1. Dietary fat, which is the fat found in our foods/diet.

2. Body fat, which is the visible fat we see when we look in the mirror.

3. Visceral fat, the type most associated with health issues and the type that surrounds our internal organs.

Today, we’ll be discussing dietary fat.

Why Does Dietary Fat Matter?

Dietary fat helps the body with a multitude of jobs. It helps you absorb certain nutrients (Vitamins A, D, K, E), maintains your core temperature, protects your heart, helps protein do its job, is involved in chemical reactions for growth and repair, and helps your immune system function properly. Fat is also one of the more satiating nutrients we eat, meaning that it can help us feel full a bit quicker. Fat slows down the process of the stomach emptying into the intestines, thus allowing us to feel satiated a bit longer through the day.

Dietary fat can be broken down into two main subcategories: saturated fat and unsaturated fat.

Saturated Fat – a Scapegoat?

Saturated fat is found mostly in meat and dairy and is solid at room temperature. Unfortunately, it has gotten a bad reputation over the years and is now the most (unfairly)demonized dietary nutrient, because of its association with the Standard American Diet. This is both unfortunate and inaccurate, because the Standard American Diet also happens to be rich in processed foods, foods particularly high in refined sugar, and foods particularly high in sodium, and we can more accurately label these as co-contributors to many of the lifestyle-related illnesses that are plaguing our country and the world at the moment. They could be considered the lethal trio of nutrition, and saturated fat has nothing to do with them. In fact, saturated fats by themselves are beneficial, especially when we consume them through whole foods.

Some key roles of saturated fat are aiding the synthesis of essential fatty acids and providing building blocks for essential hormones. Did you know that saturated fat also makes up half of the membranes of our cells, and half of the composition of our brain?

Unsaturated Fat

Unsaturated fat, found mostly in oils and plant-based sources, is usually liquid at room temperature. The difference between saturated fats and unsaturated fats lies in their chemical structures. To keep it real quick, unsaturated fats have one or more “double bonds” in their chemical structure, where saturated fats have none. A fat with one double bond is a monounsaturated fat, a fat with two or more double bonds is a polyunsaturated fat.

Unsaturated fats supply the body with essential fats (in this case meaning that the body can’t make them on its own). You may have heard of them before: Omega-3 and Omega-6 are examples of essential fatty acids and can be found in oils and fish. These types of fats (Omega-3s) can help protect your heart health as well as immune function and inflammation. Always keep them in rotation as variety, once again, is key.

Obtaining essential fatty acids is one of the key benefits of eating unsaturated fats. A few more benefits are that they:

• Support cell growth

• Provide energy

• Protect organs

• Promote nutrient absorption

Fat as an Energy Source

Fat itself serves as the secondary form of energy usage for the body. When carbohydrate stores and blood sugar levels are low, the body will use mainly fats as energy. Since fat holds 9 calories per gram (which is high compared to protein and carbohydrates), it makes it the perfect backup energy source and the body will store fat easily for this reason. At times when food is scarce and our glucose stores are nearly depleted, the body adapts by utilizing this stored source of energy. Compared to the ~1–2,000 calories’ worth of energy that stored carbohydrates provide us, fat stores provide us over 70,000 calories’ worth! Nowadays, since we mostly no longer face food shortages (and actually have access to an abundance of food), we tend to chronically overeat. This leads to fat stores piling up on us, leading to the current obesity epidemic.

Low-fat Diets

About 40–50 years ago, a low-fat diet was THE diet. Since fat supplies the body with vital nutrition, low-fat diets can actually cause a bit of harm by wrecking hormone production and energy levels, causing brain fog and constant hunger, etc. Maintaining a daily fat intake at a MINIMUM of 0.3 grams per pound of (ideal) body weight is key. For a 200lb man, that’s no less than 67g of fat. This is a sufficient amount for most people to allow the body to function normally. Generally speaking, women, especially women who menstruate, will need a little bit more than that.

As with ANYTHING in regards to personalized nutrition, the optimal amount will depend on the person as an individual. Need help understanding your needs? Let’s chat!

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How much?

Most people, especially after they exercise, need to eat a higher amount of protein than they currently do. Since protein helps build muscle mass, eating more protein will allow the body to build more muscle. The golden rule for most people is to consume roughly 1 gram (g) per pound (lb) of body weight.

If that seems like too much for you now, start slow. 0.6g protein per pound of body weight is the minimum threshold we should be looking to obtain. So figure out where your intake is right now, and from there you can slowly build by adding 1- 2 oz of meat, or other protein-rich source, to each meal for an extra 5–10g of protein. You can do this until you reach 1g protein per pound of bodyweight.

If you’re heavily overweight, base these numbers on your ideal weight rather than your current weight. So if you currently weigh 300lb but have an ideal weight of 185lb, your daily protein target should be 185g, not 300g.

Where to get more protein?

The best sources of protein for human consumption are animal-based. Without getting into the nitty-gritty, nerdy details, animal proteins – specifically milk, eggs, beef, and chicken – place extremely high on the scale that rates protein digestion and absorption. Falling lower on the list are grain- and plant-based proteins.

Why are they ranked like this? Protein digestion and absorption come down to the essential amino acid profile of the food in question. In this case, essential means the body can’t produce or synthesize that particular amino acid on its own, so must get it from the diet. Some essential amino acid profiles are more bio-available than others, meaning that our bodies can use them more efficiently. We should, therefore, try to prioritise foods with more suitable essential amino acid profiles.

Plant-based eaters will need to do extra due diligence on eating complementary proteins together. Plants rank low on the ‘quality” scale for protein, mainly because they are lacking or have low levels of one or more essential amino acids. Complementary proteins are two sources of protein that complement each other’s essential amino acid profiles, which helps increase the body’s ability to utilize them efficiently.

Some Plant-based Dishes with Complete (Complementary) Proteins

• Beans and rice

• Dahl (Indian lentil stew with rice)

• Chickpea chana masala with rice

• Peanut butter sandwich (on whole-wheat bread)

• Tacos with beans and a wheat tortilla

• Split-pea soup with brown rice

• Vegetable chili with cornbread

• Bean chili and crackers

• Refried beans and tortillas

• Falafel (chickpea pancake) with pita bread

• Whole-grain pita bread and hummus

• Lentil soup with a slice of whole-grain bread

• Pasta salad with kidney beans

• Pasta with lentil bolognese

• Oatmeal with peanut butter

• Bean curd with sesame seeds

• Classic hummus: chickpea and tahini (sesame paste)

• Chickpea salad with sprouts

• Trail mix with peanuts and seeds

• Lentil patties with tahini sauce

• Lentil and hemp meatballs

• Buckwheat and hemp pancake

Variety

Just eating the same source of protein every day, for every meal, is nearly as reckless as eating low total protein. YOU MUST HAVE A VARIETY. A variety of protein sources provides many different amino acid levels that complement each other. If you eat too much of one source, your body may build an intolerance to it, causing your body to become bloated, gassy, or lethargic; the complete opposite of how we want to feel!

Additional Benefits

Another benefit of eating more protein is that many studies have shown that it aids in body fat loss, which, at the end of the day, everybody wants.

How does it do this? To keep it simple, protein is a remarkably satiating nutrient, meaning it will help us feel “fuller” quicker, so we are less likely to overeat. The body also doesn’t have a storage site for excess protein. Unlike excess carbohydrates and fat, which get stored in our fat tissue, excess protein and the amino acids that make it up hang out in the blood in something called the amino acid pool. Since the body is receiving adequate amounts of protein, when it comes time to repair tissues, specifically muscle tissue, there is an abundance of building blocks to meet its requirements. Additionally, more muscle burns more calories at rest; burning more calories at rest aids in fat loss.

If there was one nutritional hack to help burn fat, eating more protein is it.

Are there any dangers to consuming more protein?

If you are a healthy individual, it is perfectly safe to consume a high-protein diet. If you have any medical issues, specifically issues with the kidneys, you should speak with your primary care doctor, nephrologist, or medically trained dietitian about proceeding.

Interested in learning more about your specific protein needs?

Schedule a nutrition consultation below!

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I remind my clients of this quote often. I’m sure this great Founding Father was referring to war or diplomacy when he said it, but in this instance, I am applying it to your journey to create healthier habits. Having a plan and actively preparing to act in accordance with it will bring you closer to success than you realize.

One of the easiest ways to start creating healthier habits is to work home-cooked meals into your schedule.

Plan to have 1-3 breakfasts, 1-3 Lunches, 4-6 Dinners that you can rotate through the month. This will help keep unnecessary purchases at the grocery store to a minimum.

A note on cooking for yourself

If you don’t know your way around the kitchen or feel comfortable cooking yet, start slow. There is no need to rush the process or to stress, my friend—follow these tips, and you will be A-okay, I promise!

Simple meals can be tasty, and planning ahead of time removes a lot of the stress from cooking. Remember: the only way to get better is to keep practicing. Don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t come easy at first—it takes time to build skill in anything.

Cooking shouldn’t be seen as a huge event or ordeal. Once you get comfortable in the kitchen, it can be seen as a place of relaxation and creativity.

Some other benefits of Meal Planning and Preparation include: setting you up to meet your and your family’s health goals. Creates less stress shopping, helping you stay within budget. It will increase cooking and time management skills, saving time during the week for other family activities, thus decreasing the likelihood of resorting to “drive-thru” dinners. It will also decrease food waste. Family bonding time to create and make decisions together, while teaching your children the importance of cooking and how to have fun.

Where to Start: Planning

For meal planning to be effective, first you must have an idea of your schedule for the next week or so. Be aware of obligations that you and your family have that might force you to have a quick breakfast or a late dinner; these scenarios may call for a grab-and-go meal or leftovers. You can’t cater to them if you haven’t thought of them in advance.

Next, think about the meals you want to have. Don’t just think about the entrees— are you going to have sides? sauces? Consider the time it will take to fully prepare those meals (you will learn this the minute you start cooking them consistently) and what other obligations you may have to work around on those nights.

Budget your spending according to what you can afford. Home cooking gives you the chance to buy in bulk and make extra portions of one meal that can easily feed your family for another night. Utilizing leftovers helps you to save money and time preparing and cooking other meals that week.

Most importantly, do not become a slave to your own device! Be willing and ready to adapt to any resistance you may face. If you have children, keep in mind what they enjoy eating as well, and begin to slowly acclimatize them to different foods than they are used to.

Pro Tip: Create a theme for each day of the week! Ideas for themes include “Slow Cooker Sunday”, “Meat Mondays”, “Taco Tuesdays”, etc.

Meal and Recipe Inspiration:

Some of my favorite places to get recipes come from simply using Google. Use words like “quick”, “easy”, “fast”, and “healthy,” then follow it with e.g. “dinner recipes”. You will find a plethora of options at your fingertips.

If Google isn’t your thing or the idea overwhelms you, check out some cookbooks from your favorite social media accounts.

You can find the recipe book my family uses 10 Quick, Easy, & Protein Packed Meals, here:

Cook Book Here

Pro tip: Once you decide what recipes you’d like to cook, see if you can make the meal healthier and even tastier. Think of recipes as suggestions - most of the time you can add, remove, or replace certain ingredients to meet your health goals and excite your taste buds

Tools and Tips to Save Time and Energy:

I hope the guidance above gives you a good starting point for building healthy home-cooked meals into your schedule. To sign off, I will leave you with a few bonus practical tips that you can use while preparing and cooking a meal:

• Instant-Pot

  • Multiple settings to allow you to pressure cook, slow cook, or even sauté.

• Air Fryer

  • Works like a small oven

• Rice Cooker

  • Ready in less than 20 minutes, and is set and forget

• Slow Cooker

  • Put a meal in before you leave for the day, and its ready when you get home

• CLEAN AS YOU GO

  • Many great recipes only use one to two pots and pans. During moments when you have to wait before the next step, save time by cleaning as you go.

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In 1977, the U.S. government made it a Dietary Goal for the United States to consume less sodium overall to prevent an increase in blood pressure. The U.S. Surgeon General had admitted that there was NO EVIDENCE that a low-salt diet would prevent this from happening.

Almost 20 years later, the first Systematic Review and Meta-analysis on the effects of sodium restriction were completed.

Evidence found in these reviews was based on weak, nonrandomized data to help draw a conclusion aligned with the original sentiment made in 1977.

Further evidence that can be found in the literature suggests that approximately 4 out of 5 people with normal blood pressure are not sensitive to the blood pressure-raising effects of sodium at all.

Even those with above-average blood pressure (prehypertension), around 3 out of 4 were not sensitive to sodium. Of those with High Blood Pressure, a little over half (55%) were not sensitive to the blood pressure-raising effects of sodium.

So why the hell were we told to avoid salt?

The first study on this hypothesis was done in 1904 on 6 patients. They found blood pressure increases immediately following high salt intake. 3 years later, the same scientist published conflicting data.

In the 1920s, more publications were released stating that salt restriction lowered blood pressure in 60% of patients, stating that high salt intake overworked the kidney. He had no proof for this.

Many publications were able to refute this hypothesis. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Heart Disease and Obesity were on the climb. Scientists were trying to figure out the cause of this. They pretty much only looked at 2 things as the probable cause: sugar and salt.

Since there was not much money in salt, sugar companies went on the offensive. Companies that had an interest in promoting sugar would promote studies stating its benefits. Conflicts of interest in studies conducted on sugar, backed by the companies who would profit from it, 83.3% of studies finding no influence of sugar-sweetened beverages on weight gain and obesity.

In contrast, in the studies that accounted for the conflicts of interest, 83.3% found a positive association between sugar-sweetened beverages and weight gain/obesity. And just like that, sugar was swept under the rug, and salt was in the spotlight as a problem for our health.

Salt has always been valued before.

From the hunter-and-gather days to the salt wars, Salt was a sought-after food. Instinctively, we knew we needed it. In the Roman Empire, it was suspicious if you didn’t offer salt to your guests.

Soldiers’ rations in the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Civil War contained up to 18,000mg of sodium a day… over 7.8x what’s recommended for Americans today.

Many common hunter-gather tribes have been recorded as eating up to 40g (40,000mg) in a day.

Effects of Sodium on the Body

Eating too low an amount of salt throughout the day can actually have the opposite effect on blood pressure. Too low salt intake can raise your heart rate and blood pressure, placing more stress on your body.

Eating a low-salt diet can actually release more insulin into your blood post-carbohydrate intake compared to high-salt diets.

Higher-salt diets can make you more insulin sensitive, allowing for the disposal of glucose in the blood to be more efficient

Eating a low-salt diet can lower the activity of “brown fat” or the “good fat” in our body. The job of brown fat is to regulate our metabolism. Lower activity = lower metabolism.

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How much salt should we be eating?

Interestingly, our bodies have an innate system built within to allow us to self-regulate our salt/sodium intake.

We call this type of system a negative-feedback loop. When we’ve consumed “enough” sodium throughout the day, we stop searching and eating salty foods. The body innately knows when there’s enough, so it doesn’t over-consume it.

Compare this to a substance like sugar whose intake is regulated on a positive-feedback system. The more we eat, the more we want to eat. The body can not innately shut this off. It will continue to look for more sugar no matter how much we eat.

Basing recommendations based on your own needs is the best advice to give. On average, this puts a majority of individuals in the 3,000- 4,000 mg range. When allowed to consume salt freely, most fall within this range.

You may need to consume more salt if you:

• If you work in a Hot Environment

• Excessively Sweat

• Train Intensely

• Eat a Low-Carb or Ketogenic Diet

• Mouth Breath

• Have been sick

• Chronic Headaches

• Chronically Fatigue

• Experienced Serious trauma to the skin (burns and hemorrhages)

• Pregnant or Lactating

I found that most athletes I work with are safe to consume 6,000- 9,000 mg of Sodium a day.

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How to increase your sodium intake:

The easiest way to increase your sodium intake is to simply start applying liberal amounts of salt to your meals. Just enough that it is not overpowering the flavor within the dish.

Another easy way to increase your sodium intake is to consume more seafood. Fish, shellfish, and crustaceans that swim in saltwater will naturally have a higher amount of sodium.

How a typical day should look to help increase your sodium intake

• Wake Up: 16-32oz Water with 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt (~500-1000mg) + Lime/Lemon

• Apply 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt to Breakfast (~500-1000mg)

• Apply 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt to Lunch(~500-1000mg)

• Apply 1/4- 1/2 teaspoon of Salt to Dinner (~500-1000mg)

• 60-90 minutes before Bed: 16oz of water + 1/4 teaspoon of salt (~500mg)

Salt and working out:

• Cooler Temps (<80*F): 1/4 tsp salt 30 min prior to exercise, 1/4 tsp every hour after

• Warm Temps (80-90*F): 1/2-1 tsp salt 30 min prior to exercise, 1/2-1 tsp every hour after

• Hot Temps (90*F+): 1-2 tsp 30 min prior to exercise, 1-2 tsp every hour after

These are general recommendations. Needs will differ based on how much you sweat and how much sodium you actually lose in exercise. If your sweaty shirt ever dries white, you’re a salty sweater and will need more. *Always seek a doctor's approval before making drastic changes to your diet and lifestyle*

As with much in the Health space, every BODY is different. What one person needs may be drastically different than what you need. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to leave a comment below!

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I’ve woken up in pain most days in the last 15 years.

Manual labor job moving brick pavers for 12 hours a day in the summer Heat at 14. Playing Football in high school and training hard in the gym to get strong for the sport. Endless hiking with +120 lbs of gear on and the ‘hard in the paint’ lifestyle lived in the Marine Corps. Lifting 350lb stones off the ground to chest level, deadlifting Ford Rangers, and pressing 250 lbs overhead in strong-man competitions. To now running ultramarathon races for fun.

I’ve put my body through the wringer for the past two decades of my life.

Herniated Disc, Tendon Strains, Ligament Tears, Pulled Muscles, etc. You name it, I’ve experienced it.

Running the past few years seemed to cause the most pain.

Like most people starting out running with no formal training, my warm-up for the run was the first 5-10 minutes. Maybe a couple of leg swings and we were good to go.

Tight hips and a strained back were just ‘normal’ to feel on a run

When I learned how to warm up properly, the pain finally went away.

Here are the movement patterns I conduct before my run with videos and descriptions. It takes me around 8 minutes to do this from start to finish to ensure I can run mostly pain-free for that session.

1. Single Leg Hip Thrust

   1. On one Knee, Squeeze the Butt cheek of the leg that’s down forcing the hips forward. This helps warm the glutes and loosens up the hip flexors which are usually tight from sitting most of the day. Tight hip flexors are a contributor to low back pain while running.

   2. 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps… really whenever it feels good and loose

2. Kneeling Adductor Lean-To’s

   1. With one knee down the other leg is pointed to the side creating a 90° angle

      Lean into the knee that’s up, allowing the knee to track over toes getting a deep stretch in the adductor (inside of thigh, groin) on the leg that’s down.

   2. Again, 2-3 sets of 10-15… really whenever it feels good

3. Bird Dogs

   1. On all 4’s bring the left knee to meet the right elbow underneath. Kick back squeezing the butt while extending the arm out. Then switch legs and arms. These are a great glute warm-up and core stability exercise.

   2. Again, 2-3 sets of 10-15… really whenever it feels good

4. Fire Hydrants

   1. Just like your dog peeing on anything, be on all 4’s and pick the knee up until it’s at the same level as your hip. Try to keep your knee straight out, in line with your hip, not towards your head or your feet. This is a great warm-up for your abductors (outside of your hips)

   2. Again, 2-3 sets of 10-15… really whenever it feels good

5. 90/90’s

   1. Sitting on your butt, knees at 90° angles to the same side, rotate the knees/hips to the other side with a slight pause. These may take a few tries to get used to.

   2. Again, 2-3 sets of 10-15…. really whenever it feels good

6. Elephant Squats

   1. Feet shoulder width apart, butt down, hands on the ground- while keeping hands down, pick up your hips and stand up through your low back. This feels great on your lower back and the back of your legs.

   2. 1-2 sets of 8-12 reps here

7. Calf Pumps

   1. I feel most of us instinctively know how to do these. Good to just get those muscles “woken up” and blood flowing.

   2. 1 set of 10 on each side

8. A-Skips

   1. I’m still relatively new to these (6 months)… the double skip on the bottom and high knee drive then foot drive is key to getting the legs moving how we want for when we run.

   2. 1 set of 20-30 yards down and back

9. B-Skips

   1. Much like A-Skips, but your focus is on hitting the ground with your toes using a more forward kick if you will. I find it’s easier to strike with my mid to fore foot on my runs when I hammer these.

   2. 1 set of 20-30 yards down and back

10. Cowboy Walks

    1. Might be my favorite one Each step you take you will drive your knee up, then while above ground to the side to make a 90° angle then down. Do this forward and backward.

    2. 1 set of 20-30 yards back and forth

That concludes the warm-up before the run. The first 10-15 minutes of any run is done at a slower pace before hammering whatever the session calls for.

If you aren’t running further than that, A couple of little SLOW EASY jogs or walks of 50 yards down and back will help you get into whatever that session calls for.

This warm-up has made my runs feel incredibly well even when I’m sore and beat up from days prior to training.

Can you implement this 8-minute warm-up before you head out on the next run?

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Convenience is at our fingertips.

Things are becoming less challenging.

2000… hell, 200 years ago, if we were hungry, we had to head down to the market or go on a hunt.

If we were thirsty, we’d have to walk to the well or the crick.

If we were horny, we’d have to spend time to court another.

If we were poor, we’d actually have to talk to and meet people face to face to get investments.

Nowadays, there’s an app for all of that.

The easy road is easy to take now.

No challenge to be had, yet we still can be caught complaining that life is hard.

Isn’t that something?

I recently was reading a bible devotion, and it sparked a ton of thought and reminded me of an Ancient Greek Myth of Hercules at the crossroads.

The Bible Verse is Matthew 7:13-14 -

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. Fot the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

The way is EASY that leads to DESTRUCTION… the way is HARD that leads to LIFE.

The Ancient Greek Myth of Hercules at the Crossroads is summarized here

Young Hercules at a crossroads in his life, encounters two women who represent opposing paths:

• Vice: A beautiful, seductive woman who promises a life of immediate gratification—feasting, luxury, ease, and every sensual pleasure—without hardship or effort. She claims he can avoid all toil and enjoy the shortest, most delightful road.

• Virtue: A modest, dignified woman who offers a difficult but noble path. She warns that true greatness, honor, and lasting fame come only through sweat, labor, and overcoming challenges. The road is steep and demanding, but it leads to genuine achievements, respect from gods and mortals, and eternal glory.

Hercules was apprached by Vice quickly. Virtue happened to take her time. Eventually, Hercules chooses the path of Virtue.

This decision sets him on the heroic course of his famous Twelve Labors and cements his legacy as a symbol of moral strength and perseverance.

Our nature as humans is to take the path of least resistance - the easy road.

Doing so, we struggle to find meaning or purpose for our lives.

The easy road feels great in the now. But after years upon years of choosing the easy road, we succumb to the pleasures of life. Robbing us of who we are meant to be.

The hard road now can suck at first, but eventually it will break through, and peace will be found.

I’d argue in every endeavor we go after, peace is what we are truly after.

But it is pleasure and ease that seduce us into making us believe peace can be immediately had.

The struggle of the journey is what makes peace worth seeking.

We want the great things of life, but as in the ancient wisdom of the bible and Greek myths, we know that if it truly will bring peace and life, it will be hard at first.

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They’ve dieted the right way for a long time.

Weeks, months, for some, years.

Counting Calories to the gram, exercising harder than ever, eating protein in vast quantities— and yet the spare tire has yet to disappear and their objective weight loss has plateaued.

From my observation, this is where even the most disciplined of people tend to fail, get frustrated, and revert to old ways.

I don’t blame them, I would too. This is one case where not having the proper knowledge is what’s holding them back.

We know that what losing weight and melting fat ultimately comes down to, no matter the diet approach, is a caloric deficit.

The ugly truth behind a caloric deficit is that it does come with some downsides.

Everything in life has a tradeoff, even the very thing that is the primary driver of a good thing such as weight loss. So it is important to understand how to properly approach losing weight holistically, so we can minimize the negative effects that can be associated with it.

Some of the ‘negative’ effects that come from caloric deficits (restriction) include:

• Diminished Hormone Levels

• Increase in Hunger & Appetite (I’d argue, though uncomfortable, is a good thing)

• Lethargy, Tiredness, Fatigue

• Emotional Swings

When you look at those downsides, we can see how, when carried over a long period of time, it could start to produce weight loss plateaus and an inability to get rid of the stubborn fat.

Thus, eating too little for far too long is how belly fat stays stubborn.

So how do we change that and lose the fat we’ve struggled with for so long?

The way out is to approach your weight loss in phases.

Introducing, *Drum Roll*, REFEED Breaks!

In my experience, for myself and the 100’s clients I’ve coached through their weight loss journeys, as well as being aligned with the scientific literature, Refeeds aka Diet Breaks are paramount to the overall success of your weight loss.

Refeeds are NOT cheat days/weeks.

Unlike a cheat day/week that is unplanned and not well controlled, Refeeds are planned out and controlled much like the caloric restriction of the dieting phase.

A Refeed entails consuming calories in a slight surplus, increasing around 200 calories above maintenance from carbohydrates (200 calories = 50g of carbs) instead of fats and proteins.

A typical refeed comes after week 12 to 16 of a caloric deficit/restriction phase.

The refeed typically will last 7-14 days.

Example:

• Weeks 1-4: Priming phase

  • Figuring out maintenance calories and eating at maintenance to regulate self

• Weeks 4-16 ( up to week 20): Caloric Deficit/Restriction Phase

  • Drop 500 calories below maintenance seeking 1-2lbs of weight loss a week

  • ***Continuing to drop 200-300 calories as needed dependent on progress***

• Week 17 (or 21): Refeed week

  • Increase calories +200 above maintenance, mainly from Carbohydrates

• Week 18 (or 22): Caloric Deficit/Restriction Phase

  • Back down into a deficit

Of course, this is dependent on person to person.

Some may do better overall with 1-3 days every 6-8 weeks. I have known of some people making progress with 1 refeed day, 1 day a week. For all intents and purposes, the majority of people need to be in a continual state of caloric deficit/restriction for a longer period (i.e. 12-16 weeks), as in the way of building buy-in to the over process and sustaining consistency to make the desired progress.

Why does this work well?

When we restrict calories, our hormones start to fluctuate. One of the important hormones for hunger and weight loss is Leptin. Leptin’s main role is the long-term regulation of energy for your nervous system and is involved in metabolism, hormone regulation, and energy balance. It is produced by fat cells and tells the brain if/when we are satisfied, helping regulate hunger.

When it comes to being in a caloric deficit, our Leptin levels decrease. When this happens, the body does not know how long we will be in this restricted period and will start to tell the body, “Hey, we need to eat more food and burn fewer calories.”

This mainly comes in the form of decreasing Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis— less fidgeting, slower blinking, etc.

What the body is doing is called Adaptive Thermogenesis.

The body’s rate of burning calories at rest and even providing enough energy to exercise at proper intensity decreases. When the rate of calorie burning decreases, this affects the likelihood, and therefore the rate at which we can lose weight. Slowing it to a crawl or complete halt. We may even start seeing the preservation of fat mass and decrease of Lean Body Mass tissue like muscle to preserve energy.

This is where refeeds and diet breaks become crucial.

When we can take deliberate and planned action, to take ourselves out of a period of caloric restriction through planned refeeding periods, mainly through carbohydrates, the body will in essence “relax” and re-regulate itself. Balancing out hormones, having more energy for the NEAT, and increasing motivation and energy overall.

But why specifically increase calories through Carbs?

Carbs have an elevated ability to increase Leptin levels over fats or proteins. Thus allowing levels to return to normal, increasing the rate at which we may burn calories, therefore allowing the process of weight loss to occur more efficiently.

Another benefit related to Carbs is the fact they can increase our physical performance. When we are low on calories, we are low on energy stores as well. Glycogen being the storage form of carbohydrates is particularly depleted during a period of caloric restriction. Increasing calories from carbohydrates above maintenance will promote the storage of carbohydrates as glycogen in the muscle. The unique thing about the carbohydrates that get stored in the muscle is the fact they can ONLY be used by the muscle. When that happens our ability to push harder in training, therefore helping the process of weight loss.

Caution to this process

This approach works well when kept to a plan. It is easy to go overboard following a refeed if you are not prepared well for it. Much like watching your intake and counting calories to make sure you maintain a caloric deficit, the same process of watching your intake and counting calories so you don’t eat in excess on a refeed is just as important.

A refeed is still dieting. It is not a free-for-all, which is where those who fail usually do so at. You must maintain the same discipline during your refeed period as you do during the period of caloric restriction. As the little side is not made above, this is why the length and frequency of a refeed is dependent on the person. And how it differs dramatically from the idea of a “Cheat”.

If you are tired of holding on to that excess fat, it’s time you did something about it.

Schedule a No-Cost Consultation

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When we think of goal setting, we tend to think in objective terms.

“I have the goal to

• Lose 100lbs

• Be 10% Body Fat

• Run 5:00 min mile

• Complete an Ironman

• Deadlift 700lbs

• Have $3 million invested”

Those are all wonderful and impressive goals to have set.

They give us a north star, a goal line to cross.

These objective goals have a solidified number to achieve. Something that is Black or White. Either we accomplish it or not

But very rarely is it accomplishing those objective measures that really makes us feel successful in those accomplishments.

What really evokes the emotion of accomplishment is the subjective goals we achieve along the way.

It’s finding success in building and maintaining the habits you have to change to achieve those goals.

It’s not just losing 100lbs but being proud of how you look.

It’s not just running a 5:00 min mile, but being proud of the consistent execution of being a fast runner

It’s not deadlifting 700lbs its learning to be confident enough in attempting any lift that you approach.

Many times we put arbitrary timelines to complete the objective goals, and when we miss that mark, we feel as if we fall short of that timeline.

Feeling unsuccessful because we missed that objective mark.

But what about the subjective victories we had along the way?

I will argue that those subjective accomplishments mean more than the objective ones.

Because that is what will continue to drive us forward, what will fuel the fire within.

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July 4th is one of my favorite holidays to celebrate.

The celebration of our great Nation creates an unexplainable sense of pride and joy for where we live.

This year, with the World Cup in town, our 250th birthday, and just growing a little bit older, I believe the world is seeing what America truly is like without the lens of the News pushing negative narratives.

“If you want to hate America, watch the news. If you want to love America, talk to her people.”

I encourage you to get outside, wave ‘hi’ to your neighbors, offer them a beer or a sparkling water, and enjoy a nice conversation.

Light up the grill and enjoy those glizzys.

Send off some fireworks while trying not to set the land on fire or lose any fingers.

Laugh and be Merry.

We are part of one of the world’s greatest social experiments, and we get to choose to make it a positive experience for ourselves.

Happy 4th of July!

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Counting Macros, Keto, Carnivore, Plant-based, Mediterranean, Fruit to Noon, Volumetrics… the list goes on… and on… and on.

It’s exhausting, honestly.

And that’s coming from someone who's spent over 15 years in the Nutrition space at this point.

For you, someone just starting, it is just flat out OVERWHELMING.

Ok, let’s take a breath.

In, 1-2-3-4, Out, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8.

If there’s a simple principle of Nutrition and Dieting that I’ve seen bring the most success for a majority of people, it is this -

1. Stay at or below your calorie deficit number.

2. Hit your protein goal, ideally ~1g per pound of ideal bodyweight.

3. Let everything else (fat/carbs) fall where they lie.

There’s a bunch of nonsense that you should have an X, Y, Z ratio.

That you need this amount of this nutrient, or you won’t see success.

But the truth be told, if you’re on a general health/weight loss journey-

These three statements/rules are all that matter in improving your health.

1. Keeping calories in check is the most important aspect. Losing weight comes down to an equation - Eat less energy (calories) than you burn. You do that, the body will tap into stores (fat) to make up for it. Weight loss happens.

2. Hit your protein goals. Protein helps keep you full. It helps maintain and build muscle and tissues. It can’t get stored as fat. Helps (slightly) speed up your metabolism. Keeps you fuller longer. Packed full of nutrients.

3. I am a fan of keeping a higher carb count than fat. But truthfully, it isn’t that deep. If you hit your protein goal and stay at or under your calorie goal, you will still see weight loss. This helps calm the nervousness or feelings of being overwhelmed when going out to eat, going to the countless BBQs happening in the summer, and in general is one less thing to worry about.

If you follow this principle, you will see results.

Many times, the solution you are in search of is a lot simpler than your brain wants to think it is.

Simple, becomes easy.

And when it’s easy, it’s hard to allow yourself to fall off the wagon.

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“If you wanna go far, go together.”

This past weekend spoke immense truth into that statement.

hosted some of the guys from his DO HARD THINGS community in Indianapolis for a training camp in preparation for The Prairie On Fire - Backyard Ultramarathon, which we are racing in September.

It was a mile-filled weekend.

Kicked off with a Trail Half Marathon on Friday night.

Moved into breakfast speaking on fueling strategies.

An hour after breakfast, an 8-mile track-stride workout.

Big Lunch, then 3 practice yards (4.167 miles in 1 hour) around the neighborhood.

Closed it down with a nice steak dinner.

33-ish miles in less than 24-hours. It felt like good training.

But here was the kicker, as the night and day wound down, one of our local buddies, Angel, came back after his classes. Most of the crew had left for the night, and it was just Zach, Charlie, and me.

Angel said he was going to hit his 3 yards now.

We all kinda looked at each other, and we knew we weren’t gonna let him run all of them by himself.

Zach said, “WE GOT 1 MORE “

And off we went on the extra credit yard.

Surprisingly, it felt really good.

See if it were just me, I most likely wouldn’t have gone out for 1 more. I would have been (rightfully) satisfied with my weekend effort.

But the group was going out, and I wasn’t going to stay behind.

Surrounding yourself with the right people who know you have more to give will truly show you what you’re capable of.

For a guy who mainly trains solo, training with others brings another level.

If you feel like there’s an edge to gain, a proper community will bring that out of you…

The Do Hard Things Community might just be the one you’re looking for.

Check out Zach’s DHT - Mini Retreat to get a taste of what the community cultivates:

DHT - Mini Retreat

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”Only Psychos do that.” He said.

Of course, I laughed and understood. (Because its partially true.)

But, in that conversation we talked about going from Powerlifting/Strongman training into Ultra/Ironman training and what that looked like.

I simply said, “I had to bite off more than I could chew in training, because the event is going to be more than anything I have ever done before.”

And it sparked a memory of writing this blog— remember those things? lol.

So I wanted to share it here on this platform.

My training has gotten much smarter as I have learned this sport but the core of the message remains the same.

---

What’s going on, my friend?!?

If you followed any of my socials you understand that “Doing Hard Things” is an embodiment of becoming your best self.

In our world, convenience has riddled our society with poor health and laxidasical choices. As things become easier, our minds, and therefore, our bodies are becoming softer by the day.

The easiest way to “Do hard Things” is by pushing the body further than the mind wants to go. Physical challenges force the mind to callous itself. No matter if you complete the challenge or not, callouses will develop.

If you fall short trying to execute the challenge, you did not fail. You hardened the callous more than it was previously. You only fail when you accept temporary defeat as a permanent failure.

The adage goes “Get knocked down 7, stand up 8.”. Your mind will want to quit before the body is to its breaking point.

That’s why I signed up for a 100km (62.14mile) trail race. Running was something I always “sucked” at. In middle school and high school sports, I would struggle behind on long runs. In the Marine Corps, I was the Marine to bring up the rear and “help” out any stragglers as, I myself would be falling out.

But, seeing some of the toughest people I know struggle at Ultra-Marathons I knew deep down I needed to give this a shot. Exposing my weakness for the world to see.

I’ve known people who ran a marathon with no training, so I knew deep down I wouldn’t be satisfied with just a Marathon. (Marathon running is extremely hard and respectable) but I needed to bite off more than I can chew.

I needed to feel the fear in my bones, hear the self-doubt my lower self would shout, and push my body further than I have ever before.

I write this as I just wrapped up a 20km (12.3 miles) trail run. Each training run will be the furthest distance I’ve ever run in my life. That absolutely terrifies me. It took me 1.5hrs to recover stop shaking and shivering afterward.

I effectively bit off more than I could chew. But I now have a new standard for myself. MUCH MUCH higher than before. My confidence is through the roof. I believe I can do anything. I feel unstoppable.

This is what happens when you set out a ridiculously hard physical challenge.

You become the conqueror you always strived to be. You leave each day a better man than you were when you woke up.

Get comfortable being uncomfortable.

With Love,
D

Challenge Yourself.

Train Hard.

Train Smart.

Train.

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At 9 years old, I weighed 93lbs heading into 3rd grade.

From 10-14, there isn’t a Super Bowl party memory that doesn’t involve me throwing up in my Uncle’s toilet from snacking so much.

Anytime I was uncomfortable or bored, I ate.

Eventually, the amount of activity I would get through simply playing HS Football, being a Marine, and finding competitive sports as an adult helped offset the amount I would eat.

I often used the excuse of chasing a pro card in Strongman as an out to eating boxes of cereal before heading to bed. But really, I was masking turmoil inside through food.

The beginning of my mindfulness journey started here, where I decided to challenge my everyday routine of eating because I was finally fed up with being disgusted with what I saw in the mirror.

By learning how to be aware of my hunger cues and learning to understand what true hunger is, my physique changed drastically, and within 16 months, I was down 50lbs and extremely proud of what I saw in the Mirror.

What is hunger?

At some point, we all went a day by accident without eating. Come 7 pm, we feel a pain that is telling us something is off. Maybe it was headaches, maybe we were Hangry, maybe we just felt down. Hunger was strong.

It may have felt like we were dying, but we made it out alive.

Fasting and going periods without food in general is a great way to learn what hunger feels like at different stages of life.

But what happens when our body starts to show us the signs of being hungry?

Various hormones regulate our appetite and hunger. Going periods without food or even enough food (in a calorie deficit) will release a hormone called ghrelin to encourage you to seek food/energy. Other hormones come into play as well if you are someone with thyroid issues, diabetes or hypoglycemia, are menstruating or perimenopausal, depressed or suffering from stress/anxiety, or even because we didn’t get enough rest the night before.

Hunger doesn’t have just one cause.

Hunger can be caused by external triggers as well. Simply being bored, the time of day, navigating emotional responses, and even having the expectation or presence of desirable food can cause us to feel hungry.

Some typical signs of hunger:

• Growling stomach

• Low energy

• Headache

• Dizziness

• Trouble focusing

• Shakiness

Mindfully Navigating Hunger

Simply pausing and asking yourself why you may feel hungry is the first step.

Are you feeling the physical cues of hunger?

When was the last time you ate? Are you only hungry because you're used to eating at this time?

Is this to mask some emotions that I am feeling?

Am I just bored?

Asking questions like this can simply go a long way, but if you’re not in a great state of mind, finding the truth here can be difficult.

Switch environments… change rooms, go for a walk, move around.

During this time, do a simple body scan.

Focus on your breath going in and out.

Identify sensations you feel from your toes to your head.

If it is true hunger, allow yourself to eat. But slooooow it down.

Allow the body to fill back up without spilling over.

When you’re in the process of eating, don’t stuff your face.

Take your time and stop when you’re about 60-70% full.

What does that look and feel like?

• 100%: Extremely stuffed to the point of nausea

• 90%: Stuffed and very uncomfortable

• 80%: Overly full and a bit uncomfortable

• 70%: Full but no discomfort

• 60%: Satisfied, but more food would feel ok

• 50%: Feeling a bit hungry

• 40%: Hunger signals such as a growling stomach

• 30%: Feeling hungry to the point of discomfort and irritability

• 20%: Very hungry with dizziness, shakiness, weakness, and low energy

• 10%: Ravenous, extreme hunger with greater weakness and no energy

It will take time to understand how to utilize this scale.

Periods of fasting and breaking the fast with small portions will create a clear picture here.

Deciphering hunger can be a challenging endeavor. If you don’t trust yourself to navigate on your own, reach out. I am here to help you, Click below.

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I’ve lost count of the number of times I have either heard or shared that sentiment.

By the guidance of some wisdom that seems no one wants to hear, but you need to hear in the moment.

Maybe it’s doing a hard physical challenge, maybe it’s overcoming grief, maybe it’s simply doing the work you’ve been avoiding — it’s the hard times that we subject ourselves to that help build resilience when we least expect ourselves to need it.

This past week, I got to spend 6 beautiful and loving days with my wife in Denmark.

It was an amazing chance to watch and support her in her Professional Setting as she presented her Research at a conference, the first time in almost 9 years of being together that I got to do so.

After the conference, we got to spend a few days soaking up Danish culture and enjoying our time physically together, which is a rarity in our Long-Distance Marriage.

It was absolutely amazing creating those moments, which are now mere memories to look back on. (What a trip that is, huh?)

But, like any vacation, eventually it comes to an end.

You pack your bags and check in for your flights and out of your Airbnb.

Time winds down.

After having such a pleasant and easy time, I had a weird feeling that something unexpected was going to happen.

And that gut feeling came true…

As I went to check in online for my flights home, an error message kept coming up - no worries; we were taking a train to the airport the night before our early morning flight, so we’ll handle this tonight.

We arrive at the Airport and speak with the Floor Agent there.

Through some broken English back and forth, we find out I don’t have a ticket issued for my flight the next morning, which is prohibiting from checking in.

The agent does his thing and can’t find a solution.

He calls up the airline; they can’t do anything as it was changed through a different airline, apparently (weird, right?).

They say I need to call that airline.

I call, they say I need to call the other airline…

I call back, and they say I need to call the travel agency I booked it through.

… The travel agency didn’t have a number.

I’m on the phone for 2 hours, going back and forth.

For the first time in a long time, I can feel Anxiety and Stress COURSING through my veins.

The tingling. The buzzing. The shaking. The heart pounding.

I just want to run.

I just want to yell.

I just need to MOVE.

But I can’t.

I’m in an airport.

It’s no one’s fault. None of that will create a solution I am in desperate need of.

I pause.

I think back on all the hard stuff I’ve been through before.

The hard things I subjected myself to before—

How did I calm down then?

Got it.

I take a deep breath.

I say The Lord’s Prayer and the Hail Mary a few times.

I throw my own Hail Mary up to the Big Man upstairs that this gets figured out.

The shakes stop, my heart rate lowers.

A thought comes into my head —

“Legs 2 & 3 are fine; it’s just Leg 1 of my travel that needs fixing. What if I just bought a one-way for the same flight I am supposed to be on?”

My wife and I look up tickets; there are plenty available at the steep cost of $1,000…

“Screw it, I need to get home. Lemme ask the agent if this is a possibility.”

The agent is a new guy, as the others went home for the night.

I re-explain the situation, and he seems unsure.

“I am new here. Lemme make a few calls for you.”

A few moments and calls later, my boarding passes were printed out.

I didn’t have to drop a grand. There was an easy fix on the original airline’s side that was overlooked originally.

I felt so relieved I could cry.

After a few hours, we get to the hotel, eat, and catch a couple of hours of sleep.

The next day of travel was no walk in the park.

Plane Delays and Re-bookings.

I sat there and gave it all up.

Annoyed but unbothered, I am on my way home; I’ll get there when I get there— it is what it is.

30 hours of travel, and I was finally home.

It was a wild 40-hour experience.

But I couldn’t help but think how it could have gone so much worse if I handled it differently…

If I gave in to the immediate emotional pull of being upset and angry when things went sideways.

I thank God that I have had the experiences of putting myself, voluntairly into hard situation before to know Feelings are Facts.

The ice baths. The hard training sessions. The hard conversations. The meditations.

Doing those things when I didn’t feel like it… It paid off right there in the hellaish travel day I had to experience.

Subjecting myself to the hard, voluntarily taught me how to deal with the reluctant hardships life gives us.

Rarely is the hard thing we put ourselves through for immediate pay off, moreso its for the unforeseen hardship down the road.

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As I learned quickly here in Denmark means “Thank you.”

Tak is the shortened version of Taknemmelighed, which directly translates to English as Graditude.

And there is a lot of “Taknemmelighed” I am feeling this week -

My wife, Cheyenne, a Classical (Roman) Archeologist, received a sponsored trip to speak on a panel at a Conference in Aarhus, Denmark, this week.

She gets the opportunity to speak on topics of her research, I get the opportunity to explore a new city and country with her.

After a long travel day and yesterday shaking off the jet lag this morning, we shared a nice breakfast, and I walked her to her conference.

She gets to do her Archeological things, I get to do mine.

I got a few solo hours to fill my cup.

I knew I wanted to go for a run, but didn’t know where or how long —

The perfect recipe to Get Lost.

One thing about living in Utah that I’ve missed is that there aren’t readily available opportunities to run along water, my favorite type of run to do.

There’s a port and some beaches to the southeast of where we are staying, so I started in that direction.

Through some city streets I went.

Found a park with a gravel trail, that eventually led to a wooded area that put you right on the bay here.

Quiet, Serene, Peaceful… Perfect.

As I ran, I couldn’t help but be overcome by Taknemmelighed.

I’m in another country.

I have free time to explore.

I am able to utilize a healthy body to explore.

There is certainly a lot to be thankful for.

As I sat there thinking about those things and why I am able to experience those things, I note it’s the payoff of the work done to get me here…

The long-distance relationship allows my wife and me to accomplish the massive goals we set for our careers.

The time I spent building a business and career that allows for extended free time.

The years of fitness that have been built to make a long run seem like a stroll.

I say this all not to brag or to be a “look at me” type guy…

I say this because I still remember (and still experience) the times in life of “Why still try”, “Why is life so hard”, “Can’t I just catch a break?”, and “I wish.”

Through the tough valleys, there will always be another mountain to reach the peak on and see the beauty of what you just went through.

I feel an immense amount of Taknemmelighed for those times as I do these now.

If you’re in those hard times now, remember,

“Head Down, Eyes Up, Feet Running.”

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When it comes to our fitness and health, we often attribute sudden breakthroughs, effortless weight loss, or surprising longevity to “good genes” or sheer luck.

Yet the data and lived experience of athletes, physicians, and ordinary people reveal something more reliable:

What looks like luck is almost always the visible tip of invisible preparation.

Consider the physiology first.

A runner who “luckily” shaves minutes off a personal record did not wake up faster. They spent months building mitochondrial density through consistent aerobic training, strengthening tendons and ligaments to absorb impact, and dialing in nutrition so fuel stores never run dry on race day.

When the starting gun fires, their body is ready.

The same principle governs injury prevention. Studies from the British Journal of Sports Medicine show that athletes who follow structured warm-ups, progressive overload, and recovery protocols suffer 30–50 percent fewer injuries than those who train sporadically.

The prepared athlete doesn’t dodge bad luck; they simply find a way to meet stress with capacity.

Nutrition offers an even clearer illustration.

People who maintain steady caloric control, adequate protein intake (~1g per pound of body weight), and vitamin & mineral balance rarely experience dramatic “plateau breakthroughs.”

Their blood panels stay stable, inflammation markers stay low, and metabolism adapts gradually.

When they finally drop a stubborn ten pounds or see veins pop in their arms, friends marvel at their “lucky metabolism.”

In truth, the preparation—years of learning to read hunger cues, meal-prepping, and treating food as fuel rather than entertainment—created the conditions for that moment.

The unprepared dieter, by contrast, rides the yo-yo of crash diets and rebounds, blaming genetics for the very cycle their inconsistency sustains.

Mindset compounds the effect.

Research in positive psychology and behavioral economics demonstrates that people who view health as a skill rather than a lottery ticket are far more likely to persist through plateaus.

Preparation rewires the brain’s reward system.

Each planned workout, logged meal, and tracked sleep hour becomes evidence that effort compounds.

Over time, this evidence creates confidence.

Confidence that looks a lot like resilience.

The prepared person recovers from a torn meniscus or a prediabetes diagnosis faster because they already know how to navigate physical therapy, adjust macros, and protect sleep.

Luck, in these cases, is merely opportunity meeting preparation.

Even genetics, the ultimate wildcard, bends to preparation.

Epigenetic studies show that regular exercise can turn “good” genes on and “bad” ones off. A 2023 meta-analysis in Nature Reviews Genetics found that lifestyle interventions can alter DNA methylation patterns linked to obesity and cardiovascular disease within weeks.

The person who trains and eats deliberately is not fighting their genes; they are editing the instruction manual in real time.

Of course, randomness still exists. A drunk driver can ruin a marathoner’s knee; a sickness can strike the healthiest lungs.

Yet even here, preparation matters.

The runner with years of mobility work and strong stabilizers may walk again sooner.

The individual with robust cardiovascular fitness and low chronic inflammation often survives respiratory illness with fewer complications.

Preparation does not eliminate chance; it tilts the odds so dramatically that chance begins to look like destiny.

In the end, “Luck favors the prepared” is not just motivational fluff.

It is a practical operating system for the body.

The person who shows up when no one is watching—the one who chooses the healthy option over the easy option, finishes the last set, and logs restful nights of sleep, earns what many will simply chalk up to being lucky.

The rest of us simply witness the payoff and wonder why fortune smiles on them so often.

The answer is simple: they prepared the ground long before the harvest appeared.

True fitness is not a lottery; it is a contract we sign with our future selves, one rep, one meal, one early bedtime at a time.

Sign it consistently, and the universe starts keeping its promises.

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“There are four things in nature that will destroy the World…

Water, Fire, Air, & Overconsumption.”

It’s no secret that I am undoubtedly against the idea of demonizing any one food group or nutrient.

Many online health grifters would argue that carbs alone are the problem.

If we were to zoom out, the root of our obesity and health problems in the West simply stems from overconsumption.

When we look at intake, the average person in the West consumes 3,600 calories a day. Over 60% of those calories, around 2,200 calories, are from ultra-processed foods.

The average person in the United States burns around 2,200 calories a day.

Giving us a surplus of +1,400 calories on average a day.

That could equate to about 2-3lbs a week gained.

Many of those calories come from carbohydrates. On average, Carbohydrates are ~45.9% of calories for men and 47.4% for women.

In comparison, fat takes up about 36% of calories for men and women and protein is about 16%.

Carbs contribute to the vast majority of our calorie intake and therefore our weight gain in this country.

Making claims that they are the worst for you, they are poison for you, they are the sole reason you are fat is flat-out wrong.

Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred fuel source.

Red Blood cells NEED them, your Brain prefers them, and your muscles struggle without them.

It’s the overconsumption that is making them a ‘poison’ and causing you to gain weight.

How to Utilize Carbohydrates

There’s a fairly simple to understand how to eat carbs for your goals and lifestyle.

Lower Activity Levels = Lower Carbohydrate Intake.

Higher Activity Levels = Higher Carbohydrate Intake.

For most, having 10-25% of your plate is covered in carbohydrates such as rice, potatoes, or any starch. This would be a great amount for you. 50-60% covered in protein. You’ll be okay.

If you do not know where to start…

If you aren’t that active, cut your carbs on your plate by half.

See how the weight comes off and how much lighter you feel.

Starch carbs will be your friend. They won’t cause rapid blood sugar or insulin spikes and are released slowly into the blood over 4 hours after a meal to help stabilize energy levels.

Again think rice, potatoes, veggies, etc.

If you’re someone who likes to exactly know how much you should be eating use these general formulas as guidelines:

• Sedentary (Little to no activity):

  • 0.25-0.50 g/lb.

• Active (1-2hr of Moderate Activity a day)

  • Fat Loss: 0.5-1.0 g/lb

  • Muscle Gain: 1.0-2.0g/lb

• Highly Active (1-2+ hrs of High Activity a day)

  • Fat Loss: 2.0-2.5 g/lb

  • Muscle Gain: +2.5 g/lb

*subject to variation due to the context of the individual’s goals/training phase*

Fear is rooted in a lack of knowledge. The more knowledge you gain, the less you have to fear. Your Nutrition is no different.

Gain control of your food, gain control of your life.

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I hope you guys are having a great week.

In case you haven’t heard it in a while -

You are enough.

You are cared about.

You are loved.

If you’re feeling isolated, reach out. I’d be happy to talk.

If that makes you uncomfortable, reach out to an old friend or family member you haven’t talked to in a while but have been meaning to give a call to. You’d be surprised where the conversation can go and how good you may feel after.

Life is short. Time passes quickly. Enjoy and love each day.

With Love,

D

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I won't tell you that one diet is the greatest and only *that* one style of dieting works.

If you prefer to eat higher fats and want to maintain ketosis?

Cool, you can still implement these protocols in your life.

Want to continue or try intermittent fasting?

Awesome, you'll break your fast and follow the protocols laid out.

Nutrition does not have a one-size-fits-all approach; what works for one person may not work for the next.

The following guidelines/protocols have worked extremely well for an overwhelming majority of the clients I work with. It’s important to take control of your nutrition because “what you eat determines how you feel, how you feel determines how you think, how you think determines what you do, what you do shapes your entire life.”

When it comes to speaking about what matters most regarding nutrition, three basic areas we must master first;

1) Portion Control/Caloric Intake. 2) Food Quality. 3) Timing of Intake.

Portion Control/Caloric Intake:

Molding our bodies into the physique we want comes down to how we train, how much, and what we eat.

A simple Calories consumed (food and drink consumption) to Calories Expended (Calories burned). ‘

We can manipulate our body composition by adjusting the amount we consume to how we want to look.

You can use methods like the Plate Percentages.

These are designed as an easy visual context of what your plates should be looking like at every meal. With rough breakdowns of how much of each key area you should be taking in.

If your goal is to lose weight, monitor your body weight and how much you're eating. If you’re rapidly losing weight (i.e., +2 lbs a week), add a little more food from protein and carbs.

If you're gaining weight, take a little bit off your plate, mainly from the carbohydrate section.

Tracking Calories is another great method to control portions and caloric intake. Refer back to the Calorie Counting Master Class in this Substack Post:

Food Quality:

The quality of the food we eat is second on the list, as it plays such a vital role in how we feel and perform. Processed food may taste bomb, but it causes our bodies to react as if there were a bomb inside of us. The hydrogenated oils, refined sugars, and immense amounts of sodium are designed to keep us eating more of it. None of which will allow our bodies to perform at the optimal level, or even feel good.

Sticking to foods that have walked, flown, swam, sprouted, or grown in their lifetimes in their natural habitats is going to be key to optimal performance for our mind, body, and spirit. Choosing 100% Grass-fed beef and dairy, Wild-caught fish, Pasture-raised chicken products, and organic fruits and vegetables is not the only approach here.

They will be free of hormones, chemicals, and preservatives, all of which will have an impact on your overall health.

But simply choosing whole, label-free foods will help you tremendously if you are used to eating processed and junk food.

Timing of Intake:

Timing of intake is our third nutrition principle to focus on.

Ideally, we would like to space our meals out 3-5 hours between each meal. This allows us to make sure the previous meal is digested completely before moving on to the next meal.

The main timeframe to be concerned about food timing specifically is the meal before training. If you train first thing in the morning, you can have your Bone Broth and a piece of fruit before training and start your first meal when you’re done. If you train mid-day or in the afternoon, make sure the meal you had beforehand is spaced out at least 1-2 hours before. This allows enough time for the body to process a majority of the nutrients given. That particular meal should contain less fat & fiber, and focus mostly on protein and carbohydrates as this is what the body will need for the training session.

Lastly, to keep in rhythm with our internal clock and when certain hormones are produced, stopping food consumption around 2 hours before sleeping is key for a deep and restorative sleep period.

The more food we consume closer to bedtime, the more work the body allocates to digestion instead of proper sleep. Which can mess with the release of certain hormones that can contribute to a restful night of sleep. This is particularly important if you find yourself waking up consistently around 3 am.

These 3 principles, in order, are, in my opinion, the ideal focus on what matters most when thinking about starting a new diet or starting the path to correct your health.

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The more you are able to accomplish, the more of the world opens up to you.

In this finite human experience we have here, the possibilities are bountiful.

When you reflect on your life, it is interesting to see how seasons have transformed who you are and what you believe…

The Great, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly.

And while staring at the cumbersome reflections in the face, one theme has come to the surface a handful of times… The perception of how difficult a task, an objective, or a goal had been was right around the 80% completion mark.

How many times I thought of quitting or looked for distractions when I was 80% through a long training session, a long drive, an extended fast, a difficult college semester, a 7-month deployment, the top end of locking out a 1RM on a deadlift or strongman event...

To the times I bailed out or distracted myself from completion, I lived with some regret for a time afterward.I believe that regret was alive then because somewhere in my soul, I knew I had more.

To the times I pushed through and accomplished whatever it was, I was able to laugh at how silly those thoughts were in the moment.

And what’s unique to think about is, once those tasks, goals, or objectives were accomplished and sights were set on something more grand, how easy the experience had felt at that old 80% threshold the next time I went there.

With reflection, it wasn’t that I just became that much physically stronger. It was the mental strength I gained. It was the fact that my mind had swum in those deep waters before, and I felt more at ease knowing that I’d been there before.

I believe the same to be true for most of our own experiences…

We find our (new)selves in that last 20% that there is to accomplish.

We remain the same by not going through that difficult 80% threshold.

So next time you think you can’t go any more, you can’t give any more to accomplish what you set out to, can you take one more step? Can you make one more right choice? Can you dig a little deeper to allow for your transcendence to flourish?

On the note of 20%…

I am offering 20% off Coaching Services packages for readers looking to get a hold of their Health and truly transform their lives in 2026.

Schedule your Health Strategy Session Below.

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