Keto: Just Say No

The noun form of the word "diet" has two meanings:

1. 1.

   the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
2. 2.

   a special course of food to which one restricts oneself, either to lose weight or for medical reasons.
3. 
   

More often that not, when we hear the term we often are referring to the latter of the two. Over the years on my health living journey, I have researched or even tried various "diets" (definition #2). The one diet that really got me second guessing all of the information from the internet and what "they" say.  (Who are the elusive "they" anyhow?) After a lot of research and prompting from friends, I tried keto before my wedding last year. After a stint of hardcore keto (bullet proof coffee, sub 20 g of carbs a day, moderate protein, high fat, and even going so far as to log my vitamins) and peeing on a lot of keto sticks, I stepped on the scale. 

Within 1 month I had gained 5 lb. Aside from the weight gain, through out the month of keto I physically felt terrible. My reflux had returned, after it had subsided in 2012 after I nixed gluten from my diet (definition #1 :) ). I didn't feel healthy. You know that feeling when you eat something really greasy and that grease might as well be seeping out of your pores? Yeah, that's how I constantly felt. That's the best way to describe it!

I then decided to step back and evaluate popular fad diets. Aside from my experience with keto, I firmly believe keto is a fad diet with major long term health ramifications. How can aiming to eat 150g of fat a day be healthy? How can one think that eating blueberries will make them fat?

God created foods such as apples, blueberries, sweet potatoes, chicken, etc all for our nourishment as human beings. We often times act as though our brains know more than our bodies - our bodies that were designed so intricately to function in ways that our brains still can't even begin to understand. So, how arrogant or foolish are we to think that our bodies don't know anything and we need to trick them?

Your body was designed to take in food for sustenance and to function properly. As you step away from "diets" (definition #2), you should start to listen to the needs, signals, hunger, etc from your body. It will tell you when you need to eat and what you need to eat. Now, if your mouth is wanting twinkies every meal, then that is not nourishment. You can choose wise foods, while not following unhealthy diets. 

Feed your inner chocolate monster

Hi, I'm Erin and I'm a chocolate monster. That is not to be mistaken for the Cookie Monster, which is a whole other entity. I'm just the chocolate monster.

I've discovered that I can't go a day with out having chocolate in some form or fashion. Sometimes it's in the form of my favorite vegan Chocolate Shakeology, but other times I just want to bite in to a piece of dark chocolate. I do love the vegan chocolate Shakeology, because it tastes like a dark chocolate shake. Dark chocolate is my favorite, and the vegan chocolate Shakeology feels like a cheat. It's not a cheat though, because I'm actually TREATING my body. Considering I drink Shakeology daily, sometimes I want that EXTRA bit of chocolate. Don't judge me! One of the lovely receptionists at my school has a candy jar at her desk that she always keeps filled. I've been struggling lately with hitting the candy bowl. I would like to blame end-of-the-year fatigue, but honestly it's likely to be lack of discipline with it.

Let me be clear, not all chocolate is bad! If you want chocolate, then aim for dark chocolate  that is 75% or more cacao. Dark chocolate that is 75% cacao or more will likely have less sugar and more flavonins (the good for your body stuff in chocolate). 

10 Reasons you should eat chocolate daily

1. People that eat dark chocolate consume 15% less calories and have fewer salty/sweet/fatty cravings in comparison to those who eat milk chocolate

2. Dark chocolate naturally helps you feel more satisfied and happy

3. Dark chocolate contains magnesium, which helps with PMS symptoms

4. Dark chocolate has the same type of antioxidants found in red wine and tea, which can help boost brain activity

5. Dark chocolate can help balance your body with their are stress-related imbalances. It can also reduce the levels of stress hormones

6. Dark chocolate has caffeine -  One ounce of 70 percent dark chocolate contains about 40 mg of caffeine, compared to 200 mg in 8 ounces of brewed coffee and 120 mg in strong black tea.

7. The antioxidants in cocoa trigger the walls of your blood vessels to relax, lowering blood pressure and improving circulation. This means better delivery of oxygen and nutrients to every cell.

8. Chocolate’s protective natural substances also help prevent cholesterol from sticking to your artery walls, reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke.

9. Heart attack survivors who ate chocolate just twice a week over a two-year period cut their risk of dying from heart disease threefold.

10. The type of saturated fat in dark chocolate isn’t the same as the artery-clogging saturated fat in a hamburger or whole milk. It’s a unique variety called stearic acid, much of which gets converted in the body to oleic acid, a heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acid. (information from Self.com)


So, now you know that you should eat chocolate. You can totally go reach for that stash of Hershey milk chocolate minis, right? Nope, wrong. You have to reach for the right type of chocolate, and not one that is laden with chemicals, sugars, and milk. If you're dazed and confused about which brands to choose, here is a list of the best and worst brands of chocolate for your body. Obviously, this isn't all-inclusive. But, it should be a handy guide for your next Whole Foods trip!

The best and worst dark chocolate

Healthy Dark Chocolate

Pascha - Organic, fair trade, non-GMO dark chocolate. No soy lecithin. Range of 55%-85%

Sweetriot - Organic, fair trade, all natural dark chocolate. 60% with nibs, 70%, or 80%. Around 20 calories/square.

Alter Eco - USDA Organic and Fair Trade. Range of dark chocolate. 85% Dark Blackout is best.

Ghirardelli Intense Dark - 72% Cacao and 86% Cacao Chocolate Bars. They have bars as well as small squares.

Godiva - 72% Cacao Chocolate Bars. Not processed with alkali. There used to be an 85% – but we can’t find it anymore. There is also some controversy over whether they use GMO Soy Lecithin.

Lindt - 70%, 85%, and 90% Cacao bars. They also make a 99% cacao (this is hard to find).

Green & Blacks - 70% Cacao and 85% Cacao bars. Organic and sometimes fair trade (e.g. Maya Gold).

Valrhona - 70% Cacao bars.

Moser Roth - 70% Cacao and 85% Cacao Chocolate Bars.

Endangered Species - 72% Cacao and 88% Cacao bars. Also a 70% organic bar. Ethically traded cacao. Social enterprise.

Chocolove - 70% Cacao and a 73% Fair trade bar.

Taza - 70%, 80%, and 87% cacao bars. All 100% USDA organic.

Vivani -Vivani is a German chocolatier that sources ingredients from Ceres (100% organic). 72% and 85% bars available in USA and Canada.

Giddy Yoyo - Based in Canada. Raw, USDA organic. A large range of dark chocolate bars up to 89%.

Theo - Based in Seattle. 100% Organic, Fair Trade, and non-GMO certified. 85% and a large range of different flavored 70% bars.

Scharffen Berger - Atrisan US chocolate company (owned by Hershey). Selection of chocolate squares and bars (from 62% up to 82% cacao),

Unhealthy Dark Chocolates

Dove Dark Chocolate - Low cacao content. All processed with alkali.
 
CocoaVia Supplement Packs - These are similar to Crystal Light, except they have flavanols (the main chocolate antioxidant) added in. You will get some health benefits from this, but it is more important to eat the whole food that contains the fiber.
 
Hershey’s Special Dark - Processed with alkali. High in sugar.
 
Dark Chocolate M&M’s - The ingredients list is ambiguous (they list “chocolate” as an ingredient). However these are high in sugar (more like candy than healthy dark chocolate).

Milky Way Midnight - Like all the candy brands, this is not really a dark chocolate. It has more sugar than cacao and is processed with alkali.

Nestle Dark Hot Chocolate - Ouch! This beverage mix is the worst of the lot. Sugar, trans-fat, and processed with alkali.
 
Cadbury Bournville - 60g of sugar per small bar.
 
Cadbury Old Gold - It says dark chocolate on the label, but it is a dairy milk – with a high sugar content.
 
Brookside Dark Chocolate with Pomegranate or Blueberries - Even though this appears to have some fruit – a closer look at the ingredients says something different. (Information from Healthyeater.com)


















 

A KIND Review

Several years ago I fell in love with Kind bars. Since then, the company has launched new flavors and products. The company recently sent me some of their newer products to review. I have to admit, I was BLOWN AWAY! I also had to ration myself on how much I could eat in a day. Yes, they are THAT good.

I am used to thinking of Kind bars (and other snack bars) as being sweet and dessert-like. Kind decided to put a new twist on things and make a more savory line of bars. Their Kind Strong bars are flavor and nutritionally packed powerhouses. Between the Honey Smoked Barbecue, Honey Mustard, Roasted Jalapeno, Hickory Smoked, and Thai Sweet Chili bars, there are plenty of options for the savory lover out there. The flavors are honestly so intense, it's hard to even describe them. There was a perfect twist of slightly sweet, salty, and spice in each of the options. They are purely amazing. As far as nutrition goes, Kind put these in their Strong line. Strong bars from Kind are packed with 10g of protein and are made without whey, soy, gluten, or GMO's. They are "kind" to your body and your taste buds!

In true Kind fashion, they also sent some of their sweet options. My favorites include the Maple Quinoa Clusters with Chia Seeds granola, and the Dark Chocolate Almond Mocha snack bar. The Dark Chocolate Almond Mocha snack bar made me completely melt. It felt like a guilty pleasure, especially paired with a large cup of black coffee.

How do you like to do Kind?

Here are some amazing options for changing up your routine with a little bit of Kind foods.

Maple-y Cluster Yogurt

Ingredients
1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain
1/4 cup Kind Maple Quinoa Clusters with Chia Seeds
1/4 cup berries (optional)

Directions
Scoop yogurt into a bowl. Top with Kind Maple Quinoa Clusters with Chia Seeds, and other toppings as desired.

Dark Chocolate Almond Mocha Oats

Ingredients
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup of water
1 Kind Dark Chocolate Almond Mocha snack bar

Directions
Cook oats in almond milk and water, per package instructions. When the oats have cooked, allow them to cool for a few minutes (this will keep the chocolate from melting too much into the oats). Crunch up a Kind Dark Chocolate Almond Mocha bar, and sprinkle over top of the oats. Enjoy with a hot cup of coffee or espresso of your choosing.

The 21 Day Fix

I am crazy excited about the 21 Day Fix, a new program from Beachbody that is available ONLY through your Beachbody coach starting Feb 3rd. Here's the lowdown on the program:

• 21 days of fitness in 30-min workouts, 7 days a week
• 21 days of learning proper portion control
• 21 days to fix your old habits and create HEALTHY new ones!

What is the 21 Day Fix?

The 21 Day Fix is a nutrition/fitness program that simplifies weight loss with easy portion control and 30-minute workouts. You can actually lose up to 15 pounds in 21 days! It's simple, it's fast, it works.

Beachbody trainer, Autumn Calabrese (trainer, single/busy mom, and a national-level bikini competitor) designed this program. She was inspired after seeing a client consume an entire 1,300-calorie salad in a single sitting. Nowadays, our portions are super-sized and hurting our weight loss and health. We often overeat and eat the wrong things, without knowing it. As a single mom, she knows how hard it is to eat right and exercise. So, she designed the 21 Day Fix with 30-min workouts and a simple eating plan. 

How does it work?

Everything is laid out for you; use the portion-control containers and complete your daily workout during your 21-day commitment. You can lose up to 15 lb in 21 days!

The Container System

The 21 Day Fix comes with a container system to teach you how to create healthy portions - simply and intuitively. Just put your choice of food in the color-coded container - if it fits, you can eat it! There's no guessing or calorie counting. I still struggle with proper portion control and I know so many others do, too. That's why I'm SO excited about this program.

The Workouts

The 21 Day Fix workouts will have you burning calories in a 30-minute session. The workouts are designed for someone at ANY level of fitness from beginners to advanced. 

Is it effective?

Beachbody really BRINGS IT with this new program. It's the only program that combines portion-control containers and exceptional workouts that Beachbody is known for. Equal emphasis is placed on fitness and nutrition to help anyone lose weight and keep it off. Effective plans are sustainable plans! 

You can achieve your weight loss goals with this program. Whether it's 10 lb or 100 lb, you can do it with the 21 Day Fix. 

Who is it for?

Let's get personal...

I love that this program tackles real and serious issues that people face. As a single mom, I struggle with fitting in time for fitness and time to be mom. Because of this, I get up before the break of dawn to workout. I don't want to lose this precious time with my sweet boy, but I know being healthy is important to me and him.

Also - I've said it over and over that you can't outrun a bad diet. You just end up erasing all of your effort and sweat that you poured out at the gym (or living room!) There's nothing wrong with food - food is fuel! But, there is a huge difference in how you fuel your body and results. I used to think exercise meant I could eat what I wanted - until I realized after months of training for my first half-marathon that my weight hadn't budged, except maybe 5 lb. 5 lb IS a lot, but keep in mind I wasn't always active. 4 years ago I HATED running. It was so hard for me. I was a walker, but at least I was a fast walker! When I was going through my divorce in 2011, I got it in my head I wanted to run, then train for a 5k just for fun. Eventually, I started training for distance races. I began running around May of 2011 (as a bigger size 12) and well in to my half-marathon training in January of 2012, I was a solid size 12.  I saw this lack of change, and it was quite upsetting considering my accomplishments and hard work. I was one of those girls that thought, "this is just how I'm made."  Long story short, I started to adjust my diet and the pounds starting melting off.

The Commitment

Are you ready to commit to 21 days with me and the Fix? If you are serious about committing and reshaping your life, then join my "The FIX" challenge group! All I ask for is your 21-day commitment, and you'll love your results! The FIX Challenge Group Starts February 17th!

Follow these steps to join:

1. Sign up! Visit www.beachbodycoach.com/erinlynchfitness to join Beachbody AND get me as your Coach for FREE!
2. Get your Challenge Pack! The 21 Day Fix Challenge Pack is on SUPER SALE for just a few weeks. Order your Challenge Pack when once you have listed me as your Beachbody Coach.
3. Contact me! Contact me to join The FIX Challenge Group or if you have any questions. 

You give me 21 days - I'll give you my best support, encouragement, and accountability to see you through. 

the big FAT lie

It's that 3-letter word that might as well be a 4-letter word. It's fat. 

For the past 15-20 years, we have been taught to reach for the fat free, reduced fat, and low fat items to keep from getting fat. But did you know that eating fat won't necessarily make you fat??  It all depends on the types of fats. There are some that you need in your daily diet, and others you should completely avoid. To understand which fats we want and which we don't, then we need to understand the different types of fats. Fats can be placed to 2 categories, Saturated and Unsaturated. In these categories, there are further classifications of fats. 

Saturated Fat

Saturated fats (aka "solid fats") are solid at room temperature. These are commonly found in animal products like milk, meat, butter, margarine, shortening, and cheese. You can also find it in coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter - but these don't contain cholesterol.

How does it affect my health?

Saturated fats can raise your cholesterol, risk of heart disease, and stroke.

How much should I have?

The American Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of saturated fats you eat to less than 7% of your total daily calories.  

Trans Fat

Trans fat is a type of saturated fat. These are fats that have been changed through the hydrogenation process. Hydrogenation is used to increase the shelf life of fat and to make it harder at room temperature. Trans fats can be found in foods like french fries, pastries, cookies, chips, crackers, pie crusts, biscuits, donuts, pizza dough, margarine, shortening, and other baked goods. 

How does it affect my health?

Trans fats can lower your LDL (good) cholesterol and raised your HDL (bad) cholesterol, increased your risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

How much should I have?

Avoid trans fats as much as possible, if nothing else then limit it to no more than 1% of your daily caloric intake.

Unsaturated Fat

Unsaturated fats are in liquid form at room temperature. These are found mostly in plant oils. Monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat are types of unsaturated fat.

Monounsaturated fat

Monounsaturated fat is a type of unsaturated fat. You can find it in vegetable oil, canola oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, peanut oil. You can also find this in avocados, peanut butter, and other nuts/seeds.

How does it affect my health?

This type of fat helps reduce bad cholesterol levels in the blood, and lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. They also provide the nutrition your body needs to develop and maintain its cells.

How much should I have?

Monounsaturated fats should not total more than 25-35% of your daily caloric intake.

Polyunsaturated fat

You can find this type of fat in seafood, and safflower, sunflower, sesame, soybean, and corn oils. There are two types of polyunsaturated fats, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. 

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in foods from plants like soybean and canola oil, nuts, flaxseed, and fatty fish like salmon, herring, trout, and anchovies. You should eat 8 oz (or more) of these types of fish weekly (about 250 mg a day of omega-3 fatty acids).

Omega-6 fatty acids are found mostly in liquid vegetable oils like soybean oil, corn oil, and safflower oil.

 

How does it affect my health?

This type of fat includes essential fats like omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, which your body can't produce on its own. These play a critical role in brain function and body growth/development. 

How much should I have?

Polyunsaturated fats should not total more than 25-35% of your daily caloric intake.

Here is a handy list I made to help figure out what to get next time you are at the store!