The Body Transformation Coach

Stop doing these 3 things if you want to age lean and strong.

1. Focusing on calories
2. Adopting a plant based diet
3. Doing lots of cardio

Today I am going to discuss #1.

Calories do not matter (entirely).
The laws of thermodynamics matter of course but we were mislead to believe all calories function the same way in the body-they don't.

Nutrients matter.

Let's talk about the mythical 1200 calorie minimum.

We've all been told that if we go below this number we will damage our metabolism, go into starvation mode and weight loss will stall.

WRONG.

If you're a 50 year old woman who weighs 175 pounds at 5'6". You likely have 65-85 pounds of fat on you.

That fat IS calories. Almost 300,000 calories, of stored fuel right on your body.

But our modern diets, which are extremely high in processed carbs, sugars and oils raise your insulin level which prevent your body from turning all that stored fat into fuel.

So when a typical woman tries to lose weight, she cuts calories without regard to nutrients and her insulin levels stay high preventing access to her stored calories. Her protein needs aren't met and her body begins to breakdown muscle to meet the essential need for protein and because muscle regulates blood sugar and metabolism, she becomes more insulin resistant.

If that same woman were to eat the same 1200 calories from a high in protein, low carb diet...her muscle would be protected and her insulin levels would drop allowing her body access to her stored fat for extra fuel.

AND

Because protein and fiber increase GLP-1 satiety hormones, this woman would be far less hungry than when she was eating a standard American diet of 1200 calories.

I am not suggesting you eat 1200 calories but most women over 50 have so little muscle, so much extra fat tissue and are so sedentary...they do not need calories- they need nutrients.

So start focussing on nutrients.

I eat 30-50g of protein 3 times per day. Which is about 1.5 POUNDS of meat, chicken fish and/or eggs.

Seems like a lot right?
Well it IS a lot of food but it's only about 800 calories.

To the protein I add lots of veggies-usually a half pound each at lunch and dinner and of course a serving or two of dark chocolate. If I need more calories, I eat fattier meat, add an avocado or my home made mayo...And I still rarely hit 1800 calories.

If I wanted to lose weight, I wouldn't cut the protein or veggies at all, I would just reduce my fat content until the scale started to go down, allowing my body to replace that dietary fat with fat from my body.

Unless you are very skinny, growing, building muscle, growing or nursing a human...you need nutrients-not calories.

Next time, I'll talk about #2-Adopting a Plant Based Diet.

Hit me below with your questions.

Xo. S

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If you're waiting for your life to slow down before you start trying to get healthier or lose weight...

Get comfortable- cause you're gonna be here a while.

Life is always gonna life.

Change will ALWAYS feel hard at some point along the way.

So, you have 3 options:

1. Go for it and let it be hard (and get some support).

2. Wait until the HERE of where you are now is worse than the fear of the THERE you are trying to get to.

3. Stay HERE forever.

You can do hard things.

Look at all you have accomplished in your life, look at all the obstacles you have overcome.

You know how to do hard.

Now it's time to choose which hard you want?

The hard of staying stuck HERE
or the hard of doing to get THERE.

I choose the hard of doing because that actually gets you somewhere new.

The hard of staying stuck, just gets you more stuck.

Pick your hard.

Xo. S

PS. I am here to help. You don't have to do this alone.