Calories vs Hormones

image courtesy of prweb.com

Isn't it just a matter of calories in vs calories out? Don't you simply have to eat less and exercise more in order to burn more calories than you take in to ultimately lose weight? Unfortunately, no. The human body is just not quite that simple.

If you have ever tried losing weight by eating less and exercising more I am sure you have found a few things out the hard way.

• You are chronically hungry from being in such a caloric deficit.
• You crave and constantly think about food (mostly sweets and other junk food). 
• You are more irritable than normal.
• You have little motivation and/or energy to exercise (usually worse from a long-term caloric deficit).
• You realize this lifestyle is not sustainable, end up bingeing on unhealthy foods, end up gaining all the weight back and then some, and lose some hope that you will be able to lose weight.

If this has ever happened to you, you are not alone. It is invariably what happens, and will happen, every time you try losing weight this way. It is just he way the body is designed. Calorie restriction leads to the body to slow down your metabolism and fat burning hormones, while increasing your fat storing hormones, decreasing your energy, and increasing your cravings for food, and increases your weight set point (this will be discussed in much greater detail in following blog posts. Essentially, it is the reason why you end up gaining everything back and then some, and why you can stay at one weight range for years and years will changing diet, exercise, and everything else). Why would your body do the exact opposite of what you want? Survival. When humans were first sprung on to this planet, there was not an endless supply of food at the local supermarket or fast food restaurant. Therefore, when times were scarce, the body would slow the metabolism, increase fat storing hormones, and signal the person to crave as much food as possible. Then when they finally got an abundance of food, their body had learned that maybe they should store just a little more body fat in case this starvation thing ever happened again.

So if superficial 'weight loss' diets and exercise programs designed exclusively to put you into a caloric deficit don't actually work in the long run, how do you go about losing weight? Hope you like cliff hangers..

Be sure to check back every Thursday as we continue to walk along the path of permanent and sustainable weight changes.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Peace

-T

What Are Superfoods?

The term "superfood" is a big buzzword in the media and among health consumers, but what does it really mean? In my opinion, it suggests that the food is more nutritionally dense and, therefore, more healthy, than non-superfoods. It makes sense that in order to become more healthy, you might decide to eat more super foods.

The problem, however, is that there is neither an exact definition or standards of what constitutes one of these foods, nor an inclusive/exclusive list. Things become more chaotic when magazines, media, and Dr. Oz seem to introduce a brand new superfood every week. Is it really feasible to eat a diet consisting of all of these super foods in well-balanced proportions according to your metabolic type and caloric needs without becoming completely neurotic? Most likely, no, but there is good news..

As more and more foods get added to the "super food" list, there will be fewer and fewer foods that are not considered "super foods". In the end, it is likely that every non-processed, non-GMO, organic, whole-food from healthy soil, will be on the list and everything else will be off. At this point, it is simply a matter of eating what you like and what works with your body. ]

So back to my original question, "What are super foods?" Essentially, they are any food that has not been tampered with by humans. Meaning, every food is a superfood, and therefore, no food is a superfood. How's that for an answer?

Peace

-T

What can Self Made Nutrition do for You?

Happy Friday Everyone!

Hope you were able to crank through a productive and fulfilling week. If not, consider what can be done differently for next week and create a plan to make it happen. If you did, however, congratulations! You have moved another step closer to your goals and building your legacy. For me, I am working with a few more clients later today and tomorrow morning, followed by at least 24 hours of hanging loose and eating pizza. Glorious.

What can Self Made Nutrition do for you? 

For a general idea, go to selfmadenutrition.com/services.html and look through the different services and common health complaints that our programs can potentially improve or eliminate.

To set up a free initial consultation, CLICK HERE. Find out exactly how we would address your specific goals (with an estimated cost and time frame), and figure out which program will likely work best for you!

Again, we are able to work with anyone that has a phone and internet connection, regardless of where you reside.

Check back frequently as over the coming weeks we will be working through different common health challenges and how Self Made Nutrition can help!

Peace and have a good weekend everybody.

-T

The Triad of Self Made Nutrition

Self Made Nutrition will be raised balancing three main principles; Yolo, 125, and Legacy.

Yolo: You only live once. It is important to make it whatever type of life you want it to be. You don't have to always deprive yourself of things you enjoy, or force yourself to do things you hate, in the name of 'health', your job, peer pressure, or societal expectations. Find what makes you happy and what you enjoy and fill your life with it. Don't settle for anything that isn't part of your dream or your 'perfect life'.

125: Live to be 125 years old. What can you do to ensure your body is running at 100%? By that I mean not just free of symptoms, but actually functioning at its highest level possible; waking up refreshed, having great energy throughout the day, always being in a good mood with clear thoughts, and having a healthy, active body. It is considered normal that as we age, things start to break down and we develop chronic ailments. However, by focusing on keeping yourself as close to 100% as possible, you can potentially delay or even prevent many of these conditions.

Legacy: How will you be remembered? If you are unfamiliar with "The Story of the Mexican Fisherman", I suggest you look it up. Essentially, it is making the point that we often spend our whole lives working busy, hectic, schedules in order to make enough money to someday retire and live a simple, care-free life, when in reality we all have the power to live that life right now. The only problem with the philosophy is that you end up doing nothing of significance. If you believe you have a purpose for being here then take action to fulfill it. Do something that others will remember you for.

There they are, the three main principles of Self Made Nutrition. The key is to find your own perfect balance of them. If you are interested in some help with that, be sure to check back to the blog often as nearly every post will deal with at least one of these three. You can also sign up for Self Made's Healthy Living Program for an individualized program and one-on-one coaching to help you find your perfect balance. With that said, be sure to make every day count by either enjoying it as if it were your last, using it to build a healthy body that can grow to be 125 years old, or by contributing to something that you will always be remembered for.

Have a great day everyone.

Peace!

-T

Welcome to Self Made Nutrition!

Hi Everyone!

Thanks for taking the time to check out the Self Made Nutrition blog. Look for posts covering topics about nutrition, healthy living, exercise, supplements, agriculture, and more! If you have any questions, or anything in particular you want me to cover, just let me know.. Have a great day everybody!

Tony Cates