Can I eat carbs? How many hours of sleep do I need? Is fat bad? In this Q&A I answer the questions I'm asked most often by my clients. Some of my answers might surprise you, but they're almost guaranteed to help you feel happier and healthier in no time. Do you have other questions that you don't see answered here? Ask in the comments below and I'll be sure to answer!
1. What are the healthiest foods that you recommend eating daily?
Avocados, leafy greens and water. Most Americans that are trying to lose weight are terrified of fat. But eating healthy fats (like the fats in avocados) is one of the best things you can do to get in shape and feel your best. Fat fights fat! So, I add a whole avocado to my smoothie in the morning or put some on top of a salad every day.
Leafy greens are full of vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals that help detox your body, making you feel better, sleep better and perform better overall in life! When you start to add in leafy greens and healthy fats you’ll notice that the unhealthy foods you craved before will not appeal quite as much. Try adding some spinach or kale to your morning smoothie or scramble some into your eggs in the morning.
Lastly, drink more water! Almost every client that I work with doesn’t get enough water. If you’re dehydrated you feel hungry, have cravings for unhealthy foods and will eat much more than you normally would. Did you know that your body is almost 80% water? So, when you don't drink enough water it affects your sleep, cravings, recovery time from workouts and how clearly you can think. If there’s anything you can do to easily begin improving your health, it’s drinking more water.
2. What’s the one food you would tell your clients to stop eating?
Sugar. Weight loss and better health is largely about controlling your insulin (a fat storage hormone). Sugar makes your insulin skyrocket. When insulin levels spike, everything gets out of whack leading to binges, cravings and a whole host of other issues. Slowly work sugar out of your diet you will see major changes.
3. How do I stop craving sugar?
Eat more healthy fats and leafy greens and drink more water. Healthy fats that exist in avocado, olive oil, nuts, whole eggs and grass-fed butter keep you full and give your body many of the nutrients that it’s craving. Sugar cravings are a way for your body to tell you that you’re lacking in another nutrient. If you fill your body up with good quality, healthy foods, I guarantee that the sugar cravings will subside. Combine this with enough water and you’re going to see big changes.
4. How many calories a day should I be eating?
I am shocked that people are still counting calories, especially calories from fat. Fat doesn’t make you fat, sugar makes you fat. Carbs and sugar break down into glucose and cause insulin spikes in your blood. Basically, they tell your body to hold onto fat, and not let it go. So, even if you are eating a very low calorie diet of sugar and carbs, you’re still telling your body to hold onto fat. Stop driving yourself crazy by counting calories (it’s so old school, trust me) and start paying attention to putting high quality fats, proteins and vegetables into your body. Think quality over calories.
5. Is sleep really that important?
Sleep is the holy grail to weight loss and feeling your best. Aim for 7-8 hours a night but more is always better. Sleep is when your body produces all of those awesome healing growth hormones. Growth hormones do things like heal damaged cells, build lean muscle, produce healthier skin and improve brain function.