Eating a "healthy" diet & still not seeing results?

These days, there is so much conflicting information on the market. The inter web can be a dark, black hole into a plethora of information that really has no backing, yet people believe it. Or they believe what a random girl on instagram has to say. Or maybe fall prey to the laxative “skinny tea” one’s favorite celebrity swears they drink every morning. You hear sugar is bad, so you switch to sugar-free everything. You don’t want to eat too many carbs, so you do Keto and load up on greasy bacon and processed cheese. You want to gain muscle so you make sure to eat a million grams of protein throughout the day. You do loads of cardio.. or maybe you just lift weights. Yet, where is the progress to be shown for all of this hard work?

Trust girls, I HAVE BEEN THERE. I have fallen prey to these ridiculous claims. I have felt the frustration of not seeing results when i’m working so damn hard. And until I completed school, I never truly understood the science behind our health, and in return, our progress. It all comes down to a couple important factors..

Are you eating real food or food substances?

This is a HUGE one. This can be a game changer for some. As I mentioned, with all of the diet fads out there today, we tend to forget the most important factor in reaching optimal health/progress… CONSUMING REAL FOOD. Whether it’s because we are always busy, or just don’t want to cook, often times people fall into the “easy way out”. No.. sugar-free soda, processed dairy products, treats, etc. are not real food. And in terms of packaged food, the “real” food is usually the last ingredient on the ingredient list. These foods have been stripped of their nutritional components and replaced with fillers and other artificial’s that can have a detrimental impact on our health. That sugar-free yogurt? It’s Filled with Aspartame (Which has been linked to cancer, Alzheimers, & a plethora of other conditions). Gluten-free products often times have added sugars, flours, and starches that don’t benefit you nutritionally. You might reach for dried fruit for a quick snack, but did you see the 20g of added cane sugar they snuck in there?

I can go on and on. Look at it this way; what did our ancestors eat? Food created by nature, not food saturated in artificial anything. Stick to buying real, WHOLE, foods. You’re better off eating a real apple rather than dried apple slices and full-fat organic yogurt than the sugar-free vanilla blend.

You’re not buying organic or in season.

This is one that I think most people tend to look past, but can be incredibly beneficial to not only our health, but our wallets. Yes, eating organically can add up, but when you do the real math of how much money you’ll save from not having doctor’s visits, it’ll even out, I promise! Organic produce has less pesticide residue and have been proven to be more nutritionally dense. They also don’t add to your total toxic load (the toxins you come into contact with everyday that have a detrimental impact on your health). Really can’t afford to spend the extra money? The EWG (Environmental Working Group) issues a “Dirty Dozen, Clean fifteen” list exposing which fruits and vegetables are most exposed to harmful chemicals. Try and purchase foods on the dirty dozen organically, or skip them altogether.

Even more, when you buy in-season, you’ll notice you’ll save a couple pennies. Yes, I wish I could eat strawberries all year round. But in reality, they don’t grow all year round. When you buy in season produce, you’re going to get the most nutritional bang for your buck. These are foods that are meant to be grown and consumed at that specific season. Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, beetroot, winter squash, citrus fruits, and pomegranates are all examples of some in-season winter produce. Consuming certain fruits and vegetables during their specific “times” ensures that they are going to not only be higher in nutrients, but tastier as well.

You’re not consuming enough raw/fermented foods.

To break down our food and have proper digestion, we need enzymes. Whole Foods in their natural, unprocessed state, are full of these beneficial enzymes. Adding more of these to your diet can help give your body the push it needs to properly digest and absorb the nutrients from the food we eat.

Fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, and kombucha, contain healthy, beneficial bacteria which naturally help generate more enzymes. Some may find adding more fermented foods to their diet, along with adequately chewing their food to make the digestive process easier on our body, can help lead to a flatter tummy and less bloating/digestive distress and water retention. If you still find yourself having digestive stress, try avoiding enzyme-inhibiting foods. Processed foods in particular contain preservatives, refined sugars, and chemically-processed ingredients that can block the bodies ability to use enzymes properly. Pineapples, avocados, apricots, kiwis, and bananas are all great sources of enzymes.

You are following Keto and consuming too many fatty, processed foods.

Keto has been proven to be beneficial in helping a multitude of health conditions. But, there is a right way and wrong way to use it. If you’re consuming heaps of fried bacon, processed cheeses, margarine, and other nasties just because of their low-carb and high-fat content, this could be your diet culprit as many kept dieters focus too heavily on dairy, meats, and artificial sweeteners. Our microbiota needs plant foods to thrive. However, on a typical Keto diet, many suffer from increased inflammation which wreaks havoc on our gut health.

If a high-fat diet feels great and works well with your body, don’t fret. Contrary to belief, there are plenty of plant-based Keto-friendly options. Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, avocados, nuts and seeds, coconut & coconut cream.. the possibilities are truly endless! Some quick meal ideas could include zucchini noodles with avocado pesto, cauliflower fried rice, high-protein tofu stir-fry, etc. Just google away and have fun with it!

You’re not eating enough.

There has been this under-consumption epidemic going on and it still has me pondering why. We think that by consuming less calories, the weight will fall off. But you’re still not seeing progress. Why? Because it is physically impossible to see any sort of muscle gain if you are not fueling your body enough to build new tissue. On another note, when you’re consuming too little, your body goes into what is called “starvation” mode. This slows down a lot of functions that are necessary to burning calories. So, in short terms, you’re only hurting yourself by under-fueling your body, causing fatigue, hindered recovery, as well as performance during your workouts.

You are not managing your stress.

I’ll stick it to ya - Stress is the devil. It has been deemed the root cause of all disease. So it isn’t surprising that it can lead to weight gain or cause a plateau. Stress affects fat storage, sleep, mood, hormones, and almost every other function within our bodies. When you’re stressed, you’re less likely to make healthy options. Finding stress management techniques that work for you can be a GAME CHANGER. This is something I stress with all clients. Whether you find an activity you love, take a walk, meditate, yoga, or even working out. Managing stress can improve all areas of your life.

All of these things take practice, so don’t feel overwhelmed. Try and start with one or two tips and slowly work your way towards finding that perfect balance of health and progress. Remember that workouts are important, but you’ll never see the results you strive for if your diet and lifestyle aren’t in check! But, on an ending note, I think it is most important to work on body confidence and be happy in your own skin. We should never strive to be a certain “number” on the scale or look a certain way. Of course, we should all strive to improve our being overall, but don’t let appearance drag you down. You’re all so beautiful!