February 4, 2025 • 52 mins
In this episode, Dr. Alfred Alessi and Matt Tack debunk weight loss myths, starting with the "calories in vs. calories out" concept. They highlight hormones' role in weight management and stress food quality over calorie counting, comparing processed and whole foods. The discussion covers nutrition's impact on performance and longevity, clarifying misconceptions about carbs. They critique low-carb diets, emphasizing balanced exercise and diet. Insights on metabolism, hormonal health, and effective weight loss strategies are shared, including the importance of sleep, stress management, and consistency. The episode wraps up with key takeaways and a teaser on gut health for next week.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
You cannot even begin to say that those are thesame.
Right?
And that calories in versus calories out makessense.
Obviously, high in refined sugar, it leads to arapid blood sugar spike because it's absorbed
as liquid.
Right?
And it's gonna trigger you to be hungry veryquickly after.
Whereas chicken breast is rich in protein,provides sustained energy, supports building
(00:20):
muscle, and it keeps you fuller longer.
Welcome to Health decode, your number onesource for real health information host, doctor
Alessi and Matt Tack.
Alright.
Welcome back to Health Decoded where we unravelthe complexities of health and wellness with
science backed insights.
(00:42):
Today's episode is all about weight loss myths,the falsehoods that keep people stuck, and the
strategies that actually work.
I'm your host, doctor Alfred Alessi, with mycohost.
The cohost, Matt Tack.
After a week off, I'm glad to be back on, butYes, sir.
We're gonna be highlighting the importance ofcutting through misinformation to achieve real
(01:05):
sustainable health and weight loss goals.
So I'm excited to talk about that.
Here's a quick teaser.
Stay tuned as we address the miss and overcomestrategies that you can start implementing
today.
Good stuff, man.
Looking forward to this episode, man.
How's everything been with you, man?
I know we had a week off, with the podcast, butbeen busy in the clinic for sure.
(01:27):
Yeah, man.
It's been busy.
The life's been busy.
I think it always, you know, you always have toexpect curve balls.
And these are one of the ways that we're gonnabe talking about today, how you can still be
proactive during that time when life throws youa curve ball, how you can stay proactive about,
sustainable health.
I love that, man.
I love that.
And we've definitely been, you know, kind offocusing towards in the clinic as well, like,
(01:49):
on the weight loss loss side of things.
We've got Zeke, piloting and and really leadingthe Genesys protocol in the office and in the
clinic and getting some amazing results.
Patient of ours who came in, and I'll just I'lljust use the name Scott.
His name is Scott.
I'm sure he'd be okay with me saying that.
He, signed off.
But, he was down £30 in a month, which is justawesome.
(02:12):
I mean, insane results.
So he's doing amazing and just and just kickingbutt with it.
So the kind of the big point here, man, is wewanna first debunk some of the myths around
weight loss and and what people hear on onlineand what we've kind of been, I think,
programmed to think over time and justthroughout our lives, which really just is not
true.
And then on the backside of that, share someaction items for people and some real things
(02:37):
that they can implement today to start pushingthemselves towards a healthier way and,
obviously, a better state of health in general.
So let's let's get right into it.
Let's start with the myths.
So, the first one we're gonna talk about iswhat I'm sure everybody has heard that weight
loss is all about calories in versus caloriesout.
Right?
And this is just really an oversimplificationand kind of ignores a lot of things.
(03:02):
For 1, the role of your hormones, metabolism,and the quality of food.
Right?
About a 100 calories of a McDonald's burger anda 100 calories of grass fed, grass finished
meat are very different as far as the nutrientprofile and the amount of micronutrients and
vitamins and minerals that come with that.
So, you know, the idea that weight loss issimply calories in calories out is kind of been
(03:26):
the dominant narrative for decades.
While calorie balance is important, thisoversimplification really ignores those key
factors we just talked about.
So, you know, the first one being hormones.
Your hormones play a significant role in howour bodies process and store calories.
For example, insulin, which is known as the fatstorage hormone, it regulates your blood sugar
(03:47):
levels, promotes fat storage when it'selevated.
And so diets high in refined carbohydrates andsugar, which lead to frequent insulin spikes,
can result in insulin resistance over time.
Now this condition is obviously linked toweight gain, difficulty losing weight.
The other hormones that are a little less knownthan insulin are leptin and ghrelin.
(04:09):
These hormones control your hunger and satiety.
So leptin basically tells your brain whenyou're full, where ghrelin is this the hunger
signaling hormone.
So chronic overeating, poor sleep, these candisrupt the balance between leptin and ghrelin,
which then lead to you constantly being hungryand overeating.
And so it's basically, kind of a dangeroussnowball effect with those hormones.
(04:32):
And then the last one on this list that we havehere is is cortisol.
So high stress levels elevate cortisol, whichhas been shown to increase fat accumulation,
particularly around the abdomen.
So these are all really external factors thathave nothing to do with calories in calories
out.
These are things processes going on within thebody that are very important.
(04:54):
And so, you know, it's it's really important toobviously take in mind what hormones are doing,
but also that your metabolism is a factor aswell.
And your metabolism isn't static.
It adjusts based on various factors, includingmuscle mass on your body, your age, and even
the type of food that you eat.
So for example, a high protein diet has what wecall a thermic effect, meaning it requires more
(05:18):
energy to digest compared to fats or carbs,which then can slightly boost your calorie
expenditure.
And so the the food quality over quantity isvery important.
Not all calories are created equal.
Obviously, we know that.
So 200 calories of soda versus 200 calories ofchicken breast.
You cannot even begin to say that those are thesame.
(05:41):
Right?
And that calories in versus calories out makessense.
So it is obviously high in refined sugar.
It leads to a rapid blood sugar spike becauseit's absorbed as liquid.
Right?
And it's gonna trigger you to be hungry veryquickly after.
Whereas chicken breast is rich in protein,provides sustained energy, supports building
muscle, and it keeps you fuller longer.
(06:02):
So real quick, a study published in theAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition found
that diets high in processed foods lead to moreovereating compared to whole food based diets
even when the calorie intake was controlled inthat study.
So this, I mean, this basically proves the factof what we're talking about right now.
This highlights that food quality impacts bothmetabolism and appetite regulation.
(06:28):
Yeah.
What's cool about that too, if we think aboutit in comparison, right, You're looking at
things, directly correlated to, performance.
Right?
And so when you bring all those factors in,right, even if you were in a, in a controllable
scenario where you had 2 individuals, this isthe thing, right?
(06:49):
You can eat garbage and produce energy fromthat, like processed foods.
Now the utilization of that, like, let's sayI'm a high active driven person and I can burn
through I can burn through calories like crazy.
It's because I run all the time, but then itbecomes like how optimally efficient you are
(07:10):
while you're burning those calories.
Right?
And so if you're getting quality food, you'reprobably gonna be progressing in maybe if
you're if long distance running is your thingor weight lifting.
Right?
If you're taking a quality calories, yourperformance typically becomes a little bit
higher.
So you can be an active person.
And, there's a guy, DJ Metcalfe.
(07:33):
Right?
He's been a known guy in the NFL t handy andjust garbage all the time.
Yet you look at him and you're like, wow, man.
He's a specimen.
But the reality to that is there's gonna be ademise to that.
It hands down.
His his career, and I don't wanna put thisdemise on him, but his career is gonna be
lightly shortened because he's not putting thequality in that creates the longevity component
(08:00):
of that career.
Right?
Whereas you look somebody else that has maybebecause I take for instance a storyline, and I
take the NFL just because you take such apounding.
Whereas a guy like Derrick Henry, for theRavens likely has you know, he's in his 30 now
and is pushing towards, like, way longer thanwhat a normal standard, like, running back can
(08:24):
because he takes hit over hit.
But the quality of nutrition and theperformance that he gets on the training, it
brings directly on the field and gives himlongevity.
Right?
So in a time and age, like, where you're young,yeah, you can battle through to some things,
but, I wanna bring it back home just for asecond too, and just to, like, nurture the
point of what it looks like.
(08:45):
Because this is a scenario directly in ourfamily where my mother-in-law has stage 4
cancer.
Right.
And she's never been one to really put likequality ingredients.
Like she just loves snacks and various things.
And so that habit structure has formed andshe's never really created the discipline to
put quality stuff in her body.
(09:05):
So now at stage 4 cancer, we saw her like she'slosing energy at more of a rapid pace than
somebody putting quality foods in there withquality movement, right.
Where they can really maintain that momentumeven through disease.
Right.
And so it's not, that's where I go back to whatI said in the beginning of, you know, life's
(09:26):
gonna throw you a curve ball.
It's not the reality of like, maybe you won'tget cancer.
It's like, but how efficiently can you battlethrough it?
Right.
And so these things come in play of the qualitythat you're putting into your body for the
times that like a curve ball might hit you.
Right.
Yeah.
And I know we had, I know we have some reallygood examples and one that you wanted to share,
(09:49):
share that with with the audience, man.
Yeah.
You know, for tracking calories, and hittingyour like daily targets.
One thing that we do is, you know, we'respecifically focusing on protein, right?
Protein intake.
And so that's one of the daily targets that Itend to not focus nearly as much as I am on my
(10:12):
carbohydrate intake, even though I do.
So I'm pretty regimented about likeunderstanding when I'm going to be utilizing, a
vast amount of carbohydrates, because you wantto be very granular in approach.
Right?
Because if you're thinking in terms oflongevity, you need to get movement in play.
Right?
So resistance training is a big thing, but Ineed carbs during a resistance type exercise.
(10:34):
So that's when you want to track those and youwant to load up before you go into a resistance
or a long distance endeavor.
But protein is that structure that aids inboth.
Right.
It aids in resistance training while I'm like,while I'm actually training and then it's post
recovery.
And so I would use really any app out there.
(10:54):
We use to we use trainer eyes for us toactually track our calories, track, hey, where
do we wanna be?
But really it's a threshold of where, where isyour ideal weight target?
And can I hit that on a daily basis and proteinintake?
And that's going to be ideally majority wholefoods and then supplementary with, who we get.
(11:15):
We're a big believer in just supplementing yourprotein because it is a lot of like, if you're
going to be chicken, which we are, we aredefinitely carnivores.
Right?
We push that.
We think you get a lot of the micronutrients,as well as the macronutrients.
When you do build a, like a meat type of redmeat and blended with a, with like chicken in
(11:36):
there too, and that structure for proteinbalance.
So, but any app that you can physically trackis, is really good for tracking your protein
intake, and that's going to be paramount toyour day to day activities.
So you definitely want to get more lean basedmeats.
So when you're going to the grocery store,these are all things that we always talk about
(11:58):
of getting maybe a little bit meaner leaner.
Now, there are instances, like if you want toget some healthy fats in there and 80, 20 into
a red meat, I wouldn't say is the end of theworld.
If you get an organic grass fed 80, 20, it'sstill a solid way to get like really good
protected fats, in your diet.
But you know, if you can get a 90, 10, likethat, that's just going to be a little, a
(12:21):
little bit leaner meat where you're absorbingmore of that protein.
Yep.
Yep.
That's great.
And so on you know, just to summarize thatmyth, calories versus calories out is proven to
not be true, and the the quality of the foodthat you put in your body makes a dramatic
impact on performance, longevity, and how yourbody's gonna then manage its weight.
And that honestly, good segue right into mythnumber 2.
(12:43):
Carbs are not the enemy.
Right?
Car everyone thinks, oh, carbs carbs are whyI'm I'm gaining weight.
Carbs are good, and it just again, it's aquality versus a quantity thing.
So, you know, the difference between, refinedcarbohydrates, like sugars and breads and
pastas versus complex carbs and and morestarchy carbs, that your body utilizes the
(13:04):
fibrous component of.
So, you know, carbohydrates have really beendemonized in many popular diets, which leads
people to believe that avoiding them is thesecret to weight loss.
However, not all carbs are created equal, andeliminating them can entirely can result in
nutrient deficiencies.
So this can also lead to things likeunsustainable eating habits and, even negative
(13:26):
health effects down the line.
So real quickly, let me explain the differencebetween refined carbs and complex carbs for
people who are unaware or unsure.
So refined carbs, what we would consider, like,the the unhealthy kind of carbs, These are
highly processed and often stripped of fiberand nutrients.
Examples would be like white bread, pastas,pastries, sugary cereals is a big one, sodas.
(13:52):
These things are all quickly broken down intoglucose, which causes a rapid rise in blood
sugar, then followed by a rapid decline andcrash.
And so this cycle can lead to hunger, cravings,and then obviously overeating.
So what we wanna focus on is complex carbs.
These are found in whole foods, unprocessedthings like sweet potatoes, quinoa, legumes,
(14:14):
and fruit.
Right?
Complex carbs contain fiber, which will slowthe digestion, stabilizing the blood sugar, and
it keeps you feeling fuller longer.
So they also provide essential nutrients, likevitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, that are
gonna support your overall health.
For example, a study published in The LancetPublic Health in 2018 found that moderate
(14:37):
carbohydrate consumption, particularly fromwhole food sources, was associated with the
lowest risk of mortality, while diets extremelylow or high in carbs increase the risk.
So this underscores the importance of balance,not avoidance.
So you don't want too many carbs, but you alsodon't want no carbs.
It's definitely a balance.
(14:58):
So, you know, you know, why why would, like,demonizing carbs be problematic?
Yeah.
It comes back down to the performance oflongevity.
So when we're talking about, carbs in general,you hit it, you hit the nail on the head.
It's like, how efficiently are you breakingdown those carbs?
(15:19):
And then what is the utilization rate, of whatyou're eating right.
Of the carbohydrate.
And so typically in processed foods, which likea misnomer is you need to get like, cereals in
your kids in the morning.
Right.
Which is like the worst thing that you want togive your kids in the morning.
You want to give a high protein diet.
So it's sustainable throughout the day, but youknow, from carbs at general, what I like doing
(15:44):
is rice, right?
A lot of rice.
It's, you can get it's, it's minimally brokendown.
It's a utilization rate is a lot higher and youcan be more efficient when you use it in terms
of how close you are in your proximity to.
To a, a an activity, right?
Because I'm sure we're, you know, ourdemographic and who we're speaking to is people
(16:08):
that want to get better.
Right.
This is an educational podcast in terms of likehow we're divulging.
And really decoding what health looks like.
And so when we look at carbs, we always want tolook at food as fuel and then the utilization
of that fuel to make us live longer, feelbetter.
Right.
It's all a feeling that's associated to that.
(16:29):
And so you can make carbs taste good andutilize them at a higher level of efficiency.
So one of the big ways, you know, for me is toincorporate rice, but then, you know, what are
also other complex carbohydrates that you canget in that people are like, wait, that's a,
that's a complex carbohydrate is fruits andvegetables.
(16:50):
So blue fruits and vegetables are your complexcarbohydrate source.
And what I like doing is staying really greenand staying really Berry.
Right.
And so raspberries, blueberries, high inantioxidants, one little hack that I'll direct
that I want to aid somebody in is whenever youbuy berries from the grocery store.
Number 1, you organic is obviously always thebest, but, I always like putting vinegar,
(17:16):
right.
Wash them with vinegar because there's a lot ofthings, a lot of handling that's associated to
it.
There might be some few pesticides that are onit.
So what I do is either put a red wine or avinegar on actually my berries or my vegetables
before I cook them or eat them.
And then when you cook your vegetables, cookyour vegetables at a low heat.
You know, set it at, like, a 3 or a 4.
(17:37):
Give it a little bit more time to actually cookbecause you don't wanna cook all those
micronutrients out of the vegetables thatyou're gonna be eating.
Right?
When you put it back high, high heatthresholds, you're losing some of those
micronutrients that you you can need.
Right?
That you need for optimal performance.
So, but some of the ones that I just love, I Ilove artichokes.
(17:59):
You know, not a lot of people love, like, butbrussels sprouts are a great one to cook up and
eat.
So just giving you a couple of ideas of, ofthat side asparagus is another one that you're
great green complex carbohydrate that you caneat.
So those are some of the things that you canadd in as well as rice that then give you that
energy and that performance, for theutilization inactivity.
(18:24):
So a couple of things I don't want to hit onhere.
Why demonizing carbs is a problem.
So unsustainable diets cutting out an entiremacronutrient can lead to restrictive eating
patterns and feelings of deprivation.
This often results in that yo yo dieting wherepeople lose weight temporarily, but regain it
when they introduce carbs.
(18:46):
And then what are, what are the health negativehealth effects associated to this?
Right.
So low carb diets can lead to lack ofessential, essential, like fiber nutrients,
like fiber.
So which is critical for gut health and digestdigestion.
One thing you want to note on that is thereason why gut health and digestion are so
(19:08):
imperative is because of the enzymes that arelocated with the stomach.
Right?
You wanna make sure that it's naturally gettingthrough your largest small intestine to your
gut.
So that you're absorbing those macromicronutrients into you, into your bloodstream.
So inadequate fiber intake has been linked toconstipation.
A lot of people have constipation, poor gutmicrobiome and diversity, which is I just
(19:32):
aforementioned.
Right.
And increased chronic diseases like heartdisease and type 2 diabetes.
Now we get to energy and performance was tosomething I spoke of.
Right.
And how the utilization of carbs.
So carbs are the body's preferred source ofenergy.
That's why we need these, right.
Especially for physical activity withoutsufficient carbs.
(19:55):
People may experience fatigue, brain fog,reduced athletic performance.
And that's what we're about.
Right.
Maintaining that forever athlete and a journey,to know a journal, of the international society
of sports nutrition in 2018, studied high, lowcarb diets, right?
How low carb diets can negatively impactendurance and training, strength, training
(20:19):
outcomes.
So that's one thing, just to note that ifyou're looking to perform with a high level of
efficiency, whether it be in resistancetraining, whether it be at the gym, CrossFit,
whatever you may do, to maintain that level ofactivity, carbs are essential for that.
An actionable tip is focused on whole foodssources like sweet potatoes, quinoa fruits,
(20:44):
something that is incorporated in your day today.
And that, that starts with breakfast, lunch,and dinner.
Right?
One of the misnomers that we have is that ourbreakfast needs to be associated to just
carbohydrates.
Maybe it's a piece of bread with some butter onit or things like that.
(21:04):
Where in reality, you wanna make sure thatyou're incorporating maybe some nuts and fruits
and vegetables and a yogurt, in that toincorporate that, to make that sustainable
throughout the day.
So making sure that you're focused on gettingsolid solid, quality sources of carbohydrates,
and incorporating them almost to into everymajor meal group that you're gonna be eating
(21:25):
throughout the day.
Yeah.
But we've seen this play out with so manydifferent clients that, hey.
I just wanna go on this one type.
Yeah.
It could be good for a season, but the realityis is, like, what is sustainable for the long
term?
Yeah.
Low carb tends to not be very sustainable.
And, the whole the whole, like, breakfastcereal thing was very much like breakfast is
(21:47):
the most important meal of the day was to sellcereal.
That's, I think, essentially what it was.
And it created very much an issue with, like,diabetes and obesity in this country.
So, you know, choosing nutrient dense carbs,you're gonna fuel your body better, maintain
energy rather than spike up and down, andenjoying, you know, a balanced diet.
Cutting out carbs is carbs are good, man.
(22:09):
Everybody likes carbs.
So, just doing it the right way, obviously.
So that brings us to let's talk about mythnumber 3 here.
The myth is that you can out exercise a poordiet.
So, you know, exercise is obviously vital.
Moving your body, lifting weights, like, wepreach that like no other.
(22:29):
But it's not the end all be all if you'refueling your body with, with trash.
Right?
And so this is definitely one of the mostcommon misconceptions in fitness and weight
loss.
The idea that you can just eat whatever youwant as long as you work out hard enough.
It sounds good.
Right?
Sounds appealing, but it just doesn't hold up.
And that's kind of that DK Metcalfe example youtalked about.
(22:50):
So, you know, while exercise is essential, itcan't be compensated by, for by a poor diet
when it comes to sustainability.
And that's what we're all about is longevityand sustainability.
So real quick, let's break this down a littlebit.
Exercise contributes to weight loss, but itseffects are often overestimated.
So this is very interesting.
According to the Journal of Sports Medicine andPhysical Fitness in 2020, physical activity
(23:15):
alone accounts for only about 10 to 30% of thecalorie calories your body burns daily with the
majority coming from your basal metabolic rateand thermic effect of food.
So, I mean, this is imperative.
Right?
That's only 10 to 30% comes from your yourexercise, then the rest has to be on point.
So exercise does play a critical role inimproving your cardiovascular, building and
(23:39):
preserving muscle, which can boost metabolism,enhancing mood, and reducing stress, which
obviously supports a healthier food choices aswell as reducing the risk of chronic disease
like diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis.
But here's the catch.
If your diet consists of excessive calories,processed foods, and poor macronutrient
balance, no amount of exercise can counteractthe resulting weight gain or health issues.
(24:04):
And so, you know, why relax why relying onexercise alone is a mistake, is really the
caloric burn versus intake imbalance.
Right?
Kind of what we just we just touched on.
So exercise burns calories, but not as nearlyas many as people may think.
For instance, a 30 minute high intensityworkout might burn 3 100, 400 calories.
(24:26):
Meanwhile, a single fast food meal can easilyexceed about a 1000 calories.
So this creates a mismatch where people overeatbelieving the workouts just earned them.
Right?
How many times have you heard that?
I just earned this doughnut.
Right?
These indulgent foods.
So that's where nutrient quality reallymatters.
Weight loss isn't just about calorie balance,but it's about the quality of those calories.
(24:47):
So the diets high in refined sugar andprocessed foods can disrupt the hormones like
insulin and leptin, leading to increased fatstorage and then cravings.
The poor diet also limits your body's abilityto recover and perform optimally optimally
during exercise.
So if you're eating these high processed sugaryfoods, but then you're thinking your workout's
gonna earn you those foods, you're not gonnarecover well, and eventually, you're gonna
(25:11):
start breaking down your body.
Your body's not gonna heal.
So stress also plays a role.
So overeating while under fueling can increasestress hormones like cortisol, which promotes
fat storage, particularly around the abdomen.
And so this was from a journal of obesity 2019.
Chronic stress from poor nutrition andexcessive exercise can derail weight loss
(25:32):
almost entirely.
So that's where that balance is just I mean,it's it's essential for you to be over
exercising because eventually, you get to apoint where you have to exercise more.
You have to exercise more.
You have to exercise more.
Eat less, eat less, eat less.
That's not sustainable at all.
So balance is is important, and quality doesmatter.
(25:53):
Yeah.
There was a just to give an example of a clientthat we worked with, which I won't say any
names, but one of the things, as far as dialingin, he thought he could outwork his nutrition.
And the reality is he just, it was holding on.
Right.
He just wasn't able to burn.
And there's a number of different things thatgo into that.
But the the main thing was that he wasn'tputting quality nutrition in his body to get
(26:18):
optimal performance at the gym.
So we go back to that analogy that Iaforementioned was just getting the quality
ingredients so you can have optimal performanceso that you can reduce, the amount of really we
go back to the BMR, which is your basalmetabolic rate.
So breaking, breaking that down just in a veryeasy way to understand your basal metabolic
(26:39):
rate is just like your caloric heat, right?
That you need to understand that I can'tovereat this on a given day because the reality
of where I'm at and my activity levels willthen increase that, that weight gain will go
up.
Right.
Anytime I, my, I hit my ceiling and I eat abovethat.
Right.
That's when you, you have your over a year,you're, inflaming yourself and you're packing
(27:05):
on that additional weight.
So when you're incorporating these energydrinks, which a lot of people drink their
calories and they don't even realize it, right.
They drink majority of their caloriesthroughout the day because they're like, I
don't like water.
I want a soda.
I want a energy drink or I want these otherthings.
Well, those things add up.
Right.
And there's plenty of things in there that aregoing to be a constraint against your
(27:27):
performance.
And so we just have had a client that was like,Hey, I just want to eat the way I want to eat.
And then, you know, hopefully, you know, youguys can guide me to outworking it when in
reality you need both.
So you need to be making those decisions, on adaily basis that, Hey, I am going to eat
(27:50):
optimally, so that I can get that performancein the gym or in my workouts or whatever,
however you choose to work out.
That's how that needs to really play out.
But when you're constantly bringing in sugarydrinks, you're, you know, you might add in a.
A fast food, you know, where you you're, youdon't even know how many calories it is, but
(28:12):
it's likely between 2 to 3000 calories in onesitting.
Right?
Because this is also just a side note that Iwant to people to understand is that there's a
30% threshold, in actually all of foodcriteria.
So even when you go to McDonald's, when you goto the stores, they have a Delta that is at 30%
(28:35):
over under, on all of your, all of their, theirclaim calories.
Right.
And so when you choose to go to a McDonald's ora burger king, it might say it's 1200 calories,
but in reality, especially later in the daywhen maybe some fats really have more fats have
soaked up on that burger because it's on thatgrill.
(28:57):
Right.
You're adding in 4 to 5 to 600 more caloriespieces.
There's so much fat that was involved in thatpiece of meat.
Then that puts you way over that target.
So setting your BMR, which is a simplecalculator, you can actually go to Google and
you can look, Hey, what's my daily activitylevels.
(29:17):
How tall am I?
How much do I currently weigh?
And it'll actually set your BMR for you, whereyou can kind of have an understanding.
Okay.
Well, if I increase my activity levels and Iknow this is my BMR, that then I'll be at a
core deficit.
And if I'm putting healthier, healthieringredients into my body, leveling out my pH
levels with maybe a little bit more betterwater throughout the day, well, then I will see
(29:40):
that reduction in weight.
So those are just some helpful tips that youcan look at things with more of a myopic,
viewpoint of how it can, number 1, help me, buthow those things really do hurt me a lot of
times when I make those decisions.
Nice.
Yeah.
And so, you know, by pairing the nutritiousdiet with regular intentional exercise, you're
(30:03):
gonna create this synergy that not only sportsweight loss, but is gonna improve your overall
health and well-being long term.
Now real quick, we wanna pause and take a wordfrom one of our sponsors.
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Now back to the episode.
Alright.
Welcome back to the show.
So now that we've discussed these myths andwe've really kind of, like, got these out there
for people to kind of understand and have alittle bit more, of an idea of of the truth
around, you know, how how weight loss works inthe body, let's get into some, like, nuts and
(31:51):
bolts.
Right?
Let's get some action items and somestrategies.
So these strategies we're gonna share with you,they're based on science.
These are real, and this is effective.
And this is how we operate and how we've gottena lot of people to get amazing results, not
only to lose weight, but to maintain that forlong term and for life.
So, you know, number 1, focusing on nutrientdensity.
(32:13):
I know we've already talked about this multipletimes, but let's get a little bit more detail.
So when it when it comes to weight loss andoverall health, calories are not created equal
as we've discussed.
The foods with the high nutrient density probeprovide essential vitamins, minerals, and other
beneficial compounds per calorie.
Right?
So fueling your body while keeping yousatisfied.
(32:34):
Some examples are leafy greens, lean proteinsas we discussed, and then healthy fats like
avocado and olive oil.
Nutrient density and satiety is important.
So according to research published in nutrients2019, this is a journal of nutrients, nutrient
dense foods help to regulate hunger hormoneslike ghrelin and leptin, reducing the
(32:54):
likelihood of overeating.
For example, a salad packed with spinach,chicken, and avocado is far more satiating than
a slice of pizza even if they contain thesimilar amount of calories.
And so that's that quality over quantity.
So how do we balance?
Right?
Bal balancing your macronutrients.
So a diet that balances proteins, fats, andcomplex carbs as opposed to those highly
(33:18):
refined sugars is gonna prevent those highspikes and crashes in blood sugar, which lead
to you feeling hungry and craving andovereating.
Studies in the American Journal of ClinicalNutrition show that diets rich in protein,
which is what we preach, can enhance satietyand boost your BMR or basal metabolic rate,
(33:38):
while complex carbs like quinoa and sweetpotatoes provide steady energy to support that.
So here's an actionable tip.
Build your meals with a balance ofmacronutrients.
You know, for the average person who isrelatively active and wants to support weight
loss, going at about, like, a 40% carb,obviously, preferably those complex
(33:59):
carbohydrates, 30% or more protein, and then30% of healthy fats.
So this approach is gonna stabilize your bloodsugar and keep your energy levels consistent
over time.
Yeah.
And then one of the big key factors beyondthat, right, is managing hormonal hormonal
health.
That's one of the big things that we'll talkabout, and we'll direct you in, ways from
(34:24):
whether you're a man or a woman, how importantreally understanding your hormonal health is as
you age.
It's one of the most primary things that youcan understand because they definitely have a
lot of precursors, to how you're going toevolve in your forties, fifties, and even
sixties.
Right.
So weight loss, isn't about just eating less.
(34:45):
It's really not right.
So it's about how foods impact your hormones,insulin, cortisol, and leptin are 3 key
hormones that play significant roles.
Insulin, as I'm gonna explain it to you here isthis hormone regulates blood sugar levels and
fat storage.
So diets high and refined carbs and sugar canlead to insulin resistance, a condition where
(35:10):
cells don't respond effectively to insulincausing weight gain.
The journal of endocrinology highlights in,highlights how low glycemic diets reduce
insulin spikes and fat metabolism.
Now as we go on to cortisol to give you alittle bit more information on how cortisol
works, and this is our body's stress hormone.
(35:31):
So cortisol promotes fat storage, especially inthe abdomen area.
That's where a lot of people, we focus on thisspecifically as far as it's not all, it is cool
to have a 6 pack, but there's a reason for a 6pack.
There's a reason why you build those coremuscle groups.
(35:52):
If your back to your front.
So, when levels of chronically elevated stressfrom poor diet, lack of sleep or over training
exacerbates this.
So just think of that and how important corehealth is.
This is something I just actually talked aboutin a prior podcast that I was on leptin, this
hormone signals satiety satiety to the brain.
(36:15):
So overeating or consuming a high fat, highsugar diet can lead to leptin resistance,
making it harder to recognize when you're full.
We, I see this in kids all the time is thatdaddy, I'm not hungry yet.
We'll have you allowed yourself to get hungry.
Right.
And so there's this, cognitive association thatwe need to bring back home as far as allowing
(36:39):
our bodies leptin response to a, am I trulysatiated?
And here's an actionable tip, right?
Avoid spikes and sugar, by pairing protein.
We focus on protein a lot and one of the bigways that you can do this, there's really cool
additives where you can put protein in yourwater, right?
(36:59):
There's actually protein to a water out nowthat, that is really good.
And it has quality ingredients into it.
It's something that you can pick up at, Aldi oronline.
There's also another way where you can put,protein powders and, you know, we, we use, I
use a hydrolyzed type protein.
It's better for the gut that can break down.
(37:21):
And we talked about this quite a bit at priorpodcasts, but, by pairing protein, fat, and
fiber with every meal, for example, combiningavocado eggs and sauteed greens for breakfast.
Right.
So that's something that we said as far as tipson how you can incorporate more satiating type
meals earlier, even earlier in the day, wedon't have to think breakfast as like a piece
(37:44):
of bread or some, some sugary drink and a orsugary coffee is what a lot of people go to.
But really getting something satiating thatprovides different elements of, that protein,
that fiber, and those healthy fats, that can besustainable throughout the rest of the day.
Yeah.
And real real quick before you
get into the next one.
(38:04):
That's what I was drinking here was my coffeehad, a collagen bone broth protein powder in
it.
So it's about 20 grams of protein in my coffee,but it dissolved in there, and it was like a
vanilla creamer, essentially.
Coffee tasted delicious, but I just got 20grams of protein.
So simple things like that, man.
Simple hacks that you can incorporate in.
That's a great way.
(38:25):
So who's, what's the company that actuallymakes that
that one's paleo valley.
They have a pretty good product.
I like
paleo valley.
Yeah.
So we're going to be sourcing a lot ofingredients.
That's what we love doing is actually sourcinga lot of stuff that we believe in, that we've
actually utilized ourselves.
Right?
And if we don't like it, we don't recommend it.
But if we do Yeah.
We'll recommend it.
(38:46):
And you can always go go to Alessi functionalhealth dot com.
And if you click on our resources tab, we havea ton of resources there.
You can click on our partners and see some ofthe brands that we recommend.
Another one that's really cool is called MealBoosters, and they basically created these cool
protein powders that are collagen, proteinbased.
1 is a collagen for your coffee.
(39:06):
1 is a collagen, like, cheesy flavored proteinyou can throw into some some ground beef or
eggs, and it gives it obviously enhancedflavor, but if you're boosting the protein,
profile of that meal as well.
So that's a really good hack to obviously focuson balancing blood sugar and not causing those
those dramatic spikes as well.
So Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
For sure.
(39:27):
And one thing that is obviously close to ourheart and something that we do, every single
day, but build muscle to boost the metabolism.
We believe that, you know, muscles that would,that's your biggest organ, right?
That's going to produce that longevity, fact.
And so how are you efficiently producing moremuscle mass, as you age and as you progress?
(39:47):
So the role of strength training, increasingmuscle mass and your resting mela metabolic
rate, the strength training, isn't just forathletes.
That's been a misnomer.
A lot of people just want to hop on thetreadmill or do something, but resistance
training is actually that component that isprobably going to do 10 times of what walking
(40:10):
on a treadmill can for an hour.
So that's not the most efficient way to burncalories.
It's one of the most effective ways to supportlong term weight loss.
And muscle tissue burns more calories than fat,even at rest.
Meaning the more muscle you have, the higheryour resting metabolic rate will be.
So that's, and an RMR.
(40:32):
So you're resting metabolic rate.
And that means when you're post exercise, yourbody's going to continually burn calories,
right?
Where as if you're in a static state andyou're, you're not walking anymore.
There's no sort of resistance training whereyou're on the treadmill for an hour.
It's not going to burn as high rate becausewhat you're doing is you're, you're actually
(40:52):
targeting more muscle loss than you are maximummuscle gain.
So you want to make sure that you're, you're,you're going through a proper RMR, when you're
utilizing resistance type training.
So we've applied some of these things, but Iwant to notate that a study in the journal of
applied physiology found that every pound ofmuscle gained, right?
(41:15):
Get this, your body burns an additional 6 to 10calories per day at rest.
When you're sitting on the couch, you're stillburning.
Right.
So you want to make note of that while this mayseem small, it adds up over time.
That's the compounding effect of you do thisevery day.
Your body's going to continually burn, right?
It's going to burn calories and it's going tobe a burn associated to fat.
(41:39):
Right?
It's not going to be burned muscle becauseyou're getting that protein in your diet and
it's then going to be burning the unwantedcalories that are retained.
So that's what it targets first.
Your body's always going to be targetedtargeting the fats and the carbohydrates first,
before it then gets the proteins, which theninhibit the growth in, your muscular structure.
(42:00):
So you want to make note of that.
Right.
And one thing that we recommend, if you can domore by all means, but resistance training 2 to
3 times a week.
So you want to do some level of resistancetraining 2 to 3 times a week.
And when we say resistance training, it's whereyour body's working against itself, right?
It can be pushing and pulling.
(42:20):
It doesn't have to go in there where you'repicking up dumbbells, slam them down.
I love doing that.
Right?
That's what I love doing.
I love picking up heavy heavy weights andputting down, but the reality is there's a lot
of resistance bands, right?
Stuff that you can do throughout the day.
Functional kettlebell workouts that you canincorporate in from a resistance, component
that does the exact have it has the exact sameeffects.
(42:42):
So you just wanna make sure it's a heavierweight working against you when you're pushing
a bowling.
That's the resistance training that'sincorporated in.
So focusing on that 2 to 3 times a week,compounding over time, over a complete year,
you will see rapid results.
Yeah, that's right.
And then stuff you can do at home, get somebands and kettlebells.
You did that for a long time.
(43:02):
When you had your kids were young, You know,the the kids can't be an excuse.
Right?
So you basically incorporated the kettlebellsand the bands at home, and you still got
amazing results and maintain muscles.
So the next, you know, the next big thing wegotta talk about is sleep and stress, man.
This can wreak havoc on somebody's metabolism.
So, you know, sleep and stress are oftenoverlooked in weight management, but it's a
(43:24):
they're critical for regulating your hormonesand your metabolism.
According to the journal of clinicalendocrinology and metabolism, sleep deprivation
disrupts your hormones like ghrelin, which thenincreases hunger and leptin, which obviously is
supposed to signal fullness.
So chronic sleep loss can lead to increasedappetite and a preference for calorie dense
(43:44):
high sugar foods.
So you ever wonder why you're burning it atboth ends and all as you want is donuts and,
you know, junk food is is that that studyproved it.
So, you know, and and along with stress andcortisol, prolonged stress elevates cortisol.
So that high cortisol all the time is gonnapromote your body to store fat because your
(44:04):
body your your body is as very smart, and itthinks I need energy when it's when I'm
stressed.
So it's gonna store fat, especially around theabdominal area.
And this is because cortisol increases yourcravings for those energy dense foods as a part
of the fight or flight response.
Right?
So really important for focusing on the brainhealth as well.
Chronic stress and poor sleep will impair thebrain's prefrontal cortex, making it harder to
(44:27):
make those disciplined food choices and stickto healthy habits.
So, again, it's all it's all related to howthese things can then snowball effect over
time.
Next thing you know, you're £40 overweight andyou're miserable and tired, and it's because
your body was just doing what it's supposed todo, but it got let down this path.
Right?
So easy actionable tip is aiming for 7 to 9hours of quality sleep per night.
(44:51):
And, you know, the quality is is again moreimportant than quantity.
If you're more on that 7 hour range, but you'regetting a lot of deep sleep and restorative
sleep, your body's gonna repair, your body'sgonna be better set up for the next day.
So establishing a bedtime routine, thatincludes shutting off the screens an hour
before bed, and then using some type of, like,a relaxation or meditation practice before bed
(45:11):
as well, doing things like deep breathing, youknow, box breathing, diaphragmatic breathing,
meditation.
I always recommend the app called Happy.
It's or Happier, I believe.
It's a guided meditation app that they havespecific bedtime meditations for you to help
you get into that that sleepy state.
So, huge stress and and sleep are huge,
(45:34):
man.
So massive, that that's the correlator topretty much everything of how you're gonna be
making decisions throughout the day.
So getting quality sleep is going to beexacerbate everything, right.
In terms of like a positive effect or anegative effect, if you don't get enough of it.
So, that's in, it's also how you treat people,right?
(45:56):
If you get better sleep, there's just, itexacerbates on both ends of the spectrum.
And one thing we just want to know as weencompass and kind of take away all these
things is consistency over perfection.
You know, one of the things that I've kind ofaligned with as far as I gotta be perfect at
this, I gotta be perfect.
(46:16):
And we live in this like social world where,dang, like we gotta be perfect.
Right.
We realize we're not perfect.
We're not even perfect doing this podcast.
Right.
It's, we we just wanna do good and and put outthe best information possible and get a little
bit better every day.
And so that's the compounding and theconsistency of time is where when, we wanna go
(46:37):
in with an all or nothing.
Right?
And this is why we're actually explaining thisin January is because people are like going the
whole, maybe right now they've got through 3weeks in, but this is really the determiner
whether what's gonna set the tone for the restof the year is if you could push through this
next week, 2 weeks and maintain that level ofconsistency, because this is the culmination
(46:58):
point of the 1% rule.
What James clear says is how am I just likeputting in that 1% every day?
Right.
And that 1% is that day.
Right.
It's not a measure of yesterday.
And so that's what people forget about.
It's like, did I put that 1% in today?
And so, cause like yesterday's the pasttomorrow's the future what's what's right now.
(47:21):
And so when he applies this and it's somethingthat I even missed in his book is like, did I
put in that 1% effort today?
And that's that level of consistency becauseconsistency is what compounds over time.
It's just like the stock market, putting yourmoney in the stock market.
It's like that consistency of investing intoyourself compounds over time.
(47:41):
So you just want to make a rule for that, thatit's that it's not this all or nothing
mentality of, if I miss out today, then I can'tdo tomorrow.
No, you can't actually can do tomorrow becausethen that's the progress of consistency.
So it's setting that baseline of, you know, howyou're going to operate on a daily basis.
Can I get that efficient sleep?
(48:03):
Can I make more quality decisions when I'm atthe grocery store and getting more whole foods
into the shopping cart so that I can bring homeand cook them a little bit better?
Right.
Can I dedicate 20 minutes a day, maybe even anhour a day?
Like, you know, if you can get a community ofpeople that come along with you, I think that's
why another big component is getting community,doctor Alessi and myself, we always are inner
(48:28):
shit in our exchanging ideas to improve thequality of our health.
Like, do you have that comrade that can boostyou up?
That can be like, Hey, let's keep going.
Let's get a little bit better every day.
And then measuring it on that day.
Right.
You know, and we have that, scorecard builtout, which I love, and really just evaluating
(48:49):
our, our pillars in our life.
So we set our pillars in our life and it'smind, spirit, work, fuel, movement, sleep.
And so we measure those.
And so, Hey, where are we at?
And so I'll, I'll come to him.
Hey, where are you at in this area?
Or where, and it's constantly at an opendialogue of, are we improving within our
pillars, that allow us to grow every day withan act of consistency?
(49:12):
Yeah, man.
That's yeah.
And so I think, you know, kind of playing offof the consistency thing is, like, if it's a
quick fix, if someone's pitching you a quickfix or selling you something, it's probably not
the best thing to do because quick fixes, theydon't last.
Right?
So it's all about that sustainability.
What is something you can incorporate that youcan do forever?
Because then you're gonna just obviously beable to keep maintain that longevity.
(49:34):
So, you know, to summarize kind of everythingwe just talked about, focusing on nutrient
dense foods, managing hormones, buildingmuscle, prioritizing quality sleep, and staying
consistent, you're gonna create a sustainablefoundation for long term weight management and
health.
And so these strategies go beyond the quickfix, and they set you up for that lifetime of
wellness.
And these are things you can incorporate andshare with family, friends, and, obviously,
(49:58):
your community.
So, you know, some takeaways.
Don't fall for the myths that we talked about.
Focus on sustainability, the science backedstrategies.
Right?
Things like prioritizing the nutrient densefoods, muscle building exercises, and hormonal
health.
Consistency and patience are the key to thelasting results.
(50:19):
And as always, if you're enjoying what, we'rekicking out here, we dedicate some time
editing.
Please smash that subscribe button.
You know, that helps us when you subscribe andlet somebody know about it.
If they need, some of this information in theirlives, let them, let them know what we're going
(50:40):
on.
That helps us grow this podcast, get our wordout and just, actually just bring better
content to you.
So make sure you hit that subscribe button.
If you can leave us a review, leave us areview, but as always, we just appreciate you.
We appreciate you listening in, and be bettertoday.
Yep.
And so next week, we're gonna be diving intogut health.
(51:00):
We're gonna be sharing some practical tips forbetter digestion and overall well-being.
We want you to check us out.
Go to Alessi functional health dot com.
Head over to the resources tab.
Sign up for the newsletter.
That way, you can stay in the know of whatepisodes are coming and and what kind of,
content we're gonna be pushing out, and thenstay involved with our community as well.
We do all kinds of events and specials andreally cool things with the clinic.
(51:24):
And so thank you again for tuning in to HealthDecoded, doctor Alessi and Matt.
As always, stay curious, stay empowered, andremember, your health is in your hands.
Thank you for tuning in to Health Decoded,where we break down the truth about all things
health and empower you to take charge of yourwell-being.
If you found value in today's episode, pleasesubscribe, leave a review, and share it with
(51:48):
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That's ask atalesifxhealth.com.
(52:09):
Until next time.
Stay curious, stay empowered, and remember,your health is in your hands.
You cannot even begin to say that those are thesame.
Right?
And that calories in versus calories out makessense.
Obviously, high in refined sugar, it leads to arapid blood sugar spike because it's absorbed
as liquid.
Right?
And it's gonna trigger you to be hungry veryquickly after.
Whereas chicken breast is rich in protein,provides sustained energy, supports building
(00:20):
muscle, and it keeps you fuller longer.
Welcome to Health decode, your number onesource for real health information host, doctor
Alessi and Matt Tack.
Alright.
Welcome back to Health Decoded where we unravelthe complexities of health and wellness with
science backed insights.
(00:42):
Today's episode is all about weight loss myths,the falsehoods that keep people stuck, and the
strategies that actually work.
I'm your host, doctor Alfred Alessi, with mycohost.
The cohost, Matt Tack.
After a week off, I'm glad to be back on, butYes, sir.
We're gonna be highlighting the importance ofcutting through misinformation to achieve real
(01:05):
sustainable health and weight loss goals.
So I'm excited to talk about that.
Here's a quick teaser.
Stay tuned as we address the miss and overcomestrategies that you can start implementing
today.
Good stuff, man.
Looking forward to this episode, man.
How's everything been with you, man?
I know we had a week off, with the podcast, butbeen busy in the clinic for sure.
(01:27):
Yeah, man.
It's been busy.
The life's been busy.
I think it always, you know, you always have toexpect curve balls.
And these are one of the ways that we're gonnabe talking about today, how you can still be
proactive during that time when life throws youa curve ball, how you can stay proactive about,
sustainable health.
I love that, man.
I love that.
And we've definitely been, you know, kind offocusing towards in the clinic as well, like,
(01:49):
on the weight loss loss side of things.
We've got Zeke, piloting and and really leadingthe Genesys protocol in the office and in the
clinic and getting some amazing results.
Patient of ours who came in, and I'll just I'lljust use the name Scott.
His name is Scott.
I'm sure he'd be okay with me saying that.
He, signed off.
But, he was down £30 in a month, which is justawesome.
(02:12):
I mean, insane results.
So he's doing amazing and just and just kickingbutt with it.
So the kind of the big point here, man, is wewanna first debunk some of the myths around
weight loss and and what people hear on onlineand what we've kind of been, I think,
programmed to think over time and justthroughout our lives, which really just is not
true.
And then on the backside of that, share someaction items for people and some real things
(02:37):
that they can implement today to start pushingthemselves towards a healthier way and,
obviously, a better state of health in general.
So let's let's get right into it.
Let's start with the myths.
So, the first one we're gonna talk about iswhat I'm sure everybody has heard that weight
loss is all about calories in versus caloriesout.
Right?
And this is just really an oversimplificationand kind of ignores a lot of things.
(03:02):
For 1, the role of your hormones, metabolism,and the quality of food.
Right?
About a 100 calories of a McDonald's burger anda 100 calories of grass fed, grass finished
meat are very different as far as the nutrientprofile and the amount of micronutrients and
vitamins and minerals that come with that.
So, you know, the idea that weight loss issimply calories in calories out is kind of been
(03:26):
the dominant narrative for decades.
While calorie balance is important, thisoversimplification really ignores those key
factors we just talked about.
So, you know, the first one being hormones.
Your hormones play a significant role in howour bodies process and store calories.
For example, insulin, which is known as the fatstorage hormone, it regulates your blood sugar
(03:47):
levels, promotes fat storage when it'selevated.
And so diets high in refined carbohydrates andsugar, which lead to frequent insulin spikes,
can result in insulin resistance over time.
Now this condition is obviously linked toweight gain, difficulty losing weight.
The other hormones that are a little less knownthan insulin are leptin and ghrelin.
(04:09):
These hormones control your hunger and satiety.
So leptin basically tells your brain whenyou're full, where ghrelin is this the hunger
signaling hormone.
So chronic overeating, poor sleep, these candisrupt the balance between leptin and ghrelin,
which then lead to you constantly being hungryand overeating.
And so it's basically, kind of a dangeroussnowball effect with those hormones.
(04:32):
And then the last one on this list that we havehere is is cortisol.
So high stress levels elevate cortisol, whichhas been shown to increase fat accumulation,
particularly around the abdomen.
So these are all really external factors thathave nothing to do with calories in calories
out.
These are things processes going on within thebody that are very important.
(04:54):
And so, you know, it's it's really important toobviously take in mind what hormones are doing,
but also that your metabolism is a factor aswell.
And your metabolism isn't static.
It adjusts based on various factors, includingmuscle mass on your body, your age, and even
the type of food that you eat.
So for example, a high protein diet has what wecall a thermic effect, meaning it requires more
(05:18):
energy to digest compared to fats or carbs,which then can slightly boost your calorie
expenditure.
And so the the food quality over quantity isvery important.
Not all calories are created equal.
Obviously, we know that.
So 200 calories of soda versus 200 calories ofchicken breast.
You cannot even begin to say that those are thesame.
(05:41):
Right?
And that calories in versus calories out makessense.
So it is obviously high in refined sugar.
It leads to a rapid blood sugar spike becauseit's absorbed as liquid.
Right?
And it's gonna trigger you to be hungry veryquickly after.
Whereas chicken breast is rich in protein,provides sustained energy, supports building
muscle, and it keeps you fuller longer.
(06:02):
So real quick, a study published in theAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition found
that diets high in processed foods lead to moreovereating compared to whole food based diets
even when the calorie intake was controlled inthat study.
So this, I mean, this basically proves the factof what we're talking about right now.
This highlights that food quality impacts bothmetabolism and appetite regulation.
(06:28):
Yeah.
What's cool about that too, if we think aboutit in comparison, right, You're looking at
things, directly correlated to, performance.
Right?
And so when you bring all those factors in,right, even if you were in a, in a controllable
scenario where you had 2 individuals, this isthe thing, right?
(06:49):
You can eat garbage and produce energy fromthat, like processed foods.
Now the utilization of that, like, let's sayI'm a high active driven person and I can burn
through I can burn through calories like crazy.
It's because I run all the time, but then itbecomes like how optimally efficient you are
(07:10):
while you're burning those calories.
Right?
And so if you're getting quality food, you'reprobably gonna be progressing in maybe if
you're if long distance running is your thingor weight lifting.
Right?
If you're taking a quality calories, yourperformance typically becomes a little bit
higher.
So you can be an active person.
And, there's a guy, DJ Metcalfe.
(07:33):
Right?
He's been a known guy in the NFL t handy andjust garbage all the time.
Yet you look at him and you're like, wow, man.
He's a specimen.
But the reality to that is there's gonna be ademise to that.
It hands down.
His his career, and I don't wanna put thisdemise on him, but his career is gonna be
lightly shortened because he's not putting thequality in that creates the longevity component
(08:00):
of that career.
Right?
Whereas you look somebody else that has maybebecause I take for instance a storyline, and I
take the NFL just because you take such apounding.
Whereas a guy like Derrick Henry, for theRavens likely has you know, he's in his 30 now
and is pushing towards, like, way longer thanwhat a normal standard, like, running back can
(08:24):
because he takes hit over hit.
But the quality of nutrition and theperformance that he gets on the training, it
brings directly on the field and gives himlongevity.
Right?
So in a time and age, like, where you're young,yeah, you can battle through to some things,
but, I wanna bring it back home just for asecond too, and just to, like, nurture the
point of what it looks like.
(08:45):
Because this is a scenario directly in ourfamily where my mother-in-law has stage 4
cancer.
Right.
And she's never been one to really put likequality ingredients.
Like she just loves snacks and various things.
And so that habit structure has formed andshe's never really created the discipline to
put quality stuff in her body.
(09:05):
So now at stage 4 cancer, we saw her like she'slosing energy at more of a rapid pace than
somebody putting quality foods in there withquality movement, right.
Where they can really maintain that momentumeven through disease.
Right.
And so it's not, that's where I go back to whatI said in the beginning of, you know, life's
(09:26):
gonna throw you a curve ball.
It's not the reality of like, maybe you won'tget cancer.
It's like, but how efficiently can you battlethrough it?
Right.
And so these things come in play of the qualitythat you're putting into your body for the
times that like a curve ball might hit you.
Right.
Yeah.
And I know we had, I know we have some reallygood examples and one that you wanted to share,
(09:49):
share that with with the audience, man.
Yeah.
You know, for tracking calories, and hittingyour like daily targets.
One thing that we do is, you know, we'respecifically focusing on protein, right?
Protein intake.
And so that's one of the daily targets that Itend to not focus nearly as much as I am on my
(10:12):
carbohydrate intake, even though I do.
So I'm pretty regimented about likeunderstanding when I'm going to be utilizing, a
vast amount of carbohydrates, because you wantto be very granular in approach.
Right?
Because if you're thinking in terms oflongevity, you need to get movement in play.
Right?
So resistance training is a big thing, but Ineed carbs during a resistance type exercise.
(10:34):
So that's when you want to track those and youwant to load up before you go into a resistance
or a long distance endeavor.
But protein is that structure that aids inboth.
Right.
It aids in resistance training while I'm like,while I'm actually training and then it's post
recovery.
And so I would use really any app out there.
(10:54):
We use to we use trainer eyes for us toactually track our calories, track, hey, where
do we wanna be?
But really it's a threshold of where, where isyour ideal weight target?
And can I hit that on a daily basis and proteinintake?
And that's going to be ideally majority wholefoods and then supplementary with, who we get.
(11:15):
We're a big believer in just supplementing yourprotein because it is a lot of like, if you're
going to be chicken, which we are, we aredefinitely carnivores.
Right?
We push that.
We think you get a lot of the micronutrients,as well as the macronutrients.
When you do build a, like a meat type of redmeat and blended with a, with like chicken in
(11:36):
there too, and that structure for proteinbalance.
So, but any app that you can physically trackis, is really good for tracking your protein
intake, and that's going to be paramount toyour day to day activities.
So you definitely want to get more lean basedmeats.
So when you're going to the grocery store,these are all things that we always talk about
(11:58):
of getting maybe a little bit meaner leaner.
Now, there are instances, like if you want toget some healthy fats in there and 80, 20 into
a red meat, I wouldn't say is the end of theworld.
If you get an organic grass fed 80, 20, it'sstill a solid way to get like really good
protected fats, in your diet.
But you know, if you can get a 90, 10, likethat, that's just going to be a little, a
(12:21):
little bit leaner meat where you're absorbingmore of that protein.
Yep.
Yep.
That's great.
And so on you know, just to summarize thatmyth, calories versus calories out is proven to
not be true, and the the quality of the foodthat you put in your body makes a dramatic
impact on performance, longevity, and how yourbody's gonna then manage its weight.
And that honestly, good segue right into mythnumber 2.
(12:43):
Carbs are not the enemy.
Right?
Car everyone thinks, oh, carbs carbs are whyI'm I'm gaining weight.
Carbs are good, and it just again, it's aquality versus a quantity thing.
So, you know, the difference between, refinedcarbohydrates, like sugars and breads and
pastas versus complex carbs and and morestarchy carbs, that your body utilizes the
(13:04):
fibrous component of.
So, you know, carbohydrates have really beendemonized in many popular diets, which leads
people to believe that avoiding them is thesecret to weight loss.
However, not all carbs are created equal, andeliminating them can entirely can result in
nutrient deficiencies.
So this can also lead to things likeunsustainable eating habits and, even negative
(13:26):
health effects down the line.
So real quickly, let me explain the differencebetween refined carbs and complex carbs for
people who are unaware or unsure.
So refined carbs, what we would consider, like,the the unhealthy kind of carbs, These are
highly processed and often stripped of fiberand nutrients.
Examples would be like white bread, pastas,pastries, sugary cereals is a big one, sodas.
(13:52):
These things are all quickly broken down intoglucose, which causes a rapid rise in blood
sugar, then followed by a rapid decline andcrash.
And so this cycle can lead to hunger, cravings,and then obviously overeating.
So what we wanna focus on is complex carbs.
These are found in whole foods, unprocessedthings like sweet potatoes, quinoa, legumes,
(14:14):
and fruit.
Right?
Complex carbs contain fiber, which will slowthe digestion, stabilizing the blood sugar, and
it keeps you feeling fuller longer.
So they also provide essential nutrients, likevitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, that are
gonna support your overall health.
For example, a study published in The LancetPublic Health in 2018 found that moderate
(14:37):
carbohydrate consumption, particularly fromwhole food sources, was associated with the
lowest risk of mortality, while diets extremelylow or high in carbs increase the risk.
So this underscores the importance of balance,not avoidance.
So you don't want too many carbs, but you alsodon't want no carbs.
It's definitely a balance.
(14:58):
So, you know, you know, why why would, like,demonizing carbs be problematic?
Yeah.
It comes back down to the performance oflongevity.
So when we're talking about, carbs in general,you hit it, you hit the nail on the head.
It's like, how efficiently are you breakingdown those carbs?
(15:19):
And then what is the utilization rate, of whatyou're eating right.
Of the carbohydrate.
And so typically in processed foods, which likea misnomer is you need to get like, cereals in
your kids in the morning.
Right.
Which is like the worst thing that you want togive your kids in the morning.
You want to give a high protein diet.
So it's sustainable throughout the day, but youknow, from carbs at general, what I like doing
(15:44):
is rice, right?
A lot of rice.
It's, you can get it's, it's minimally brokendown.
It's a utilization rate is a lot higher and youcan be more efficient when you use it in terms
of how close you are in your proximity to.
To a, a an activity, right?
Because I'm sure we're, you know, ourdemographic and who we're speaking to is people
(16:08):
that want to get better.
Right.
This is an educational podcast in terms of likehow we're divulging.
And really decoding what health looks like.
And so when we look at carbs, we always want tolook at food as fuel and then the utilization
of that fuel to make us live longer, feelbetter.
Right.
It's all a feeling that's associated to that.
(16:29):
And so you can make carbs taste good andutilize them at a higher level of efficiency.
So one of the big ways, you know, for me is toincorporate rice, but then, you know, what are
also other complex carbohydrates that you canget in that people are like, wait, that's a,
that's a complex carbohydrate is fruits andvegetables.
(16:50):
So blue fruits and vegetables are your complexcarbohydrate source.
And what I like doing is staying really greenand staying really Berry.
Right.
And so raspberries, blueberries, high inantioxidants, one little hack that I'll direct
that I want to aid somebody in is whenever youbuy berries from the grocery store.
Number 1, you organic is obviously always thebest, but, I always like putting vinegar,
(17:16):
right.
Wash them with vinegar because there's a lot ofthings, a lot of handling that's associated to
it.
There might be some few pesticides that are onit.
So what I do is either put a red wine or avinegar on actually my berries or my vegetables
before I cook them or eat them.
And then when you cook your vegetables, cookyour vegetables at a low heat.
You know, set it at, like, a 3 or a 4.
(17:37):
Give it a little bit more time to actually cookbecause you don't wanna cook all those
micronutrients out of the vegetables thatyou're gonna be eating.
Right?
When you put it back high, high heatthresholds, you're losing some of those
micronutrients that you you can need.
Right?
That you need for optimal performance.
So, but some of the ones that I just love, I Ilove artichokes.
(17:59):
You know, not a lot of people love, like, butbrussels sprouts are a great one to cook up and
eat.
So just giving you a couple of ideas of, ofthat side asparagus is another one that you're
great green complex carbohydrate that you caneat.
So those are some of the things that you canadd in as well as rice that then give you that
energy and that performance, for theutilization inactivity.
(18:24):
So a couple of things I don't want to hit onhere.
Why demonizing carbs is a problem.
So unsustainable diets cutting out an entiremacronutrient can lead to restrictive eating
patterns and feelings of deprivation.
This often results in that yo yo dieting wherepeople lose weight temporarily, but regain it
when they introduce carbs.
(18:46):
And then what are, what are the health negativehealth effects associated to this?
Right.
So low carb diets can lead to lack ofessential, essential, like fiber nutrients,
like fiber.
So which is critical for gut health and digestdigestion.
One thing you want to note on that is thereason why gut health and digestion are so
(19:08):
imperative is because of the enzymes that arelocated with the stomach.
Right?
You wanna make sure that it's naturally gettingthrough your largest small intestine to your
gut.
So that you're absorbing those macromicronutrients into you, into your bloodstream.
So inadequate fiber intake has been linked toconstipation.
A lot of people have constipation, poor gutmicrobiome and diversity, which is I just
(19:32):
aforementioned.
Right.
And increased chronic diseases like heartdisease and type 2 diabetes.
Now we get to energy and performance was tosomething I spoke of.
Right.
And how the utilization of carbs.
So carbs are the body's preferred source ofenergy.
That's why we need these, right.
Especially for physical activity withoutsufficient carbs.
(19:55):
People may experience fatigue, brain fog,reduced athletic performance.
And that's what we're about.
Right.
Maintaining that forever athlete and a journey,to know a journal, of the international society
of sports nutrition in 2018, studied high, lowcarb diets, right?
How low carb diets can negatively impactendurance and training, strength, training
(20:19):
outcomes.
So that's one thing, just to note that ifyou're looking to perform with a high level of
efficiency, whether it be in resistancetraining, whether it be at the gym, CrossFit,
whatever you may do, to maintain that level ofactivity, carbs are essential for that.
An actionable tip is focused on whole foodssources like sweet potatoes, quinoa fruits,
(20:44):
something that is incorporated in your day today.
And that, that starts with breakfast, lunch,and dinner.
Right?
One of the misnomers that we have is that ourbreakfast needs to be associated to just
carbohydrates.
Maybe it's a piece of bread with some butter onit or things like that.
(21:04):
Where in reality, you wanna make sure thatyou're incorporating maybe some nuts and fruits
and vegetables and a yogurt, in that toincorporate that, to make that sustainable
throughout the day.
So making sure that you're focused on gettingsolid solid, quality sources of carbohydrates,
and incorporating them almost to into everymajor meal group that you're gonna be eating
(21:25):
throughout the day.
Yeah.
But we've seen this play out with so manydifferent clients that, hey.
I just wanna go on this one type.
Yeah.
It could be good for a season, but the realityis is, like, what is sustainable for the long
term?
Yeah.
Low carb tends to not be very sustainable.
And, the whole the whole, like, breakfastcereal thing was very much like breakfast is
(21:47):
the most important meal of the day was to sellcereal.
That's, I think, essentially what it was.
And it created very much an issue with, like,diabetes and obesity in this country.
So, you know, choosing nutrient dense carbs,you're gonna fuel your body better, maintain
energy rather than spike up and down, andenjoying, you know, a balanced diet.
Cutting out carbs is carbs are good, man.
(22:09):
Everybody likes carbs.
So, just doing it the right way, obviously.
So that brings us to let's talk about mythnumber 3 here.
The myth is that you can out exercise a poordiet.
So, you know, exercise is obviously vital.
Moving your body, lifting weights, like, wepreach that like no other.
(22:29):
But it's not the end all be all if you'refueling your body with, with trash.
Right?
And so this is definitely one of the mostcommon misconceptions in fitness and weight
loss.
The idea that you can just eat whatever youwant as long as you work out hard enough.
It sounds good.
Right?
Sounds appealing, but it just doesn't hold up.
And that's kind of that DK Metcalfe example youtalked about.
(22:50):
So, you know, while exercise is essential, itcan't be compensated by, for by a poor diet
when it comes to sustainability.
And that's what we're all about is longevityand sustainability.
So real quick, let's break this down a littlebit.
Exercise contributes to weight loss, but itseffects are often overestimated.
So this is very interesting.
According to the Journal of Sports Medicine andPhysical Fitness in 2020, physical activity
(23:15):
alone accounts for only about 10 to 30% of thecalorie calories your body burns daily with the
majority coming from your basal metabolic rateand thermic effect of food.
So, I mean, this is imperative.
Right?
That's only 10 to 30% comes from your yourexercise, then the rest has to be on point.
So exercise does play a critical role inimproving your cardiovascular, building and
(23:39):
preserving muscle, which can boost metabolism,enhancing mood, and reducing stress, which
obviously supports a healthier food choices aswell as reducing the risk of chronic disease
like diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis.
But here's the catch.
If your diet consists of excessive calories,processed foods, and poor macronutrient
balance, no amount of exercise can counteractthe resulting weight gain or health issues.
(24:04):
And so, you know, why relax why relying onexercise alone is a mistake, is really the
caloric burn versus intake imbalance.
Right?
Kind of what we just we just touched on.
So exercise burns calories, but not as nearlyas many as people may think.
For instance, a 30 minute high intensityworkout might burn 3 100, 400 calories.
(24:26):
Meanwhile, a single fast food meal can easilyexceed about a 1000 calories.
So this creates a mismatch where people overeatbelieving the workouts just earned them.
Right?
How many times have you heard that?
I just earned this doughnut.
Right?
These indulgent foods.
So that's where nutrient quality reallymatters.
Weight loss isn't just about calorie balance,but it's about the quality of those calories.
(24:47):
So the diets high in refined sugar andprocessed foods can disrupt the hormones like
insulin and leptin, leading to increased fatstorage and then cravings.
The poor diet also limits your body's abilityto recover and perform optimally optimally
during exercise.
So if you're eating these high processed sugaryfoods, but then you're thinking your workout's
gonna earn you those foods, you're not gonnarecover well, and eventually, you're gonna
(25:11):
start breaking down your body.
Your body's not gonna heal.
So stress also plays a role.
So overeating while under fueling can increasestress hormones like cortisol, which promotes
fat storage, particularly around the abdomen.
And so this was from a journal of obesity 2019.
Chronic stress from poor nutrition andexcessive exercise can derail weight loss
(25:32):
almost entirely.
So that's where that balance is just I mean,it's it's essential for you to be over
exercising because eventually, you get to apoint where you have to exercise more.
You have to exercise more.
You have to exercise more.
Eat less, eat less, eat less.
That's not sustainable at all.
So balance is is important, and quality doesmatter.
(25:53):
Yeah.
There was a just to give an example of a clientthat we worked with, which I won't say any
names, but one of the things, as far as dialingin, he thought he could outwork his nutrition.
And the reality is he just, it was holding on.
Right.
He just wasn't able to burn.
And there's a number of different things thatgo into that.
But the the main thing was that he wasn'tputting quality nutrition in his body to get
(26:18):
optimal performance at the gym.
So we go back to that analogy that Iaforementioned was just getting the quality
ingredients so you can have optimal performanceso that you can reduce, the amount of really we
go back to the BMR, which is your basalmetabolic rate.
So breaking, breaking that down just in a veryeasy way to understand your basal metabolic
(26:39):
rate is just like your caloric heat, right?
That you need to understand that I can'tovereat this on a given day because the reality
of where I'm at and my activity levels willthen increase that, that weight gain will go
up.
Right.
Anytime I, my, I hit my ceiling and I eat abovethat.
Right.
That's when you, you have your over a year,you're, inflaming yourself and you're packing
(27:05):
on that additional weight.
So when you're incorporating these energydrinks, which a lot of people drink their
calories and they don't even realize it, right.
They drink majority of their caloriesthroughout the day because they're like, I
don't like water.
I want a soda.
I want a energy drink or I want these otherthings.
Well, those things add up.
Right.
And there's plenty of things in there that aregoing to be a constraint against your
(27:27):
performance.
And so we just have had a client that was like,Hey, I just want to eat the way I want to eat.
And then, you know, hopefully, you know, youguys can guide me to outworking it when in
reality you need both.
So you need to be making those decisions, on adaily basis that, Hey, I am going to eat
(27:50):
optimally, so that I can get that performancein the gym or in my workouts or whatever,
however you choose to work out.
That's how that needs to really play out.
But when you're constantly bringing in sugarydrinks, you're, you know, you might add in a.
A fast food, you know, where you you're, youdon't even know how many calories it is, but
(28:12):
it's likely between 2 to 3000 calories in onesitting.
Right?
Because this is also just a side note that Iwant to people to understand is that there's a
30% threshold, in actually all of foodcriteria.
So even when you go to McDonald's, when you goto the stores, they have a Delta that is at 30%
(28:35):
over under, on all of your, all of their, theirclaim calories.
Right.
And so when you choose to go to a McDonald's ora burger king, it might say it's 1200 calories,
but in reality, especially later in the daywhen maybe some fats really have more fats have
soaked up on that burger because it's on thatgrill.
(28:57):
Right.
You're adding in 4 to 5 to 600 more caloriespieces.
There's so much fat that was involved in thatpiece of meat.
Then that puts you way over that target.
So setting your BMR, which is a simplecalculator, you can actually go to Google and
you can look, Hey, what's my daily activitylevels.
(29:17):
How tall am I?
How much do I currently weigh?
And it'll actually set your BMR for you, whereyou can kind of have an understanding.
Okay.
Well, if I increase my activity levels and Iknow this is my BMR, that then I'll be at a
core deficit.
And if I'm putting healthier, healthieringredients into my body, leveling out my pH
levels with maybe a little bit more betterwater throughout the day, well, then I will see
(29:40):
that reduction in weight.
So those are just some helpful tips that youcan look at things with more of a myopic,
viewpoint of how it can, number 1, help me, buthow those things really do hurt me a lot of
times when I make those decisions.
Nice.
Yeah.
And so, you know, by pairing the nutritiousdiet with regular intentional exercise, you're
(30:03):
gonna create this synergy that not only sportsweight loss, but is gonna improve your overall
health and well-being long term.
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Now back to the episode.
Alright.
Welcome back to the show.
So now that we've discussed these myths andwe've really kind of, like, got these out there
for people to kind of understand and have alittle bit more, of an idea of of the truth
around, you know, how how weight loss works inthe body, let's get into some, like, nuts and
(31:51):
bolts.
Right?
Let's get some action items and somestrategies.
So these strategies we're gonna share with you,they're based on science.
These are real, and this is effective.
And this is how we operate and how we've gottena lot of people to get amazing results, not
only to lose weight, but to maintain that forlong term and for life.
So, you know, number 1, focusing on nutrientdensity.
(32:13):
I know we've already talked about this multipletimes, but let's get a little bit more detail.
So when it when it comes to weight loss andoverall health, calories are not created equal
as we've discussed.
The foods with the high nutrient density probeprovide essential vitamins, minerals, and other
beneficial compounds per calorie.
Right?
So fueling your body while keeping yousatisfied.
(32:34):
Some examples are leafy greens, lean proteinsas we discussed, and then healthy fats like
avocado and olive oil.
Nutrient density and satiety is important.
So according to research published in nutrients2019, this is a journal of nutrients, nutrient
dense foods help to regulate hunger hormoneslike ghrelin and leptin, reducing the
(32:54):
likelihood of overeating.
For example, a salad packed with spinach,chicken, and avocado is far more satiating than
a slice of pizza even if they contain thesimilar amount of calories.
And so that's that quality over quantity.
So how do we balance?
Right?
Bal balancing your macronutrients.
So a diet that balances proteins, fats, andcomplex carbs as opposed to those highly
(33:18):
refined sugars is gonna prevent those highspikes and crashes in blood sugar, which lead
to you feeling hungry and craving andovereating.
Studies in the American Journal of ClinicalNutrition show that diets rich in protein,
which is what we preach, can enhance satietyand boost your BMR or basal metabolic rate,
(33:38):
while complex carbs like quinoa and sweetpotatoes provide steady energy to support that.
So here's an actionable tip.
Build your meals with a balance ofmacronutrients.
You know, for the average person who isrelatively active and wants to support weight
loss, going at about, like, a 40% carb,obviously, preferably those complex
(33:59):
carbohydrates, 30% or more protein, and then30% of healthy fats.
So this approach is gonna stabilize your bloodsugar and keep your energy levels consistent
over time.
Yeah.
And then one of the big key factors beyondthat, right, is managing hormonal hormonal
health.
That's one of the big things that we'll talkabout, and we'll direct you in, ways from
(34:24):
whether you're a man or a woman, how importantreally understanding your hormonal health is as
you age.
It's one of the most primary things that youcan understand because they definitely have a
lot of precursors, to how you're going toevolve in your forties, fifties, and even
sixties.
Right.
So weight loss, isn't about just eating less.
(34:45):
It's really not right.
So it's about how foods impact your hormones,insulin, cortisol, and leptin are 3 key
hormones that play significant roles.
Insulin, as I'm gonna explain it to you here isthis hormone regulates blood sugar levels and
fat storage.
So diets high and refined carbs and sugar canlead to insulin resistance, a condition where
(35:10):
cells don't respond effectively to insulincausing weight gain.
The journal of endocrinology highlights in,highlights how low glycemic diets reduce
insulin spikes and fat metabolism.
Now as we go on to cortisol to give you alittle bit more information on how cortisol
works, and this is our body's stress hormone.
(35:31):
So cortisol promotes fat storage, especially inthe abdomen area.
That's where a lot of people, we focus on thisspecifically as far as it's not all, it is cool
to have a 6 pack, but there's a reason for a 6pack.
There's a reason why you build those coremuscle groups.
(35:52):
If your back to your front.
So, when levels of chronically elevated stressfrom poor diet, lack of sleep or over training
exacerbates this.
So just think of that and how important corehealth is.
This is something I just actually talked aboutin a prior podcast that I was on leptin, this
hormone signals satiety satiety to the brain.
(36:15):
So overeating or consuming a high fat, highsugar diet can lead to leptin resistance,
making it harder to recognize when you're full.
We, I see this in kids all the time is thatdaddy, I'm not hungry yet.
We'll have you allowed yourself to get hungry.
Right.
And so there's this, cognitive association thatwe need to bring back home as far as allowing
(36:39):
our bodies leptin response to a, am I trulysatiated?
And here's an actionable tip, right?
Avoid spikes and sugar, by pairing protein.
We focus on protein a lot and one of the bigways that you can do this, there's really cool
additives where you can put protein in yourwater, right?
(36:59):
There's actually protein to a water out nowthat, that is really good.
And it has quality ingredients into it.
It's something that you can pick up at, Aldi oronline.
There's also another way where you can put,protein powders and, you know, we, we use, I
use a hydrolyzed type protein.
It's better for the gut that can break down.
(37:21):
And we talked about this quite a bit at priorpodcasts, but, by pairing protein, fat, and
fiber with every meal, for example, combiningavocado eggs and sauteed greens for breakfast.
Right.
So that's something that we said as far as tipson how you can incorporate more satiating type
meals earlier, even earlier in the day, wedon't have to think breakfast as like a piece
(37:44):
of bread or some, some sugary drink and a orsugary coffee is what a lot of people go to.
But really getting something satiating thatprovides different elements of, that protein,
that fiber, and those healthy fats, that can besustainable throughout the rest of the day.
Yeah.
And real real quick before you
get into the next one.
(38:04):
That's what I was drinking here was my coffeehad, a collagen bone broth protein powder in
it.
So it's about 20 grams of protein in my coffee,but it dissolved in there, and it was like a
vanilla creamer, essentially.
Coffee tasted delicious, but I just got 20grams of protein.
So simple things like that, man.
Simple hacks that you can incorporate in.
That's a great way.
(38:25):
So who's, what's the company that actuallymakes that
that one's paleo valley.
They have a pretty good product.
I like
paleo valley.
Yeah.
So we're going to be sourcing a lot ofingredients.
That's what we love doing is actually sourcinga lot of stuff that we believe in, that we've
actually utilized ourselves.
Right?
And if we don't like it, we don't recommend it.
But if we do Yeah.
We'll recommend it.
(38:46):
And you can always go go to Alessi functionalhealth dot com.
And if you click on our resources tab, we havea ton of resources there.
You can click on our partners and see some ofthe brands that we recommend.
Another one that's really cool is called MealBoosters, and they basically created these cool
protein powders that are collagen, proteinbased.
1 is a collagen for your coffee.
(39:06):
1 is a collagen, like, cheesy flavored proteinyou can throw into some some ground beef or
eggs, and it gives it obviously enhancedflavor, but if you're boosting the protein,
profile of that meal as well.
So that's a really good hack to obviously focuson balancing blood sugar and not causing those
those dramatic spikes as well.
So Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
For sure.
(39:27):
And one thing that is obviously close to ourheart and something that we do, every single
day, but build muscle to boost the metabolism.
We believe that, you know, muscles that would,that's your biggest organ, right?
That's going to produce that longevity, fact.
And so how are you efficiently producing moremuscle mass, as you age and as you progress?
(39:47):
So the role of strength training, increasingmuscle mass and your resting mela metabolic
rate, the strength training, isn't just forathletes.
That's been a misnomer.
A lot of people just want to hop on thetreadmill or do something, but resistance
training is actually that component that isprobably going to do 10 times of what walking
(40:10):
on a treadmill can for an hour.
So that's not the most efficient way to burncalories.
It's one of the most effective ways to supportlong term weight loss.
And muscle tissue burns more calories than fat,even at rest.
Meaning the more muscle you have, the higheryour resting metabolic rate will be.
So that's, and an RMR.
(40:32):
So you're resting metabolic rate.
And that means when you're post exercise, yourbody's going to continually burn calories,
right?
Where as if you're in a static state andyou're, you're not walking anymore.
There's no sort of resistance training whereyou're on the treadmill for an hour.
It's not going to burn as high rate becausewhat you're doing is you're, you're actually
(40:52):
targeting more muscle loss than you are maximummuscle gain.
So you want to make sure that you're, you're,you're going through a proper RMR, when you're
utilizing resistance type training.
So we've applied some of these things, but Iwant to notate that a study in the journal of
applied physiology found that every pound ofmuscle gained, right?
(41:15):
Get this, your body burns an additional 6 to 10calories per day at rest.
When you're sitting on the couch, you're stillburning.
Right.
So you want to make note of that while this mayseem small, it adds up over time.
That's the compounding effect of you do thisevery day.
Your body's going to continually burn, right?
It's going to burn calories and it's going tobe a burn associated to fat.
(41:39):
Right?
It's not going to be burned muscle becauseyou're getting that protein in your diet and
it's then going to be burning the unwantedcalories that are retained.
So that's what it targets first.
Your body's always going to be targetedtargeting the fats and the carbohydrates first,
before it then gets the proteins, which theninhibit the growth in, your muscular structure.
(42:00):
So you want to make note of that.
Right.
And one thing that we recommend, if you can domore by all means, but resistance training 2 to
3 times a week.
So you want to do some level of resistancetraining 2 to 3 times a week.
And when we say resistance training, it's whereyour body's working against itself, right?
It can be pushing and pulling.
(42:20):
It doesn't have to go in there where you'repicking up dumbbells, slam them down.
I love doing that.
Right?
That's what I love doing.
I love picking up heavy heavy weights andputting down, but the reality is there's a lot
of resistance bands, right?
Stuff that you can do throughout the day.
Functional kettlebell workouts that you canincorporate in from a resistance, component
that does the exact have it has the exact sameeffects.
(42:42):
So you just wanna make sure it's a heavierweight working against you when you're pushing
a bowling.
That's the resistance training that'sincorporated in.
So focusing on that 2 to 3 times a week,compounding over time, over a complete year,
you will see rapid results.
Yeah, that's right.
And then stuff you can do at home, get somebands and kettlebells.
You did that for a long time.
(43:02):
When you had your kids were young, You know,the the kids can't be an excuse.
Right?
So you basically incorporated the kettlebellsand the bands at home, and you still got
amazing results and maintain muscles.
So the next, you know, the next big thing wegotta talk about is sleep and stress, man.
This can wreak havoc on somebody's metabolism.
So, you know, sleep and stress are oftenoverlooked in weight management, but it's a
(43:24):
they're critical for regulating your hormonesand your metabolism.
According to the journal of clinicalendocrinology and metabolism, sleep deprivation
disrupts your hormones like ghrelin, which thenincreases hunger and leptin, which obviously is
supposed to signal fullness.
So chronic sleep loss can lead to increasedappetite and a preference for calorie dense
(43:44):
high sugar foods.
So you ever wonder why you're burning it atboth ends and all as you want is donuts and,
you know, junk food is is that that studyproved it.
So, you know, and and along with stress andcortisol, prolonged stress elevates cortisol.
So that high cortisol all the time is gonnapromote your body to store fat because your
(44:04):
body your your body is as very smart, and itthinks I need energy when it's when I'm
stressed.
So it's gonna store fat, especially around theabdominal area.
And this is because cortisol increases yourcravings for those energy dense foods as a part
of the fight or flight response.
Right?
So really important for focusing on the brainhealth as well.
Chronic stress and poor sleep will impair thebrain's prefrontal cortex, making it harder to
(44:27):
make those disciplined food choices and stickto healthy habits.
So, again, it's all it's all related to howthese things can then snowball effect over
time.
Next thing you know, you're £40 overweight andyou're miserable and tired, and it's because
your body was just doing what it's supposed todo, but it got let down this path.
Right?
So easy actionable tip is aiming for 7 to 9hours of quality sleep per night.
(44:51):
And, you know, the quality is is again moreimportant than quantity.
If you're more on that 7 hour range, but you'regetting a lot of deep sleep and restorative
sleep, your body's gonna repair, your body'sgonna be better set up for the next day.
So establishing a bedtime routine, thatincludes shutting off the screens an hour
before bed, and then using some type of, like,a relaxation or meditation practice before bed
(45:11):
as well, doing things like deep breathing, youknow, box breathing, diaphragmatic breathing,
meditation.
I always recommend the app called Happy.
It's or Happier, I believe.
It's a guided meditation app that they havespecific bedtime meditations for you to help
you get into that that sleepy state.
So, huge stress and and sleep are huge,
(45:34):
man.
So massive, that that's the correlator topretty much everything of how you're gonna be
making decisions throughout the day.
So getting quality sleep is going to beexacerbate everything, right.
In terms of like a positive effect or anegative effect, if you don't get enough of it.
So, that's in, it's also how you treat people,right?
(45:56):
If you get better sleep, there's just, itexacerbates on both ends of the spectrum.
And one thing we just want to know as weencompass and kind of take away all these
things is consistency over perfection.
You know, one of the things that I've kind ofaligned with as far as I gotta be perfect at
this, I gotta be perfect.
(46:16):
And we live in this like social world where,dang, like we gotta be perfect.
Right.
We realize we're not perfect.
We're not even perfect doing this podcast.
Right.
It's, we we just wanna do good and and put outthe best information possible and get a little
bit better every day.
And so that's the compounding and theconsistency of time is where when, we wanna go
(46:37):
in with an all or nothing.
Right?
And this is why we're actually explaining thisin January is because people are like going the
whole, maybe right now they've got through 3weeks in, but this is really the determiner
whether what's gonna set the tone for the restof the year is if you could push through this
next week, 2 weeks and maintain that level ofconsistency, because this is the culmination
(46:58):
point of the 1% rule.
What James clear says is how am I just likeputting in that 1% every day?
Right.
And that 1% is that day.
Right.
It's not a measure of yesterday.
And so that's what people forget about.
It's like, did I put that 1% in today?
And so, cause like yesterday's the pasttomorrow's the future what's what's right now.
(47:21):
And so when he applies this and it's somethingthat I even missed in his book is like, did I
put in that 1% effort today?
And that's that level of consistency becauseconsistency is what compounds over time.
It's just like the stock market, putting yourmoney in the stock market.
It's like that consistency of investing intoyourself compounds over time.
(47:41):
So you just want to make a rule for that, thatit's that it's not this all or nothing
mentality of, if I miss out today, then I can'tdo tomorrow.
No, you can't actually can do tomorrow becausethen that's the progress of consistency.
So it's setting that baseline of, you know, howyou're going to operate on a daily basis.
Can I get that efficient sleep?
(48:03):
Can I make more quality decisions when I'm atthe grocery store and getting more whole foods
into the shopping cart so that I can bring homeand cook them a little bit better?
Right.
Can I dedicate 20 minutes a day, maybe even anhour a day?
Like, you know, if you can get a community ofpeople that come along with you, I think that's
why another big component is getting community,doctor Alessi and myself, we always are inner
(48:28):
shit in our exchanging ideas to improve thequality of our health.
Like, do you have that comrade that can boostyou up?
That can be like, Hey, let's keep going.
Let's get a little bit better every day.
And then measuring it on that day.
Right.
You know, and we have that, scorecard builtout, which I love, and really just evaluating
(48:49):
our, our pillars in our life.
So we set our pillars in our life and it'smind, spirit, work, fuel, movement, sleep.
And so we measure those.
And so, Hey, where are we at?
And so I'll, I'll come to him.
Hey, where are you at in this area?
Or where, and it's constantly at an opendialogue of, are we improving within our
pillars, that allow us to grow every day withan act of consistency?
(49:12):
Yeah, man.
That's yeah.
And so I think, you know, kind of playing offof the consistency thing is, like, if it's a
quick fix, if someone's pitching you a quickfix or selling you something, it's probably not
the best thing to do because quick fixes, theydon't last.
Right?
So it's all about that sustainability.
What is something you can incorporate that youcan do forever?
Because then you're gonna just obviously beable to keep maintain that longevity.
(49:34):
So, you know, to summarize kind of everythingwe just talked about, focusing on nutrient
dense foods, managing hormones, buildingmuscle, prioritizing quality sleep, and staying
consistent, you're gonna create a sustainablefoundation for long term weight management and
health.
And so these strategies go beyond the quickfix, and they set you up for that lifetime of
wellness.
And these are things you can incorporate andshare with family, friends, and, obviously,
(49:58):
your community.
So, you know, some takeaways.
Don't fall for the myths that we talked about.
Focus on sustainability, the science backedstrategies.
Right?
Things like prioritizing the nutrient densefoods, muscle building exercises, and hormonal
health.
Consistency and patience are the key to thelasting results.
(50:19):
And as always, if you're enjoying what, we'rekicking out here, we dedicate some time
editing.
Please smash that subscribe button.
You know, that helps us when you subscribe andlet somebody know about it.
If they need, some of this information in theirlives, let them, let them know what we're going
(50:40):
on.
That helps us grow this podcast, get our wordout and just, actually just bring better
content to you.
So make sure you hit that subscribe button.
If you can leave us a review, leave us areview, but as always, we just appreciate you.
We appreciate you listening in, and be bettertoday.
Yep.
And so next week, we're gonna be diving intogut health.
(51:00):
We're gonna be sharing some practical tips forbetter digestion and overall well-being.
We want you to check us out.
Go to Alessi functional health dot com.
Head over to the resources tab.
Sign up for the newsletter.
That way, you can stay in the know of whatepisodes are coming and and what kind of,
content we're gonna be pushing out, and thenstay involved with our community as well.
We do all kinds of events and specials andreally cool things with the clinic.
(51:24):
And so thank you again for tuning in to HealthDecoded, doctor Alessi and Matt.
As always, stay curious, stay empowered, andremember, your health is in your hands.
Thank you for tuning in to Health Decoded,where we break down the truth about all things
health and empower you to take charge of yourwell-being.
If you found value in today's episode, pleasesubscribe, leave a review, and share it with
(51:48):
someone who needs to hear this.
For more resources and personalized support,visit us at Alessifunctionalhealth.com and sign
up for our newsletter.
To hear your questions answered live on theshow, send them to ask at Alessifxhealth.com.
That's ask atalesifxhealth.com.
(52:09):
Until next time.
Stay curious, stay empowered, and remember,your health is in your hands.
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