Throughout my career, I’ve seen clients who have tried it all. Weight Watchers, Fad diets, yo-yo diets resulting in irrational fears around foods, and not learning much in the process.
In the pro-metabolic community, we eat to nourish our bodies. By prioritizing your health as a means of losing weight, because a body in balance can do amazing things. When on-boarding new clients, a lot say:
•”What foods should I avoid? Is this food ok?”
•”I’ll do whatever you say, I’m so frustrated with how I look in the mirror”
I get it, we all seek certainty & clarity. “Tell me the rules, I’ll be good and follow! Sell me that product- I’ll do anything BUT trust in my self and the process so I can put the work in.”
You see, this is why diet culture fails you, These diets/approaches including harsh rules. restriction, avoiding certain foods . Not how to support and to nourish YOUR body.
Pro-metabolic community flipped my world upside down. Rather than excluding foods, it’s all about inclusion, nose-to-tail animal consumption, broths, more nutrient-dense sugars, and eating saturated fats – foods that have either been neglected or demonized by mainstream health and fitness.
These foods have more bioavailable nutrients. They are easier to digest. And they don’t contain anti-nutrients that inhibit the processes within the body. This is how to support your metabolism. (Your metabolism is all the chemical processes that occur within your body.) And these foods enable all these processes to happen easier with less inflammation and fewer issues. They improve pulses, body temperature and biofeedback like digestion, sleep, stress, energy, mood, etc. This means your body is functioning in the best way possible
An emphasis is placed on grass-fed, humane certified protein sources, root veggies, quality dairy, ripe fruits, and all-natural sweeteners (like raw honey). Please, do what you can afford.
You are eating to nourish. Providing for your body out of self-respect. Pro-metabolic eating may combat the reason you may be experiencing the binge-restrict cycle. When your body gets what it needs, you don’t experience cravings anymore.
When working with clients, they create their own nutrition plans based on my guidance and week to week We adjust it, to improve their symptoms, ultimately to reach their goals and find their OPTIMAL – that will look different for everyone. This is why education, monitoring biofeedback and intentionally nourishing our bodies are game changer.
Walking is the most underrated physical activity! Not only is it an effective cardio strategy for weight loss, it has a lot of other health benefits! 🥳
🚶🏻♀️LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE & CHOLESTEROL 🩺 Regular walking was linked to a 7 percent reduced risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
🚶🏻♀️ENHANCES CIRCULATION ♥️ Regular walking can help to lower blood pressure and reduce your risk of stroke. And it doesn’t take much: Walking briskly for just 30 minutes a day is enough to improve heart health.
🚶🏻♀️STRENGTHENS BONES 🦴 Walking can help strengthen bones and reduce your risk of osteoporosis. One study found that women who walked for a minimum of 4 hours a week saw a 40% reduced risk of hip fractures. While other forms of vigorous exercise such as running, jumping and weightlifting offer bone-strengthening benefits, the good news is that walking appears to do the same. That’s great news for those just starting a workout routine, people who must complete low-impact exercise due to joint issues.
🚶🏻♀️BOOSTS MOOD 🙌🏼 Having a rough day? Walk it off. Numerous studies have linked walking for exercise with improved mood and reduced stress levels. And it’s even better if you can take a stroll through nature — walking outdoors near greenery has been shown to help reduce feelings of frustration and may even help put your brain into a state of meditation. Walking stimulates the production of neurotransmitters in the brain (such as endorphins) that help improve your mental state. 🌳
🚶🏻SHARPENS YOUR 🧠 Walking for exercise may become increasingly important as we age and our risk for dementia and other brain disorders increases. It can even help reverse the effects of aging. One study published in the Annals of Neurology found that the 69 participants ages 55–88 who who met the exercise guidelines set by the American Heart Association showed a significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
☠️ To improve your cognition even more, try walking backward. 🔙 One Dutch study found that walking backward helped subjects literally think faster on their feet. 💨
There are VERY FEW supplements I recommend these days, but these two are crucial.
Vitamin E works as a powerful antioxidant in the body. It has many benefits for hormone health. Because vitamin E is anti-estrogenic, it helps reduce the binding of thyroid hormone. When we have too much estrogen, we bind more thyroid hormone and make it inactive leading to thyroid symptoms. Vitamin E also works closely with selenium to convert T4 to T3. 🤓 Because of this it helps to combat the following: -inflammation -excess estrogen -heart disease -fertility issues What I find most fascinating about vitamin E is specifically how it reduces the impact of excess estrogen. Vitamin E acts a lot like progesterone in the body and has several functions that are the opposite of estrogen. This is why it’s so helpful for those that struggle with intense PMS/painful/heavy periods. How do you know if you need vitamin E? One big sign is excess clotting during your period, although anyone that deals with PMS, heavy/painful periods, or estrogen dominant symptoms can benefit. If you have excess estrogen, this also increases your body’s requirement for vitamin E. It’s also depleted by the birth control pill. One last thing! Vitamin E can be helpful for sunburn and skin issues. You can use it internally and topically. Before you go run out to buy the closest vitamin E supplement, make sure it is made with MCT oil. That’s going to be the most absorbable form. Avoid anything with soybean/canola/sunflower/flaxseed oil. Those will be inflammatory since they are not stable at high temps (they won’t preserve the vitamin E).
**PLEASE consult with your doctor before starting this supplement**
BEEF LIVER: For most of human history, we consume the whole animal (nose-to-tail) with deep respect and profound purpose. One part of the modern diet that is missing is organ meats.⠀Muscle meats are comparatively nutrient poor compared to organ meats like liver, heart, & brains.⠀Every traditional society at organ meats, because they pack with nutrients like no other food on earth.⠀Liver, especially that of pasture-raised animals, is nutrient-packed – regardless of the species.
The liver holds & distributes the most powerful nutrients that mammals use.⠀ ⠀ When light hits the skin, it sets off a cascade to convert a photon to a molecule in the body, that is wrapped in fat, stored in the liver, & delivered all around the body to the DNA.⠀ ⠀ Does that sound important?⠀ ⠀ One part of the modern diet that is missing is organ meats.⠀ ⠀ Muscle meats are comparatively nutrient poor compared to organ meats like liver, heart, & brains.⠀ ⠀ Every traditional society at organ meats, because they pack with nutrients like no other food on earth.⠀ ⠀ What Are the Different Types?⠀ ⠀ The most common types include:⠀ •Liver: nutritional powerhouse of organ meats, beef liver beats nearly everything for nutrients.⠀ • Tongue: more of a muscle. It’s a tender and tasty cut of meat due to its high fat content.⠀ • Heart: The role of the heart is to pump blood around the body. It tastes like fillet steak & is PACKED with COQ10.⠀ • Kidneys: Here we have minerals in perfect balance.⠀ • Brain: Considered a delicacy in many cultures, a concentrate of the building blocks of neurons.⠀ ⠀ Other factors:⠀ • Iron: contains heme iron, which is highly bioavailable, so it’s better absorbed by the body than non-heme iron from plant foods⠀ ⠀ • Great source of choline: Organ meats are among the world’s best sources of choline, which is an essential nutrient for the human brain⠀ ⠀ Liver is an important source of retinol, which is pre-formed vitamin A. Just 3 oz of beef liver contains 26,973 IU of vitamin A, while pork liver & chicken liver contain 15,306 IU and 11,335 IU, respectively. (Vegetable sources do not contain this active form).⠀ ⠀
Vitamin B-12 which is naturally synthesized in human body is very important resource to generate genetic material, red blood cells (RBC) and neurological health as well.
A 65-70 gram beef liver slice has around 2000% of recommended daily allowance (RDA) of Vitamin B-12 and 900% of RDA of Vitamin A for adult females.
Vitamin A is prime source of vision, cell activities and reproductive health.
Riboflavin a protein required for good metabolism and same amount of Beef Liver provides around 200% RDA of Riboflavin for female adults and 185% for males. Riboflavin is also helpful in maintaining healthy skin.
Zinc is a mineral which is necessary for daily body activities like- immunity, cellular metabolism, protein and genetic material generation etc. A 65-70 gram slice of beef liver provides zinc amount- approximately 125% RDA for female adults and 90% RDA for male adults.
Also, Iron is another mineral and everybody is aware of its function in the body. It forms hemoglobin in the red blood cells which carries oxygen to body-cells for breaking down the digested food to produce energy.
While I have been exploring traditional recipes incorporating liver as a whole food, the capsules have been a great way to start!
Note: the nutrients vary depending on the quality of the forage & whether the animals were out on pasture or in confinement. It’s best to source your organs from your local farmer, whose practices you trust.
I am not affiliated with either company: These are the two brands I’m currently using.
The answer is: NO! I feel bad for fruit, it’s gotten such a bad reputation over the years! 🤪 It is nature’s candy after all 🍬😁
🍉Evidence suggests that fructose can cause harm when consumed in excess. However, there is not enough fructose in fruit to cause concern.
🍎Whole fruits take time to chew and digest. Because of this, you feel fuller and your body can easily tolerate the small amounts of fructose.
🍉When you’re craving sugar- it’s likely your body needs it. Try incorporating fruits, root veggies and other healthy sugars like raw honey, coconut sugar and maple syrup in your diet.
🍊Ripe, seasonal fruits, tropical fruits, stewed and cooked fruits, jams and jellies are packed full of bioavailable goodness.
🍐Consumption of carbs is essential for a robust hormonal function.
Fruit is: •Rich in minerals •Superior Hydration •Vitamin C-very important for immune function •High in Fiber: Fiber, especially soluble fiber, has many benefits, including reduced cholesterol levels, slowed absorption of carbs and increased satiety. Plus, studies have shown that soluble fiber can help you lose weight 🙌🏼
•Antioxidants: Various vitamins and minerals are called antioxidants, which help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. ✨
•Nutrients. fruits tend to be high in several vitamins and minerals that many people don’t get enough of, including vitamin C, potassium and folate.
🍍Fructose stimulates only modest insulin secretion and does not require the presence of insulin to enter cells. And Can help the body use glucose better.
🍒In closing, there is plenty of evidence that shows that a high fruit intake is associated with a lower risk of serious diseases like heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
A lot of my clients have a history of exercise programs that were actually counterproductive to their goals. They have done so much volume training over the years that they are now physically exhausted and nervous system is overwhelmed – with not much to show for it in the form of strength & muscle gains for all the hours they’ve spent training. Typically, it’s the lack of recovery and low energy availability that holding them back.
Saying a workout is too easy or not challenging enough for you based on a feeling of exhausted based on volume alone (number of exercises, sets and/or reps), is an incorrect measurement approach.
The biggest difference between a program that makes you tired & a program that actually improves & gives you results is SMART PROGRESSION.
What we are seeking is the MINIMUM EFFECTIVE DOSE. Building muscle isn’t about doing as much as you CAN each workout. It’s about doing as much as you NEED. 💪🏼
So, let’s talk about What is under YOUR CONTROL:
👉🏻The weight you choose to use to challenge yourself. It takes awhile to learn how to navigate RPE and RIR scales. According to several studies, when females (trained & untrained) self-select their training loads, they’re not heavy enough to optimize strength
👉🏻How much you think about mind muscle connection, and squeezing each target muscle
👉🏻The tempo you use each rep, which changes the length of the set and overall time under tension (a big contributor to hypertrophy🙌🏻)
👉🏻How much you control the eccentrics, versus letting the weight control you
👉🏻How much you pay attention to form, and really leading with the target muscle and avoiding using others or swinging/using momentum
👉🏻How much you truly try to hit close to your wall within the target reps (ex choosing a weight you can truly only do 10-12 reps with, not a weight you can do 30 reps with) The researchers also indicated that the subjects didn’t appear to approach failure on any set & their ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were identified as only ‘somewhat hard’ (likely not enough intensity of effort to optimize muscle hypertrophy)
The load lifted doesn’t matter as much for optimizing muscle mass as long as effort is high (each set needs to be taken to near failure)
This would suggest the RPE on each set should be interpreted as ‘very very hard’ or ‘very hard’
In these studies, the RPE was only ‘somewhat hard’. Hence, muscle hypertrophy wasn’t optimized
TLTR: Taking your workouts to 7, 8, 10+ exercises per workout still can be “too easy” if you aren’t executing your lifts correctly. Conversely, you can leave the gym crippled after just 3-4 exercises with the right intensity😳
And what’s more, if you start approaching your sets with the correct mindset, focus and intensity: YOU WILL SEE WAY MORE & FASTER PROGRESS🙌🏻🙌🏻🎉
Who wouldn’t want that?!The next time you feel like a workout isn’t hard enough, run through this list of all the elements within your control and challenge yourself with the question: Is there any more I can do here?! 💪🏻
It’s likely your metabolic function that should addressed, consistency and patience that will bring about healing—Not a restrictive dietary protocol.
🔥 What is our metabolism? 🔹Simply put, it is how well our cells use energy to do the jobs they are supposed to do.
🔹The metabolism is the rate at which we convert calories and oxygen into energy AND how efficiently and effectively we use that fuel.
🔹It doesn’t just affect how we gain and lose weight, it also affects how we function down to the cells themselves.
🔹And every part of our body is made up of… CELLS.
🔹And since hormones are made BY cells FOR cells (simply cellular messengers), it affects both our hormonal output and how we receive and respond to hormones.
🔹This is why focusing on detox diets, cleanse protocols and thinking you need to “reset, is what suppress symptoms like weight gain or autoimmunity. It is a bandaid that often makes metabolic function worse in the long run.
🔹This is why so many people share that symptoms go away for a while and then come back worse than before.
🔹Heal your metabolism, heal your whole self.
🔹Many factors affect our metabolism including our nutrition, the frequency of our nutrition, our mental state/emotions, our breathing, our nervous system, our movement, our environment, etc.
How do we get started? 🍑Nourish our bodies vs. restrict from our bodies 🍑Provide enough calories from a balance of protein, carbs and fat 🍑Take deep breaths 🍑 Be patient, focus on metabolic health > weight loss.
🍑Make stress reduction and down time (doing “nothing”) a priority 🍑Eat frequently & consistently 🍑Prioritize sleep
🍑 Increase daily movement (NEAT)
TLTR: you need a coach before a supplement. Stop Swinging the pendulum, reaching for these quick fixes and start living a lifestyle that’s balanced 🙌🏼
Most of new clients hire a personal trainer wanting to lose weight. But ☝️ we usually have to enter into a different kind of diet before we can actually “diet”. Here’s why this process is important: Most people come from a place of chronic dieting with only short periods of over eating…when they get sick of this yo yo approach to “dieting” It’s not unheard of for new clients to have been attempting a calorie deficit (and typically over-exercising) for 90% of their “fitness journey” 👉 meaning that their bodies are already in a stressed out, down-regulated state. (This was me up until May 2020. )
Instead of exacerbating this stress with MORE exercise and LOWER calories… Our first goal is an optimal psychological and physiological baseline.
This is where you “earn the right” to diet; think of it like your buy in.
This could mean building/finding a sustainable maintenance calorie intake and amount of exercise. For others it might mean even pushing past this and eating in a small surplus to create an environment that’s extra supportive of muscle building for a period of time. *USUALLY* this looks like a progressive, structured increase in calories and revamping workout programming to be more focused on strength training instead of mostly cardio-based 🏃♀️
So where to start? Use the chart below to get an idea of daily calorie amounts, 1800-2100 calories per day, 25-30% coming from Protein. Focus on eating enough food, tracking your biofeedback (Sleep, Hunger, Recovery, Energy, Digestion, Stress) and see how all that improves.
Chronic dieting and over exercising often comes with the need for mindset shifts FIRST.
Jumping into more dieting when you have already been dieting frequently, or if you’ve even just dieted too recently, can quickly lead to you spinning your wheels: 🚫more metabolic adaptations (not good) 🚫muscle loss (really not good) 🚫no progress being made, even perhaps when taking things to extremes. The “diet before the diet” is just as important than the diet itself when it comes to mind & body changes over time. Please spend just as much, if not more, time optimizing your metabolism, building muscle, and living your life, so that when the time does come to diet down, things will be easier & allow for HEALTHY progress 💞
Thank you Coach Kasey Jo for original post and inspiring this content.
▫️Cravings are how the body meets and communicates its nutrient needs.
▫️The body is causing our brain to become obsessed or consumed with the need, until we seek it out, find it and meet that need.
▫️Does this mean we indulge in every craving or whim? Not necessarily. But it’s in our best interests to listen.👂
🧂 Salty Do we need high quality sodium? Our adrenals burn through sodium when we are stressed, fasting, eating low carb, are pregnant and breastfeeding. High quality sea salt is a great place to start.
🍞 Refined Breads & Baked Goods Do we need more carbs? Fruits, roots, fruit juices, squashes, soaked/sprouted grains, etc.?
🍰Sugary Sweets Are we providing our body with the above? Allowing honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar into the diet?
💦Always Thirsty If we drink plenty of water and it doesn’t quench our thirst, we should check in on if we’re getting enough minerals! Broths, coconut water, juices and milk are amazing sources of electrolytes.
🍟Fatty Foods/Fried Foods Are we eating high quality saturated fats? Full-fat Dairy, ghee, butter, tallow, coconut oil, high quality olive oil, etc.
🍴Acidic: Vinegar or Sour How’s our stomach acid and digestion? Sometimes cravings for acidic/vinegary things can be a sign our digestion needs work. Try incorporating a pre-meal ritual including breathwork and relaxation techniques, + gelatin snacks with your meals, or digestive bitters 15 min before eating.
🍩Junk Food Sometimes our body just needs MORE. More energy, more calories. And sometimes, when it’s only gotten an energy rich diet through junk, it craves junk. Usually eating enough and paying attention to all the above helps with this.
🙏Thank you to Jessica Ash Wellness for all she taught me in her Fully Nourished program! I am no longer struggling with cravings or binging.
🤍Listening to our bodies is huge! Intuition relies on feelings, what do I feel like? Practicing nourishing with intention goes a little bit deeper… What does my body need? What am I craving? What sounds good? It’s a fusion between body, brain and feelings all being met. 🧭
🔅TLTR: MOTIVATION is the driving force behind your actions. It isn’t something you simply have and keep forever, motivation is like campfire that you must keep stoking to benefit from the warmth 🔥
🔅SUSTAINABLE motivation comes from an intrinsic source. A place within you where you have self respect and self acceptance. You know the value of health. You believe in the power of your choices, and how they can impact your future. You chose to move your body, to nourishing your body, to prioritize your health, because of those reasons. 💛
🔆Creating motivation is the first step, and having a coach to help manage and maintain that motivation can be a crucial piece of your health and wellness journey 🧩!
🗣 Click link to set up a call to chat about how to get motivated for your goals Calendly – Megan_mefit📱 💪🏻
First what is stress? Anything that causes the body to STRAIN and use extra fuel resources while pulling those things from being used in important daily body functions.
When talking about stress in our lives, I like to think of it in these three categories. Bad stress (that is avoidable), bad stress (that is Unavoidable) and good stress which means providing something in exchange.
All stress is strain on the body, and all types of stress can break the body down.
The body can only handle a set amount of stress at one time, think about this as a stress bucket. Throughout the day-to-day you have unnecessary expectations on yourself, endless negative self talk, trippin’ over what a co-worker thinks of you, while you’re planning your wedding. And now you’re sick with a cold! That’s the body responding to the stress bucket being full.
Even if the new stress is in the good category, if the body is not resilient to stress due to lack of nutrients, lack of adequate rest, management and recovery–it will cause negative impacts on your health.
There are ways to manage the stress you feel and prevent it from growing and affecting your health. Here is some advice for more effective stress management:
-Recognize the events that cause stress. Be attentive to symptoms of stress and note the types of events that affect you most. -Find out what the problem is exactly – this makes it easier to deal with it. -Speak about your problems to people you trust. By expressing your feelings, you reduce the stress you feel. -Speak with a professional if you need to do so. -Learn about stress-management techniques, walk in nature, breathwork, yoga, hula-hooping, cuddles with pets, etc. -Reduce tension through physical exercise. -Don’t be too hard on yourself. -Prioritize a consistent bedtime routine.
Stress management is a massive aspect of living and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. You cannot supplement away stress, sorry. All the herbs in the world, can’t do internal work for you. You got this. You are capable. You are amazing. I believe in you.
Wellness Simplified with Meganmefit 