Nutrition, Nourishment & Losing Body Fat
Nutrition to me is nourishment to body and mind. Essentially it is a simple formula. You obtain the essential vitamins, minerals and aminos our body & brain need to function through food. If you nourish the body with Whole Foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, lean protein and water you will be healing yourself daily. We can all learn to be conscious of what kind of food and how much food we are putting into our bodies.
We are the CEOs of our bodies. We can learn to take control of it and heal ourselves. Everyday the body is healing its self. Physical health and mental health are directly correlated. The body and mind thrive with Whole Foods. I can train 3-4x per week and then train Jiu Jitsu 3-5x per week without over training my joints or muscles. Without Whole Foods and enough calories my body would not preform optimally and I would feel sore all the time.
Some of the best and only doctors we need are Healthy Eating, Staying Hydrated, Sunlight, Nature, Outdoor Walks, Exercise, Stretching, Rest & Recovery, Naps, Moonlight, Sleep and Fasting.
Below are tips for fat loss, nutritional facts, stats and ingredient list. Understanding nutrition and calories can be overwhelming, but ever human deserves the right to know everything they can about food and nourishment. I’ll give a simple breakdown throughout this post.
Calories, Carbs, Proteins, Fats and Nutritional Stats
Calories
I used to think a calorie was just a calorie until I began eating Whole Foods. Certain calories affect our hormones and gut drastically different than others. A majority of processed foods are actually causing damage to the body and mind.
I used to believe it was simply all about calories in and out. It truly is that easy if you want to gain weight or lose weight. Though your body performs optimally and looks sexier with proper nourishment. Our body and mind need both macronutrients as well as vitamins and minerals from the micronutrients in foods too.
Calories are energy. They are the fuel or electricity that powers our body. If you you think about it plants like fruits and veggies have up to 200 millivolts of electrical power. There is zero electrical energy in meat, if the nerves or muscle cells retain anything it the suffering the animals endure. Eating natural Whole Foods provides fa more nourishment and performance.
When you are want to lose body fat, you are going to have to be eating in a calorie deficit. You are going to have to be tracking your calories through an app or notebook. When trying to gain muscle you are eating a caloric surplus, staying the same weight is maintenance calories. You will need the proper amount of calorie, carbs, fat and protein as well as micronutrients for the body and mind to perform optimally. Balance is key.
The big picture
The goal is to lose body fat, not weight. To lose body fat you need to count calories and be in a caloric deficit. All while eating enough protein to retain your lean muscle mas, enough carbs for energy and enough fat for your brian. Finding a balance of carbs and fats is both optimal for your mind and body. Energy and cognitive function come from calories, or rather the food that we eat.
Don’t get caught up on a scale weight, focus on how you look the mirror, clothes, how you feel and most of all progress pictures. Most people minds tend to body shame even when they look good. Look at the progress pics and notice who your body and body feel. Eating Whole Foods and consuming higher amount of protein is optimal while you are losing weight and trying to live a healthy lifestyle.
How to lose fat for women
Eat less calories that your body burns daily, drink enough water, get enough rest, daily healthy movements, exercise routine or lift weights, eat whole foods, balance your hormones, rest, recover, sleep, take naps, find a nutritional balance that works for you. 75 - 120 grams of daily protein for fat loss. Consume at least 25 grams of protein per meal and post workout. No, it absolutely does not have to be a protein shake. Eat whole foods. If you are fasting have a big energizing brunch/lunch, a moderate meal for a "snack" and a small meal for dinner.
How to lose fat for men
Eat less calories that your body burns daily, drink enough water, get enough rest, daily healthy movements, exercise routine, lift weights, eat Whole Foods, balance your hormones, rest, recover, sleep, take naps, find a nutritional balance that works for you. 100 - 160 grams of daily protein for fat loss. Unless your a sumo wrestler or are shredded with 215+ lean pounds of muscle you'll, never need more than 160 grams of protein. Consume a max of 45 grams of protein per meal and at post workout. No it absolutely does not have to be a shake. If you are fasting eat enough protein in your window, or at least two big meals with 45 grams of protein.
Replenish the body
1. Eliminate or reduce foods/drinks that cause inflammation and harm to the body.
Processed food (food that doesn’t rot)
Fried food
Food with artificial coloring and flavors
Sports drinks
Energy drinks
Soda
Processed table sugar
Cows milk
Fruit & Vegetable juices with added sugars
Food with added sugars
2. Add or increase consumption of these foods/drinks
Organic Coconut Oil
Organic Olive Oil
Raw Nuts
Raw Seeds
Beans, Legumes, Lentils
Avocados
Organic Apples
Organic Cherries
Organic Grapes
Organic Berries
Organic Bell Peppers
Organic Leafy Greens
Organic Strawberries
Organic Cage Free Eggs
Clean Animal Protein (Organic Grass-Feed Beef & Pork, Free-range Organic Chicken, Wild Game, Wild Caught Fish)
3. Hydrate
Purified Water optional pinch mineral salt
Green Tea
Herbal Tea
Kombucha
Strawberry Lemon Lime Aid
Fruits
Almond Milk
Coconut Milk
Hemp Milk
Bone Broth
Personally I am biased toward plant based, since I am a plant based athlete and fully support veganism. Still I understand how the human body can preforms optimally with eggs, fish or meat. Before plants I had been flexitarian, ketotarian and followed the rules of Mediterranean Nutrition.
I would love to share as much knowledge and wisdom that I can over nutrition. This post was five minutes longer than I wanted it to be. All of the bellow info is extremely informative and could change or save someones life.
Carbs
The truth about carbs is this, they are the essential fuel of our body. Most cells in your body use glucose for energy, along with amino acids from fats and proteins. Carbs do not make you fat, over eating does. Complex carbs and natural sugars are essential for both nourishment and performance in our bodies.
Complex carbs include whole grains such as oats, rice, barley, quinoa, sweet potatoes, potatoes, all fruits and vegetables a like, beans, legumes, whole wheat grain and 100% whole wheat bread. The truth about sugar is this. Natural sugar nourishes the cells in your body. Natural sugar is handled differently than processed. Natural sugar strengths our cells and gives us energy. These natural sugars bring alkalinity and vitality to our cells. Just as the sun and water does.
These complex carbs and healthy sugars do not cause diabetes. Our body and Brian run on these sugars. Fruit sugar will never have to be limited. Limiting fruit sugar could only be suggested to diabetics, even still they should eat apples, apricots, avocados, berries, cherries, kiwi, lemons, orange, peaches, pears. Truly diabetics should only avoid pineapples, watermelons, dates. Plus the overly ripe banana thay has more sugar than a perfect banana with a low gi.
If you are not diabetic eat 300 grams of natural sugar if you would like. At 57 Lenny Kravitz consumes near this much sugar daily from fruit and looks like this. Absolutely every human being will thrive and increase there longevity eating more plant based whole foods.
Eat an unlimited amount of fruit, eat beans, eat whole grains and lots of veggies. I remember telling a client for breakfast she could try eating oats, berries and nuts to stay full and receive plenty of antioxidants. She was genuinely shocked she could eat carbs while losing weight. Our culture is so misinformed.
Understanding processed sugar and refined carbs are absolutely awful. Processed sugar and refined carbs cause diabetes, inflammation, gut disease, and constipation. White flour literally glues itself to your intestines, has zero fiber, zero nutritional value and congest the entire system. White flour and processed sugars make us sluggish and lethargic. They cause stress, weight gain, inflammation, headaches and migraines. Carbs are not the problem, it’s the Standard American Diet, overeating and food addiction. Limiting or avoiding processed sugar and refined flour is the wisest choice you could make.
Fat
Fat does not and will not make you fat. Both children and adults should be eating healthy fats with every meal and every snack. The human brain is nearly 60% fat. Fatty acids and foods are the most crucial molecules for brain vitality and function. Healthy fats include avocado, coconut, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, olives, olive oil. These heslthy fats are great for conflictive functio and preformance. These fat foods are great for cognitive function and performance. Depending on the person we can consume 45 - 140 grams of health fats daily.
Less healthy but “healthy” options would include grass fed butter, Organic cage free eggs, wild caught fatty fish, pasture raised bacon and fat free yogurt. Personally I do not eat these and would highly suggest limiting your consumption of animal products. Eating more plants is a wise choice, I choose to eat plants because my father had passed away from heart attack at 29.
With that being said we have to be conscious of putting animal fats and unhealthy fats in our system. Hydrogenated vegetable oils, fried foods, fast food, baked goods, biscuits dough, microwave popcorn, margarine and even saturated fat from butter, cheese, dairy and meat. Trans fat and polyunsaturated fats are linked to inflammation, heart disease, diabetes. Trans fat will double your risk to heart disease. Trans fat and polyunsaturated fat increase the LDL levels (bad cholesterol) and lowers your HDL levels (good cholesterol).
Saturated fat can be both good and bad. Plant based saturated fat does no harm to our bodies, while bacon grease on the other hand develops plaque in our arteries. This is why you do not pour grease down the drain, because your pipes would clog up. Your entire system would not be preformaning optimally.
Saturated fat is excellent source of nutrition especially from plant sources. When you are consuming saturated fat from animals you need conscious of grams of saturated fat you consume daily. The leading killer of 2020 was still heart attacks and heart disease.
You should limit 10% of your daily calories could go to saturated, a women could eat 20gs daily and a man could eat 40g of saturated fat daily. A 6oz ribeye has 12 grams of saturated fat a 4oz burger has 7 grams. Be conscious of daily saturated fat. If are eating plant based saturated fats you are perfectly safe.
A diet rich in bad saturated fat from animals increases the bad cholesterol, which prompts blockages to form in arteries and heart. This is the exact reason for experts suggesting limiting saturated fat to under 10% of daily calories. This is the main reason I am plant based, my father had a heart attack at 30 years old. I avoid all saturated fat from animal products. My cholesterol and blood pressure of perfect. I’m not pushing my lifestyle on anyone, simply sharing healthy facts. Be conscious of what goes into your body.
Protein
Is the absolute biggest myth in the west. Our culture is so worried about protein yet are malnourished because they lack vitamins, minerals and aminos from both carbs and fats. The USDA protein calculator is well below this, the average sedentary man only needs 60grams of protein daily.
Consuming .7g - .9gs of protein per pound of body is sustainable for losing body fat and gaining muscle mass. Personally I consume .8gs per pound when I’m cutting and .7g while bulking. During my last bulk I consumed 120 grams of protein daily and gained 9lbs lean muscle from 168lbs to 182lbs.
I follow countless plant based body builders who consume 90 - 150 grams of protein. All of them weighing from 185 - 255lbs. Your average body builder, influencers or trainer will tell you to eat your bodyweight in protein. This is both bullshit and ignorant. Your body uses any extra protein does not require as carbohydrates. So why not eat more vitamins and minerals from carbs and fats, in stead of eating empty calories from this extra protein.
It would be rather ridiculous to consume your bodyweight in protein. Our body can only digest 25-45 grams of protein per sitting. Say you consume 60 grams of protein. 15 grams of protein will then be converted into glucose in your system. For instance if you think your using ketones, you are probably not. You are probably eating far to much protein and your body is converting excess protein to glucose. Why not consumes the proper amount of protein, while consuming more nutrients from carbs, fats, fruits, veggies and every single plant food on earth.
My daily protein levels fluctuate. Many days I fast for 18 hours or I’m more sedentary, on these days I only consume around 90 grams of protein daily. Some days I fast 22 hours and simply have two small meals with high protein. These days I’m maybe taking in 60 - 80 grams. Realistically 15% - 20% of your daily calories should go to protein. The other 80% of your daily calories goes to carbs and fats. Balanced nutrition is key with nourishment, performance and fat loss.
Eat only clean protein and plant based I protein
The best plant proteins I consume are tempeh, beans, lentils, hemp hearts, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, nuts, nut butters, quinoa, oats and whole grains. Best mock meats are the impossible burger ground beef, boca spicy chicken and boca soy crumble. I limit my self on processed meat and foods.
If you eat meat prioritize eating clean protein. Try to buy organic, pasture raised grass feed and non GMO. So many manufacturers us loopholes to put toxic chemicals and carcinogens in our food. Most meat and processed food has gmo chemicals and unnatural hormones. If you are working on a budget it is still wise to prioritize what you eat. Buy organic meat, fruit and veggies anytime you can.
“Healthy” animal products would include organic eggs, chicken, turkey, fish and lean cuts of beef. It was generally difficulty to find organic pork in the past, I could only ever find pasture raised bacon. Even still be conscious of bacon in your diet.
Staying Hydrated
Try at least six cups of purified water a day. Sometimes you will drink more and others your will drink less. If you begin to eat more Whole Foods you will be consuming a good amount of water from fruits and veggies. You and your body will need less and less water bottles.
Our is 60% water. Wate gives us both energy and vitality. Drink water when you are thirsty. Drink at least a cup or two of water right when you wake up. Drink water before you drink coffee. Personally I drink a lot of water and feel amazin. I always drink 16oz of purified water with a pinch of miners salt before every every training session.
Drinking plain water can get boring to some. Sometimes instead of a water bottle you could have some watermelon or an apple. Most days I am perfectly fine with just drinking water and almond milk. If you are not there are many herbal teas, kombuchas and all the organic fruit possible.
If you must have milk make it cow free. 70% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant. Most peoples bowels and guts do not agree with dairy. If you are an athlete or your child is, ditch dairy now. Choose almond milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, hemp milk. Milk is not very nutritional for humans, but if you need it choose organic grass feed or organic goat milk.
Drinks to choose are purified water, mineral water, organic fresh squeezed juice, kombucha, green tea, herbal teas and nut milks. Along with eating as many fruits and veggies as you can. Or maybe make some strawberry lemon lime aid. Heal the body with some nutritious & nourishing water.
Some days I eat more, some days I eat less. Sometimes I eat mock meats, most of the time I am eating Whole Foods. Everyday I eat fruits and veggies until I’m full. Everyday I try to eat a buddha bowl. 80% of the time I eat clean, 20% I eat to no be mean. I’m eating for my cravings and desires. One chocolate is better than four. Two glasses is better than a bottle.
If food is one of your only desires in life, choose to be conscious of what you eat now. Food will always be there. Lose body fat and eat whatever you want in the future. You can still have get creative, have fun and eat pretty much whatever you would like if you understand how calories work.
Helpful tips
Eat as many fruits and veggies as possible. Only 1/10 people eat enough fruits and veggies. If you hate fruits vegetables find one of each you like and eat it everyday. Whether it’s celery, grapes, apples, spinach, try to eat it everyday them everyday. Understand that any fruit and veggies counts. Far to many people are vitamins and mineral deficient, both meat eaters and vegans can be malnourished.
To many people and parents fear sugar. Sugar and glucose from fruit does the body zero harm. In nature sugar and fructose come packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients than are magical for the body. Fruit and veggies allows for more fiber in the diet and a healthier gut. You can add berries to a meal to reduce insulin spikes from white rice or high gi foods. Unless you or your child is diabetes don’t worry about high gi foods. Eat a balanced diet.
Cutting down and eliminating processed sugar and fructose could be the wisest decision you ever make. If you are eating Whole Foods you will never have to fear over eating. If you eat fruits, veggies and grains you while obtain fiber which is both filling and helps fight diseases of the gut. The habit of oats and berries every morning will serve as a convenient way to heal and nourish the body. Oats are packed with protei, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Eat a lot of Whole Foods and eating until we are satisfied helps us to maintain and or lose weight. Eating fiber foods and allow your body adjust to them. You should be making 2-3 healthy bowel movements daily.
Every meal should have a vegetable. For breakfast I eat spinach with my loaded bowl of oats. Every meal should have also eat healthy fat. You will neither be full or nourished from an apples, but an Apple with nuts or nut-butter is perfect. Health fats are both for the brain and body.
Use organic/raw honey, organic syrup or stevia for sweetener.
Keto Tips
Helpful tips for keto diet. Do it clean or your going to clog your arteries. I have done dirty keto, clean keto and ketotarian. Keto is not for me but I felt perfect in the past doing ketotarian. Then is consuming mainly plant based fats and proteins but eating fish or chicken once a day. Keto can be great for anti inflammation and some diabetic.
If you have a eating disorder, food addiction or a poor relationship with food, then keto is absolutely not for you. Keto is sustainable and works for many. Ketotarian has the best health benefits for anyone wanting to be in ketosis.
If you are doing keto and eating a high protein diet then you are not in ketosis. Your body is turning extra protein to carbs daily for you. There is no point in avoiding fruits and veggies if your using glucose for energy. For one to do a Keto diet you must test your ketones daily with a ketone test strip. If your in keto diet only 10% - 20% of your calories should go to protein.
Reading food labels.
The FDA is very corrupt. Check not once but twice on every label. A bag of whole wheat bread can be labeled 100% whole wheat and not be at all whole wheat. Looking at the ingredients list, whole wheat should basically be the only ingredient. Food can have .5 grams of trans fat and be labeled as zero. A label can say sugar free and then have corn syrup and added sweeteners. Zero fat labeled foods have an addictive that inhibits the body’s absorption of vitamins.
The FDA allows banned chemicals, dyes, artificial flavoring, brominated oils, high fructose syrup, synthetic hormones, carcinogens, and even arsenic. The animals you eat are to be injected with hormones and additives, after the bodies are butchered the meat is injected with nitrates, and preservatives. The FDA and government integrity are very flawed organizations. They will never care four the health of the people.
It is a wise choice to read the labels, nutritional facts and ingredient list. Do it for your health, mind and body. We should not have to look at the labels or be this conscious over the food we eat. But foods chemicals and ingredients listed above are not food. Even the tap water we drink and shower with is contaminated with chemicals such as chlorine, lead, mercury and even fluoride. Avoid GMO foods at all cost, avoid and limit processed and refined foods. With that being said a happy donut or pie is better than a sad salad. You can be both healthy and mindful of what you eat.
Counting Calories, Watching Portion Size
My philosophy on food is simple now. Eat in a small caloric deficit or eat in a slight caloric surplus. Eating lots of Whole Foods while still allowing my mind and body to be happy. We are only human, we are not angelic yet so I follow the 80/20 nutrition rule. 80% of my weekly calories go to Whole Foods such as oats, nuts, bananas, avocados, potatoes, broccoli, rice beans, tofu, fruits, veggies and all sorts of whole grains.
20% leaves a lot of room for tasty food. It actually allows me 4000 calories weekly for burgers, fries, pizza, beer, plant based ice cream and doughnuts. I simply balance my body with nutrition, fasting, herbs, spices, supplements and healthy body movements. It is all about nutritional balance, moderation and having a routine. Even when I’m losing body fat I eat burgers, fries. Even then I’m eating lots of minerals and vitamins as well at least half my plate is veggies or fruit. Tracking calories is simple with an app or notebook.
You can eat whatever you would like if you can learn to portion control. In Italy they eat pasta, in asian countries they eat rice, in Spain they eat wheat. These countries all have the longest life expectancy. These countries also eat a majority plant based and understand portion control. Carbs don’t make you fat, fat doesn’t make you fat. Overeating and not understanding calories makes you fat and overweigh.
With that being said I’m going to openly and blatantly say carbs don't make you fat and protein does not make you big. You are overweight because of overeating, food addiction, emotions, hormones, stress or some pharmaceutical medicine they sold you for "health". The only doctors we need are Sunlight, Staying Hydrated, Outdoor Walks, Exercise, Stretching, Rest & Recovery, Fasting and Healthy Eating that nourishes and heals our body.
Not everything in life is free but most of those are which make healing rather simple. Fresh air, breathing, meditation, mindfulness, yoga and sunshine are all free. You are never sick or diseased, you are always healing. There will always be a healing response in a healthy body, our bodies were built to adapt, evolve and thrive. Medicine is all around you and in abundance.
With that being said do not get oversold by fake influencers, naturopathic doctors, posers in white coats, psychics, holistic practitioners, athletes, actors, your parents, priest, teachers, some king keto guy on Instagram and the news. Surround yourself with motivated and positive people. Have mentors and teachers, but still have your choices and your own philosophies. Surround yourself with motivated and positive people. Heal yourself and take the first step in eating and nourishing the body and mind. You will learn what works for you, I will simply share the knowledge and wisdom I have learned on my own and from others.
Misinformation
There is a lot of misleading information out there, I can only briefly cover food this post. I could go on but this would be a rather long read. When you sit and think about it, over 90% of the food in our supermarkets did not exist in the super markets 50 years ago. Just about every boxed food, frozen meal and bag chips or bread in America has been genetically modified with chemicals, preservatives that just about every other country does not approve of.
For instance many processed cheeses have morphine-like chemicals called casomorphins that attack our brain's opiate receptors. It is best to eat organic, natural and grass feed products, because even the crops and meat are being sprayed and injected. The government and FDA approve these problem causing foods. Then the doctors sell you a cure with even more chemicals and side effects. Tips for a healthy life. Limit junk food, less soda, less sweets, less chips, less worries, less anger, less upset stomachs.
Eat real food, drink water, drink tea. Eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, sweet potatoes, leafy greens, beans, soy and lean protein. Eat health, sleep more, laugh, smile, create positive habits and actions. You will still be able to have a piece of cake, eat bacon and lard, have two drinks or maybe a cup of wine. Do what you fucking love all while healing yourself. A happy piece of pie is always better than a sad salad.
A happy glass of wine, a happy piece of cake, or a happy piece of chocolate, will always be better than a sad salad or miserable chicken and rice. We could be conscious of the foods we eat. Or the FDA could approve less harmful food. These GMO foods and chemicals cause diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, gut disease, depression, anxiety, low testosterone, menstruation problems and skin abnormalities.
Understand you cannot heal sickness or disease without stopping the eating of the foods which cause the disease. Try to stop buying the chemical helpers, diabetes drinks, heart disease spreads, acrylamide chips, adhd flakes, artery cloggers, zero nutrition bread, colon cancer dogs, sugar food labeled no sugar added. If you can do your best to be conscious of what goes into your body.
Be wise and knowledgeable. Use your intuition and do what is right for you. Make your own choices and take in information from all sides. We either choose to learn, evolve and grow or we choose to let them make our decisions for us. I appreciate you taking the time to read this article. I you have any questions over nutrition or need nutritional coaching feel free to message me anytime.
I also practice natural magick, energy work and holistic healing as well. I offer nutritional coaching, monthly programming and lifestyle coaching online. I appreciate you taking the time to read this. Hopefully you gain some knowledge and are able to share others the gifts of healing and self empowerment. If you find the post useful please feel free to share this post or refer anyone and everyone to the Fitness Sucess by Design group.
#fitness #nutrition #passion #livinganactivelife #lifestyle #plantbasedathlete