, a smoothie can be an incredibly healthy option for meals during the night or as you’re running out the door to your shift.
A few tips on making smoothies: Buy yourself a cheap blender (or, a ridiculously nice one). Have one at home, or in the break room at work.
Give this recipe a shot for a smoothie that will get you through your shift:
- Frozen fruit (I usually go with the strawberries or berry medley from Trader Joe’s).
- A cup of unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened coconut milk, or cold water.
- A scoop of protein (I use Optimum Nutrition Vanilla, but I hear the Chocolate is delicious).
- A few ice cubes if you want to ‘thicken it up’ a bit
- (Optional) Organic frozen spinach. Doesn’t change the taste, but gets you a serving of veggies.
I drink a smoothie similar to the one above for a meal almost on a daily basis (though I add in extra carbs and calories because I’m attempting to pack on extra weight).
Can’t bring a blender to work? Stick a scoop of protein in a shaker bottle, and BAM – there’s 25 g of protein prepared in 60 seconds. Add a bag of mixed veggies from the microwave and you’ve got yourself a really weird meal that is pretty damn easy to prepare and pretty damn good for you.
A word of caution: Smoothies from Smoothie King don’t count, as they have more sugar than two cans of Coke and HUNDREDS of calories. Naked Juices are also terrible for you. They might look healthy, but they’re not. LOOK AT THE LABEL AND PAY ATTENTION TO THE SUGAR CONTENT!
Foods to Avoid on a 12 Hour or Night Shift
Now, along with empty liquid calories, let’s talk about empty food calories.
When you are at your desk, are you eating snacks while answering the phone or while on your rounds through the hospital?
Personally, I’m a big fan of No Snacking, as I find I tend to eat more calories than I need during the day, simply because I’m not paying attention (check out the research in that snacking article for more).
Bring some healthy snacks with you if you’re going to be snacking. My personal favorite would be apple slices with almond butter, but don’t forget almond butter can be very high calorie and easily over-consumed too
If you struggle with overeating, look at your snacking at your night job. Are you eating because you are bored? Are you eating because you’re not paying attention? Are you eating because you’ve trained your body to expect food every 5 seconds?
If it’s any of these things, try the “No eating AND _________” strategy:
- No eating and surfing the internet.
- No eating and watching TV shows.
- No eating AND _____.
If you’re going to eat, that’s the only thing you’re going to do. This can help you not accidentally, absentmindedly over calories.
At the end of the day, it comes down to one thing: ACTUALLY taking an active role in your health. As they say, “Don’t sacrifice what you really want for what you want RIGHT NOW.” That candy bar won’t make you feel better long-term. Neither will those chips. If you want to change your life, you need to stand up for yourself and decide that you are going to make better decisions.
Workout Routines for a 12 Hour or Night Shift
Let’s move onto the other 10-20% of the equation: exercise!
It’s no surprise around these parts that I’m a HUGE proponent of strength training. Guys like Joe (above) travel two weeks a month and yet still manage to have tremendous transformation because they are smart with their time.
From an efficiency standpoint, no other type of exercise gives you as much bang for your buck (aka: the most results with the least amount of time spent exercising).
You can get an incredible workout that exhausts all of your muscles and burns a crazy number of calories (not just during the workout, but in the hours afterward as your body tries to rebuild all of the muscle). Just reference any Nerd Fitness success story, all built with strength training and healthy eating.
So, if your time is limited, and your focus is staying healthy/losing weight, you need to be strength training and walking.
When’s the best time to work out? When you will actually do it! If you find yourself too exhausted after your 12 hour shift (and I don’t blame you), then get your workout done before you go to work, even if you only have twenty minutes! Yeah, it might require you cutting your nap a bit shorter, but you’ll actually do it!
As far as the workout itself...
You don’t need to be going to a gym (though if you do, big lifts like squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, and pull ups are going to get you the best results – ask Staci), you can work out at home before your shift starts with a simple workout like the Beginner Bodyweight Circuit.
I know you don’t need a gym to grow strong because we see it daily here in the Rebellion. We work with coaching clients and design custom programs that take into account each person’s work environment, home environment, and equipment they have available. It works.
We also have the Nerd Fitness Academy which gives you more body weight routines and gym routines if you’re looking for specific instruction and exercise demonstrations.
If you are somebody that works a few days on (for long shifts) and a few days off, try this: a really intense strength building routine on your first day off from work and again on your last day. Two strength training days combined with walks and proper eating (on your work days) is more than enough to get you quality results.
Spreading out the Workout Throughout Your Long Shift
Don’t be afraid of simply exercising here and there, when you can.
Check out the Angry Birds Workout and split up your workout throughout your shift:
- Do squats in the supply closet. Weirdo? YUP. Who cares?
- Push-ups and planks in your cubicle.
- Pull-ups on the bus stop overhang waiting to go to work? I’ve been there.
- Dumbbell rows with your desk and briefcase/backpack.
- Walking up the stairs on your break. Why not?
It all adds up, and every little bit is better than nothing. The strength training benefits are key, but there’s one other key benefit to exercising throughout the day.
Staying Active During Your 12 Hour or Night Shift
Along with strength training, just staying active will help you think healthy.
I actually have a timer (FocusBooster) on my laptop that goes off every 15 minutes to remind me to get up, walk around, stretch, do some push-ups, etc. Your phone can do the same thing! Technology, amazing.
Stand up at your desk if you can – mix up standing and sitting.
Go for a walk around the office. If you are a nurse or doctor you are probably already doing a considerable amount of walking to make your rounds, so keep it up.
The reason for staying active is so important is three-fold:
- Every little bit counts. That push-up, those squats, that extra mile walked…they all add up!
- Your brain keeps thinking “I am active.” Because it has to work more when you move! Remember, diet is 80% of your success or failure. When you exercise and constantly stay active, you are consistently reminding yourself that you are making healthier decisions, and these should carry over to your eating decisions too. Exercising and eating poorly is kind of like paddling a row-boat with one oar – you’re just spinning in circles. Work both together and dominate!
- Exercising can make you smarter and more alert at work. Detailed incredibly well in the book Spark, studies have shown that exercising can increase brain activity and performance. Healthier on the outside, smarter on the inside = NERD FITNESS WIN.
Prioritizing healthy living 24/7
Remember, it comes down to one thing: taking an active role in your health.
1) Don’t use the job as an excuse, and instead remind yourself that you are in control. You don’t need anybody’s permission to get healthy.
2) It adds up. Every little change. Every meal you switch up. Every minute of exercise.
3) Plan out your day. Spending 5 minutes identifying what you’ll eat and when you’ll work out makes you WAY more likely to actually follow through with it.
Leave a comment and share your story and struggles with the Rebellion. I’d love to hear from you:
Do you work a night shift or have funny hours?
Have you had success and want to share your tips and tricks?
Have a REALLY funky job and need more help (Deathstar operator, daytime student/nighttime superhero)? Post below and I’ll see what I can do.
Let’s get weird with it.
-Steve
PS: Still reading? Want more help?
I’ll again remind you of our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program.
Here’s how it works: we get to learn your goals, lifestyle, challenges, and situation: Kids? An old injury? Graveyard shift?
No problem!
We’ll then pair you with a coach from Team Nerd Fitness that fits your personality and situation. Click below to find out if we are a good fit for each other.
###
Photo source: cross-eyed owl, taco bell sign, red bull, smoothies, chips, catdog
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Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Crop Top Crunch Time Phone Wallpapers
New phone inspo!
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Monday, May 27, 2019
KEEP IT FRESH!
The freshness of ingredients is *critical* in the pursuit of optimal nutrition. I’ve written extensively about purchasing fresh produce in the past, but a consideration which has been often overlooked and which is starting to be highlighted in new studies, is the importance of the packaging itself. This post touches upon that subject, and is in partnership with Noluma, leaders in light protective packaging technology and certification – together, we hope to raise awareness as to why this is an important consideration for consumers. To me, the reassuring knowledge that I’m *actually* getting the promised freshness, taste and nutritional content (vitamins & minerals) from my food is important. I’m a cynic, and often question whether the label tells the honest story. Noluma’s commitment is to provide light protective packaging technology that will help consumers get the nutritional content they are expecting, and that works for me. Click MORE to see the full take…
Research shows that food and drink exposed to indoor lights, because it is not properly packed, degrades in freshness, taste, colour and nutrition from the moment it’s made, while it’s on shelf and until the time it is consumed. By shortening shelf life, inadequate packaging can also create more waste. It varies by packaging type, but it happens across a range of glass and plastic bottles.
With an hour of light exposure, for example, up to 28% of the milk’s Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) content (important for growth and turning carbohydrates, fats and protein into fuel for the body) can be lost. Not only that, but flavour begins to degrade after only 15 mins of light exposure, and the Vitamin A content can halve in only 16 hours.
Noluma advises on light-blocking packaging to preserve nutritional freshness, and certifies products which meet their gold standard accordingly. The notion that foodstuffs ‘should be kept in the dark, but consumers shouldn’t be’, very much resonates with me, and I hope it might with you too.
Faya x
Want to do something about it? It’s time to ask for milk bottles and cartons to be light-protected and certified. How? Let your favourite retailer or milk brand know you want them to light protect their products. Visit lightdamageisreal.com today and stand up for milk goodness!
______________________
This post is a sponsored collaboration with Noluma. For more about why I take on such projects, please see my DISCLOSURE page. Thank you.
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Les Mills On Demand Review
This isn’t a sponsored post, but my friends at Les Mills offered you a free 30-day trial! Get yours here. It’s such a fun way to get in workouts at home or while you’re traveling.
When I’m home with the girls, workouts can be hit or miss. P only goes to school for half days – fellow mom friends know that’s just enough time to eat breakfast, run an errand or two, and it’s time to go back – but on the two days she stays for lunch, I can squeeze in a workout. On the half days, I work out at home. This is what I’ll also be doing now that summer is here and they’ll only be at camp for half days.
I’m so thankful for options I can do while the girls play, whether it’s a ride on my Peloton bike or an on demand workout. I usually start a workout with zero expectations, so if something happens and I can’t finish it’s NBD, but I find that I’m usually pleasantly surprised. It’s not too bad to sneak in a workout with the girls at home if I need to, and I feel like when they see my exercise here and there, they notice that it’s a priority for me to move and be active.
Recently, I got to check out the new platform for Les Mills On Demand and was so PUMPED (<— pun?) by the variety and the quality of classes. When I first tried it out, I was pregnant with P, and the available classes were awesome, but they were different from what’s currently available. Many of the classes were the same videos we receive as instructor training, and sometimes it didn’t translate just right for an at-home workout. They’ve completely revamped the site, added new classes (including classes that were specifically filmed for On Demand), and it’s such a great way to shake up your routine and get an awesome sweat at home. They have over 600 classes to choose from!!
Here are some of my favorite workouts:
BODYPUMP:
BODYPUMP is the muscular endurance barbell workout that I fell in love with years ago. It continues to get better over time as they add more recent tracks and new exercises to the format. They offer tutorials on the common BODYPUMP exercises, along with shorter classes (for example, 30-minute remixes and classes focused on solely upper body or lower body). There are also a ton of the hour-long classic classes, which I love.
BODYFLOW:
This was my first time taking a BODYFLOW class and I really enjoyed this fusion of yoga, Tai Chi, and Pilates. They incorporate breathing elements into the flow, and I felt calm and centered when it was over. As someone who doesn’t like to hold poses for a long time, it felt great to MOVE and breathe the entire time. I’ll definitely be adding this one into my rotation.
BODYATTACK:
OMG. BODYATTACK makes me feel like a fierce ninja. The movements sync so perfectly with the music, and I feel like it hypes me up with endorphins. This class is focused on conditioning, strength and agility moves, so you’ll do burpees, squats, and push-ups in between cardio drills and agility work. This workout felt extremely balanced and INTENSE. I can’t wait to do it again this week!
Les Mills GRIT:
I’ve had the opportunity to take live GRIT classes at the IDEA conferences, and they destroy me in the best way possible. They’re a 30-minute High Intensity Interval Training workout, and they offer three varieties: cardio, strength, and plyo.
More of the classes they offer On Demand:
BODYCOMBAT
CXWORX
SPRINT (cycling)
RPM and Immersive Cycling (The Trip)
SH’BAM
BARRE
DANCE (hip hop, contemporary, and house)
You guys. There’s so much to choose from. I’m so excited to continue to try out new workouts, especially since our gym doesn’t offer Les Mills classes.
Pros about Les Mills On Demand:
– My #1 favorite thing about Les Mills is their dedication to safety. All of their classes are designed with purpose and tested for effectiveness, safety, and motivational techniques. I also love that they hold their instructors to such high standards. It was the most challenging and informative certification process that I’ve completed. The videos are lead by master trainers, who inspire me to be a better instructor every time I take a class.
– If you click on a workout, they break it all down for you. You’ll know what equipment you need, the song tracks, and the exercises beforehand. This is perfect for those who want to avoid certain exercises for injury purposes (though they do provide modifications), or like to know what they’re doing in advance.
– The comments section is a gold star. You can read what fellow participants thought of the workout. 
Cons:
Some of the formats require equipment, which you can purchase through the website. Usually it’s not a big deal – especially if you have some dumbbells and a mat at home – but you may need to seriously modify or skip a small few of the formats. For example, I don’t have a step, so I didn’t try any of the BODYSTEP workouts.
I’ll be incorporating some of these workouts in Summer Shape Up (as backup options when you don’t want to do the official workout or would like to switch it up), and here’s a plan I put together for the next few weeks until the Shape Up begins.
I was so excited when Les Mills offered to share a free 30-day trail with you through my referral link. Click here to set it up! I hope you love it as much as I do.
Have you tried Les Mills before? What’s your favorite format?
xo
Gina
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Sunday, May 26, 2019
Crop Top Crunch Time Week 1
5/27
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Saturday, May 25, 2019
5 Min. Easy Breakfast to De-bloat!
Ginger Pear Yogurt for the win!
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Friday, May 24, 2019
Friday Faves
Hi friends! The weekend is here! What do you have going on? We’re headed to Vancouver for our Disney Alaska cruise and CAN’T WAIT for the fun. The Pilot hasn’t taken this much time off work in forever – last time was when P was about 6 months old and we had two weddings to attend- so I’m really looking forward to a true family vacation. The girls are so pumped about seeing their favorite princesses, and I’m looking forward to relaxing and a couple of fun excursions we have planned. I’ll still be blogging next week so be sure to check in! Of course I’ll share a full recap of the cruise when we’re back, too.
(Not packed yet, but Disney nails are done. #priorities)
For now, it’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party! These are some of the things I’m lovin’ this week, and as always, please share any faves in the comments section.
Random:
Your Vancouver recommendations. We’ll be in Vancouver, Canada for a couple of days, and I put the call out on Instagram for fun things to do a places to eat. You never disappoint with incredible recommendations, and here are all of the things I added to the list:
– Bike around the Sea Wall
– The Vancouver Lookout
– Grouse Grind hike
– Science world/ aquarium
– Capilano suspension bridge
– Drinks at the Diamond
– Fly Over Canada
– Eat: Nuba Lebanese, Vancouver Urban Winery, Nicli Antica Pizza, Chambar (for mussels), Artista Pizza, food trucks (and an amazing grilled cheese food truck), Earnest Ice Cream, Earl’s in Ambleside, Purebread Bakery (many recs for this one!!), Cafe Media, Japadog’s, Miku Sushi (reserve a spot in advance), Deep Cove for Honey’s Donuts, Rain or Shine ice cream, banana coconut latte at Giovane, Red fish blue fish, The Acorn (plant-based), Vij’s (apparently the best Indian food ever; line up 30 min before opening to be in the 1st seating), Shabusen (all you can eat sushi and Korean bbq), Jam Cafe for the best breakfast, Tavola for dinner (amazing garlic chicken), Twisted Fork Bistro (brunch), Lucky donuts, Hubbub sandwiches, Virtuous Pie (many recs for this), Juice Truck, Heirloom, Guu Izakaya, Asian food on Robson street, Nelson the Seagull for avocado toast.
I wish we could be there for a month after reading all of these suggestions!
Summer fun!! Yesterday was our first official day of summer break and the girls and I did it up right. I rode the Peloton before everyone was moving, and then we had breakfast at home before getting ready for the day. We started the activities at the mall to get mini bottles of shampoo + conditioner, a giant stuffed dragon (to match P’s new giant pink flamingo), and candy from the candy store.
After that, I took the girls rock climbing at Bloc for almost 2 hours (!!) and then we came home for lunch and some math. I’m trying to avoid the “summer slide” so Liv and I worked on word problems for a little while and P colored a numbers worksheet. They played outside for the rest of the afternoon while I did some chores, madre hung out with them while I got my vacation nails, and then we met up with the fam for Taco Thursday.
Good eats:
LOVING Beyond Meat!! I decided to give it a try after seeing it at pretty much every grocery store. I got a pack of the hot Italian sausage, and it’s kind of creepy how meat-like it is. The flavor is great and it tastes just like real chicken sausage. I read online that their target demographic is people like me: those who eat meat, but are willing to explore other options and diversify their diet. I’m absolutely going to buy these again and can’t wait to try the burgers.
(This was lunch yesterday. Cauliflower gnocchi from Trader Joe’s cooked in the skillet with Beyond Meat Italian sausage, then I added arugula and basil from our little garden and a drizzle of Primal Kitchen Caesar dressing. This combo needs to be repeated.)
Read, watch, listen:
Yogis who are working to end the stigma associated with mental health.
3 things that bring me hope, perspective, peace, and strength.
The podcast will be back the week of June 3! Make sure you’re subscribed and ready to go.
The War of Art. This book is a serious kick in the pants and just what I needed when motivation was lagging. We’re truly our own worst enemies when it comes to creative content; doubting ourselves, questioning the outcome, and wondering if anyone cares. The section on imposter syndrome really spoke to me, and the author said when you doubt yourself, you’re doing a good job. [I just realized I’ve already featured this in Friday Faves but was worth another mention because it really is that good!]
Why you’re more likely to cry on an airplane.
Fashion + beauty:
Memorial Day shopping! There are so many great sales happening this weekend.
Here are some of my top finds:
Express: 40% off everything! Love this dress, these pants, this swami, and this romper.
gap: 40% off everything with code READY. I’m stocking up on summer dresses for the girls like this one, this one, and this one.
Athleta: 20% off women’s swim! How cute is this blossom rash guard?
J. Crew: 40% off sitewide with code SHOP40. I’m obsessed with this maxi dress and strangely excited that are back in style.
Pottery Barn: tiered savings through the weekend. I’m going to lurk their outdoor furniture since our patio is still pretty bare.
Madewell: 20% off dresses and shoes with code PERFECTMATCH. This dress is so cute with sneakers.
Saks Off Fifth: extra 20% off select styles.
Beautycounter is also offering a Memorial Day promo, and if you spend $125, you’ll get a free sunscreen combo pack of the sunscreen mist and a 1 oz of the sunscreen lotion. If you’re looking to switch to safer skincare and beauty products, sunscreen is an awesome starting point. Conventional sunscreens contain chemicals that are being questioned for their safety, and can also be damaging to ocean ecosystems. The Beautycounter mineral-based sunscreen works extremely well and is an option that’s safe for your family and the earth.
Happy Friday, friends!
I’ll see ya on Monday with some new workout ideas you can do during summer break.
xoxo
Gina
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Thursday, May 23, 2019
Acai you, summer
Hi friends! Hope you’re having a lovely week. I had so much fun reading your comments yesterday. Glad I’m not the only one who Googles everything all day long.
Summer is officially here!
Here’s the girls on their first day of school,
and here they are yesterday!
I can’t believe how much they’ve grown and learned this year. We spent a majority of their school year with the Pilot away, and the girls still flourished even though we were all missing him. I’m SO.EXCITED for summer. We have lots of fun stuff on the horizon: vacations, family bbqs, camps, swimming for hours each day, and the best part:
no alarms.
We made Livi’s lunch every day this year for school – she didn’t buy school lunch because a few moms have told me it’s horrible. It was a lot of mornings of rushing around the house, braiding hair, saying, “We’re going to be late!” at least 80 times, and racing out the door. I’m not going to miss any of that haha. I feel so excited to have some time to slow down and enjoy the morning. Today, we’re off to the mall and heading to the pool when it warms up.
Yesterday was a low-key day. I was feeling significantly better from the cold, so I ran a couple of errands in the morning, then when P was done with school, we met up with friends for celebratory acai bowls and smoothies. We hung out in the courtyard for a bit, stopped into Mildred & Dildred, then came home for naptime.
Dinner was the classic Harney cobb: romaine, grilled chicken, turkey bacon, boiled egg, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, and Primal Kitchen Ranch.
Our lil veggie garden is flourishing, so I’m looking forward to the day when we can step outside and gather the ingredients to make a salad.
Right now, we have basil, carrots, zucchini, bell pepper, tomatoes, spinach, and arugula. I had planted rosemary and mint, too, but so many people on IG let me know that mint is best in its own pot or it will take over everything else. The zucchini is already going crazy!
I also planted some flowers by our succulents, and am shocked that they’re still alive. The red flowering plant is a sun parasol and I’d love to get a few more.
For today, I’d love to know what you’re most excited about this summer. Any vacations planned? Also, Summer Shape Up will be here towards the end of June, so get ready for that. I’ll have some workout ideas you can do in the meantime up on Monday.
Have a great day and I’ll see ya in the morning with some faves.
xo
Gina
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Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Latest most random Google search
File this one under creepy pick-up lines.
The other night, I was searching for “Do people speak Dothraki?” <— the language that they speak in Game of Thrones. I was ecstatic to find out that yes there are people that INTO IT to learn an entire fictional language, and it also made me stop and think about all of the weird/random things I search for during the day.
In lighthearted jest, many of my friends make fun of my penchant for Googling things. I will google anything and everything, and seriously the thought of Google glasses make my heart giddy with delight because I could instantly find that pair of pants that girl is wearing, or diagnose my illness (kidding but not kidding), or just know random things I’ve always wanted to know. Anyone else? Am I just a weird person with this?
And maybe it’s in my current cold delirium, but I thought this would make a fun idea for a blog post.
What’s the most random thing you googled lately?
On my list:
– How to stop thumb sucking. Everyone says “they’ll stop when they’re ready,” but it was causing her jaw and teeth to move. Most of the time she didn’t notice she was doing it, so we would just kindly remind her throughout the day. After about 5 weeks or so, I looked online for other ideas. We ordered these overpriced gloves (“You get to wear cool gloves like Elsa and these ones have an octopus on them!”) but she wore them for about 30 seconds. Next, I found this stuff which had good ratings on Amazon. It tastes pretty bitter, and after reading the reviews, I knew to just put a tiny bit on her thumb right on the middle instead of painting the entire nail. I think by this point she was ready to stop; she had no prob with me painting it on after I told her what it was. It worked instantly and P is now the proud owner of the enormous stuffed flamingo she’s been wanting for at least a month.
– Today’s Orangetheory workout. (<— from this past weekend before I came down with this cold thing) Do you guys know about this Reddit thread? It’s PURE GOLD if you’re an OTF fan. I always lurk the workout or the schedule before I sign up, especially since I only have one class a week. I love knowing the workout in advance so I can pump myself up for it.
– S-corp vs LLC. I’m going to try and transition to S-Corp for the blog which should be a bundle of fun but worth it for tax purposes.
– Belt bag. I came across this one and it’s pretty lovely. Just not sure 100% on board with the trend yet, so I love that it converts to a regular crossbody,
– What is colloidal silver? Madre dropped some off to me when my throat was hurting like a thousand daggers. She also brought a framed family pic and some Frida Kahlo socks because she’s the best ever.
– Book suggestions like Crazy Rich Asians. I finished the trilogy and am so sad it’s over. I couldn’t find anything similar that caught my eye, so I downloaded Educated and Where the Crawdads Sing for our trip. I’d love any must-read suggestions you have.
So tell me, friends: what’s the weirdest thing you had to know lately?
Have a wonderful day and I’ll see ya soon!
xo
Gina
Ps. Amazing Beautycounter promo is live today! Get a free sun set (3 oz. sunscreen mist and 1oz. lotion) when you purchase $125 worth of products. If you’re looking to make a swap to safer options, sunscreen is a great starting point, especially since chemical sunscreens are finally being questioned for their safety. You can check out the article here! If you’re shopping and need help, please let me know! I highly recommend the overnight peel, dew skin, cleansing balm, and the Color Intense lipstick (garden party and brunch are my current faves).
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Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Self Care for Weight Loss
Self care your way to strong.
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Monday, May 20, 2019
Does the Military Diet Actually Work?
So you’re interested in enlisting in the Military Diet, eh cadet?
Not so fast there.
This is a seriously controversial diet – and that’s not including the fact it has NOTHING to do with the military – so let’s discuss the following first (click to go that answer):
- What is the Military Diet?
- What does the Military Diet plan look like?
- Will the three-day Military Diet help you lose weight?
- Are there any benefits to the Military Diet?
- Are there any drawbacks to the Military Diet?
- Where did the Military Diet come from?
- Is the Military Diet safe?
- FAQ on the Military Diet
- Alternatives to the Military Diet
Now step in line!
What is the MIlitary Diet? How does the Military Diet work?
If the Military Diet could be described in two quick words, those words would be “short term calorie restriction.”
Crap, that’s four words.
Ahem.
The diet focuses on ruthlessly cutting out calories in order to spur weight loss. There are some claims out there that you can lose up to ten pound in one week on the Military Diet. Which would be impressive – and should also be setting off your skeptical spidey-senses.
So I can understand your curiosity, recruit.
Now you’re thinking: “What exactly does ‘calorie restriction’ look like Steve?”
How about one meal consisting of just a single piece of bread, a half cup of tuna, and some black coffee.
That’s it. If you ask for more food you’ll be forced to climb a rope.
The Military Diet is broken into two stages, one for three days and the other for four.
- 3-day plan on the Military Diet. For three days, breakfast, lunch, and dinner is picked out for you. You get this meal only soldier, nothing more! Forget about snacking. For three days, every single crumb is accounted for. I’m only slightly exaggerating. And these three meals only add up to 1,000 calories per day. Ouch. That’s not much chow.
- Four days of leave. The Military Diet does go easy on you after the three days, with four days of slightly more food. And by that I mean 1,500 daily calories. How generous. You’re on your own on what to eat for these four days, with the only guidance being to “eat healthy” and keep it at “1,500 calories.”
Three days on, four days off. You repeat this three day and four day rotation until you reach your ideal weight. That’s the Military Diet in a nutshell.
Okay, you probably want to know, to the crumb, what you get to eat on the Military Diet? Sure.
But it ain’t pretty.
What does the Military Diet plan look like?
As I mentioned, the Military Diet provides strict orders on what to eat for three days. Your mission looks like this:
DAY 1
Breakfast:
- Half a grapefruit
- One slice of toast
- Two tablespoons of peanut butter
- One cup of coffee or tea
Lunch:
- Half a cup of tuna
- One slice of toast
- One cup of coffee or tea
Dinner
- 3 ounces of any type of meat
- 1 cup of green beans
- Half a banana
- One small apple
- One cup of vanilla ice cream
DAY 2
Breakfast
- One egg
- One slice of toast
- Half a banana
Lunch
- One cup of cottage cheese
- One hard boiled egg
- Five saltine crackers
Dinner
- Two hot dogs (no bun)
- One cup of broccoli
- Half a cup of carrots
- One banana
- Half a cup of vanilla ice cream
DAY 3
Breakfast
- Five saltine crackers
- One slice of cheddar cheese
- One small apple
Lunch
- One egg (cooked however)
- One slice of toast
Dinner
- One cup of tuna
- Hald a banana
- One cup of vanilla ice cream
If you find yourself thinking, “That’s not much for rations, Steve.” You’d be right.
Not only that, but I bet your normal serving of peanut butter is significantly larger than 2 tablespoons. Yikes.
But I’m getting ahead of myself here.
I’ll keep filling you on the details and then share my real opinion at the end here.
Substitutions? Some websites will guide you through substitutions to stick with in case you’re vegetarian or lactose intolerant, etc. Think tofu dogs for hot dogs. But you are told to match calories exactly for replacement, since the name of the game here is restriction.
For the most part however, substitutions are discouraged on the Military Diet.
What about after these three days? If you haven’t gone AWOL, you get a pass for four days. Some websites suggest you can enjoy a meal of shrimp fried rice or a black bean burger on your leave. To stick with the strict Military Diet strategy, you would keep it to 1,500 calories for each 24 hour period.
Eating only 1,000 calories a day is really difficult.
1,500 isn’t exactly easy peezy either.
Is this actually worth it?
Will the three day Military Diet help me lose weight?
In the short term, the Military Diet will most likely cause you to lose weight. Why, you ask?
Because science.
It’s the reason “all diets work.”
If you eat more calories than you burn in a day, you will gain weight over time. If you do the reverse, and burn more than you consume, you will lose weight[1].
Granted, there’s some finer details in that equation. Muscle, fat, body fat, etc.
But for simplicity sake, it works.
The Military Diet works by practically guaranteeing you will burn more calories than you consume. If an overweight person who usually eats 2,500-3,000+ calories in a day, suddenly switches to ONLY eat 1,000 calories for multiple days in a row, their body will operate at a caloric deficit while it seeks the energy required for drills, push-ups, and cleaning the mess hall.
When this is repeated for a few days, the number on the scale will get smaller!
So will YOU (specifically you, in the green hat) lose weight? Depending on where you are now and your current intake, that deficit (and thus the accompanying weight loss) could be DRAMATIC.
But will you lose 10 pounds in one week like some sites claim? I highly doubt it. Unless you have 100+ pounds to lose and usually eat 5,000+ calories per day, you can only lose so much weight in a short time period.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. People don’t get overweight in a day. And people won’t lose all the fat they want to lose in a day either.
Here’s another truth bomb that needs to be said: Even if the number on the scale drops significantly in a week, most of it is water weight. Your body contains a lot of water, especially if you normally eat very salty, carby foods. So when you remove those foods from your system, the amount of water your body holds can decrease significantly too.
So if somebody strictly followed the Military Diet down to the calorie for a week they could lose maybe one to two pounds of actual fat. They could lose multiple pounds of water weight too, but that won’t continue from week to week.
ATTENTION!
It’s time to hit you with more knowledge: Any weight you lose while on the Military Diet will only remain lost if you stay on the Military Diet. This is super important and will be stressed again later.
Are there any benefits to the Military Diet?
Any kind of calorie restricted eating program, if adhered to consistently, will likely result in weight loss.
Remember that guy who lost weight eating Twinkies[2]? It worked because he made a strict protocol of his calorie requirements. Then, he followed it. Yeah, he filled a lot of his diet with junk food. But the point is he managed his food intake according to a plan to lose weight, and then stuck to it.
And it worked!
Before you get all mad at me, I too believe that the quality of calories is as important as the quantity.
One of the FEW things I like about the the Military Diet is that it provides a strict protocol to follow. You don’t have to worry about what to eat. It’s breakfast time on Day 2. That means you eat one egg, one slice of toast, and half a banana.
It’s the same reason why many people love the Paleo Diet or Intermittent Fasting or Keto Diet or the Mediterranean Diet: there are specific rules to follow that removes all guesswork from “what should I eat, and how much?”
I won’t lie to you and claim that a guide on what to eat has no benefits. Lying will get you court-martialed.
Hell, we even have our own free 10-level diet blueprint that tells you exactly what to eat to help cut out the guesswork (you can get yours when you sign up in the box below):
Download our free weight loss guide
THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life
- Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace
- What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating
- 3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target
But as your friend, I can’t give you only one side of the story.
Are There Any Drawbacks to the Military Diet?
DON’T DO THE MILITARY DIET!
Sorry, I’ve been holding that in this whole post. Literally. I typed this whole post up to this point whiile holding my breath so that I could then blurt this out.
I won’t deny that you could lose weight following the Military Diet. But can any diet telling you to eat bread, crackers, and ice cream actually be good for you?
I know you know better. You’re an adult with a good head on your shoulders, and you’re probably considering the Military Diet because you want a quick weight loss win without having to make any permanent changes.
Unfortunately, things like “science,” “thermodynamics,” and “reality” will keep getting in the way.
The Military Diet is what we in the fitness world call a “crash diet.” Crash diets are designed for quick weight loss in a short amount of time. These diets – and I can included “cleanses” here – prey on people’s desperation to “get fit quick.” They know that if you follow a short term diet, lose a bunch of water weight, and see a lower number on the scale – you’re convinced it worked and then you can go back to how you were eating before.
Then when you quickly put all of that weight back on…you’ll come running back to the diet that got you short term results. This is how they make their money, get your attention, and ultimately leave you sad and right back where you started.
Other examples of terrible crash diets include the Cabbage Soup Diet, the Baby Food Diet and just about any juice cleanse on the market. I won’t even link to them, that’s how annoyed I am about their existence.
The reason these diets are short term is because they are not sustainable. Can you eat nothing but cabbage soup for a week? Sure. For an entire year? No way.
Crash diets are temporary diets. Which means their results will be just that, temporary.
The Military Diet is extreme and short term. Why do people in the military do this to themselves?
Spoiler alert: they don’t.
Where did the Military Diet come from?
Here’s another crappy bit of info: The Military Diet has absolutely nothing to do with any branch of the Armed Forces.
As quoted in CNN, Patricia Deuster explained, “In my 30 years working with the military, I’ve never heard of it.” And she would know, because Deuster helped write the nutritional guide for the U.S. Special Operations Forces[3].
So if it doesn’t come from the actual military, where does the Military Diet come from?
This three days crash diet has gone by different names before, the Cleveland Clinic Diet 3-Day Diet, the Kaiser Diet, the American Heart Association Diet, and the Birmingham Hospital Diet[4]. Despite the different names, the three day meal plan is exactly the same.
And guess what?
None of the organizations claim to have created or support their namesake diet.
So where did it come from? Honestly, I don’t care.
It’s silly and I don’t need to meet the person who created a three day crash diet, that co-opts the military name to make itself sound reputable and legitimate.
Is the Military Diet safe?
There’s nothing inherently dangerous about the Military Diet. It’s just eating unhealthy food in small quantities.
Which, depending on your current diet – could be a big improvement from eating unhealthy food in large quantities.
I don’t know you or your situation, but if you want to practice Karate kicks in the garage and become best friends, I’m down to clown.
Now, based on my 10 years of running Nerd Fitness, helping hundreds of thousands of people lose weight safely and in a sustainable way, I’m gonna tell you that this is probably not the diet you’re looking for.
Why? Because this diet will make you so miserable, and sticking to the portion sizes will make you so unhappy, that as soon as your 7 days are up, you’re gonna gorge yourself and probably end up even worse off than where you started!
This probably isn’t your first rodeo, nor is it the first quick fix you’ve sought out for weight loss. How have the previous attempts worked out for you in the long run?
I’m not saying this to be a jerk, but rather to make a point: I like you, your friends like you, and the world needs you to be the healthiest superhero version of yourself you can be.
And that will never happen if you keep chasing extreme short term diets.
I’d rather see you make changes you can stick with. Even if it’s one small change. Gradually reduce the calories you eat, by switching to REAL food. Things like veggies, fruits, and good quality meat. If you make one change, like eggs and avocados for breakfast, you’ll be making a great step in the right direction.
Small changes are something you can live with. Studies have shown that decreasing your caloric consumption by 25% can be fine for your mood[5]. Perhaps even beneficial. But dropping down to 1,000 calories? There’s no way that can, or should, be maintained.
I wouldn’t recommend you reduce calories by reducing the quantity of food, like ordering you to eat a meal of five saltine crackers, a slice of cheddar cheese, and one tiny apple.
Instead, I want you to make small changes to REAL food. That’s the ticket to long term weight loss. We’ve seen it over and over again here at Nerd Fitness.
Want help making the switch to REAL food? Not sure how to make all of that work in your busy lifestyle? I hear ya. It’s brutally difficult to stick with any diet, and that doesn’t even factor in when your kids get sick or work sucks or there’s two feet of snow on the ground.
It’s why we launched our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program: to help create specific solutions and accountability for people that want guidance on how to eat, how to train, and the confidence to know they’re doing it correctly!
If this sounds like something that could help you, schedule a free call with our team to see if we’re a good fit for each other! You can do so by clicking on the big box below:
Frequently asked questionS on the Military Diet?
1) Do foods in the Military Diet help boost your metabolism?
There’s some debate on this. For example, can coffee help you lose weight by raising your metabolism? I’ll go with: unlikely. Any effect of caffeine to your metabolic rate isn’t enough to make a substantial impact[6]. If anything, it might act as an appetite suppressor[7]. Which isn’t nothing. But don’t count on it to raise your resting caloric expenditure like magic.
However, here are two things outside of diet that will help keep your metabolism high:
- Strength training. The more muscle you have on your frame, the more energy you will use at rest[8]. It’s one of the reasons we recommend it so much. I have no problem playing drill instructor and demanding push-ups.
- Stand up and move more. Any movement helps and even just standing up, outside of any walking, can help raise your metabolism[9]. A standing desk, for those long hours in the office, might be a good move.
Do either of these strategies, or better yet both. It’s better than relying on grapefruit powers to burn calories.
2) Will I enter starvation mode on the Military Diet?
Most likely not. Sure, if you go without food for a lonnnng period of time, your metabolism might slow down slightly, though this requires EXTREME nutritional restriction over a long period of time[10].
This makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. If there’s nothing to eat in sight, it might be that way for a while. After all, winter is coming…
Depending on how often you repeat it, the Military Diet might reduce calories to a point where this slow down of metabolism kicks in – but what’s more likely happening is that as you lose weight, your body doesn’t need to burn as many calories because there’s less of you to manage every day! So your metabolism WILL slow down as you lose weight, but it’s not due to you eating fewer calories in a day.
Now, some would say the climb up to 1,500 calories might help prevent this, but each person is different. My take: The fear of “starvation mode” is overblown, and it should be the least of your concerns while eating bread and ice cream and calling it a “diet”
3) Is the Military Diet a form of intermittent fasting?
Not really. Let me explain:
- The MIlitary Diet focuses on restricting calories at a specific meal, by counting the amount of hotdogs you can have, for example.
- Intermittent fasting centers on making a strategic decision to skip certain meals on purpose.
With intermittent fasting, you narrow the size of your eating window, or you occasionally do fasts of 24 hours. For instance, you can start eating at noon and finish up by 8pm, essentially skipping breakfast. I wrote all about it in our “Beginner’s Guide to Intermittent Fasting,” where I outlined the benefits of teaching your body to consume food more efficiently, and also reduces the total number of calories you are probably eating.
Conversely, the Military Diet teaches your body to run on hot dogs.
I’ve personally been utilizing intermittent fasting for three years. But I have never, nor will I ever, follow the Military Diet.
Shots fired.
If you want to try a strategic restricted eating program, you can sign up for our free Intermittent Fasting Starter Guide and Worksheets, by entering your email in the box below. We’ll make sure the guide gets sent to you.
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- Complete outline of the Intermittent Fasting Protocol
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Why you should not do the Military Diet, and What to do Instead.
We all want instant gratification. Unfortunately when it comes to fitness and diet, instant gratification will always fail you.
Short term changes only lead to short term results and heartbreak.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO THE MILITARY DIET: Godspeed, soldier. Good luck with your 7 days, and let me know how it goes in the comments below. My only request: use those 7 days to learn about yourself and nutrition (maybe by reading this post?), and do what you can implement permanent adjustments to how you choose to eat after.
I’d imagine most people who do this diet are hoping for a permanent fix with minimal work in just a few days time, and I’m here to caution you against that line of thinking.
LIFE DON’T WORK THAT WAY.
DON’T DO THE MILITARY DIET. DO THIS INSTEAD:
- Eat real food when possible.
- Eat a damn vegetable every once and awhile. Yes, even if you hate them.
- Cut out liquid calories like soda and juice (they’re both sugar water). Drink water, black coffee, tea.
If you can eat real food, minimize liquid calories, and eat veggies, and do so consistently for months and months – you’re going to have permanent success.
Making these changes too tough to do permanently? Change fewer things!
Start thinking in terms of “days and years,” not “weeks and months:”
Try one meal, based on REAL food. Forget the crackers and ice cream.
If you want a strict diet to follow with rules, create your own. Or find one that already exists.
Try Keto. Or intermittent fasting. Maybe Paleo. Or Mediterranean.
But don’t waste your time with the Military Diet or any other crash diet. Instead make lasting changes like I lay out in that video above.
If you read all of this and you’re overwhelmed, and you’re just looking for guidance on how to eat for your situation, you’re not alone! We had so many people ask us for specific advice that we built an Online Coaching Program to help them get results.
Our professional coaches are regular people like you, with families, hobbies, and struggles – but they spend all day helping busy people like you live better, lose weight, and feel better about themselves. No more temporary changes, instead, it’s small steps that are sustainable, forever. And that get you results that actually stick.
If you’re like “hey I want somebody to tell me what to do,” schedule a free call with our team to learn more by clicking in the big box below:
Back to the post: You don’t need to do the Military Diet.
The people in the military certainly don’t.
INSTEAD, YOUR MISSION, SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT:
- Cut back on your liquid calories. If it’s not water, tea, or coffee (black), try cutting back in a deliberate fashion. Switch to diet sodas. Switch to coffee instead of lattes. Realize that juice is just sugar water.
- Prepare one healthy meal. Consider my healthy go-to option. Just make sure it has a vegetable, okay? Don’t overthink this.
If you can do those two things this week, and then repeat that week after week, you’ll be 10X better off a year from now than if you had followed the Military Diet for 7 days.
And lastly, remember, THE MILITARY DIET HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MILITARY!!!
Ahem. Any questions?
-Steve
PS: As alluded to earlier, I have no problem if you follow the actual diet recommended by the military. Check out their guide for Special Operations Forces here. But those folks work out A LOT. Adjust your caloric intake accordingly.
PPS: And if you already did the Military Diet, please drop and give me 20 push-ups 🙂 Just, make sure you’re doing them correctly!
ALL Photos Sources can be found in this footnote here[11].
from Nerd Fitness http://bit.ly/2WfTb2z
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