7 Food Myths That Stop Your Diet From Being Healthy

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.

1. “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.
2. “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.
3. “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.
4. “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.
5. “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.
6. “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.
7. “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.

Learn more about the best online fitness program which includes comprehensive programs focused on shifting towards healthier eating habits, staying fit, and building a better booty. You’ll also find a variety of fitness apparel to help get you that extra motivation to take your goals to another level. Contact me today to learn more about the best fitness programs available to get your body in gear.

So you’re looking for a personal trainer?

I’m sure everyone has someone on their social media feeds posting their workouts, food, etc.  I know I do.  The recent boom in health and fitness is AWESOME! I love seeing people make their health a priority.  So the purpose of this blog is not to bash anyone posting their fit tips and workouts.  It is to educate people based on my own opinions about choosing a personal trainer.

There are SO many people starting their fitness journey (which is so great), but just don’t know where to begin. I’ll admit, when I was younger I did tae kwon do for 13 years without ever stepping foot into a gym.  I moved in straight to crossfit, which is no where near the traditional gym.  When i took a 9 month break from crossfit, I decided to give the gym a shot.  It was VERY intimidating going into a place with so many different machines that I had no idea how to use, and the instructional pictures didn’t help either.  So trust me, I understand the frustration of new gym goers.  Because of this, many people are turning to personal trainers to whip their behinds into shape.  Being a certified personal trainer myself, I have 10 quick pieces of advice to give anyone who is looking for a personal trainer.

1.  Is the trainer in shape?  Far too many times I’ve seen trainers that are more overweight than the clients they are training.  If you’re potential trainer is overweight because they can’t even practice what they preach, that’s a big red flag.  On the other hand, kudos to the trainers who have lost weight and are still actively pursuing their own fitness journey the healthy way.

2.  Can they tell you why they are making you do the exercises they are giving you?  If they can’t even tell you why you are doing what you are doing, how can you expect them to know how they are going to help you with YOUR goals?

3.  Can they perform the same exercises or workouts that they are making you do?  Anytime I ever work anyone or a group of people out, I either test run the workout if it is something I have never done myself, or pull from old exercises I have done.  Why am I going to tell someone to do something I can’t even do? A good trainer should lead by example.

4.  Are they telling you to “eat clean” but shoving their face with pizza and cookies any chance they get?  The same way a trainer should lead by example with the workouts you are given, they should follow the exact advice they are giving you; fitness and nutrition related.  Now, if you’re a trainer who is blessed and can eat whatever he/she wants and still keep your 6 pack, good for you.  Just don’t start giving nutritional advice.

5. Number 5 probably should be number 1, but is your trainer even certified? If so, in what? How long ago were they certified? Are they reading, attending lectures, or seminars to stay up to date with latest trends or fitness discoveries?  Too many times I see people getting trained by people who aren’t even certified! So what if they have a abs, what works for them may not work for you, and they may not be educated enough to know that.

6.  Are they worth the price they set?  Do they have experience? Degrees? Certifications? Awards? Anything to back up their fees.  Someone who just got certified should not be charging the same as someone with a PFT certification that also has multiple other certs or someone who has a bachelors, masters, or pHD in exercise physiology.

7.  There is a fine line between a trainer who knows how to push someone to achieve their best performance and a trainer who pushes someone into an injury.  If you are complaining of pain that is not the general huffing and puffing or burn, but a legitimate pain,  your trainer should not tell you to ignore it.  It could very much lead to a more serious injury.  If you’re just being lazy, then yes, you should get yelled at. I heard a story about someone who went in on back to back days to train.  On the first day, she went in and by the end of the workout felt an unusual pain in her shoulders, she told the trainer, and her trainer said to ignore it.  On the very next day, she came in saying her shoulder was hurting and the trainer insisted on training upper body? uhm, HELLO?! First of all, you are paying him to train what YOU want to train.  Second of all, you have legs that can be worked out without exacerbating the pain in your shoulders.  Major red flag.

8.  Are they touching you only when it’s necessary?  If you are doing something that needs correcting, a trainer should ask permission if it’s in an “iffy” spot.  Are you doing something right and still getting touched in inappropriate places.  Leave and don’t come back.  You should NEVER feel uncomfortable around your trainer.

9. Are they making sure you are warmed up before going into a workout?  You should never go into a workout full throttle cold turkey.  Get your heart rate up and warm up your muscles first.

10.  Are they making sure you cool down and stretch after every session?  Not doing so can lead to injury.

Again, everything here is my own personal opinion.  You are free to agree or disagree.  I do hope that This post was able to help someone find a good personal trainer.