Sharing my top picks for Valentine’s Day gifts for the gals in your life, or ideas for your own personal wish list! Please share any of your ideas in the comments!
Hey hey! Happy Monday! How was the weekend? We went to Phoenix for a fancypants event for the Pilot’s work, went on a family hike, I taught a virtual workout class, and trained a client. I hope you had a fun and relaxing weekend!
For today’s post, I’m sharing some Valentine’s Day gift ideas for her! Whether you’re shopping for someone special, or sharing this list with your partner, there are tons of great ideas here. Please share any gift ideas in the comments below or anything that’s on your personal wish list!
– A Carbon38 set! I’ve been ordering almost all of my athletic apparel from Carbon38 lately. GINAHAR gets you 15% off your first and second orders.
– A sauna blanket! My liiiiiiiiiiiife. I use this magical creation 2-3 times per week and it feels amazing. I sleep so well and it makes my skin glow. Use FITNESSISTA75 for $75off!
– A meal delivery from a service she loves. Another plug here for Sakara because it’s so amazing!
– An offer to come over and help her out with anything she might need (playing with older kids, holding the baby while she takes a shower or stares at the wall, help with errands or grocery pickup)… and actually do it 🙂
So tell me, friends: do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? Anything on your list?
What are your plans?
We usually keep it low-key but my favorite traditions are writing something I love about the kids on hearts on their doors Feb 1- 14. I also make them little Valentine’s gift baskets.
Did you know If you want to lose weight and actuallykeep it off, you should only lose about 1-2 pounds per week?
After losing 45lbs and becoming a certified personal trainer and sports nutrition specialist, it’s safe to say I know what I’m talking about. This is the truth about weight loss.
My Weight Loss Journey
When I first started out I had no clue what “healthy weight loss” really meant or how to maintain it.
In the past I had always wanted to “lose ten pounds this week”, but I knew extreme diets didn’t work long-term and I knew I needed to change things.
I needed to build healthy habits and routines that allowed me to get results, but also just create a lifestyle I loved. Make sure you watch my What I Eat in a Day to Lose Weight vid at the bottom of this blog.
Truth About Weight Loss
Weight loss is actually really pretty straightforward.
It comes down to moving your body more and fueling it with the right foods to build muscle, burn fat and improve your overall health.
Again, if you want to lose weight and ACTUALLY KEEP IT OFF, you should aim to only lose about 1-2 pounds per week.
This is exactly what you can expect to see if you’re following my programs.
In my meal plans I like to focus on “adding to my plate.” Add all the veggies and all the protein!
One of the best ways to help your body burn fat is by increasing your protein intake
I recommend you get at least 20g of protein with each meal – that’s roughly the size of your palm.
To be honest, no one has time to eat 5 chicken breasts a day… and like, why?
I created LSF Plant Protein as a clean, easy way to help women get the protein they need.
It’s organic, non-GMO, gluten free, dairy free, and has 0g of sugar and 0 artificial ingredients!
One scoop of LSF Plant Protein = 20g of protein, perfect for when you’re short on time or to make sure you get enough each day!
How Sleep Impacts Your Weight Loss
Lesser known weight loss fact? You also need to make it a priority to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night
When you get enough sleep you will:
Crave less junk
Consume less overall
Burn more calories
If you’re like me and struggle to get a solid night’s sleep – I got you.
I created Slumber Party to give you a delicious chocolatey nightcap that helps you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer and wake up feeling totally refreshed! No sleepy hangovers. Check out my TikTok or IG to see how I mix up mine every night. Grab your Slumber Party here.
Focus on loving your body. When you show your body love you….
Make time for your workouts. Make time to eat healthy meals. Make time to rest and recover.
You will never regret a single one of those choices and you’ll see SERIOUS change if you do!
You now have a range for the amount of protein you need in a day!
I know…we just threw a lot at you.
Let’s explain some of these numbers and equations in case you want to nerd out on the details.
How Much Protein Should I Eat in a Day?
As we cover in our guideHow Much Protein Do I Need to Eat,you’re going to find all sorts of different recommendations for how much protein you should be consuming.
For example, the current international Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.4g per pound of bodyweight (0.8 g per kg of body weight).[1]
Case closed?
Nope.
In our opinion, and as described in this review article[2] the RDA for protein is too low and should be higher regardless of your body composition.
Our calculator actually starts you off at 0.54–0.82g per pound of bodyweight (1.2–1.8 g/kg), which tops out at over twice the level of the RDA.[3]
Also, the amount of protein you eat will depend on your individual goals. That’s why we have so many variables in our protein calculator.
The RDA’s blanket recommendation for protein intake is oversimplified.
We’ll dive into this further in the subsequent sections.
One final point: we gave you a wide recommended range of protein, because people vary quite a bit in their protein needs.
So don’t take our protein recommendation as gospel!
Consider your results here as a starting point. Try one range, see how you feel, and take it up or down from there.
If you respond well to a protein intake that’s not within our recommended range, don’t sweat it!
The protein recommendations here come from studies, and studies are based on averages. You may be an outlier.
Use our calculator as a starting point, and assess your results over time. We give this same advice to our coaching clients when they ask us about protein.
How Much Protein Should I Eat to Build Muscle?
If you’re trying to build muscle, you’re going to want to eat enough protein to induce muscle repair and growth.
Proteins are the building blocks of muscle, so you’ll need plenty if you’re looking to build a muscular physique!
How much?
If you’re of healthy weight, active, and wish to build muscle, aim for 0.64–1.09 g/lb (1.4–2.4 g/kg).[4]
There is some evidence that a higher range might be beneficial. Not so much in gaining more muscle, but to minimize fat gain during a bulking phase.[5]
As we mention in our guide, 12 Tips to Gain Weight Quickly, you might put on a little fat when eating in a caloric surplus to grow muscle.
The Beginner Bodyweight Workout. If you’re looking for an exercise routine that can be done ANYWHERE, look no further. Our beginner routine has jumpstarted many Rebels in their strength training. You’d be surprised how much muscle you can build with your own weight, a milk jug, and a sturdy table.
Build Your Own Workout Routine. After you do a workout or two, it’s time to strategize. What should you train and on what days? When should you rest? Our guide will walk you through building a complete routine.
Another option is to check out our Online Coaching Program, where a trained expert can build you a customized workout, then adjust it each month based on your progress:
How Much Protein Should I Eat to Lose Weight?
If you’re looking to lose weight, eating plenty of protein will be an important part of the equation.
Why is protein important for weight loss?
Think of it this way: protein is the only macronutrient you don’t store.[7]
Carbs are stored as muscle glycogen.
Fat is stored as body fat.
Your body can use either as a fuel source while it’s in a calorie deficit.
Not so for protein.
Meaning most of the protein in your body is currently doing a job: building muscle tissue, making enzymes, strengthening bones, etc.
If you don’t eat enough protein, your body will turn towards your muscles for its needs.
So if you’re not careful when you’re losing weight, you could lose muscle AND fat.
Obviously, from a health and physique standpoint, this is not good.
That’s why you need to eat plenty of protein and strength train when you’re in a calorie deficit – so you lose fat while retaining your hard-earned muscle mass.
This is something Coach Matt covers extensively in the video How to Gain Muscle While Losing Fat:
The other important point about protein and fat loss: protein will help you stay full.[8]
If you’re trying to lose weight, keeping your hunger at bay will be critical. Luckily, studies have found that those on a high-protein diet tend to eat fewer calories overall.[9]
The 5 Rules of Weight Loss. If you’ve ever been on a diet, or are currently on a diet, give this a read. Here we discuss why people succeed with popular dieting programs and why they don’t, plus actionable steps you can take to achieve sustainable weight loss.
Start Eating Healthy Without Being Miserable. If you’re confused about healthy eating (“Should I nix carbs? Do I have to count calories?”), start here. We’ll explain how to consistently build healthy meals while still eating the foods you love. Nobody should be forced to give up pizza forever.
How Many Calories Should I Eat Every Day?We’re not going to make you count calories for the rest of your life. However, we do want you to have some awareness of the number of calories you are eating. We’ll give you a range to shoot for, plus some tips on how to portion control.
You can also download a Free 10 Level Diet Guide too when you join the Rebellion and 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
Can I Eat Too Much Protein?
Now that I’ve drilled it into your head that you should be eating plenty of protein, a natural question will arise:
How much protein is too much protein?
We’ve got good news for you: as long as you’ve got a healthy liver and kidneys, you can eat lots of protein with no ill effects.
As Examine points out in its research on protein:[10]
“Higher protein intakes seem to have no negative effects in healthy people,”**
**Of course, if you have specific kidney or medical issues with regards to protein intake, PLEASE go with your doctor’s recommendation for required protein consumption!
Check out The Ultimate Protein Shake Guide for more protein powder recommendations and recipes on how to make delicious smoothies.
Whether through whole foods or supplements, protein should be a main part of every meal you eat. It’s one of our top recommendations for being a healthy nerd.
You can always adjust up or down based on your results.
If you need any help along the way, we got you.
Here are three ways to continue your journey with Nerd Fitness:
#1) Our Online Coaching program: a coaching program for busy people to help them make better food choices, stay accountable, and get healthier, permanently.
As I said before, we teach portion control to our clients who struggle with overeating, so we’ll provide a non-judgmental expert to help you reach your goals.
You can schedule a free call with our team so we can get to know you and see if our coaching program is right for you:
#2) If you want an exact blueprint leveling up your nutrition, check out Nerd Fitness Journey! Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).
If you follow our Nutrition missions, you’ll learn to eat more protein while earning XP! Sah-weeeet.
Try your free trial right here:
#3) Join the Rebellion!We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.
Sign up in the box below to enlist and get ourRebel Starter Kit, which includes all of our “work out at home” guides, the Nerd Fitness Diet Cheat Sheet, and much more!
Get your Nerd Fitness Starter Kit
The 15 mistakes you don’t want to make.
Full guide to the most effective diet and why it works.
Complete and track your first workout today, no gym required.
Alright, I want to hear from you:
Did you calculate your protein requirements?
Do you generally consume around this target?
Have any tips or tricks for getting enough protein?
Read, “Protein for Life: Review of Optimal Protein Intake, Sustainable Dietary Sources and the Effect on Appetite in Ageing Adults.” Source, PubMed.
Read, “Evidence That Protein Requirements Have Been Significantly Underestimated.” Source, PubMed. This meta-analysis also came to a similar conclusion.
Read, “A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults.” Source, PubMed
Read, “A High Protein Diet (3.4 g/kg/d) Combined With a Heavy Resistance Training Program Improves Body Composition in Healthy Trained Men and Women–A Follow-Up Investigation.” Source, PubMed.
Read, “The Effects of Overfeeding on Body Composition: The Role of Macronutrient Composition – A Narrative Review.” Source, PubMed.
Read, “Protein, weight management, and satiety.” Source, PubMed.
Read, “A High-Protein Diet Induces Sustained Reductions in Appetite, Ad Libitum Caloric Intake, and Body Weight Despite Compensatory Changes in Diurnal Plasma Leptin and Ghrelin Concentrations.” Source, PubMed.
Read, “Controlled Changes in Chronic Dietary Protein Intake Do Not Change Glomerular Filtration Rate.” Source, PubMed.
Read, “Effect of Short-Term High-Protein Compared With Normal-Protein Diets on Renal Hemodynamics and Associated Variables in Healthy Young Men.” Source, PubMed.
It’s time to learn about The CICO (“calories in, calories out”) Diet!
You probably have questions like:
Steve, does CICO work?
Will counting calories help me lose weight?
Okay, what the hell IS a calorie?
Well my friend, you’ve arrived at the right place!
I’ve been writing about this stuff for 13 years, and our team of nerdy experts help our Online Coaching clients with all types of diets (including CICO). We are really flippin’ good at it!
Here’s what we’ll cover to answer the question: “What is CICO?”
The CICO Diet is a weight-loss strategy where the participant tries to tip the balance of what they eat (calories in) against what they burn (calories out).
That’s pretty much it.
It doesn’t really matter what food you eat, because there are no restrictions on any specific food groups with CICO.
It also doesn’t matter what exercise you do (if any).
As long as you get the equation right, and the calories you eat are lower than the calories you burn on a daily basis, you’re good to go.
To lose weight, we need to burn more calories than we consume regularly.
With this knowledge, it makes sense to design a diet specifically around this principle: match the calories you eat (in), with the calories you expend (out).
As long as you meet your calorie goal, you can forget about the rules of any specific diet.
This appeals to me personally, because I’ve created my own guidelines for how to eat, and I don’t pledge allegiance to any particular dieting strategy.
Because I’m a mind-reader, I know your next question is likely…
Does Calorie Counting Work? (CICO and Weight Loss)
In principle, CICO works.
In practice, it becomes a little more complicated.
Okay, fine, A LOT more complicated.
That’s because a lot of things influence “calories in.”
Ditto for “calories out.”
Let’s break some of this down.
Here are some of the things that impact “Calories In:”
Appetite: how hungry we are is going to drastically affect how many calories we consume. Hormones, body composition, and our tastes and preferences will all impact our appetite.[2]
Calories absorbed: the preparation of food will affect the bioavailability of calories. For example, cooking starches (like potatoes) generally increases the calories available.[3] Your own individual gut microbe can also influence the amount of energy extracted during digestion.[4] So will the macronutrient content of the food you eat.
Psychological considerations:your stress levels, sleep quality, and certain conditions like PCOS can all impact the regulation of hormones, which can influence your metabolism and appetite.[5]
Oh, and all of the above assumes we’re actually tracking calories accurately. Which pretty much nobody does. Ever. But I’ll get to that shortly.
And remember, this is only half of the equation.
Here are some of the things that impact “Calories Out:”
Energy burned while resting: your Basal Metabolic Rate is a count of how many calories you burn at rest and will be controlled by your age, weight, height, biological sex, muscle composition, etc.
Energy burned through Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT): do you fidget a lot? That increases your NEAT, or the energy you burn doing stuff other than exercising. Think tapping your feet, twirling your hair, using your hands when speaking, etc. Even just an hour of this kind of movement can accumulate an extra 300 calories burned.[6]
Exercise:of course, how much you intentionally exercise will impact your calories out, although perhaps not as much as most people think (more on this later).
This is only scratching the surface on what determines “calories in, calories out.”[7]
The important thing to consider here is that none of the above invalidate the basic premise of an energy deficit being necessary for weight loss.
These factors will just influence one end of the equation or the other.
For example, let’s chat about protein and CICO:
Eating plenty of protein has been shown to help keep people feeling full and satiated.[8] So lots of protein can help folks lose weight, not because it changes the requirements for weight loss, but because it might allow them to get through the day less hungry (lowering their “calories in.”)
Adequate dietary protein can help with building and maintaining muscle.[9] The more muscle someone has, the more calories they’ll need to maintain it (raising their “calories out.”)[10]
To recap this section:from a biological perspective, eating fewer calories than you burn is 100% necessary for weight loss.
But all sorts of things impact the number of calories we eat and the number of calories we expend.
This is going to lead us to…
The Problem With CICO (Humans Are Bad Estimators)
The majority of the problems people have with CICO is that it allows nutrient-deficient food to enter the diet, only limiting “how much.”
They’ll argue that people should be eating fruits and vegetables, lean protein, avoiding processed foods, and blah blah blah…
We all know this.
You don’t need someone else telling you to eat your veggies.
This isn’t the problem with CICO.
The problem with CICO is it’sreallyhard to estimate “calories in” and “calories out.”
Like, REALLY hard. We humans are TERRIBLE at it.
Take “calories in” or how much we eat:people generally UNDERestimate how many calories they consume by about30-40%.[11] Even dieticians, who are specifically trained in nutrition science, underestimated how much they eat.[12]
“That may be true Steve, but don’t worry about me. I read the label on everything I buy so I know exactly how many calories I’m eating.”
Well, are you aware that the FDA allows a 20% leeway on total calories identified on packages?[13] Meaning that 100 calorie drink of Orange Juice might actually be 120?
If you’re a food manufacturer, which way are you going to lean towards? Especially when you know people might scrutinize the calories of your nutrition label in an effort to lose weight.
This isn’t just paranoia:this study found that packaged snack food generally contains MORE calories in it than advertised.[14]
Yeah…and remember, this is only half of the equation.
It’s about to get even worse.
People are also really bad at estimating “calories out.”
When folks self-assess how many calories they burned by exercising, they’re generally WAY OFF, by as much as 50%![15]
Oh, and those fitness trackers we wear?
They’ve been shown to be inaccurate, some by up to 90%![16]
That’s why we made this infographic on tracking “calories out”:
This is the main problem with CICO: we’re stuck with educated guesses for “calories in” and “calories out.”
So we underestimate the calories we eat by 40%. And then we overestimate how many calories we burn by 50%.
No WONDER we think our metabolism is broken if we can’t lose weight! The truth is we’re unknowingly eating too much, and/or moving too little.
Ugh.
Heck, even how many calories you need a day (your baseline or Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is an estimate, something we acknowledge in our calorie calculator, which you can play with right here:
THE NERD FITNESS CALORIE CALCULATOR
In summary: balancing “calories in against calories out” is really all quite messy when you get right down to it.
This post is not made to dissuade you from trying The CICO Diet.
I actually encourage everyone to track their food and calories for one week, because it’s often an eye-opening experience on how much they’re truly eating.
If possible, take a few days and use a cheap food scale instead of just eyeballing it. You’ll be shocked about the actual portion sizes of some foods!
When it comes to sustainable weight loss, here at Nerd Fitness, we encourage two paths:
Make small tiny changes towards “real food” (like theNerd Fitness Healthy Plateabove).
Make small tiny changes towards a strength training practice.
Both of these strategies can dramatically – and positively – influence “calories in” and “calories out” respectively.
In our Guide to Healthy Eating, we explain why every website tells you to eat vegetables (which we also tell you):vegetables are full of nutrients, contain lots of fiber to keep you full, and are generally low in calories.
Eating lots of vegetables, or “real food,” will help you naturally lower “calories in.”
How about another example to think about? Here are 200 calories of a blueberry muffin:
Compare it to 200 calories of broccoli (Thanks to wiseGEEK):
Which one do you think you’re likely to accidentally overeat for your calorie allotment?
Right.
For our other strategy, the Strength Training 101 series explains why growing strong is important for fat loss:
Building muscle takes a lot of calories (and so does maintaining it).
In other words, a stronger version of yourself will require more calories.
And will be able to escape from jail easier.
This will naturally raise your “calories out.”
The trick with it all is the “make small tiny changes” bit.
We’ve seen over and over that small steps (eating one new vegetable a week, a simple bodyweight workout) create momentum. Over time, these small changes are the keys to permanently getting healthy.
The exact “small tiny change” doesn’t matter so much, just pick one you feel comfortable with and get going! Once that habit becomes sustainable, pick a new one! And so on and so on…
Still here? Want some more guidance? An exact plan to follow on where to go next?
Alright, you got it, but only because you’ve been nice this whole time.
Here’s how Nerd Fitness can help:
#1) Our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program:a coaching program for busy people to help them make better food choices, stay accountable, and get healthier, permanently.
You can schedule a free call with our team so we can get to know you and see if our coaching program is right for you. Just click on the image below for more details:
#2) If you want a roadmap for getting in shape, check out NF Journey.Our fun habit-building app will help you exercise and eat better, all while you build your very own superhero.
Interested?
Try your free trial right here:
#3) Join The Rebellion!We have a free email newsletter that we send out twice per week, full of tips and tricks to help you get healthy, get strong, and have fun doing so.
I’ll also send you tons of free guides that you can use to start leveling up your life too:
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
Alright, I think that about does it for this article.
Now, your turn:
What are your thoughts on The CICO Diet?
Do you have a strategy for balancing “calories in” and “calories out”?
Think I’ve got it all totally wrong?
Let me know in the comments!
-Steve
PS:Make sure you read the rest of our content on sustainable weight loss:
Read, “Food Label Accuracy of Common Snack Foods.” Source, PubMed.
Read, “Individuals Underestimate Moderate and Vigorous Intensity Physical Activity.” Source, PLOS. This study and this study came up with similar results.
Read, “Accuracy in Wrist-Worn, Sensor-Based Measurements of Heart Rate and Energy Expenditure in a Diverse Cohort.” Source, PubMed.
