The Fed+Fit Podcast | Nurturing a Healthy Mindset for a Healthy Lifestyle
We’re back with our 51st episode of the Fed+Fit Podcast! Remember to check back every Monday for a new episode and be sure to subscribe on iTunes!
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Ep. 51: Ask Me Anything!
On today’s episode of the Fed and Fit podcast, I’m answering your questions. We’re talking about everything, from how I transitioned my blog from a hobby to a business; some of my favorite skin care products; tips for getting out of the mindset of calorie-counting; and what we feed my Fed and Fit Gus.
Topics:
1. Transitioning the blog from a hobby to a business [2:15]
2. Skin Care/Hair Care/Makeup Routine [17:39]
3. Getting out of the calorie counting/food tracking mindset [21:41]
4. What Fed and Fit Gus eats [24:48]
5. Thoughts on intermittent fasting [27:41]
6. How long for results on paleo [32:30]
7. Pre workout meals [35:26]
8. How to build muscle [36:54]
9. Natural sugars occurring in fruit [40:57]
Cassy Joy: Good morning everybody! Welcome back to episode 51 of the Fed and Fit podcast. I’m just tickled to have you here. Today is kind of an unusual episode; I like to do these every once in a while, just to kind of keep things fresh and let you guys know that I’m listening to your questions and I’m happy to answer them.
So, today we’re doing an ask me anything episode, and really what this entails is, a couple of days ago I posted on social media that I was going to record an ask me anything episode, and I asked you guys to submit some questions, and you did. You gave me some great ones. So I’m going to take my time working through them. You’ve got some really good questions here lined up, and if you are interested in asking me more questions that I don’t answer in today’s show, or if I don’t get to your question, please feel free to shoot me an email. I will do my best to get to it. You can contact me through the contact form on my website; or you can shout out on social media. I am, of course, on Instagram and Facebook but I’ve recently started to dabble in the Snap Chat world. Snap Chat makes me feel like I’m 97 years old {laughs} because I don’t really understand it all that much. But I’m committed; we’re going to figure this bad boy out. I have a feeling we’re going to have a lot of Gus videos and random happenings from the day there.
And luckily, if you guys remember that Fed and Fit college student miniseries that I did with my sister and higher education expert/pro, Samantha Garcia, she has committed to help me figure out this Snap Chat thing, because apparently she’s got it all figured out. So, we’re going to get through it.
1. Transitioning the blog from a hobby to a business [2:15]
Alrighty, so today’s episode. Like I said, it’s an ask me anything. In no particular order, I’m just going to start rolling through some of these questions. And I haven’t prepared any of these, so you guys are getting off the cuff kind of answers, just as if we’re on a phone call and you ran a question by me, and I told you just what I thought. Because I wanted to make sure it was as genuine as possible; I didn’t want anything to sound rehearsed by any means.
Alrighty, let’s get into it. First question is by RollPaleo on Instagram. RollPaleo asks; “Hi Cassy! I’d love to hear more about what prompted you to transform your blog from a hobby to a business, and how you went about that transition. Thanks! Sorry this isn’t a question, just something I’d like to hear more about. Hope that’s ok.”
Of course that’s ok, Role Paleo! Anytime you want to ask a question like that, I’d love to share more about stuff like this. This is something that I’m really passionate about. And it’s actually funny, because I have found that folks who start their own business start off because they’re passionate about the subject that they’re working within, and then as the years go by, because running a business almost becomes this huge kind of, oh goodness, profession to tackle in and of itself, you know. You almost have to become a professional business person, not just a nutrition consultant, and not just a recipe developer; you also become a business woman. So people tend to be really passionate about running businesses, and starting businesses. So this is something I love to talk about, long story short. Folks who have also gotten really passionate about businesses are like Diane Sanfilippo and the Merry Maker Sisters are starting to branch off, as well.
So, tell you more about let’s see; “what prompted you to transform your blog from a hobby to a business and how you went about that transition.” So, let’s see, I started Fed and Fit in the summer of 2011. And that was about, I would say 6 months after I “arrived” at my transformation care of paleo and Crossfit and yoga. And what I mean by that, if you’re unfamiliar with my story, my transition was about 9-12 months spent following a pretty, I would say, no fluff kind of paleo lifestyle template. One that I’ve actually introduced and summarized and refined a little bit, and rolled that into the Fed and Fit Project, which I can tell you about in a little bit. But I followed that for about 9-12 months, rolled that into a mixed fitness program, because as you guys know, food and fitness really go hand in hand if you’re really looking for, to get the biggest bang for your effort, I should say.
So, about 6 months after I lost 10 dress sizes and lost 10 pounds, I just felt like I woke up for the first time in my life. I had more energy, my skin looked better, I just felt more like myself. I was so happy. And friends and family started asking me, as I’m sure those of you listening who have been through a transition like this; everyone wants to know; oh my gosh, what the heck did you do? You just are radiant, what are you doing?
So I would tell them what I was eating, and what I was doing, and they started asking for recipes. So I started off just sharing the recipes that I was making for myself over and over again, and of course I would email them, and then I got the bright idea; a friend of mine, the first blogger I knew, she has since retired from blogging but her name is Jenna Bow, and she is the blogger behind Eat, Live, Run. I had gone to California and made some of my recipes that were kind of in my back pocket. Like kale salad, I remember being one of them; my strawberry; not strawberry, excuse me. My pomegranate kale salad, it’s one that I’ve rolled into my eBook, my holiday eBook for example.
Anyway, I remember being in California, and I had made a bunch of food, and Jenna came over, and she was encouraging. She says, “You really need to take this onto the web. People would really love these kinds of recipes. It seems like you’ve got just a really good perspective on healthy eating.” So, honestly if it hadn’t been for her encouragement, I don’t think would have really thought about it. So I went for it.
I started a blog, I went to WordPress.com which is the template. If you’re familiar with WordPress.com versus WordPress.org and the difference, .com is the template where Word Press technically owns your material. I think that’s how it goes. Put on the kid gloves, these are layman terms as far as I understand it. And a WordPress.com template, you download one of their templates, and they provide all of your hosting for you. So it was a pretty sweet way to start off, and I blogged there for about 2 years, and I just kept sharing recipes, and really it was a way to put stuff up there and friends and family would be able to find access to the things that I was making and the things that I was using to find my own success. Which is a story that you will hear over and over again in the blog world; why did we start out healthy food and fitness blog? Because we had our own success story, and we wanted to find a way to share it.
So the transition, which is really what you’re asking about, where I decided; you know what? I think there’s more potential here, and I really think I want to make something of this. Kind of, it didn’t all happen at once. It kind of all happened, it was dominoes, so to speak, that were being tipped over in my life, I didn’t even realize. I went to a health careers high school in San Antonio, Texas, so the health care profession, or field was always one that I was really focused on. I was pre-med in college. I went to Texas A&M University; fighting Texas Aggies Class 2008; whoop!
I graduated from college pre-med, took all my MCATs, had everything ready to go and decided that I wanted to work for a primary care physician who could show me what it was like in a clinical setting, who could also show me what it would be like to be a manager, because I was also thinking about going and getting like an admin, health care admin degree for my masters. And I was also considering a career in public health at that point in time. So I was in between, that clinical practice, administration, and public health, and this physician offered me kind of perspective on all three of those industries, and it was a really unique experience, and I really, really learned a lot.
And what I walked away from that experience was, she was a physician who stressed; put a lot of stress on nutrition. And something just kind of clicked in my mind that really, in my heart of hearts, I didn’t want to help people just get better. I wanted to keep them from having to go to the doctor at all. And admitting these patients, and running all of these test; I kind of acted as a medical assistant in some regards, started a phlebotomy program, and it just broke my heart to see folks who were just sick and knew ways that they could right size it, they just didn’t know how. They just didn’t know how to put rubber to the road.
So that was something I had logged away and after I found my own transition through paleo and Crossfit, that kind of resurfaced as a distinct passion of mine. So after 2 years of the blog running and my working in other industries, I decided to go back and get a certification as a nutrition consultant. So I think that decision, choosing to go back to school and become a certified nutrition consultant really was a turning point for me. That’s kind of when I voiced it to the world; really just my family {laughs} and my friends. “You know what, this is not just a hobby; I’m going to pursue this even further. I want to learn more of the why’s so that I can communicate more of the hows.”
So, I did that. And then along the way, to be honest, things just kind of snowballed. I’m a big believer in, if you dedicate yourself to something that you feel strongly about and you’re a good person and you operate with integrity, and you do good work. You just work, you dedicate yourself to something and you see it through, life will happen for you. And the life of my business happened. The colleagues and friends that I’ve come across in the industry have really breathed life into my business in ways that I never thought possible. And a part of that is because I was just out there, and I was working, and I just put myself out there.
This podcast is a really good example. This podcast started a year ago; it was January, the first week in January that we launched the first episode. Charissa and I went in on this together, and I was blessed by Charissa bringing up the idea that; hey, you should really start a podcast. Because we go to dinner. I would jibber jabber her ear off about stuff, and she was like; girlfriend, you need an outlet for all of these thoughts that you have. So that’s how kind of some of that stuff started.
As far as transitioning monetizing my blog, I really just started asking other folks how they monetized. A part of that was getting signed up with different ad networks, and there’s a bunch of them out there. You’ve just got to test it out; don’t expect immediate pay off because a lot of ads pay you 60 days after the fact, so it has to be something that you’re ready to be patient with.
I was encouraged to build a product, and my first product that I built, my first real project was the Fed and Fit Holiday Feast eBook that was 45 recipes. It started off, it was just going to be 20 recipes, but once again, you dedicate yourself to something that you really feel passionate about, and it just will blossom in front of you. You just work really hard, and you stay tuned into what people really want and need from you, and the next thing you know, my eBook doubled in size, and I decided I was also going to include meal plans and shopping lists and what to make when guides. None of that was in the original scope, but while I was flipping through the material, I just kept asking myself the question; what would I want in an eBook? Because I’m kind of a tough consumer. I am a tough sell. I do not just go out there and buy things. I really need to be shown the proof or shown the value. I want to see that I’m going to get a lot of bang for my buck. I want to see that you’re a qualified source, and I want to see that whoever is producing a product that they believe in it. So I just tried to translate that into the work that I do. So that’s one of the things that I’ve done to help transition my blog from a hobby to a business.
And then lastly, I started the Fed and Fit Project. Sorry this question is going on so much! Like I said, it’s something I love to talk about. But I started the Fed and Fit Project, and that was a really scary because, as you guys know, and I kind of talked about it in the last episode, good advice versus good advice. There’s a lot of advice out there, and I really grappled with; “does the world really need another food and fitness program?” Do they really need it? Aren’t there enough of them? Should my job just to be say nice things on social media, help folks have a little bit of a better day, and to post tasty recipes? Should that really be my job? Should I just stop it there?
As a true information seeker, I started asking folks what they thought. I asked more people than you could shake a stick at. I talked to Diane Sanfilippo before I decided to go with the project; at least the current phase of it. I talked with Steph Gaudreau of Stupid Easy Paleo about it. I talked to Mary Shenouda, The Paleo Chef, about it. I wanted to put as many feelers out there, talk to folks who I really respect in the industry and get their opinion on it. Juli Bauer, of course another one of them. Overwhelmingly, everybody said do it! Get out there, do it, put your voice out there, whatever it is, there’s somebody that is going to benefit that another program that doesn’t already exist is missing. Or that does already exist is missing.
So, that’s what I did. I put my neck out there. I told all those people, number one, that I was going to do. So that instilled an automatic accountability system. So I was accountable to those people that I really look up to and really respect, and lean on as friends. So that was a huge piece of me putting my neck out there, was because they were expecting me to. And then I just did it. And I went in with a lot of grace and humility and just started to build it from the ground up. I leaned on, I guess I could call them super fans, but the beta group girls that helped me out with the Fed and Fit Project. There were 25 of them that I accepted into the beta program, totally free and it was a rough go. I really just introduced the project in a Facebook group, but man they were awesome. They gave me great feedback, they were engaged the whole time, and without them I never would have gotten to where I am today.
You just have to be patient, I guess, when you’re starting a business like this. I still maintained a fulltime job on the side this entire time. And I did that because the more I wasn’t worried about making an automatic income from Fed and Fit, I knew that I would make more balanced, rational decisions about my business. I could make decisions that maybe wouldn’t make me the most money right away, but in the long run would be better for my audience. It would be better for you guys. This podcast doesn’t bring in a single penny. This is something I just do because I think it’s a really cool way to deliver information and connect with you guys. So monetarily it doesn’t really make sense right now; but right now, I’m not worried about having to support myself entirely on Fed and Fit.
That being said I do have a team of about 5 people that are all working part time with me, and the pennies that come into Fed and Fit go right back out to them. They go out to my web developers, they go out to the graphic designers, they go out to the two girls, Megan and Kelly, who help me so much with everything to transcribe these podcasts; Amanda, shout out. She’s listening! And so I guess, oh gosh. I’m giving you way more than you really asked for, but really the transition; I’m still in the transition, I guess is what I’m trying to get at. With the new release of the Fed and Fit Project, there’s some potential that Fed and Fit will grow even larger and I’ll be able to add myself to the payroll. But I’m not in a hurry to do that. I’m more concerned about making sure that I’m doing this right.
2. Skin Care/Hair Care/Makeup Routine [17:39]
So, ok. I’m going to move on. There’s probably way more I could say. Jen Penn, hey girl. She wants to know, “What’s your skin care/hair care/makeup routine, and some fave products? Thanks!” Good question, Jen. So, my skincare routine is actually in transition right now, and if you are following me on Snap Chat you know that I teased this morning about some before pictures that I just took of my skin. I have dabbled in all of it. And I have a Fed and Fit beauty column, and I haven’t posted in it in quite a while, because I only really want to advertise things that work really well, you know. I don’t really want to tell you guys about this new crazy face peel, if I haven’t used it for a month, at least, regularly and have experienced some really good results. And my skin, just like me as a consumer, my skin is a very picky consumer.
So my skin care routine is kind of up in the air right now; I did oil cleansing for almost a year, strictly oil cleansing and oil moisturizers and that did really well for a little while. And I’m going to share my thoughts about why I quite oil cleansing on the blog in the next month or so.
Hair care routine; I actually use a product called Surface. I used to no-poo; I used to use the baking soda and apple cider vinegar. If you’re curious about that, just Google it. And again, I will put some of these articles and my thoughts on them on the blog one day. But I no-poo’d for about a year, the same year that I was doing oil cleansing method, because I wanted to give it a really good go so I could talk authentically about it. And it wasn’t for me. After a while, my hair just got extremely brittle; I lost inches off of my hair, and I really did try a lot of different tricks to try to rectify the dryness, and none of it worked. So I have since transitioned back to product that I really like; it’s a very healthful product, but it does lather, which if that’s something you’re trying to avoid, there are other brands like Morocco Method, I’ve used before, that’s really great. It’s pretty expensive, but it could be a good one. It’s kind of a non-lather shampoo and conditioner. So more of a mud base, which doesn’t sound like it cleans your hair, but it does a pretty good job.
I really like the lather. You know, I’m kind of a modern girl in that regard. You all will see in my beauty column that in some of the ways, although I’m definitely a paleo foodie and I believe in functional fitness, I tend to be a little bit more of a modern girl when it comes to fashion, hair and skin and nails.
So products; Surface is a good one, you can get it online or you can also get it from a stylist. I really like, oh goodness, I can’t remember the exact name of the one that I have. It starts with a B but it’s for extra moisture, and it really has saved my hair. And what was the other, makeup.
Oh, makeup! I alternate between, again, I’m kind of a modern girl here. I like Bobbie Brown. Oh, a friend of mine just started a new gluten free vegan makeup line, it’s called Elevé, with an accent over the last e. Her name is Gertie Murie, and she was actually the makeup artist that helped with Juli Bauer and mine video and photo shoot this past week. Absolutely brilliant; amazing makeup. It looked great all day long, so that’s something I’m going to start looking into.
Those are some of my favorite products. Primally Pure; oh my goodness, I can’t say enough nice things. Bethany Joy, and maybe I like her because we share a middle name, or one of the reason I like her, but her products are just dynamite. She makes the best stuff. I use her body cream every night before I go to bed. Her chapsticks are in every room and every purse, so that’s a really good one.
3. Getting out of the calorie counting/food tracking mindset [21:41]
Ok, Joybird Wellness; hey girl. Oh, I skipped one. Sorry Joy, I’ll get back to you. I’m Stephtacular! Ok, she wants to know, “Some tips for getting out of the mindset of calorie counting/food tracking would be great if you have any insight there. I can’t remember if you talked about this on an episode or not.” I can’t remember if I did either. So let’s roll with it, it’s a good question.
Ok, some tips for getting out of the mindset of calorie counting. I’m going to try to keep this really succinct, because at the end of the day, you just kind of have to dedicate yourself to it. But something that worked for me was; you know, when you’re calorie counting and you’re food tracking, this takes me back to the days when, let’s say I did Zone Paleo, where I was really concerned with exact portions. You start to learn what a serving looks like, right? So you put those servings onto your plate, and you eat lunch, or dinner, or breakfast, and you just enjoy it.
Now, one of the ways to kind of get over the hump of wondering if you had too little calories or too many calories is to start to pay attention to how your body is really feeling after the meal. Do you feel satisfied, satiated? Are you going to be hungry in a couple of hours? I guess the way to get over that hill is to turn the focus away from the math and science of the macros and the micronutrients on your plate, and instead turn the focus on your body and what it’s really telling you. Because there are going to be, as we will include a dedicated chapter in the new release of the Fed and Fit Project, certain times of the month, especially for us ladies, where our macro needs, our macronutrient needs, are widely different than at other times of the month. Right? There are some times of the month where we need way more carbohydrates than we do at other times. And the only way to really know that, it’s hard to really just look at a calendar and know exactly when you’re going to need an extra sweet potato for dinner to really feel great and to not turn into a hangry, chocolate eating monster, it’s hard to look at a calendar and determine that. Because calendars aren’t always exact, but your body will always tell you.
I’m sorry this is such a vague answer, but you really just have to, and it’s cheesy, but you really have to look within and start listening to your body and listening to what it’s telling you it really wants. And just try to be; something that Liz Wolfe posted a long time ago; she’s not a micro tracker or macro tracker, she’s a nutrient seeker, and I really love that. So if you think of yourself as a nutrient seeker, what is your body drawn to? Are you drawn to berries right now? Are you drawn to plantains right now? Do you have a weird craving for butternut squash? It’s my belief that you have these cravings because your body needs the nutrients present in those foods. Your body is more intuitive; bodies are more intuitive than we generally give them credit for. So listen to your body and follow the advice it’s trying to give you.
4. What Fed and Fit Gus eats [24:48]
Ok Joybird, let’s get back to you. “What does Fed and Fit Gus eat? We’re thinking of adopting a dog, and I’m trying to gather tips for how to care for a future paleo pet.” Oh, that’s so exciting! I just love puppies. I think Gus needs a little puppy friend.
Ok, so what does Gus eat. Well, he’s not 100% paleo. We did try him on the Blue Diamond, I think Blue Diamond makes it, but the Wilderness Brand dry dog food, and there are no grains in it whatsoever, it’s just really high protein and some vegetables. Gus was on that for about 6 months, and to be honest there wasn’t enough substance in that food for his sweet little system, and it gave him runny poo-poos. {laughs} Sorry if that was way more than you needed to know. So what we did transition him to a grain-free; excuse me, a gluten free Blue Diamond, gosh I can’t remember the exact, they have a bunch of different lines of it. I’ll take a picture of the bag one day and post it on social media so you can see it. But he really likes this, I think it’s salmon and rice is one of his favorites. He also likes lamb and rice; essentially rice is the carbohydrate in there.
And then we supplement his diet; every once in a while I’ll drop a sardine, one of those Wild Planet Foods sardines right into his bowl. He loves that. I will also, because I freeze my bone broth in ice cube trays so I have easier portions of them to just throw into soups and things, every once in a while I’ll just throw a couple of ice cubes of bone broth on his food or in a bowl, especially during the summer months, and he just loves it.
So those are kind of some of the things that we give him. As far as treats; I try to think of treats as an excuse to get him extra vitamins. For example; they’re expensive, but I think they’re worth it. There are these dog treats out there, it’s just dehydrated beef liver. There are no other ingredients, and Gus loses his mind over this beef liver stuff. We cannot give him these treats when other dogs are around, because all of his manners go out the window. He’s so rude, and he just shoves his way up there, and he’s like, “um, excuse me, these are my liver treats not yours.” So we give him those, we break them up; he loves them. All the great benefits of organ meats are wrapped up in there.
So ultimately, you’re really going to have to determine what’s right for your puppy dog, because it’s different for every dog. And just kind of monitor their energy and the not so glamorous side of monitoring their output, if you know what I mean, and determine their diet based on that. And you’ll figure it out. It’s going to take some experimenting, though.
5. Thoughts on intermittent fasting [27:41]
Ok, man I’m not going to make it through all these. I’m sorry guys. Ok, Daily Dose of Jules; what a good user name! She asks, “Thoughts on intermittent fasting, and any suggestions on what I could do to be able to enjoy some coffee? I get so bloated now when I drink coffee, so I’ve stopped. However, would love to have it every now and then without feeling like I’m pregnant again.” Oh, man! That is so; I’m sorry. If you love coffee, and it makes you that bloated, that’s pretty sucky. My heart goes out to you.
Ok Jules, well my thoughts. Let’s start from the first question; my thoughts on intermittent fasting. I think, you know, going back to last weeks’ episode. Good advice versus good advice. I think intermittent fasting works for some people, for sure. I’ve tried it once upon a time, and I didn’t get; like I said, I’m a hard sell. I didn’t get as much out of it as I would have expected. I think it’s great if it’s something you want to try out. I would definitely make sure you’re surrounding yourself with and advice giver who you really trust.
Mary Shenouda, for example, The Paleo Chef, comes to mind. I know a while back she did intermittent fasting and got a lot of success from it. So that would be somebody that I would reach out to. She’s someone who I trust as a resource. But overall, I don’t know that it is really as much of a; gosh, I don’t know if it has as much magical powers as folks like to make it out to be. But, if it works for you, because I believe everybody and every metabolism is different, then more power to you. It’s definitely worth a try. Try anything for 30 days. Journal it; keep documenting how you feel, and your progress towards your goals, and that will tell you more than maybe just what your memory might recall from those 30 days.
And suggestions on what you could do to be able to enjoy some coffee. Ok, let me think. I’m going to put my thinking cap on for you girl. Ok, so let’s see. To enjoy some coffee; the first thing that comes to mind is, if you want to have some coffee in the morning, you really want to make sure that your tummy is as best prepared; it sounds like you have a food intolerance, obviously, to coffee beans. And that’s going to make you feel bloated.
So there are a couple of things we can do. You know, even though you might have a food intolerance, the healthier your gut, and the more well patched your gut is, I guess to say, if you’re familiar with the term leaky gut, it means there are some patches, really, to put it really basically in your gut that’s allowing some of these antinutrients and nutrients to seep into your blood stream, and because they are foreign bodies, your body develops an immune reaction to it, and an immune reaction equals swelling. So that’s kind of what’s going on.
So what brings to mind is, maybe we need to figure out how to really heal your gut, heal your tummy. That would be a really good place to start, but that’s kind of a long term solution. That’s something to think about now; start researching gut health, things like that. I highly recommend Chris Kresser as one of my favorite resources for that kind of stuff.
But for the immediate, maybe start experimenting. One of the ways to really repair your gut lining is to start drinking really, really healthy homemade nutrient dense bone broths. So we’re talking chicken and beef broth are my two favorites, and those will be included in a major publication this summer that I still haven’t announced, you guys, and I’m so sorry it’s taking me so long. I’m waiting for something from the company I’m working with to be able to tell everybody about it.
But anyways, I’m going to have some good recipes in there, but what it’s going to include is kind of how to make the best chicken broth and the best beef broth. And the way to do that is to get really good bones, my chicken broth calls for actually wings, chicken wings. Because there’s a lot of cartilage in there, and there’s just not a whole lot of meat and things you’re going to miss, like you would in the rest of the chicken. And it tastes better, I think, thank back bones. You don’t get that liver flavor.
So I would make a really good broth, one that would kind of gel, actually, in the refrigerator once it cools. That’s when you know you’ve got some really good gelatin in there. And I would drink a mug of that in the morning; let that sit and go through your stomach for at least 30 minutes, and then try a cup of coffee and see what happens. Ok? So that was a really long explanation for that one little piece of advice, but I hope that’s helpful.
6. How long for results on paleo [32:30]
Ok you guys, well. I hate to do this. You know what, if you guys are ok with sticking around, then I’m ok with it too. I’ve got 4 more questions I want to get through really quickly. Ok, Run Bake Dog. “Hi Cassy! I was wondering how long it took you to notice changes with your body and weight loss/reduced inflammation after you went paleo. I’m struggling with patience.”
Oh, sister! I hear you. It’s so hard to be patient. Especially when you are surrounded by all of these success stories everywhere. People are like; “I lost 80 pounds on paleo after 1 month!” Everybody’s body is different, so I hear you. It’s hard to not compare yourself, and it’s hard to stay patient with your body because it’s going to be different.
I probably noticed; you know, when I went paleo, I was really busy doing other things. One of the things I kept myself busy with was working out. I kept myself busy working out, I took a weekend job working for Lululemon, and I started yogaing everywhere because I worked for Lululemon. I also started working out in all these crazy gyms, and just meeting people all over the place. And I was also doing paleo, but my focus wasn’t on weight loss. You know, it wasn’t really on that. It was on how to feel better, because I had major, like maj joint pain. And I was, oh how old was I? 24.
So, I think that one day I looked in the mirror and it was 6 months later that I really noticed a distinct difference. 6 months was when I had to start buying new clothes. That’s when I was like, ok, nothing fits. There’s no matter of cinching up a belt that’s going to fix this situation. So I started shopping after about 6 months; and then I had to go through a whole nother shopping after about 12 months. And it’s a long time; that is a long time to wait for something to work, but I’m of the belief that the longer it takes you to get there, and the slower the weight comes off, the longer the results will last. So be patient with your body.
Make sure you’re sleeping enough. That really is a secret. I’ve worked with so many folks one on one; that’s another way I transitioned my business, back to that original question by RollPaleo, but I started taking one on one clients per my nutrition consulting certification, and that was one of the ways I really helped turn it into a business.
But anyways, of the folks that I’ve worked with one on one, I have found that people who are really following a strict paleo protocol, as soon as they start sleeping more at night, like 8 hours at night, 7-9 on average, and they drank more water. Take half your body weight and drink that in ounces; all of a sudden, everything started working. They were like; holy moly! The inflammation was going away, I have more energy. It’s like, everything just finally fell into place for them. Also make sure you’re working out.
7. Pre workout meals [35:26]
Ok, sorry, trying to be fast. Ok, oh my goodness, how do I even say this username? {laughs} Sarah Thompson, I’m just going to say your name. Sorry Sarah, hope you’re ok with that. Ok, she’s asking, “What are the best kinds of foods to eat before a workout?” Great question Sarah! And it’s something that’s going to be included in the Fed and Fit Project, like a full tutorial on that. So I’ll give you a very brief answer. Before a workout, it’s best to have some protein and some fat, because you can’t really make use out of carbohydrates right before a workout, you definitely need it right after to help replenish those muscle glycogen levels. But right before a workout, protein and fat is great. I’m talking like a hardboiled egg and a small handful of almonds, or a hardboiled egg with a little mayo on it and some crunchy sea salt. That sounds delicious. Something like that about an hour before would be dandy. Or, you could have a full meal. That’s the snack option; you could also have a full meal before a workout, and make sure you get some good protein and fats in there. Or, you could actually work out fasting as well. If you’re one of those superhero morning workout folks that likes to workout at the 5 a.m. Crossfit class, more power to you. I used to be one of you, and then I’m not anymore. {laughs}
So if you’re one of those folks, and you feel fine during a workout after just waking up, rolling out of bed, and going into the gym, then you could definitely do that. You’re body is going to use really those fat stores for energy, and after a while you’ll adjust to it.
8. How to build muscle [36:54]
Ok, second to last question. Tina Gagnon; I think I said your name right. She’s looking for, “The right program to build muscle. I’m so confused. Low carb, high fat, intermittent fasting, 6 meals or 3, cardio and weights or high intensity or just weights. I just want to build muscle!” Oh my gosh, I totally hear your frustration. I know where you’re coming from, Tina.
Ok, the right program to build muscle. I would say, of folks that I have worked with that have been the most successful with building muscle, you know, this is going to be hard because in my experience, you kind of have to build up everything and then start to lose a little bit of body fat to go back down to where you just have more muscle. That’s the fast way to go.
The slow way to go; I’ll tell you the slow way first. The slow way to go is to essentially follow a paleo lifestyle plan, so no grains, start making sure you are taking in a lot of easily digested protein and carbohydrates after your workouts. Definitely roll in some strength training at least once a day. Cardio is great to make sure that you’re staying nice and balanced, make sure you’re getting in some stretching. So put the focus on your post workout meal; so within an hour after finishing, get some easily digest proteins and those carbohydrates. So we’re talking squashes, potatoes, beets, plantains, those are all really great resources. And then for easily digest proteins that you could really use, your body could make faster use of, I’m thinking of things like shredded chicken. Proteins that are cooked in a slow cooker or a pressure cooker. And this kind of sounds gross, but what you’re trying to get at is proteins that are almost, the digestion process is kind of already started. So if it’s slow cooked, fall off the bone roast out of the pressure cooker or slow cooker, your body can really use that faster.
So those kinds of proteins; make sure you’re not afraid of fat. Make sure you’re taking in a lot of healthy fats. Make sure you’re sleeping enough and drinking enough water. And also make sure you’re rolling in some rest days. So at least, at least one day a week, minimum, no activity. I mean, you can go out and walk the dog and go get the mail, but don’t think that just a 3 mile run qualifies as a rest day. It doesn’t. So a real rest day, at least once a week. I take 2 rest days a week at minimum.
And then as far as number of meals to eat, I’m a big believer in 3 full meals a day, because I think that it really trains your metabolism to go back to a fat adapted state which is really a more natural healthy state of being, where in between meals you get hungry enough where your body can revert to using body fat for energy. So that’s kind of a personal choice; it depends. That’s the long way to do it; that’s going to get you a while. Make sure you’re strength training and make sure you’re replenishing after workouts.
The short route is going to be just eat more fat and protein and carbohydrates across the board; and if it means splitting it up into 6 meals or 5 meals a day, so that you can eat more, then you do it and you just keep eating and you workout, lift a lot of weights. And then you’ll get, you could possibly get larger altogether, and then once you get to that state then start cutting back on some of the carbohydrates, on calories overall, start drinking even more water, start rolling in more cardio so that you’re body will kind of slim back down, but hopefully maintain a lot of that muscle that you’ve built up. I hope that answers your question, and doesn’t confuse you anymore.
9. Natural sugars occurring in fruit [40:57]
Ok, very last question. Megan Hawkins; “What is your take on natural sugars in daily fruit servings? I keep hearing conflicting information. Obviously white sugar isn’t good, but what about things like dates and honey?” So, again; good advice versus good advice. You’re going to hear it all. But I will tell you my take on it.
So, I think that it’s all fine when you don’t consume it to excess. Pretty much; let’s put it in a nutshell. Everything in moderation. I’m really that kind of girl. That being said, the Fed and Fit Project calls for no sugars, no, I guess liquid sugars even. So honey, molasses, and maple syrup are out on the Fed and Fit Project. That doesn’t mean that I don’t personally indulge in them every once in a while, but I’m kind of at the infinity and beyond stage of the Fed and Fit Project, which is something that we’ve integrated steps to; what’s after the 28 days.
So instead, I’m a big believer in getting your sugars from starchy carbohydrates like squashes and beets on occasion, potatoes and plantains, getting those kinds of sugars. And also getting sugars from fruits. Now some fruits pack more of a sugary punch than others, and if we lean on them too much, because they’re delicious. Gosh, like a mango for example, is one of the most sugary fruits out there; it’s dang tasty, it’s hard to really stop when you get a really good, fresh mango, and there are some good nutrients there. I’m not saying it’s a bad food, but it’s easy to overeat a really sugary fruit, which would then go against that moderation thing that I was talking about. So fruits that are easier to stay within a moderate amount are things like berries; I’m a big believer in berries being the basis of your fruit. So those are raspberries, blueberries, cherries, not as many cherries, but some cherries, things like that, blackberries, strawberries are great; great way to get some fruit in your diet.
And I also am ok with dates. I do use dates to sweeten certain things, like coconut milk custards and my upcoming protein bar recipe. And the reason why I’m ok with dates is because I usually break them up and put them into a prepared food. So it’s not like you’re going to sit there and just mindlessly munch on dates. They’re included in a recipe that’s already pre-portioned out, so you’re not at risk of having too many.
So that’s kind of my take on sugars. I say go with the option that’s going to empower you to not overeat sugar, right? Because a little bit is fine pretty much on almost anything, but a lot of anything is not ok. So that’s why I tend to lean on berries, grapefruit; probably not going to sit down and eat 5 pounds of grapefruit. So that’s usually a good one to lean on. Lemons and limes, you know you’re not going to overindulge on those either.
Ok, well you guys. I’ve kept you for far too long. Thank you for joining me on this entire episode. I had a lot of fun answering your questions. If you’d like me to do more of these, drop me a line and I’ll try to fold some of these into more regular shows. So thanks again for joining me; wishing you guys a wonderful week. I will see you again next Monday.
