green veggies

Is there really such a thing as bad food?

Posted on March 15, 2018March 15, 2018 by LetlerFit

In a world where so many people think healthy means protein and veggies only because carbs (including fruit) are bad for you, I decided to dedicate this post for everyone who suffers from labeling foods as good or bad and those who follow restrictive diets.

Did you know that eating a diet that only consists of protein and vegetables can lead to health issues in a different, yet equally dangerous way as a diet consisting of processed foods, salt, and sugar? Crazy, right?

For this post I wanted to tackle some of the foods most labeled as bad:

Foods high in sodium always get labeled as bad because high salt intake has been linked to high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. But did you know if you eat a few foods a week high in salt and the rest of your diet has adequate salt intake and you stay hydrated…those small spikes of ingested sodium WILL NOT MAKE YOU HAVE A HEART ATTACK
Another food labeled as a diet “no no” for many is sugar. But did you know that processed sugar (whole fruit is not processed sugar) once a week is NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU DIABETES. Did you know that you can do “damage control” on that sugary cheat that is high in carbs and very low in fat by consuming is within 1 hour of an intense workout? Not saying to eat it first and then punish yourself with exercise after, I’m saying if you want to go out for ice cream, donuts, or cookies and not see as much short term weight fluctuations enjoy them after you’ve worked out (again, don’t abuse this).
Fried foods are oh so delicious but oh so restricted when people go on diets, but did you know that consuming 1 fried meal a week with multiple healthy whole meals, that bad food IS NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU HIGH CHOLESTEROL.
Fiber is one of those diet worshipped foods. But did you know that if you consume high fiber vegetables/foods post workout it can become a bad food? You want fiber before or during the day not after a killer workout (messes with recovery-i’ll do a whole post on that some other time).

Moral of this blog: BALANCE and food timing is key!

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LetlerFit Black Friday is HERE!

Posted on November 24, 2017November 24, 2017 by LetlerFit

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10 Simple Diet Mistakes that make your Calorie Counting to be far Less Effective

Posted on November 21, 2017 by LetlerFit

Mistake #1: Calories are not created equally. 200 calories in chocolate is not nearly as dense as 200 calories in a colorful salad with protein. We need more good quality calories that bad quality calories in order to lose weight
Mistake #2: You are forgetting about macronutrients. Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins make up calories. Carbs and protein yield 4 calories per gram while fats yield 9 calories per gram. The goal is to eat the correct amount of each eating 1400 calories out of your 1800 calorie day in just one macronutrient is not good. Each macronutrient has a purpose and requirement in our body.
Mistake #3: You are forgetting about Micronutrients. While a donut does contain carbs, fat, and protein (usually 1-2g), the calories are empty. When you consume food the goal is to look at food and think “What kind of energy is this going to give me? and what kinds of vitamins and minerals will it give me?” Vitamins and Minerals are equally as important as macronutrients….the good news is they do NOT directly add to the calorie count.
Mistake #4: Consuming too many calories. Trying to lose weight? At the end of the day weight loss is having less calories in versus calories out. Meaning we need to eat less than what our body burns in activities each day.
Mistake #5: Not consuming enough calories. Trying to gain weight? You need to be consuming more than what your body burns in activities each day.
Mistake #6: Most people do not know how many calories they should even be consuming. Advice: My fitness pal does a decent job at giving you calorie needs based on goals and activity.
Mistake #7: Overestimating calories burned while exercising. The calories the machine tells you, is wayyyyyyyy more than reality because it goes off of the machines RPM and not your body’s work.
Mistake #8: Assuming all lasagna at a restaurant is the same. Luckily most restaurants are registered with my fitness pal and give you calorie, macronutrient, and micronutrient breakdown. However, when a food from a menu does not pop up, it’s hard to find an exact match as recipe and portion size really make a difference.
Mistake #9: No Plan. Meal prepping is a must!! I know my entire week’s menu before it has even started…helps me stay focused and organized. Plus i control what goes into my food and then it becomes easier to track if need be.
Mistake #10: Drinking calories. Most people have no necessity for juices. Skip the liquid calories and go for water!

5 Foods That Claim To Be All Natural But Aren’t

Posted on October 25, 2017October 25, 2017 by LetlerFit

We have all seen the labels that say 100% all natural, and many buy them thinking that they are because well we trust labels right? At the end of the day the food industry is a business, sometimes they do things that aren’t in our best interest and here are 5 foods they make us believe are healthy and all natural, but aren’t.

Granola Bars: We have all bought those delicious organic, all natural granola bars thinking we were doing it right. The problem is many of these granola bars contain artificial sweeteners and “natural” flavors. Natural flavors is a cop out for flavors that are derived from natural sources…in a lab.
Yogurts: They have the same problem as granola bars. TONS of artificial sweeteners, “natural” flavors, and added sugars or sugar alcohols. (sugar alcohols aren’t so great either)
Bottled Iced Tea: Natural flavors, sugar and/or high fructose corn syrups should not be listed on the back of the label. Green and black teas in there natural form are packed with antioxidants, but the benefits get smashed when they’re paired with sugar.
Salad Dressing: If it’s not home made, read the label. Those long 10+ ingredient labels are proof that those “all natural” salad dressings really aren’t that natural.
Ice Cream: We have seen so many new dairy free, gluten free, yady da, etc. Ice creams pop up on the market advertising high protein, low calories, and no sugar, but they taste sweet. Why? They are packed with sugar alcohols (usually the ingredient that ends in “ol”)…which they are NOT natural.

7 Food Myths That Stop Your Diet From Being Healthy

Posted on October 24, 2017 by LetlerFit

Sometimes I seriously wonder where some of these health coaches get their facts, do they not stay up to date with the latest research? I’ve heard some ridiculously false advice from people that actually keep them from having a healthier diet.

“Egg yolks are bad for you because they raise your cholesterol. So you should only eat the egg white.” Research now shows us that eggs have nothing to do with raising your LDL (bad) cholesterol. Eggs whites are a great source of protein and egg YOLKS are a great source of zinc, iron, vitamin D, and choline. Eat the WHOLE egg, unless you’re allergic, like me, then skip them.
“Everyone should eat gluten free.” Unless your gluten intolerant there is no need because your body is able to digest gluten…it’s just another type of protein that some people just happen to be intolerant to.
“Nuts are bad for you because they are high in fat.” Nuts are a great source of HEALTHY fats packed with nutrients. Like with anything, too many nuts can be bad, however research has shown that eating proper servings of nuts can actually help protect you against heart disease.
“Carbohydrates make you fat.” False. Too much carbphydrates, just like too much protein, and too much fat, make you fat….aka caloric surplus. Carbs give us energy, help our brains think, and feed our muscles.
“The label says low fat, so it has to be good for me.” Eat the whole fat. With whole fat you can simply use the fat grams as part of your daily fat consumption assuming you do not over do it. The problem with low fat is that they need to replace the fat, which is what add the good taste, with something else so that it is not bland. What they end up using as a replacer is sugar! Without knowing, you are consuming extra sugar that you may not have accounted for.
“Organic food is always healthy.” Definitely not! Especially deceiving when the organic label is placed on the packaging. Read the ingredients! Most of the time if it’s on a box you’re better off saving the money on the inorganic version because it’s the same exact thing.
“When eating out, always choose the salad.” False. Sometimes the salad can become the most calorically enriched plate because of the hidden sugars used to preserve the salad or the salad dressings.

8 Habits of Highly Healthy People

Posted on September 15, 2017 by LetlerFit

At least 80% of their diet comes from whole foods
They read at least 1 hour a day with the goal of improving themselves
They don’t drink their calories–they enjoy concentrated sugar filled juices and alcohol in moderation
They workout at least 3 times a week or total 180 minutes a week of moderate exercise
They choose to eat healthy at least 80% of the time
They do NOT obsess over the number on the scale, but rather how they feel and how their clothes fits
They look at food and think “what nutrients am I being provided?” and not “How many calories is this?”
They Sleep at least 6 hours a night-no sleep, no results.

5 Delicious Foods That Are Shockingly Low In Calories

Posted on August 29, 2017 by LetlerFit

Ultimately weight loss is about calories in vs calories out. Your total daily intake cannot be more than what your body burns from performing your daily activity. Here are 5 foods that are not only low calorie, but also PACKED with nutrients that may help you on your weight loss journey.

Celery: A stalk of celery is roughly 3 calories. It’s calorie coming from .5g of carbohydrates. The great part about celery is that despite being low calorie it is a great source of natural sodium, potassium, calcium, and vitamin C!
Spinach: 1 cup of spinach is only about 7 calories and has more nutrients that lettuce! The calories in 1 cup of spinach come from about 1.1g of carbohydrates, .9g of protein, and .1g of fat. Spinach is another great source of sodium, potassium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, and Iron
Kiwi: 2 Kiwis are about 100 calories coming from 24g of carbohydrates (natural sugars and fibers), 1 g of fat, and 2 gram of protein. Sprinkle some seeds on those slices and you have a refreshing snack! Anyways, kiwis are a great source of protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, Calcium, and Iron
Green Bell Peppers: 1 cup of green bell peppers has 18 calories from about 4.3 grams of carbs, .2g fat, and 1 gram of protein. It is loaded with potassium, vitamin A, more Vitamin C than your average orange, and has some sodium.
Mushrooms: 1 cup of mushrooms has about 44 calories coming from 6.6 grams of carbs, .6 grams of fat, and 6.2 grams of protein! Mushrooms are a great source of Calcium, Iron, potassium, and sodium.

4 Pieces Of Common Health Advice That Are False

Posted on August 24, 2017August 24, 2017 by LetlerFit

Eat this, not that. This is the magic potion. Drop 10 pounds over night with this. We’ve all heard it! Here are the 4 most common health advice that I hear, that are actually false!

High Fat and Protein, Low Carb is the way to go
- Actually, 45-65% of your daily requirements to feed your central nervous system, your brain, your body, and your muscles come from carbohydrate! When you eat high protein, low carb, your body is forced to make carbohydrates out of proteins. Your body HATES to do things that make it’s life harder, which I would agree with. It does enough for us, like breathing without us having to think about it, why should we want to force it to work harder? The problem with carbs is the same problem with fats and proteins. Too much of ANY carbohydrate gets stored as fat. The key is to eat just enough of each macro nutrient to hit your goals and keep your body happy!
Snacking is bad
- We all know that crash between each meal that we get, or the lack of focus at work between lunch. Well it’s our brain telling us it needs a little boost of energy (especially glucose). Snacking between meals keeps us from feeling hangry, keeps us from over eating at lunch and dinner, and keeps our bodies energized! The problem with snacking is the same problem with over eating carbs…too much is NOT good. (see the pattern?)
Counting calories is how you lose weight, because a calories is a calorie.
- Of all recommendations I hear non health professionals give to people seeking health advice its calorie counters I hate the most.
  - 1 gram of carbohydrates and protein yields 4 calories
  - 1 gram of fat yields 9 calories
  - 1 gram of alcohol yields 7 calories
- So tell me again how all calories are the same? Overall calories are incredibly important and I don’t discredit that. However, it is what makes up those calories that is MOST important! For example, an average adult consuming 2,000 kcal a day should consume
  - 1000 calories from carbs (250g)
  - 460 calories from protein (115g)
  - 540 calories from fat (60g)
Everyone should be on a gluten free diet: This one is real quick….ready? If you are not gluten intolerant….you do not have to specifically look for gluten free.

6 Supposedly Healthy Foods You Should Be Avoiding

Posted on August 9, 2017August 9, 2017 by LetlerFit

The thing about the food and fitness industry is, marketing and advertising goes farther than science. It’s a sad reality, and is one of the reason so many people are quick to fall for gimmicks, nutrition labeling etc. Just today I went grocery shopping and was baffled at how the industry charges more or hides poison in their labeling. Here were the top 6 offenders that stood out to me today.

Fit and Active brand popcorn versus the generic brand popcorn: Fit and Active brand was almost a dollar more expensive and when you compare the labels…the EXACT same thing. Just because something is labeled fit and active or something along those lines does not necessarily make it any better.
Sugar: A bunch of BS, and WORSE for you! Your brain gets the same stimulation only instead of being natural, it’s synthetic, can mess up insulin regulation, and most are metabolized in to carcinogens…cancer causing agents. Go for REAL sugar, avoid the sugar alcohol. Even in moderation, real sugar is better than fake. Same goes for regular vs diet sodas
Arctic Zero Ice Cream: People love it because it is low calorie, has minimal protein, but just like sugar free labels are ridded with sugar alcohols. Limit sugar alcohols as much as possible (generally anything that ends in “ol” ie. sorbitol, erythritol, maltitol)
Low Fat anything: Your body NEEDS healthy fats. Low fat labels are usually a guise for companies to add sugars and MORE sugar alcohols in order to make the food tastier since removing fat makes food less appetizing. Whole fat is totally OK!
Organic Tostitos: While the ingredients may be “cleaner” they have more sodium and do in my opinion more harm because people consume more of it thinking it’s healthier.
Organic Granola: uhmmmm 36g of sugar per serving and only 8g of protein? what?! READ your labels!! Ideally there will be no added sugar.

Have you watched any Netflix health docs lately?

Posted on July 17, 2017July 17, 2017 by LetlerFit

What the Health?, Forks Over Knives, Fed Up (personal fave), Food Matters, Vegucated, are just a few of the Netflix documentaries you can find on food. There are plenty more, but those are the ones I’ve seen recently. I must admit I have a love-hate relationship with most of them leaning more towards the hate than the love.

Here’s what I do love:

I love how they are bringing awareness to fruits and vegetables and how we need to increase the amount we are eating. The majority of us don’t even get half our recommended daily dosage.
I love how they shed light on the atrocities of the meat slaughtering industry, because regulations NEED to happen. The real animals are us humans, who choose not to find more humane ways to put down the meat that we do eat. Personally I am a vegetarian, I believe in doing my part, but I also do not believe everyone needs to go vegan. I’m a realist who believes it should be a personal choice as to whether or not someone decides to consume meat, and because I am a realist I know not everyone will remove or decrease the amount of meat in their diet, which is why more humane treatment of animals needs to be put in place.
I love that they shed light on the amount of garbage they are adding to meat, poultry, and farm raised fish.
I love how are they are raising awareness to the amount of added sugar the majority of us eat without realizing it
I love that they bring awareness to how food can help prevent more health issues than the pharmaceutical companies want you to believe. YOU NEED A BALANCE PEOPLE!

Here’s what I don’t like

How EXTREME and one-sided they are. The ones pushing people towards veganism more so than the ones warning people to stay away from wheat and sugar. At least the one’s I have seen about wheat frequently give the disclaimer that the negative effects of wheat more so impact the gluten intolerant. The documentaries about sugar also frequently express the need more consuming added sugar in moderation. However the ones that promote veganism, never once touch base on the idea of grass-fed or organic meat and poultry alternatives that are worth the investment due to significantly less pesticides, etc.
I do not like how they neglect to go over the differences between complete and incomplete proteins and how animal proteins are complete proteins where as plant based protein usually requires 2-3 different sources to reach the complete protein status.
I do not like how they neglect to mention that for athletes looking to get stronger, IGF1 only found in red meat is a legal and natural “steroid” in the sense that is helps our strength gains. I’m not saying you won’t get stronger if you only eat vegetarian or vegan because that is not the case. The gains can come faster though with the help of red meat, but I opt out of that natural boost.
I don’t like how they neglect to talk about the dirty dozen (aka the most contaminated fruits and vegetables) that everyone should prioritize as buying organic because of the amount of pesticides found in them.
- Peaches, Apples, Bell Peppers, Celery, Nectarines, Strawberries, Cherries, Pears, Grapes, Spinach, Lettuce, Potatoes
I don’t like how they do not touch on the subject of how easy it is to also be overweight and have health issues has a vegetarian or vegan. I personally know way too many overweight, anemic, or overall unhealthy vegetarians and vegans

Overall for people who do not have extremist personalities and tendencies I would recommend educating themselves with these documentaries, however also keeping in mind that there are 2 sides to every story. I wish they would make them with less of a bias. I believe they’d have more success reaching larger audiences if they did. I also believe they would make meat-eaters understand the POV of vegans and vice versa. We all know that vegan or meat eater that tries to make the other side feel like terrible people for choosing to eat or not eat meat. We need to educate people on both sides and THEN let people decide and respect their decisions! The lesson continues to be that everything in MODERATION is key!