One of the biggest things I've learned over the years is the concept of looking at nutrients vs. looking at calories when it comes to tracking intake. It is astounding the difference you feel when you consume something that is highly nutrient dense with the same amount of calories compared to something relatively nutrient devoid. A good example of this would be a hot dog vs. a piece of fresh wild caught salmon. Check below:
On the left, you see nutrients per 100 grams of a hot dog, vs on the right is nutrients per 100 grams of sockeye salmon.For less than half as many calories, you beating out the hot dog is virtually every vitamin and mineral category, getting twice as much protein, less carbohydrates, and TEN TIMES as much anti-inflammatory, omega-3 fatty acid, while having only 10% of the inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid. Without getting too much into the benefits of omega-3s, just know that they play an important role in brain health and insulin sensitivity, meaning you are more likely to be smarter and leaner by consuming it. The important thing to consider is that you want to minimize omega-6 fatty acid consumption because this type of fatty acid contributes to inflammation in the body - making you bloated, weak, and sick. I will break this down in a further blog post.
Anyways - back to my point. The key to being highly energized, fit, lean, and happy is to consume foods that satisfy your body's internal biological needs. Vitamins and minerals play a critical role in all the body's functions - the millions of various processes that make us tick. It makes sense that when you consume a diet low in these essential vitamins and minerals and you are deficient in one or more of these micronutrients, you constantly have cravings. In my opinion, a 'craving' is a good sign your body is searching for something it is not getting in the current state. For example, when you crave chips you may simply be deficient in sodium. Or when you want chocolate, magnesium is low.
The trick is to fully satisfy your micronutrient requirements as much as you possible can early in the day, that way you can avoid reaching for the candy bar in the vending machine at work or fighting off the 2 o'clock craving for a soda. I do this by slamming down a massive green smoothie made in a high powered blender every single day, usually before 10 AM. Since I've started doing these I've seen great improvements, such as more constant energy through the day, better skin, healthier digestion, and an overall better mood. The biggest thing I've noticed from incorporating these green shakes is the cravings are virtually eliminated entirely, which coming from someone who
LOVES ice cream, this is big.
My suggestion to you, is try out an early morning green smoothie every day for a week. The first couple days may be rough as you get used to it and you still might have cravings, but for a lot of people this period could mean they are starting to store more of these essential micronutrients in the places they were missing before. But stay committed to at least a week and see what kind of benefits you might reap.
Green Smoothie Ingredients:
- Large handful each of: baby kale, baby spinach, romaine lettuce
- Small handful of parsley
- 2 large celery stalks
- 1/2 a large cucumber
- a small hunk of ginger, golf-ball sized
- a smaller hunk of turmeric
- a wedge of fresh lemon
- 1 TBSP extra virgin unrefined coconut oil
(these fats help absorb many of the fat soluble vitamins in the veggies, and also provide immediately and long lasting energy due to the MCT (medium chain triglyceride) content of the fat in coconut oil)
- tsp of ground cinnamon (
adds good taste)
- several squirts of liquid stevia to sweeten, or a tsp of stevia powder
- 2-3 liters of water, high speed blender on high until foamy
-
OPTIONAL: other green vegetables, such as bok choy, collard greens, green/ red/ dino kale, zucchini, etc. Be creative. Change it up every week with new additions, but keep the base ingredients relatively the same.
Notice I've not really included any fruit. I prefer not to consume any sugar, even natural sugars like that found in fruit, early in the day, as this can trigger cravings and hunger later on in the afternoon. It will also keep your insulin low by avoiding it, so you reap the benefits of additional fat burning. The point is to maximize nutrient absorption in the early part of the day and keep your full and energized through the day to be busy and focus on other things.
Anyways - this is my tip of the day to keep you lean, happy, and healthy. Hope you enjoyed reading and looking forward to hearing about your progress! Good luck on your journey to health.
