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How to build a sustainable, effective perspective on nutrition. What does eating healthy mean to you? This answer will typically vary from person to person and it's tough to create proper perspective when we have so much variability. We all know that nutrition has a lot of individual application due to food intolerances, activity level, stress level, goals, body composition, diet history, and exercise history to name a few. However, I do believe there is a right answer when it comes to what health actually means in the nutrition space. If we can agree on the bigger picture it will help you navigate through the individual application of your nutrition. Throughout this blog, I want to help you piece together the proper perspective that is going to create a healthy relationships with food, effective protocols, and empower you to leverage nutrition to your benefit. Quantity The first component is teaching yourself how to eat around the level of calories (quantity) that supports your goal WHILE feeling satisfied. If you are "eating healthy" but consuming more calories than your body is burning then you will gain weight. If you are "eating healthy" but consuming less calories than your body is burning you will lose weight. If you are "eating healthy" and eating the same amount of calories that your body is burning you will sustain your weight. We can't bypass the law of thermodynamics and it's important to start here. With that being said, you can control quantity in good ways and bad ways. Just like anything in this world there are good ways to handle things and bad ways to handle things. You can control quantity (calories) with restriction, will power, and grit... or you can control quantity with healthy habits, water, nutrient dense foods, and balance. The first way is only going to work in the short-term and will usually have a negative rebound effect. The second way is going to help you feel satisfied, energetic, motivated, and thriving! Let's talk about how we build the latter. Nutrient Density The second component to "eating healthy" should revolve around nutrient density. That is to say, 80% of the foods you eat should be whole, non-processed foods (usually foods with 5 ingredients or less). This is going to help control cravings, energy, prevent deficiencies, and help you thrive! This makes your calories go further. You can eat 2,000 calories of pop tarts, fast food, trail mix and feel starving! Or you can eat 2,000 calories of lean meats, vegetables, complex carbs, fruits, and some desserts while feeling full and satisfied. Foods You Love If 80% of our foods are coming from nutrient dense sources the other 20% should come from foods we love (ice cream, cookies, desserts etc). This sounds backwards right? Why would we suggest that you actually make room for these foods. Thanks for asking. First, no food is inherently bad for you assuming quantity is accounted for and you are sticking to the 80/20 ratio. No food is going to inherently make you fat or cause you to gain weight overnight. With that being said there are some things to stay away from because they are so genetically modified (these being trans fats and high fructose corn syrups). When you look at the randomized human control trials, almost everything is okay in moderation (everything else you have heard about is created by biased studies and companies trying to pitch you their products). There is so much fear mongering in the nutrition space and instead of looking at the bigger picture we demonize and hyper focus on specific foods or ingredients to blame. This does nothing but exacerbate the problem. This creates negative relationships with food, stress, anxiety, and minimizes focus on balance and maximizes focus on "right versus wrong". Now with that being said, of course there will be some individual cases here. If you don't do well with gluten, dairy, or specific foods then take that into account. Side Note: Only limit these foods due to individual intolerances or allergies. DO NOT eliminate foods due to fear. If you totally get rid of a food from your diet, be prepared to eliminate that food for life! When you get rid of a food in your diet, you create the potential to down-regulate the enzyme responsible for digesting that food. When you go back to re-introduce it to the diet, that enzyme has the possibility of never recovering. This is why I'm not a fan of elimination diets even for a brief period of time. Find the foods you love that you do well with and intentionally put those in your diet. This creates sustainability and creates positive feedback loops in your brain to help build healthy relationships with food based on moderation and not fear. If you have the 20% in your diet you will always feel on track because you will realize you aren't "bad" when you have that food and you aren't "good" when you stay away from that food. You will create freedom and that brings amazing results. Protein Rich The next component to "eating healthy" should revolve around protein. The most important macro-nutrient that majority of people under consume. This will help control cravings, build/maintain lean muscle mass (which in turn stimulates metabolism) and helps burn more calories through the thermic effect of digestion. Aim for at least .7 grams per pound of bodyweight and make sure you consume protein with every meal. The consistency of protein feedings will help control energy and cravings through creating a favorable glycemic load of your meal. In my experience over the last decade, this is the most simple but challenging hack that could completely change your fitness. Men, there isn't such thing as eating too much protein... it's not bad for your kidneys. Women, protein doesn't make you bulky, it actually makes you look more toned. Meals That Work Together Eating healthy means looking at the entirety of your meals during the day and week. How do they function as a whole? Let's look at two different lenses. Daily Lens: Does your breakfast help you create a favorable lunch? Does your lunch help you create an effective dinner? In other words, your current meal should help you create an effective quality, quality, and protein profile for your next meal. If you are restricting throughout the day which leads to intense cravings at night time this won't be a healthy long-term approach. If you are consuming too many carbohydrates during one meal causing you to feel lethargic and bloated then this won't create sustainable energy throughout the day. Weekly Lens: In the same manner, does your Monday-Friday meals lead to success during your Saturday-Sunday meals. Are you eating too "strict" during the week which causes intense cravings and bingeing on the weekend? Or are you constructing your week day meals to give you energy, balance, and freedom so you don't feel ravenous on the weekends? Construct your meals/foods to work together to provide a steady consistent approach throughout the day and week. Focus on how you feel before and after your meals (energy, mood, stress, bloating, motivation) and adjust depending on biofeedback. Lifestyle Lastly, eating healthy shouldn't feel like you are on a diet. This should feel like a lifestyle that you can could sustain for the next 20-30 years. When constructing your nutritional lifestyle think in decades not days. Is this something that I could actually enjoy? If it's not, I could argue that it's not the right approach for you. Whatever you do to create results is what you will need to do to sustain results. This is why we have a yo-yo diet culture. We follow intense, restrictive, rigid, unsustainable diets and lose 20 pounds only to gain back 30 pounds after we inevitably exit the diet. Instead, we need to take the minimum dose effect. Create the smallest amount of structure that gets you moving in the direction of your goal. Once we have that, we can begin to build habits in place that put this structure on auto-pilot so it won't actually feel like a diet. Once you find that balance, things will begin to shift. You will begin to experience nutritional freedom instead of fear, anxiety, and stress. I hope this provides a framework to start from. Nutrition has the power to drastically enhance your life but it also has the power to create lots of negative emotions. Start building these components into your lifestyle and watch everything change. If you need some individual suggestions or guidance please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to help. Remember, your best is yet to come!

The practical side to the cliche topic I was listening to an interview the other day on overall health and wellness. During this podcast, a world renown doctor was being interviewed and talked about the four pillars of wellness. The four pillars he mentioned were movement, diet, sleep, and renewal. In addition, Andrew Huberman (exercise physiologist expert) also was just recently interviewed on a podcast and gave his 5 pillars of wellness. His response was nutrients, movement, light, sleep, and social connections. It got me thinking how most nutrition professionals tend to hyper focus on exercise, macros, and calories but neglect some other key areas of wellness. Wellness is multi-dimensional and these "pillars" do not live in a vacuum. They are interconnected. If we are missing one aspect of wellness we are sure to decrease output and/or be limited in the other areas. For the most part, I believe people understand sleep is good for you. It helps your muscles/mind recover, it regulates hormones/mood, and just feels good. However, I'm not sure many people understand its direct correlation and connection to body composition (fat loss, fat gain, performance, longevity etc). When it comes to factors outside of nutrition and exercise we sometimes lose the practical connection. During this blog, I want to dive into some research connecting sleep and fat loss to give a more tangible touch to a cliche topic. I found a sleep/exercise study done by the University of Chicago. This study used two groups. Each group followed a consistent exercise routine, diet (caloric intake), and lifestyle variables. However, one group got 8.5 hours of sleep a night and the other group was sleep deprived, only sleeping 5 hours a night. After a two week period measurements were taken. Both groups lost roughly the same amount of weight (6 lbs). This makes sense because we know weight loss comes down to caloric intake. However, what was extremely interesting was the sleep deprived group lost only 1.3 lbs of fat. The group that got 8.5 hours of sleep every night lost 3.1 lbs of fat. Furthermore, a hormone called Ghrelin rose in the group that was sleep deprived. Ghrelin is partially responsible for fat oxidation and controlling hunger levels. So what does this tell us about sleep and fat loss? This study shows while caloric intake is responsible for weight loss, sleep plays a role in what type of weight is lost. Furthermore, sleep will help control hunger levels and as a result make fat loss more enjoyable (and sustainable). It is important to note that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Sleep has a role in fat loss/sustainability but that is a small part of the impact that it has on our brain chemistry, emotions, neural adaptations, recovery, and overall experience in life. Like previously mentioned, wellness is multifactorial so we can't just focus on one action step. It's a combination of a lot of factors and building habits that create consistency and sustainability within all areas. If nothing else, I would encourage you to start tracking your sleep. Aim for an average of at least 7 hours of sleep per night. Some nights you might not be able to get that and some nights you might be able to get more. Digitally detox 60 minutes before bed (remove phones, tablets, or bright lighted screens) and create a consistent waking period in the morning. If you are still struggling to get sleep then take advantage of less busy days or weekends and find time for 15-30 minute power naps (something is better than nothing). Increasing the quality and quantity of sleep will immediately help you begin to look, feel, and move better in everyday life. No one is going to prioritize this for you. You have to intentionally work against the current of your life schedule to increase the quality and quantity of your sleep but it will make all the difference. Remember your best is yet to come! If you need more information on how to apply these health and wellness principals to your lifestyle please reach out to us! Our nutrition coaches do a lot more than just prescribe macros and calories. We look at the holistic view to help you build habits that enhance your life. If nutrition has been a source of anxiety for you then its time to change the mainframe. Create sustainable, real, and life giving results! Connect with us below or email us at nutrition@sundowncrossfit.com

How to make carbohydrates your friend Carbohydrates have always been a hot topic because there are so many misconceptions surrounding this macronutrient. As with most controversial topics you typically only hear one side. Before I dive into my standpoint, I want to pose both sides of the carb debate and discuss the how to individualize this information to your unique lifestyle. The Case for Carbs Carbs enhance hormonal output, boost muscle growth, reduce stress, improve sleep, and are a very efficient source of energy. They are also very helpful in improving performance in the gym or in a sport while maintaining key hormones associated with fat loss. The Case Against Carbs Depending on the individual, excessive carb intake can cause bloating, gut stress, inflammation, possible insulin resistance, negative hormonal effects, and alter nutrient absorption. Studies have shown both sides to be true so you can see where confusion comes into play. Before we dissect, it is important to remember that many nutrition studies are biased in order to create a powerful position. Keep that in mind when you see studies or other people claim absolute truths. The reality of the situation is... "it depends". Human beings are extremely complex multi-dimensional organisms. It is almost impossible to claim absolutes when it comes to individualized factors. For the most part, protein and fat intake can be agreed upon. We have pretty accurate generalizations that work for most people. Protein, generally floating around .7-1.0 gram per pound of body weight. Fat, generally floating around 25-35% of daily caloric intake. Carbohydrates therefore should be tailored towards each individuals genetics, DNA, exercise history, gut health, body type, metabolism, body fat levels, age, allergies, intolerances, and medical conditions. The amount of carbs that are beneficial for you ultimately depends on these factors. However, stay away from anything that preaches complete elimination of any macronutrients. A macronutrient by definition is a type of food that is beneficially in moderate to large amounts. Macronutrients all have benefits and to demonize any one macronutrient (protein, fats, and/or carbs) creates a host of negative effects (both psychologically and physiologically). There is no definitive research that supports that carbohydrates are inherently bad for you. Any research you have seen or heard about is usually presented in a biased study with other outlying factors. It is the bigger picture of caloric quantity as well as quality that creates fat gain and negative health effects. Furthermore, carbohydrates can allow you to lose weight in a sustainable manner while building healthy relationships with food along the way. My advice is to create your calorie target range (depending on your goal), set your protein target at >.7 grams per lb of bodyweight, and dial in your fats around 25% of total caloric intake (this will allow carbohydrates to filter in everything else). From there pay attention to your biofeedback. How do you feel? How is your stress? How is your energy? How is your performance? How is your sleep? How is your mood? If your biofeedback is off then increase your fats 3-5% as this will decrease carbohydrate intake as a byproduct. Continue this process until your find a level of fat/carb intake that reacts well with your body. Different things work for different people. Some people will do better with higher carbohydrate intake and some will do better with lower carbohydrate intake. Some people (like myself) also enjoy being able to adjust carb intake depending on the day. On days that I'm a little more stagnant I typically enjoy more fats. On days that I'm more active or have social outings planned, I typically enjoy more carbohydrates. As long as calories and protein are accounted for, you have the main movers for fat loss/muscle gain working in your favor. You also have the freedom to adjust fat and carbohydrate intake based on your lifestyle, preferences, and individual factors. Just make sure you aren't completely eliminating them from your diet. The next question becomes which sources of carbohydrates are beneficial for me? There are multiple studies that have shown carbohydrate sources and the effects on blood sugar are individualized as well. However, for the most part, fitness professionals will agree to these recommendations: 80% of your carbohydrate sources should come from unprocessed, natural, whole sources. These sources have the most micro-nutrients and provide ideal blood sugar levels. Blood sugar is a big deal in regards to the carbohydrate topic because chronically elevated blood sugar can be correlated to diabetes (insulin resistance), cardiovascular diseases, inflammation, and biological stress. This is the pathway to a host of diseases. So the logic is to choose carb sources that control blood sugar and thus the Glycemic Index was born. The Glycemic Index (GI) is a chart that shows the relationship between certain carb sources and blood sugar levels. The higher on the GI means the higher blood sugar levels are raised when said source is ingested. The general advice was to eat low on the GI which allows for unprocessed, natural carb sources at least 80% of the time. However, a new metric has come into play over the last decade called the Glycemic Load (GL). This is the relationship between your entire meal and your blood sugar levels. When you pair a carbohydrate with a protein and/or fat source it actually helps decrease or control the blood sugar level effect due to the chemistry combination. So what does this mean moving forward? Here are some simple practical application points you can put into your lifestyle Eat Protein with every meal This will help alter the Glycemic Load of your meal and put your blood sugar in favorable levels for wellness benefits. Exercise Regularly Consistent exercise has been shown to increase carbohydrate sensitivity. Essentially, this is an adaptation where your body becomes more efficient at utilizing carbohydrate sources (aka you can handle and enjoy more carbohydrates.. who doesn't want that). Eat 80% unprocessed, nutrient dense, whole carbohydrates sources This allows for maximal physiological benefits such as gut health and energy efficiency. This also allows you to enjoy 20% from the carbohydrate sources that you really enjoy while still reaching your goals. Create consistency with protein, and calories create consistent data points with your protein and calorie targets which will allow you to adjust fats and carbohydrate intake based on biofeedback and/or lifestyle preferences. DO NOT fear carbohydrates Carbohydrates have benefits for your body. They can help you reach your goals while still enjoying life along the way. Remember there is no universal approach to wellness. We follow universal principles but how those principles apply to your individual lifestyle are endless. Find a simple, sustainable, and enjoyable system that works for you and remember your best is yet to come! Need some help with nutrition? Are you confused about how to apply effective principles to your individual lifestyle? Email us and register for a nutrition consultation and/or jump on our next nutrition program! Click the button below for more details.

The "magic" pill you haven't taken yet Consistency is the magic pill that everyone is looking for but no one wants to take. Nutritional Periodization is one of the most effective tools to increase consistency and progress when it comes to your diet. At its core, Nutritional Periodization helps us segment our nutrition into the weekly/monthly overviews to allow life to ebb and flow. Nutrition problems don't arise when we miss a day or two on our protocol. The problem isn't when we eat over our calorie target or we miss a habit. The real problem occurs when we feel off track. When we feel off track we think that we screwed up or we lost momentum. When we feel off track we tend to throw everything out the window because we feel like we messed up. If we can always feel on track we bypass 99% of the frustration that will inevitably come when life gets in the way. We are not robots. We are human beings that live multi-dimensional lives. We can't expect nutrition to fit inside of an equation. We need to have margin and a system where we ALWAYS feel on track regardless of the situation. When it comes to nutrition it takes time to see progress. You will not lose fat from eating one salad and you will not gain fat from eating one doughnut. Progress takes time in either direction. The same thing applies to a weekly window. We won't see astronomical results from following a plan for a week or two (or at least results that we will be able to sustain). So our best bet is to find a sustainable rhythm that we can put on autopilot for multiple months. If we have that mindset and approach, nutrition becomes exponentially more effective. Instead of looking at nutrition success from a day to day lens, Nutritional Periodization helps us pan back and measure our success in a different light. It helps us look at the bigger picture of nutrition and thus increases consistency and metabolic effectiveness. At the same time, nutritional periodization also bypasses common pitfalls and traps that occur while calorie counting and eating in a caloric deficit. Before we dive into the specifics we have to understand some basics. Like we discussed in the previous blogs you should only use this tool if you are in a position to track calories as Nutritional Periodization is built around the planning and undulating of calories. When we track calories we are able put ourselves in a consistent caloric deficit (a caloric intake that is below our caloric maintenance) and thus lose fat over the long-term. However, when we put ourselves in a caloric deficit for an extended period of time we tend to see a down-regulation of our metabolism and some key hormones involved with the dieting process. In essence, Nutritional Periodization helps bypass a lot of these negative effects while creating consistency along the way. It's important to remember that a caloric deficit is not meant to be a long-term play. It is only meant to help us reach our goal and then shift to maintenance protocols and eventually intuitive eating (blogs to come). However, with that being said, it could take some time to reach your goal so here are some Nutritional Periodization tools to help you do that in the most consistent, effective, and efficient way possible. Daily Tools Re-Feeds A Re-feed is a pre-planned day in which you eat to your caloric maintenance level or slightly above. Essentially a 24 hour window where you can eat more calories for the sake or priming the metabolism and helping eliminate down-regulation of key hormones involved with dieting. Resets A reset is a preplanned day in which you don't track calories to either replenish will power reserves and/or if life gets too hectic. Essentially a 24 hour window where you focus on similar meal structures and intuitive eating while following foundational habits. Weekly Splits 6/1 6 days at your current nutritional protocol followed by 1 re-feed day (usually Friday or Saturday for social outings, events, and parties). 5/2 5 days at your current nutritional protocol followed by 2 consecutive re-feed days in a row (usually Friday and Saturday). Reactive Following your current nutritional protocol and then implementing a re-feed or reset day depending on bio-feedback (how you feel). Monthly Splits Matador 2 weeks at your current nutritional protocol followed by 2 weeks of consecutive re-feeds. 3/1 3 weeks at your current nutritional protocol followed by 1 week of consecutive re-feed days. Reactive Following your current nutritional protocol and implementing re-feed and/or reset weeks depending on bio-feedback (how you feel). As outlined above, here are multiple different options you can use to execute your caloric deficit as opposed to just eating in a caloric deficit everyday and white knuckling it until you reach your goal (which rarely happens). We want to utilize re-feed and reset days to our advantage. Both tools play a vital role in creating a consistent caloric deficit over the long-run. They help reset hormonal levels, metabolism, will power, and allow us the margin to enjoy life WITHOUT feeling off track. The weekly and monthly splits are utilized so you can still enjoy social outings, vacations, holidays, and parties without having the stress and anxiety of tracking and/or limiting caloric intake. Essentially, you have the ability to reach your goal and enjoy life along the way! Remember the point of Nutritional Periodization is to create consistency to give yourself the freedom to float between multiple tools and splits as you progress towards your goal. You don't have to marry yourself to one specific split. Remember progress is measured in multiple different ways. Some days progress is measured by executing your caloric deficit. Some days progress is measured by taking a re-feed or reset day and not feeling like you screwed up or feeling off track. Some days it will be saying no to ice cream. Some days it will be saying yes to ice cream and not feeling any guilt, shame, or stress because of it. You have the tools to fit nutrition inside of your life inside of trying to fit your life inside of nutrition. Now go execute, experience, and enjoy the journey. If you have more specific questions about Nutritional Periodization or nutrition in general don't hesitate to reach out. Remember, your best is yet to come! https://www.sundowncrossfit.com/contact-us

Why tracking calories for periods of time can help you build health, freedom, and results We've gotten both positive and negative feedback from calorie content in the past. Sometimes calories can be viewed in a negative light because of the stigma that surrounds it. However, just like anything in life, if you do it wrong it won't be beneficial. If you squat, deadlift, or press wrong you could get hurt. Does that mean we shouldn't engage in resistance training? Of course not. The same logic applies to calories and calorie counting. If we approach it with obsessive tendencies it can lead us further away from nutritional freedom. However, if we view it correctly through the right perspective and take action steps that help us align with freedom then it is by far the most powerful tool in our tool box. During this blog, I want to help address the power of tracking calories and how it can help you build results, health, and freedom. First off, I understand that losing weight is multifactorial. There seems to be two camps when it comes to calories. The first camp overvalues calories and thinks it's the ONLY thing that matters. The second camp undervalues calories and ONLY thinks food quality matters. The reality of the situation is it is both. In fact, if you ever meet or work with a nutrition coach that thinks in absolutes it's usually a red flag. Nutrition is multifactorial and we need to have a healthy, wide view on PRINCIPLES. Once we understand principles we can then individualize it to specific lifestyles. From a principle perspective, energy balance (caloric intake) accounts for 70-80% (if not more) of weight manipulation. The quality of the food you eat accounts for either the fat loss or muscle gain of the weight manipulation. Personally and professionally, I have found that people spend their limited energy and will power on splitting 'wellness hairs' instead of hyper focusing on the few big principles that truly make the difference. This only leads to frustration, inconsistency, and yo-yo dieting. Okay now that we have some context let's dive into the case for calorie tracking. 1) Awareness Calorie tracking is only meant to be used as a method to build awareness. Awareness into something we call the Principle of Energy Balance. Simply put, this states in order to stay the same weight we need to input the same amount of energy (calories) that we output. If we want to lose weight we need to input less than we output. If we want to gain weight we need to input more than we output. This isn't complicated. We all have an individualized output number determined by metabolism and several other factors involved with our daily lifestyle. Once we understand that number, all we have to do is manipulate our input calories and align it with our specific goal. Counting calories is meant to build awareness around what this number looks like, feels like, and flows like inside of our daily lifestyle. Read that again. Once we understand the end goal we can align ourselves with this proper perspective. In other words, we are not meant to track calories for the rest of our lives. We are not meant to be super compulsive and rigid when it comes to tracking calories throughout the entire year. Instead, we are to use it as a tool and have short periods of time where we can harness and build this skill. Just like performing any other skill in life (snatch, basketball, public speaking etc) it takes time and repetition. Once you have done it enough, it helps you build awareness into the right caloric level for your specific goals. This eventually leads to something called "Intuitive Eating". Essentially, being able to eat at a caloric level that supports your healthy goal without actually having to track calories. *side note: if you have a history of bad relationships with food, disordered eating, or eating disorders reach out to a professional in that specific field as calorie counting is not a tool to use in these specific cases. 2.) Budgeting Energy For some reason, calorie counting has gotten a bad reputation in the past which has always been curious to me. If you were having financial problems and you went to a financial advisor they would tell you to create a budget. Anyone that says otherwise would seem crazy right? Inside this budget would be what your income and outgo. When you have this "awareness" you can work towards building a favorable financial position. This is the same EXACT principle when it comes to counting calories, it's your energy budget. We need to understand our energy budget so we can create the right environment for our goals. This discipline is not a bad thing but rather a good thing. When you track your budget for a while you don't need to be as intense and dialed in because you understand the ball park figures and numbers. The same thing when it comes to tracking calories. You only need to be tracking intensely for a short period of time in order to build that skill. Once you have that skill you shift from intense to intentional and find a sustainable approach that allows life to ebb and flow. 3.) Empowerment Tracking calories actually helps you build healthy relationships with food and empowers you to enjoy food. Hear me out. When you have the right balance between eating 80% whole foods inside of your calorie budget you have 20% of those calories saved for your favorite treat meals such as ice cream, cookies, and cake. As long as you are following the Principle of Energy Balance you will still reach your goals while enjoying these foods. This helps build confidence and enjoyment when it comes to vacations, social outings, and holidays since you aren't demonizing certain foods resulting in the reduction of the stress, shame, guilt, and anxiety that so many of us carry around when it comes to certain nutrition choices. This is exactly why I wrote our e-book called The Nutrition Baby Steps. My motivation was to bring people to a state of freedom with their nutrition instead of bondage created by misinformation and nutrition companies using biased studies to help sell their products. We take people through a series of steps that helps build this awareness through habits, calories, tools, tactics, and systems. Once we have created some progress and awareness we can then wean off of the intensity and settle into a sustainable, intentional, lifelong rhythm. I feel like a broken record for saying this in every blog but nutrition should be something that enhances your life. Take a minute tonight and really meditate on this. Is your nutrition bringing something into your life or is it taking something away? Do you enjoy it or is it a source of guilt, anxiety, and stress? Maybe it's time to reach out and start the process of prioritizing your health in 2023. Before we end this blog, I want to share a few resources with you. The first of which being our Nutrition E-Book (below). This E-Book has the steps and knowledge to help you start creating the awareness that will lead to nutrition freedom. The second thing I want to encourage you with is our nutritional services at Sundown. Our goal is to champion you into the best version of yourself. Remember, your best is yet to come!

The blog I wish I read when I was younger How do you determine if a diet is successful or not? Is it determined by weight loss? Is it determined by performance? Is it determined by simplicity? Nutrition can be such a confusing topic because there is so much misinformation and misleading information out there. However, I firmly believe the reason 90% of diets fail is because we have the wrong North Star. We are following the wrong path. A path laid in restriction, short-term thinking, and harmful mindsets. This is the blog I wish I would have read when I was younger because I think it would provide the right framework for building a sustainable, effective, and healthy nutrition lifestyle. HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH FOOD A diet should only be considered successful if it helps promote healthy relationships with food. Sounds bold right? Let me explain. When we build healthy relationships with food we actually create the right framework for consistency. When we realize all food plays a role and function we create awareness and context instead of confusion. When we create consistency it leads to sustainability and THAT is what creates results when it comes to nutrition. You can't lose weight with 1 salad and you can't gain fat with 1 cookie. Progress/results take time in either direction. Consistency is the key and healthy relationships help build consistency. If this is true then how do we build healthy relationships with food? We need to have proper information so we can stay away from common pitfalls. The nutrition industry loves to tweak and bias information for the sake of sales, marketing, and culture. Don't fall for this. Instead, here are two tips to help build healthy relationships with food and as a byproduct, the best results of your life! Tip #1: Food is Good Food is actually good for us. It sounds weird when you say that out loud but I do believe some people need to hear that. When we realize that all types of food have benefits then we can create awareness and context. We can enjoy all functions of food and this is what leads to consistency and sustainability. Carbohydrates have a function, fats have a function, and protein has a function. Fruit doesn't make you fat. Fat doesn't make you fat. Sugar doesn't make you fat. Carbs don't make you fat. Oil doesn't make you fat. It's the larger context of these factors interconnected that lead to fat loss or weight gain. All food is okay in moderate (except for TransFat & High Fructose Corn Syrup). None of these things are inherently bad and we have to stop using language that infers this. I'll explain why. Trap #1: Cheat Meals When we believe certain foods are inherently bad we start to demonize certain food groups we tend to use language to support these beliefs. Cheat meals are one of the most destructive things that are keeping you back from your goals. A cheat meal is a food(s) that you have deemed inherently bad. Because you have deemed this food as bad, when you inevitable eat some of it, you subconsciously believe that you have done something wrong and "cheated". You aren't bad because you had a donut and you aren't good because you had a salad. This leads you down a very dangerous emotional, mental, and physical path. This strips you of joy and peace and instead gives you shame and guilt. It will make vacations, holidays, and social outings very stressful and rob you of precious memories. To make matters worse you will feel unmotivated, frustrated, and annoyed because you will never be able to see long-term results. It is impossible to build long-term sustainability within a cheat meal framework without creating some form of damage. Tip #2: Eat Food You Love You should be eating the foods you love on a regular basis. You should be looking forward to your meals. This is a sign that you are creating a sustainable structure. 80% of your foods should come from whole, nutrient dense, non-processed sources. This is usually foods with 5 ingredients or less. Look for different combinations, spices, sauces, and structures with these foods to liven it up. The other 20% can come from foods that society will deem "less advantageous" such as cookies, ice cream, chips etc. There are two primary reasons why you want some (10-20%) of these foods in your diet. First, eating these foods on a regular basis allows you to never feel restricted. This allows you to eat in moderation and drastically reduces cravings. Secondly, when you are eating these foods on a regular basis and start seeing progress it helps build new neuropathways in your brain and promotes healthy relationships with food. You actually begin to realize that these foods aren't inherently bad. At the end of your day ask yourself this question. Is this diet enhancing my life or detracting from it? Nutrition should be giving us life not taking it away. Trap #2: Being Too Rigid Stay away from being too strict and rigid with your foods and meal plans. Eating out of TubberWare 6 times per day and eating week old chicken and broccoli will only get you so far. Remember, when it comes to building sustainability we want to think in DECADES not DAYS. I hope this helps you start creating the proper framework for healthy relationships with food. I truly believe that this is where it starts. Once we have the proper understanding then we can build sustainability and amazing results. If you have any specific questions, feel free to reach out! Otherwise take a look at our nutritional services if you need specific direction. We will meet you where you are at! Your best is yet to come.

How to feel better, look better, and/or function better for life! When it comes to nutrition which is more important quality or quantity? That is one of the most common questions that we get as fitness professionals. During this blog, we dive more in-depth with both sides of the equation and provide some key tactics to help you reach your goal. Have you ever heard of flexible dieting? This is a nutrition strategy that has been around for a while now. First off, we want to go on record for advocating in favor of flexible dieting. We do it and we structure protocols around this concept. We know how effective it is in the right context. However, there is a trap that a lot of people fall into when they engage in flexible dieting. Flexible dieting is designed for you to hit your protein, fat, and carb targets for that day while still enjoying the foods you love. Essentially you get enjoy the foods you love as long as you fit it into your calories/macros for that day. Right off the bat there is nothing wrong with this logic. You can still eat some of the foods you love and reach your goals. The problem comes when people think that quality doesn't have an effect. They believe they can eat WHATEVER they want as long as they stay in a caloric deficit. To a certain degree that is true. Weight loss is predicted on calories in versus calories out. So yes, you will lose weight if you eat in a caloric deficit consistently. However, when most people say they want to lose weight, what they really mean is that they want to look better, feel better, and/or function better. They are really after fat loss not weight loss. It is extremely important to realize that fat loss and weight loss are two completely different things. As previously mentioned, weight loss is predicted off of a caloric deficit (quantity). Fat loss is predicted off of both quantity and quality. Have you ever heard of the McDonalds study? The study was about a guy who ate McDonalds for all three meals for a prolonged period of time. He ate in a caloric deficit and ended up losing weight. However, he lost lean muscle mass during the transformation and ended up with a higher body fat percentage after the fact. So essentially, he looked worse at a lower weight.​ If your goal is to look better (fat loss), you need to take quality into account. Eat in a caloric deficit and use the 80/20 outline, that is, 80% of your calories coming from natural, whole food sources (usually foods with 5 ingredients or less). This still allows you to use the remaining 20% on foods you enjoy (ice cream pizza etc) as long as you are hitting your protein and caloric ranges. This method is extremely effective for multiple reasons. One of the reasons why you want to utilize food quality is because it helps drive long-term sustainable results. I like to think of a car analogy when I talk about the fat loss process. Quantity (the caloric deficit) would be the engine and steering wheel. Quantity is the prime mover of results because it creates the direction and power. Quality would be the oil in this scenario. It keeps everything underneath the hood running smoothly and gives sustainability to the engine. If you don't have oil you might 'put on some miles' but eventually your engine will break down. The best way to account for quality is to intentionally place micronutrients (fruits and vegetables) into your diet and create variety within your meals. Variety is a huge win-win when it comes to fat loss. First, it provides a wide range of micronutrients which helps decrease deficiencies within your body. Secondly, it creates variation within your nutrition which drives adherence. You won't get as bored with the same foods and structure. It will inherently keep you more consistent because you will enjoy your meals and snacks. In closing, I want to encourage you to take both factors into account (quality and quantity). Don't view nutrition as 'how much junk food can I get away with while still reaching my goal'. Instead, view it through the lens of long-term health, sustainability, and enjoyment. Food is more much than just fuel. It is also culture, experiences, and community. When you understand this you can begin to frame a sustainable nutritional lifestyle. If you are looking for individual help, please feel free to reach out. We would love to help set up some lifestyle friendly systems for you. We also have several membership options and 1-on-1 coaching spots that are designed to teach you nutritional tactics that you can utilize throughout your life. Your best is yet to come!

How to enjoy nutrition, build healthy relationships with food, and create results that last. The term 'Junk food' is a term that I think we can all relate to. No matter, how motivated you are or how much willpower you have, we all have eaten things we believe we shouldn’t have. However, it is precisely that negative relationship with food that may be holding you back from your goals. We hope that this blog helps you develop a different viewpoint and relationship with food. A relationship that promotes balance, consistency, and enjoyment. What’s really interesting about the term 'junk food' is how individualized it is. It really depends on your own individual perspective. Some people think bread is junk food. Some people think pizza is junk food. Believe it or not, some people think fruit is junk food. For simplicity sake, let's define the term junk food as the negative relationship between a certain food and our own personal perspective. In other words, the feeling we get when we eat something we 'feel' we shouldn’t have. With that in mind, the term junk food is a mindset that is doomed from the beginning. The term junk food insinuates that the food you are eating is inherently bad for you. When you call something junk food, you are supporting the negative relationship you have with that particular food. In reality, the negative relationships you have with food may be slowing down your progress. Thinking about food in terms of 'good' and 'bad' will bring a sense of guilt into the equation. Guilt and shame are the two areas that cause the most damage when it comes to nutrition. From my experience, these culprits can take you down two paths. The first and most common path is overeating 'bad' foods (what you believe is bad) because of the negative feelings derived from guilt/shame. Eating 'negative relationship' foods leads us to consume excessive amounts because we have the 'already screwed it up' mentality. Instead of being able to enjoy food, realize it’s role, and move on, we eat excessively because we feel like we "screwed up". The second path is when you completely eliminate foods you believe are evil. Eventually, depriving these foods will cause cravings to set in. The majority of the time, these intense cravings will lead to overeating. Quite simply, it's a lose-lose situation. I want to challenge you to stop viewing food through the lens of "good" and "bad". Instead, we should be viewing food evenly through the structure of a pyramid. The nutrient dense, whole, unprocessed foods are found in the base. The more refined, processed, foods are found towards the top of the pyramid. The shape refers to the amount of each food you should consume. The base consists of the 80% of the food quantity that is consumed. The top refers the other 20% of food quantity consumed. For some reason, it's a popular belief that certain foods get you fat instantly. You know the phrase, 'don’t eat that, it will go straight to your hips'. When in reality, the foods at the top of the pyramid are critical to the structure of the pyramid as a whole. Eating 20% at the top of pyramid allows you to eat 80% at the base of the pyramid on a consistent basis because you don't feel restricted or "bad". The top helps maintain cravings and can even support metabolic processes, while the bottom provides your body with nutrient dense foods on a regular basis. When you realize the top is just as important as the bottom, nutrition starts becoming more simple, sustainable, and enjoyable. Realizing both sides play a crucial role is so incredibly important in reaching your fitness goals. It is so much more effective to view food equally. First of all, you will have a more consistent caloric intake over the course of the week. This will lead to more consistent results and that will give you additional motivation. Secondly, a balanced pyramid will not deplete willpower reserves and as a result, nutrition will become an enjoyable, sustainable system (willpower is a limited resource). Viewing food through this pyramid structure leaves room for life to happen while reaching your fitness goals. You don’t have to refuse social gatherings, vacations, and holidays. You can walk into those situations, enjoy your 20% and walk away with confidence knowing that you are always taking steps towards your nutrition/fitness goal. Most importantly, it allows you to develop a healthy relationship with food. That is so incredibly important because fitness should enhance your life and not take away from it. Remember, proper nutrition is a source of positive power and momentum. If you feel frustrated, anxious, shameful, and guilty then we have a broken system. Let's start reframing and walking into the best version of ourselves!