Healthy Fast Food Options.

Sometimes we don’t have the time to cook and sometimes you need to eat and you need to find something fast. There’s nothing wrong with that. In today’s post I wanted to share with you some of my favourite “fast food” options.  Of course when tackling on a specific weight gain/weight loss goal, its better to be prepared, but ideal foods can be found outside the house if you do your proper research. The following “fast food” choices are based on taste, macronutrient content, the amount of time it takes to order and affordability. Here we go…

PHO: This is by far one of my favourite foods in general (fast or not). I opt for a rice dish, which is usually paired with a protein and some vegetables (most likely pickled radish and cucumber). Not in the mood for rice? Try the beef or chicken noodle soup (pho). Not only is the broth rich in minerals, but also the noodles are rice based, making it a great gluten free option.  It’s also worth noting that most pho dishes come with a good amount of mint and basil, which aid in digestion and contain anti-inflammatory properties. Side orders? Try fresh rolls. These are fresh herbs, lettuce and shrimp wrapped in rice paper. A typical meal at a Pho restaurant will usually run you about $10-12.

Pictured here: Fresh Roll platter

Burrito Bowls: I’ve named this "burrito bowls” but we all know that I’m talking about Chipotle. Whenever I’m dealing with a client, I’ll always refer to a burrito bowl from Chipotle as an ideal split of all the macronutrients. You have your rice (carbs), vegetables (fibre and micronutrients), beans (fibre and prebiotic), choice of protein and your fat (guacamole).  A meal at Chipotle will run you about $10-12. Another option is the Taqueria station at Whole Foods, which carries tacos, and burrito bowls as well!

Pictured here: Burrito bowl with rice, chicken, black beans, lettuce, corn, tomato, and guac.

Jerk Chicken: My next “fast food” option is jerk. I have one routine that I’ve implemented the last while where I’ll get a haircut, workout then have some jerk chicken (there’s a really good jerk place by my barber). Your carb option (rice and peas) makes a complete protein, so you’re already winning.  A typical meal for me at a jerk spot is jerk chicken, coleslaw, rice and peas. Sometimes I’ll get a side of plantain, but that’s for a high carb day. The thing I love about jerk is that its tasty but the herbs and spices used in the seasoning upgrade everything. Things such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger are all beneficial herbs and spices which aid in digestion making this “fast food” top notch.

Pictured here: Jerk chicken, rice and peas, coleslaw.

Some notable mentions include, Thai Food and Korean Food. They didint make the list becasue they are good outside options but aren't necessarily "fast". Fast food doesn’t necessarily mean “bad food”. Notice how all my food options here are foods that haven’t been covered in sauce nor has anything been heavily fried.

Enjoy!

Thoughts on Ketosis (and a little explanation)

Ketosis. It’s a pretty sexy topic right now and just about everyone’s friend, aunt and uncle seem to be an expert on being fat adapted. Lately I've been asking myself "shouldn't I eat carbs when I want to perform a high powered sport or exercise?"

This post isn’t meant to be a focus on what ketosis is, but for the sake of context, I’ll give you the main points.

Ketosis is a metabolic state where our body switches from glucose to ketone bodies (which are derived from acetyl CoA) when we deplete our body of glucose and glycogen. Ketone bodies are produced as a result of our body breaking down fat.

If the brain prefers glucose as fuel, then how are we able to survive on prolonged fasts? That’s because those ketones take the place of glucose and can fuel the brain. In a clinical setting, ketogenic diets have been utilized for the treatment of MS, diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s.

*** Quick note: MS and Alzheimer’s have been tied in with mitochondrial dysfunction and the brain cell’s inability to use glucose to fuel the brain. The idea is that switching to ketone bodies will serve as an alternative fuel source instead of glucose.

Aside from its effects on MS and Alzheimer’s, endurance athletes have started to adopt a more ketogenic based diet in order to take advantage of the fact that fat, as a substrate is vast and almost endless. Think about it, we can store more fat than glycogen bro! Note that there is something called nutritional ketosis (keeping carbohydrates under 50g) and fasting ketosis (when were eating almost nothing).

If you're geeked out on body metabolism and want some cold hard facts…Just know that ketosis is measured by the number of ketone bodies present in our blood. True ketosis can fluctuate but should be at about 0.2-0.5 mm of BHB (hydroxybutyrate is just one measurable ketone). Anything over this means you've been "kicked out of ketosis". 

Main Points

• Ketones can be used as an alternative source of fuel for the body.

• Ketones are produced when our body metabolizes fat.

• Ketosis is used as an alternative fuel source in clinical settings when mitochondria (energy producing area) are not using glucose effectively.

• We can store more fat than glycogen.

• Ketone bodies made from acetyl CoA.

Since we’re all experts on ketosis, let’s tackle the real question. Is ketosis good for athletes who require short bursts of power? Is it for everyone?

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Here's a typical ketogenic breakfast. Organic turkey burger patty with some guacamole on the side.

I remember having a conversation with a naturopath and asking him what his thoughts were on performance and running on mostly fat aka ketosis. I remember his exact words “yeah fat would be an ideal energy source if the sport was fighting to the death”. What he meant was, fat is ideal when its our last option, but for shorter more powerful sports, we’d be best served with some high quality carbohydrates. 

I also remember talking to a colleague of mine and debating whether or not being fat-fueled was the ideal state an athlete should be in. The outcome was an agreement that endurance athletes would be best served using fats as fuel because it enables the athlete to be more metabolically flexible and tap into an almost unending source of fuel.

However, in order for this to work the athlete would have to be “fat adapted” at least 3 months before. We can’t just have the athlete attempt to get into ketosis 3 weeks before a triathlon.

My own personal experience? Ketosis was the easiest and least painful way for me to improve body composition (aka lose fat). However, I can’t lie to you, if power is needed on a specific day, then clean carbohydrates work well for me.

I follow a diet that's high in fat and protein but not exclusive to other macronutrients. I'll still eat carbohydrates and I'll eat them closer on days where I've played hockey or lifted something heavy. If I were to take part in a triathlon, then ketosis would make sense, but I'm not signed up for any at the moment. 

There’s an up and coming market for exogenous ketones on the rise and they’ll say that you can reap the benefits of ketosis by ingesting ketones which will allow you to use ketones without going into fasting or nutritional ketosis. I’ve tried this as a sample and it was tasty, but I’d have to use it longer to feel the performance-enhancing effects.

Should we drink our water hot or cold?

I remember the time an Ayurvedic practitioner told me that hot water was a simple way of losing fat. I never forgot when he said this because of his reasoning for fat loss. He asked me “have you ever tried cleaning grease/fat off a stove with hot water instead of using cold water?”

At the time I was skeptical because I kept saying that adipose tissue was different from grease on someone’s stove and the mechanism of shedding fat had to be a little different. It was like someone telling me eating “mussels” lead to more muscle in the body.

Obviously I’ve changed my stance on this. There is definitely truth to this warm to hot water on fat loss theory. It’s by no means an aggressive approach to fat loss, but it’s a routine worth throwing into the mix if fat loss is a goal. This extends to overall health, as warm water should be consumed over cold water.

So what are the benefits?

1.     Warm water increases metabolism by heating the body, which leads to calorie expenditure.

2.     Warm to hot water actually breaks down excess phlegm and in the case you’re suffering from congestion, it can help eliminate excess phlegm. This also aids in digestion and bowel movement.

3.     Warm water supports digestive enzyme activity. What happens when we put food in the fridge? It slows down its rate of breakdown because we slowed down the enzymatic activity of that food. The same happens when we’re chewing our food and drinking cold water at the same time.  Digestive enzymes are slowed down.

Let’s not overthink this and forget that proper hydration is a staple to overall health and supports the body during movement and exercise, which (under the right conditions) leads to fat loss. The reason it was worth making a blog post about drinking warm water is that we seem to have it backwards in North America.

Usually, we take our showers hot and drink our water cold. The effects of a cold shower include improved circulation, immunity and recovery from intense workouts. Not to mention the practice of being uncomfortable which, can build some beneficial psychological benefits.

This, of course, is a guideline and drinking cold water will not make you a bad person. Putting Perrier in your vodka will.

Jokes aside, it would be hard to follow through with this as refraining from a hot shower and ice water both feels and tastes good. Let’s just think twice before we ask for ice in our water while at a buffet and utilize contrast (hot/cold) showers more often.

Remember: Drink your water warm and take your showers cold.

5 Universal Tips of Dieting.

Nutrition is easy. Of course, this is easier said than done and the wide array of health issues can attest to the idea that nutrition is anything but simple. There is one thing that we can make easier for us, and that’s the stress that we should be eating one way and one way only.

Everyone seems to have his or her own way of eating and at times it can get confusing. This post isn’t meant to steer you into one way of eating, In fact, the bulk of this post is based around the idea that diets should adapt to seasons, conditions and health factors.

To add to this, we need to find a way of eating that is sustainable for us without having any negative emotional effect on us. There are preferred styles of eating, but these styles should be able to adapt based on what the body needs.

Before I go any further, let me be clear that I’m not simply saying that nutrition is free for all and that we should binge on whatever we crave. There are definitely metabolic, hormonal, fungal and psychological issues that need to be addressed in the right context.

For the purposes of this blog, let’s say that we are simply trying to find our place in the class systems of food that have been created. Should you be on a Ketogenic diet? How about a strict Paleo diet? Should I count Macros?

As I said earlier, it can get confusing and fast. With that being said, let me tell you that if the perfect diet is the destination and you’re on this journey, then stop and realize that the destination is the journey. Enjoy the foods that come your way and share it with the ones you love (just don’t overdo the macaroons that your sister’s best friend brought over).

You can count your macros down to a science and I guarantee that some days your body may call out for you to eat outside your macros. Why? Because our relationship with food is much deeper than calorie counting. Were complicated beings and if the area of nutrition were mastered than we would have no such thing as diabetes, obesity or eating disorders.

Did I just get deep? If I did, then I apologize for going down the rabbit hole. To re-establish the purpose of this post, just remember that there are preferred and optimal ways of eating but there is no diet that is the be all end all of diets. It just won’t happen.

Here are my most basic food rules that everyone should build upon. After these rules are established, then our “style” or preferred way of eating can be established off of these staples.

1.     Eat your veggies (if the meal is a show…then the vegetables are the stars of the show).

2.     Manage blood sugar. In the type of world we live in today, we don’t realize how important this point is.

3.     Don’t neglect protein intake. The bros may overdo the protein thing from time to time, but this macronutrient is key to eating optimally.

4.     Don’t neglect your fats. Ever heard of sex hormones? You’ll need fat for those bro.

5. Train. From a metabolic standpoint, lifting something heavy allows helps the body to be more metabolically flexible. This is mostly due to its insulin sensitivity benefits.

No matter what type of diet you choose to follow, these rules will always apply…

Build upon healthy habits, not diets. 

Holly's "Fudgey" Black Bean Brownies

Photo Credit: @jaxxsuds

Holly's "Fudgey" Black Bean Brownies

Today’s recipe comes from my friend Holly Monster who introduced me to the wonders of the black bean brownie. Holly’s a Certified Eating Psychology Coach, Certified Culinary Nutrition Expert and Precision Nutrition Coach. On her off time she’s deadlifting heavy things, shopping for organic meat or hanging out on the dance floor.

Ingredients Needed…

- 1 cup chocolate chips

- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

- 1/4 cup cocoa powder

- 2 eggs

- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil

- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

- 1 tbsp. maple syrup

- 1 tsp. mesquite powder

- 1 tsp. lucuma powder

- 1/4 cacao nibs (optional)

Instructions…

- Preheat oven to 350F.

- Grease an 8”x8" glass baking dish with coconut oil.

- Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

- Spoon into baking dish and smooth out batter to edges.

- Sprinkle cacao nibs on top (optional but adds a nice crunch!)

- Bake 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out perfectly clean.

- Allow this to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Enjoy!

Photo Credit: @jaxxsuds

Things to consider when attempting a detox

Did I ever tell you of the time I attempted to do a green juice detox in the middle of December?

It wasn’t good news. I should’ve made a rap song and dedicate the song around my experience with the detox. It would be a remix to Drake’s “0 to 100” except my song would be called “100 to 0” because that was basically what happened to my body temperature at the time. Boom! Who ever said Drake and the world of nutrition wouldn’t meet?

Jokes aside, my body fat percentage dropped, which many may believe, is indicative of health, but with all things, we have to look at the body in its entirety. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a firm believer of detoxification but I strongly advise against prolonged detoxes, especially in the winter.

Today, many people get caught up in the idea of detoxification and elimination, but forget about the tonification and rejuvenation that needs to happen after the detox. Think of it as “over-cleaning” your room.

Picture this…

Once you’ve finished cleaning your room, you start scrubbing the floors. Once you’ve finished scrubbing the floors, you look around, then you start scrubbing the walls. You look at the walls and say “I think there’s mold, let me bleach this rag and start wiping a little more. Eventually you start peeling the paint off the wall and what was once a fresh clean room, becomes a bare stripped down space of nothing. A little extreme, but you get the picture.

I remember in my undergrad, my cousin was getting ready for a trip to the West Coast. In her attempts to lose weight, she started a 1 week cleanse consisting primarily of cayenne, lemon, maple syrup, and water (known as the master cleanse). Once she completed her cleanse, the first introductory meal she had was at an Indian restaurant where she indulged in everything the menu had to offer. To say her body was shocked, was an understatement. She broke out in hives and she felt pretty bad for the next 3 days. The takeaway here is that the tonification stage in which you introduce foods that you were off of during your detox should be calculated and concise.

Here’s your most basic and/or reasonable detox:

• Detoxification happens on a daily basis. Understand that your body (particularly your lungs, liver and kidneys) is constantly working at detoxifying your body from toxins that you’re exposed to on a daily basis. Providing your body with the antioxidants and nutrients needed to support these organs is your best method of supporting detoxification.

• Support gut health with plenty of vegetables and fruits. A diet higher in fibre will facilitate the excretion of toxins while providing supporting nutrients to your liver and kidneys. Ideally, we should look to eat more seasonally. This means we shouldn’t be knocking back kale and spinach smoothies 4 times a day, 7 days a week. If anyone has tried a detox in the middle of the winter, they can back me up when I say, YOU WILL BE COLD.

• Reduce toxic exposure when possible. Reducing your toxic exposure allows your body to properly detox on a daily basis. If our body was a barrel, then look at toxic load as something that overfills our barrel.

• Don’t forget about tonification. Once you’ve completed a detox protocol, listen to your body. If you start to feel overly tired, try adding more healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, fish oil) back into your diet.

Are Beans All That Bad?

To tell someone whose staple diet includes legumes, that their diet is inadequate or anti-nutrient is plain stupid. Foods, diets, lifestyles are all relative. When it comes to beans and I, my relationship is conditional. I can definitely say that I have an upper tolerance to beans (which basically means I can eat a bowl of chili and enjoy it, but if I overdo it, I can start to feel gassy).

When I’m eating beans, I simply have to utilize the saying “in excess, anything can be bad for you”. With that being said, there are some benefits to adding the odd bean dish to your diet.

I won’t make you a long list of the benefits of beans in this post, but I will briefly explain to you something called “The Second Meal Effect”. This was something introduced to me by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. The premise is based on two facts. Firstly, when we eat beans along with a starchy carb, it can lower the insulin spike or blood sugar spike of let’s say rice.

This is simply due to the fact that beans are high in fiber and in most cases, fiber, when eaten with higher glycemic food, slows down the absorption of sugar. Want to lower the insulin spike of rice? Eat some beans with it.

Studies have also shown that eating a higher fiber-containing food and/or lower glycemic food at dinner can affect the glycemic load of what you eat at breakfast (It lowers the glycemic load in the morning).

Also, the beans we eat are not so quick to empty out of our digestive tract. Instead, it hangs out a little longer and feeds our gut bacteria (sort of like prebiotic food).

So are beans bad for you? Everything has to be looked at in context, but people looking for another tool to hack insulin levels may want to add this to the arsenal.

Beans Beans the magic fruit,

The more you eat,

The more you lower insulin and dietary fiber…. (See what I did?)

Video: How To Make Pho (Chicken)

Here's the recipe for the chicken pho that I've made in this video.

2 whole chickens feed around 5 people.

Step 1: Broth - Star Anise (4-5), Ginger (1), Onion (1), Cloves (1 tsp) and Cinnamon (1 Stick), Salt (1tbsp), Sugar (1tbsp), Pepper (1 tsp).

Step 2: Cook the chicken in boiling water for 30 mins (with the spices in step 2 added). Remove the chicken, remove the meat and place the bones back into the broth for at least another 30 minutes (the longer the better).

Step 3: Garnish - Basil, Cilantro, Chili Peppers, Lime.

Step 4: Rice Noodles (Soak them in cold water before putting into hot water).

Enjoy the benefits of this soup. It'll definitely keep you warm during the winter months, serve as a post workout meal or keep your heart warm during a cold break-up.

Vlog: Yerba Mate, Sushi and Workouts

How Protein Can Support Liver Function

Detoxification is synonymous with holistic nutrition. I always find that when the topic of holistic nutrition comes up, a question or comment in regards to detoxification makes its way into the conversation. I’m ok with this because supporting the detoxification and elimination process is a large part of what we as nutritional practitioners do. The downside to this is that there are many misconceptions regarding liver detoxification.

Also, for some reason, a lot of people assume that I walk barefoot and put flowers in my hair while sipping kombucha as I talk to the birds because I’m involved with holistic nutrition. This I can live with because it actually sounds like a really cool thing to assume of someone. Anyways, in this post, I wanted to set two things straight.

First, I don’t walk barefoot in the streets, and secondly, I don’t believe a low protein diet is required in order to maintain a healthy liver. I guess I should address the second statement before someone assumes I’m applying “bro science” to detoxification.

I do believe that in some cases protein should be restricted when liver function is taxed and that fasting has its time and place in jumpstarting liver function. However, long-term protein reduction is definitely not the answer to everyone’s problems.

A little insight into how the body uses protein with regards to liver function (I promise this won’t bore you with this).

In the liver, toxins are neutralized in two phases. To keep things simple, just know that phase 2 of the liver detoxification entails something called “conjugation”. This is where the toxin that leaves the liver is accompanied by a conjugate before being excreted into our waste.

Think of a really drunk girl at the club. She can’t leave alone, she’ll need someone to accompany her out of the club, into the taxi and finally into the toilet. The same thing goes for toxins. Literally. See what I did there? Amino acids can serve as the friend that attaches to the toxin and out the body.

The liver uses glycine, taurine, glutamine arginine and ornithine (all amino acids). This is why a balanced diet of protein is actually required for normal liver function. It’s also an important aspect of methylation but we’ll leave that for another post.

The main point I wanted to get across is that protein is not all that bad! Normally, we’d be hard-pressed to find blog posts that preach about protein being a supportive macronutrient to the liver. I understand that we live in a society where overconsumption is more widespread than underconsumption, but amino acid conjugation is just one thing to consider when looking at the overall function of liver detoxification.

Some tips on choosing protein sources…

1. Opt for organic and sustainably farmed meats.

1. If organic is too expensive, keep in mind that you won’t be buying the same amount of meat if it were commercially farmed. Higher quality = better bioavailability (usability).

1. Avoid overconsuming protein. You can easily come up with your protein amount using apps or websites that will calculate Macros for you. Consult a nutritionist if you’re totally in the dark about the amount.

Eat your protein.

4 Tips to Consider when Supplementing with Iron.

Iron absorption isn’t the sexiest of topics, but the topic seems to have come up more recently for me. It also happens to be the number 1 deficiency on the planet.

I recently ran into a friend who mentioned that her iron supplement doesn’t make her feel any better or worse than when she didn’t take one. As such, I thought I’d share my recommendations for anyone who is not absorbing iron efficiently.

This post may be geared towards my female friends, as the need for iron supplementation isn’t as prevalent in males. Sometimes though, an iron supplement may be necessary for high-level athletes or anyone experiencing leaky gut.

It’s also worth mentioning that this friend of mine happens to lift heavy weights at the gym!

Here are some things to consider when it comes to iron supplementation:

What type of Iron Supplement are you using?

There are two types of iron forms (Ferrous and Ferric form). Most supplements use the ferrous form, as it’s most effectively absorbed and stored. However, the ferric form of iron isn’t useless altogether.

The ferric form acts as a transporter type of iron. This is because it binds to transferrin (iron binding blood plasma). Since iron shifts between the two forms - it might be worth your while to supplement using both forms and assess your symptoms.

Check your gut.

As with all minerals, iron requires an acidic environment. This point comes back to the gut. To effectively absorb food a healthy amount of stomach acid is needed and this is the same for proper iron absorption. Do you need to increase stomach acid?

Try a zinc supplement and pair your iron with a non-buffered Vitamin C. The use of Vitamin C is due to its ascorbic acid. Are you using over the counter antacids?

The overuse of antacids to counter things such as heartburn may affect acidity in the body as it has an alkalizing effect (something not beneficial in the case of low stomach acid). A digestive enzyme with HCL (hydrochloric acid) may also be helpful.

Do you even Paleo?

I know the topic of Paleo has been overdone and the health field has poured out tons of work on the pros and cons of the Paleolithic style of eating, but it’s definitely relevant in this case.

I’m going to add to this when I say that grains and legumes (frowned upon in the Paleo community) can be a possible factor in affecting iron absorption.

The reason? Phytates. Without drowning you with information on phytates, I will simply say that phytates inhibit iron absorption (and other nutrients as well), causing the body to excrete the mineral as waste before it is properly absorbed.

You’re anemic, but are you actually low in iron or are you just drama?

Why you always lyin? Why you always lyin? Ok Just kidding, you’ve done medical tests and you’ve concluded that your definitely iron deficient, but what if you’ve self-diagnosed yourself and display anemic symptoms?

Did you know that fatigue (something heavily tied with anemia) could be a cause of things such as b-vitamins, Zinc, Copper (which also plays a role in iron transport) and Vitamin C (to name a few)

Our bodies are complex. There’s definitely a lot more to iron absorption than what I’ve written here, but I hope this serves as a starting line in your pursuit for better iron absorption.

Aside from supplements, some good iron sources include…

• Liver (Beef, Chicken, Lamb)

• Steak

• Prunes

• Cooked Greens

Till next time,

Marc

Green Banana Benefits

We all do it. We go to the grocery store and when its time to pick up bananas, we make our picks of the bunch based on how yellow the bunch of bananas are or will be. Ingrained in our minds is the idea that the yellow ripe banana is the best banana. I don’t blame you. The ripe banana is sweeter and often tastier. If you’re struggling with high cholesterol and unstable blood sugar levels, then I’ve got news for you. Adding the green banana to your arsenal in the fight against high cholesterol and blood sugar could be worth your while. Here’s the short and sweet science behind it.

For My High Cholesterol Friends…

The less ripe banana separates itself from the ripened banana as it’s considered a “resistant starch”. Basically, this means that the starch “resists” being digested in the stomach or small intestine. By this occurrence, the banana isn’t completely broken down and doesn’t enter the bloodstream (This is worth noting if blood sugar management is a priority for you). Instead, the banana works more like a fiber. Here’s my tip of the week…. The key to lowering cholesterol is to pooh it out. One could argue that cholesterol-lowering medications could be avoided if regular bowel movements were maintained. Fiber = Regular Bowel Movements. Get the picture?

For My Diabetic Friends….

The banana in its green and less ripened state isn’t going to spike your blood sugar and insulin levels the way a ripened banana would. The riper the fruit, the higher it spikes your insulin levels. This goes for cooking fruits down as well. The breakdown of the sugar makes it more simple and faster when entering the blood. It’s also worth noting that the banana is a prebiotic, which means it feeds the good bacteria that exists in our gut. We can recolonize, but we should look to feed the colony as well!

Food is Medicine.

Post-Workout Nutrition Exaggerated

As I look at Instagram, I’ve noticed something trending amongst many fitness enthusiasts. Last year, gourmet hipster burgers and candied bacon seem to be the toast of the town, but something more enticing, fatty, and calorically dense has arrived.

The “post, peri, pre-workout” donut has arrived. I don’t know when it started but the donut has parked its beautiful one-eyed head in the fitness world for the time being. It’s almost become a cool thing to brag about how poorly you eat while lifting copious amounts of weight while maintaining ideal body composition.

Keep in mind the donut is being used as an example. Pizza and cookie ice cream sandwiches could be your weapons of choice when it comes to post-workout “feeding” as well. I think we’ve come along way from “whole wheat” and salad being staples of healthy nutrition.

Counting macros, carb-backloading, and ketogenic diets have shown us ways of manipulating our diet and calories so that we can eat like Vikings while not being featured on the next episode of My 600lb Life. Here’s my problem. I love all things pizza, donut, cookie ice cream, and the list goes on.

The reason why I can’t fall in love with the ideology of smashing crazy amounts of calories and spiking my insulin level with donuts and cookies is that it leads me into territory that I’m afraid I won’t be able to get out of later on in life.

I’d love abs and I’d love to attain them while eating donuts, but I also value the longevity of life. I know personally, if you tell me that pizza and ice cream were ok to eat on a daily basis, I’d find ways of deviating from moderation and it would affect my nutritional consistency.

I can almost guarantee that most people who have adopted IIFYM (macro counting) have one time or another questioned whether or not they should at least dial back on some of the donuts. Not only because of body composition but because they’re probably starting to feel the effects of suboptimal nutrition.

Measuring calories can be important, but the source of your calories matters just as much. 2000 calories of pizza vs. 2000 calories of salmon and rice are definitely difference makers.

Again, I’m speaking from personal preference and experience. I saw powerlifters crushing anything for there post-workout and I think myself along with many others jumped on the bandwagon. Here’s the thing, my squat isn’t 500lbs yet and I’m not deadlifting 800lbs either so it doesn’t make sense for me to knock back 800 calories post-workout just because I worked out.

At this point, I’m trying my best to match my nutrition with the amount of volume in the gym, so please don’t tease me with your bacon peanut butter donut. This post isn’t meant to be a rant. In moderation, I’ll have something extremely good after my workouts, but this post is more for the people in the fitness industry that forgot about the fact that this industry should be based on health and longevity.

Going down the post-workout donut road makes it hard to rebuild good habits as our goals change in the gym.

The solution is simple. If you're struggling with your weight or energy in the gym and you've adopted the macro lifestyle, then dial it back and rethink post-workout food sources. When you've reached a good baseline, then it shouldn't be an issue playing around with tasty things.

Just keep in mind that what you put in your body should help you in your goals in the short and long term.