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Face it; you hate those little lines that are visible through your workout pants and the creeping after your second set of squats that has you searching for a private corner to pull down. Wearing underwear when you workout is generally a hassle that most people would love to be free of. Well ladies, guess […]
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With more and more focus on body, mind, and soul, more people are focusing on the “experience” of working out and not just the workout itself. Creating environments that make you feel happy and stress-free is important for your peace of mind and if you are happier and feel more at peace, then you are much more likely to stay motivated to continue to workout.
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With the explosion of keto, there’s an ever growing constant stream of new information about the significant benefits, supposed risks, and varying “rules” for how to adopt a keto diet. As with most things, it’s easy to get sucked into information overload. (And that doesn’t even take into account the hype that unfortunately gets distributed like wildfire around the Internet.) You want sources you can count on for facts, reason, and utility. Here are eleven solid sources I’d recommend for intelligent commentary, sound science, and useful ideas.
Sure, this isn’t an exclusively keto blog. It’s a Primal living blog—with attention to all the components that figure into a healthy lifestyle and fulfilling life. But keto is a powerful tool I use within the Primal Blueprint template. As most of you already know, I approach keto specifically through a Primal lens—what I call a Primal-keto approach to keto living that prioritizes optimum nutrition with the least amount of pain, suffering and sacrifice. I know it’s been working for a lot of people, and I’ll continue to to write on it as well as all the other elements of a healthy life. Four particular resources I’d suggest to folks new to keto: the MDA Keto Hub, our Keto Recipes, the Primal Blueprint Keto Podcast, and our private Keto Reset Facebook Group. They’re all free resources for anyone to use and enjoy. For those who want to receive an additional Mark’s Daily Apple monthly email with exclusive information and commentary on keto, you can sign up below for the Keto Reset Digest (also free).
Virta Health is a groundbreaking health organization using keto to treat—even reverse—type 2 diabetes and associated metabolic disorders. The Virta Diet Blog is an must-read, providing a mix of cutting edge science, easy to understand articles regarding practical aspects of going keto, and inspiring success stories.
I love Amy Berger’s common sense approach to keto on Tuit Nutrition. She calls her approach Keto Without the Crazy, and that about sums it up. Her articles are long but very worth reading.
At Ruled.me you’ll find mostly long-form articles that contain a ton of information about the keto diet. The site also provides an extensive recipe collection and other resources.
Healthful Pursuit is the home of Nutrition Educator and keto guru Leanne Vogel. Leanne provides a blend of blog posts, videos, and recipes to help you go keto in a healthy way. Much of the content is focused on keto for women, but men and women alike can benefit from the info provided.
At Calories Proper, Dr. Bill Lagakos covers a wide range of topics related to nutrition, fasting, circadian biology, and much more. While it’s not a keto blog per se, keto is a frequent topic. In any case, you’re sure to learn a lot from the content here, which is heavily focused on reviewing and critiquing empirical research studies in an understandable way.
Ketogenic Athlete is a well-rounded blog for strength and endurance athletes who are interested in using keto for training and performance.
Dr. Phil Maffetone has been using low-carb and keto diets to help athletes achieve breakthrough athletic performance for decades. His 180-age formula is a cornerstone of my Primal Endurance approach to become and fat- and keto-adapted athlete. The MAF Files covers a variety of topics that will be of interest to Primal and keto athletes.
HVMN offers the only commercially available ketone ester supplement. The blog reflects their target audience: athletes and other high performers who are interested in using diet and lifestyle modifications—and possibly exogenous supplementation, of course—to harness the power of ketones.
Elana Amsterdam has long been one of my go-to sources for healthy, delicious paleo recipes, but more recently she has been using keto as part of her strategy to address her MS. I’ve never made an Elana’s Pantry recipe that wasn’t excellent. She also writes about a variety of topics related to health.
Christina Kurp shares how she used a combination of AIP and keto to fix her own health issues. Part wellness blog, part scrumptious recipe collection, Castaway Kitchen is a great resource for anyone looking for food inspo, especially if you have dietary restrictions.
Plainly put, Cast Iron Keto has food I like to eat: simple, delicious, keto-friendly. You’ll find lots of keto-fied classics here suitable for kids and non-keto types (making dinner that much easier).
Thanks for stopping in today, everyone. Have a favorite you didn’t see here? Share down below. Take care.
The post Top 12 Keto Blogs appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.
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Photography by J Perez Imagery of Oahu, Hawaii
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One of the most common questions I get is “Does [x] break a fast?”
What they’re really inquiring about is: “Does this interfere with, negate, or nullify the benefits of fasting?”
These benefits include:
Ketosis: Fasting is the quickest way to get into ketosis, an metabolic state characterized by increasing fat burning, fat adaptation, and—in some people—improved cognitive function.
Fat Loss: When you’re fasting, you’re not eating, and not eating is the best way to force your body to burn the fat it already possesses. Fasting also means no additional calories are coming in, and many people find that fasting is a great way to control their calorie intake.
Autophagy: Autophagy, or “self-eating,” is the process by which our cells prune damaged components, maintain proper function, and keep aging at bay. Fasting triggers autophagy. Breaking the fast will stop autophagy.
Let’s go through the most popular queries one by one and figure out how each one affects an intermittent fast.
Depends on who you ask. Some say the fact that coffee triggers a metabolic response means it breaks the fast. I say that coffee increases fat mobilization and burning, independently triggers autophagy (something we’re looking for when we fast), and makes it easier to stave off hunger. For my full treatment, check out this post on coffee and fasting.
I’m going to say “no.”
Tea contains no calories, improves metabolic health, and can aid fat burning. All signs point to it being great during a fast. Of course, if you had a tablespoon of sugar and a half cup of milk, you’re breaking the fast. But tea itself is a great addition.
I’m going to say “no.”
Yerba mate is essentially non-caloric, like tea or black coffee. It also has beneficial effects on glucose tolerance, which is a big plus.
I’m going to say “no.”
I covered this in full a few months ago. Go read that post. In short, a bit is probably okay. Just keep in mind that the more gelatinous your broth is, the more collagen protein it will contain and the greater its potential to inhibit autophagy. This isn’t established in humans yet (see the collagen section below), but it’s worth considering. A nice salty broth has gotten many a faster through a tough fast, especially if they’re still learning the ropes and need some electrolytes.
I’m going to say “technically yes” but “realistically no.”
A tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice has a couple calories and a decent amount of potassium. Combined with salt, lemon water is actually a nice way to hydrate during a fast without breaking it.
I’m going to say “no.”
Diet soda may mess with your gut. It’s linked to weight issues, though not conclusively and certainly not in a causative manner; it’s just as likely that the relationship can be explained by overweight and unhealthy people using diet sodas in a bid to lose weight. I don’t like them myself, and I’ve witnessed people fail to ever kick the sweet tooth as long as they drank diet sodas. But many people find they do improve dietary adherence and do improve fasting tolerance. If that’s the case, they are very pro-fasting.
I’m going to say “no.”
A juice fast isn’t really a fast. You’re consuming fewer calories than you might eating normal food, but you’re still consuming a good number of calories—most of them carbohydrate, no less.
I’m going to say “yes” unless you’re specifically engaging in “juice fasting,” in which case it’s still not fasting despite what you call it.
Technically, as a source of calories, cream breaks a fast. But it doesn’t provoke an insulin response when consumed in isolation, it doesn’t impact ketosis, and many people find it makes sticking to the fast easier.
I’m going to say “technically yes, but realistically no—just keep it to a couple teaspoons or less.”
It depends on the almond milk. A full cup of the standard sugar-free almond milk has just 36 calories, about a gram of carbs, 2 grams of fat, and a gram of protein. That’s almost nothing. You could probably get away with a quarter or third cup and have minimal impact on your fast, but why not just drink some water or coffee?
I’m going to say “technically yes,” but you can get away with a little bit.
Like cream, butter doesn’t provoke an insulin response in isolation. It’s more calorically dense than cream, though, so watch how much you eat.
I’m going to say “technically yes, but realistically no as long as you’re not using more than a teaspoon.”
MCT oil is pure fat and thus calorically dense, but it has three benefits going for it. First, it doesn’t provoke an insulin response in isolation. Two, it increases energy expenditure. Three, it converts directly to ketones. People new to fasting can often speed up the fat adaptation process by incorporating a little MCT oil. Coconut oil is the main source of MCT oil, so it’ll have similar effects, though not as pronounced.
I’m going to say “technically yes, but realistically no—and it may even enhance your fasting experience when consumed in moderation.”
I don’t advise eating cinnamon alone, dry, and isolated. It’s a terrible and potentially deadly idea. But in some coffee or tea during a fast? Sure. It can even improve insulin sensitivity.
I’m going to say “no.”
Salt does not break a fast. Actually, adding a pinch or two of salt to your water during a fast can increase your tolerance of the fasting process and improve hydration status.
I’m going to say “no.”
Stevia contains no calories and has no effect on insulin secretion (if anything, it increases insulin sensitivity). However, it’s often used to sweeten foods that do contain calories, so be mindful of how you’re using it.
I’m going to say “no.”
For a good overview of monk fruit, read this. Suffice it to say, monk fruit is similar to stevia in that it’s a non-caloric, naturally-occurring sweetener with unique health effects. It will not break your fast.
I’m going to say “no.”
Swerve is a sweetener that blends erythritol (a sugar alcohol) and oligosaccharides (a prebiotic fiber that tastes kinda sweet) with natural flavors. Erythritol has no effect on insulin or blood glucose (you just pee it out mostly). I couldn’t find any studies on oligosaccharides during a fast, but as humans cannot by definition digest them, they shouldn’t affect the course of a fast.
I’m going to say “no.”
See the gum section above. Stick to reasonable amounts.
I’m going to say “no.”
Sucralose does not provoke an insulin response or increase blood glucose—great news for fasters who want to use it—but it does seem to impair whole body insulin sensitivity. That’s bad for everyone.
I’m going to say “no,” but there are other downsides.
Those same studies on monk fruit and stevia also tested aspartame, finding similar results. Aspartame does not provoke an insulin or glucose response. I’m no fan of the stuff, but I don’t see any evidence that it will break a fast.
I’m going to say “no.”
Assuming you’re doing the kind of hemp oil that comes in droppers and not the kind that you pour from a culinary oil bottle, the caloric content can’t possibly impact your fast. There are no studies examining the metabolic effects of CBD in the fasted state, but I don’t see any reason why it would impact ketosis, autophagy, or fat-burning—and without psychoactive THC involved, you won’t be getting the munchies.
I’m going to say “no.”
Protein powder provokes an insulin response, which opposes autophagy, which means you’re breaking your fast. Plus, protein powder contains calories.
I’m going to say “yes.”
If you’re strict and technical, then yes, collagen breaks a fast. There’s evidence that glycine—the most prominent amino acid in collagen—can inhibit autophagy, but it was a convoluted animal study where inhibiting autophagy with large doses of glycine after brain injury actually improved outcomes. It probably doesn’t apply to someone adding a scoop of collagen to their coffee. Besides, even if it slightly reduces autophagy, a little collagen won’t negatively impact ketosis, fat-burning, or energy intake.
I’m going to say “technically yes,” but “realistically no.” Avoid if your main focus is autophagy, though.
BCAAs trigger an insulin response and thus stop autophagy and the fast. That said, many proponents of fasted training recommend using BCAAs before a workout to help preserve muscle and improve the post-workout anabolic response.
I’m going to say “yes.”
Apple cider vinegar is made by double fermenting the sugars present in apple juice. First, yeast convert the sugars to alcohol. Next, the alcohol converts to acetic acid. The result is a liquid that’s virtually calorie-free. Studies showing that consuming vinegar lowers the blood glucose response to a subsequent meal aren’t really relevant if you’re fasting, but they don’t hurt.
I’m going to say “no.”
Electrolyte powders/tabs used to come festooned with sucrose, making them decidedly anti-fasting. These days, most of them are sweetened with stevia or some other natural non-caloric sweetener. Even the ones that have a little bit of sugar (1-2 g) are probably okay to consume without much negative effect. Best of all, electrolytes can really help you tolerate a fast.
I’m going to say “no.”
If we’re talking sugar-rich gum, the answer is yes. Those definitely break a fast. If we’re talking xylitol gum, the answer is more mixed. In healthy individuals, 30 grams of pure xylitol triggers a small but significant rise in glucose and insulin. That might sound scary to a prospective IFer, but most people aren’t chewing gum made with 30 grams of xylitol. The average piece of xylitol gum barely weighs a gram.
I’m going to say “no,” unless you’re chewing gum made with real sugar or you’re throwing back 30 pieces of xylitol gum in a sitting.
I always consume my toothpaste (around a tablespoon of the good stuff per brushing) and I’ve never had it knock me out of ketosis, autophagy, or in any way shape or form break my fast. I’m kidding. I don’t consume my toothpaste, but brushing your teeth doesn’t break a fast.
I’m going to say “no.” Don’t eat it though.
Pretty much the same as toothpaste. Look for a brand that doesn’t contain sugar or one of the artificial sweeteners above that trips insulin. As the instructions (and common sense) suggest, don’t drink it.
That’s it, folks. If you have additional questions about what does or doesn’t break a fast, leave them down below. Thanks for reading, and I hope you found the post helpful. Forward it on if you did.
References:
Hansson P, Holven KB, Øyri LKL, et al. Meals with Similar Fat Content from Different Dairy Products Induce Different Postprandial Triglyceride Responses in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Cross-Over Trial. J Nutr. 2019;149(3):422-431.
Anton SD, Martin CK, Han H, et al. Effects of stevia, aspartame, and sucrose on food intake, satiety, and postprandial glucose and insulin levels. Appetite. 2010;55(1):37-43.
Ili? V, Vukmirovi? S, Stilinovi? N, ?apo I, Arsenovi? M, Milijaševi? B. Insight into anti-diabetic effect of low dose of stevioside. Biomed Pharmacother. 2017;90:216-221.
Noda K, Nakayama K, Oku T. Serum glucose and insulin levels and erythritol balance after oral administration of erythritol in healthy subjects. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1994;48(4):286-92.
Müller-hess R, Geser CA, Bonjour JP, Jéquier E, Felber JP. Effects of oral xylitol administration on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in normal subjects. Infusionsther Klin Ernahr. 1975;2(4):247-52.
The post The Definitive Guide To What Breaks a Fast appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.
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Historical documentation shows us that tea is a very ancient elixir, that was first enjoyed thousands of years ago. There is just something comforting about a warm cup of tea that many of us are drawn to. They key here is warm… not hot. Researchers have discovered some very disturbing news for those of us […]
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To build a balanced, strong, injury-proof physique you need to do some unilateral training. Unilateral training is when you train one limb at a time—examples could be the pistol or Bulgarian split squats. Unilateral training helps you to maintain even strength levels from one side to the other to help avoid one side becoming disproportionately developed.
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For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering three questions. First up, what can a person do to help their gut recover its barrier function after too many antibiotics? Are there any foods, supplements, or dietary strategies? Second, what can explain rapid fatigue during sprint sessions on a keto diet? Is this simply part of the deal, or are there modifications you can make? And finally, what do I do when I know I’m going to get a bad night’s sleep?
Let’s go:
Mark – any idea how to cure leaky gut caused by overuse of antibiotics. Tried raw dairy for a month to no avail.
First of all, check out my post on leaky gut. Read through it and follow my suggestions for preventing and treating intestinal permeability. It’s a great place to start.
Then, let’s look at some other interventions that have been shown to improve recovery from antibiotic therapy. While most of the studies referenced don’t explicitly describe antibiotic-induced leaky gut, anything that improves gut function and restores healthy gut bacteria will also normalize leaky gut—since it’s the eradication of native gut bacteria that causes antibiotic-induced leaky gut.
Fermented dairy. You tried raw dairy. What about fermented dairy? While raw dairy has its merits, it’s fermented dairy that just works for recovery from antibiotics. Yogurt is a good option to try, although the evidence is a bit inconsistent. Kefir is probably better; it’s been shown to improve patients’ tolerance to triple antibiotic therapy during treatment for H. pylori infection. This is even worth consuming during antibiotic therapy, as many of the probiotic bacteria found in fermented dairy show resistance to common antibiotics.
Fermented vegetables like sauerkraut are also must-eats. The fermented cabbage contains ample amounts of L. plantarum, a bacteria strain that’s been shown to prevent antibiotic-related diarrhea in piglets (another omnivorous mammal). Good options exist in stores (check the refrigerated section; shelf-stable pickles and kraut aren’t lactofermented), and even more are available in farmer’s markets, but the best way to get the most bacteria-rich vegetable ferments is to make your own.
Supplemental probiotics are fantastic here, too: large doses of the desired microorganisms delivered directly to your gut. Some of the strains used in Primal Probiotics, like B. clausii and S. boulardii, have been shown to be effective against antibiotic-related diarrhea, so that could be a good choice.
Don’t forget the food for your gut bugs: prebiotics. You need to eat fermentable fibers and other prebiotics like resistant starch to support the growth and maintenance of the helpful bacteria that improve gut barrier function. Consider eating cooked and cooled potatoes, unheated potato starch, leeks, garlic, onions, green bananas, apples, pears, berries, and pretty much any fruit or vegetable you can get your hands on. Plenty of them are low-carb enough to work on a keto diet, if that’s your desire. Oh, and dark chocolate is a great source of fiber and polyphenols, which have prebiotic effects in the gut.
Incorporate intermittent fasting. Going without food for a spell gives your gut a break and induces autophagy, which can help with tissue healing.
Get dirty, too, to introduce potentially helpful bacteria. Go out and garden. Go barefoot at the park (do your due/doo diligence, of course) and practice tumbling, or roughhouse with your kids (or friends). Don’t immediately rush to wash your hands all the time (unless you’ve been handling raw meat and/or dog poop).
Whatever you do, don’t stress too much about the antibiotics you had to take. Stress is awful for gut health and you’ve already taken the antibiotics—which were probably necessary—so that ship has sailed.
If probiotics with prebiotics aren’t helping (or making things worse), you might want to try going the opposite direction—removing all plant foods and doing a carnivore diet for a few weeks. While I have doubts about the long term viability and safety of eschewing all plant foods, enough people have written to me about their great experiences resolving gut issues with a bout of carnivory that it’s worth trying.
When on a strict keto plan, why do I become so quickly fatigued while attempting a HIT sprint workout?
The first five seconds of a sprint are primarily powered by phosphocreatine (or creatine phosphate), a “quick burst” energy source that burns hot but disappears quickly. This is the stuff used to perform max effort Olympic lifts, short sprints, and other rapid expressions of maximum power. It doesn’t last very long and takes a couple minutes to replenish itself. A keto diet doesn’t affect our creatine phosphate levels. If anything, it should improve them if we’re eating meat.
After five seconds, anaerobic metabolism of muscle glycogen provides the lion’s share of your energy needs. The longer your sprint, the more glycogen you’ll burn. The less glycogen you carry in your muscles, the shorter your sprint. Because once you run out of creatine phosphate and glycogen, you’re left with aerobic metabolism—great for longer distances, not so great for max effort sprints.
Keto dieters tend to walk around with less glycogen in their muscles. If that’s the case, longer sprints will be harder.
If you want to keep sprinting:
Do shorter sprints. Try a 10-second hill sprint rather than a 20-second one. Really go hard. Heck, you can even do 5-second sprints and derive major benefits; just do more of them and make sure to recover in between. There’s no rule saying you have to sprint for 20-30 seconds.
Take longer rest periods. Give your muscles a chance to replenish more creatine phosphate (and take creatine or eat red meat and fish, which are the best sources of dietary creatine).
Eat 20-30 grams of carbs 30 minutes before a sprint session. See if it helps. Alternatively, you can eat the 20-30 grams of carbs after the sprint session to replenish lost glycogen stores (without really impacting your ketone adaptation, by the way).
Most people figure out their sprinting sweet spot while doing keto. They may have to play around with the dosages, durations, and rest periods, but you can usually make it work. Be open to trying new permutations.
If you knew you were going to have a poor nights sleep, what measures would you take to reduce some of the damage?
I would exercise hard that night. Normally, a bad night’s sleep tanks your insulin sensitivity the next day, giving you the insulin resistance and glucose tolerance of a diabetic. A good hard interval session the night before a bad night’s sleep, however, counters the next-day insulin resistance.
I would make the most of it. Don’t dawdle. Don’t beat yourself up because of the impending sleep deprivation. It’s going to happen. You have to accept it, not let it destroy you.
Enjoy it. A little-known acute treatment for depression is sleep deprivation. That’s right: a single night of sleep deprivation has been shown to ameliorate depression in patients with clinical depression. Sometimes the effect lasts up to several weeks. It’s not a long term or sustainable fix for clinical depression, obviously, and you can’t do it every single night—chronic sleep deprivation is a major risk factor for developing depression—but it can improve your mood if you give in to it.
I would set out a jar of cassia cinnamon. I always add cassia cinnamon to my coffee in the morning after bad sleep; cassia cinnamon the day after a bad night’s sleep attenuates the loss of insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance.
That’s it for today, folks. Thanks for writing in and reading! If you have any input on today’s round of questions, let me know down below.
References:
De vrese M, Kristen H, Rautenberg P, Laue C, Schrezenmeir J. Probiotic lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in a fermented milk product with added fruit preparation reduce antibiotic associated diarrhea and Helicobacter pylori activity. J Dairy Res. 2011;78(4):396-403.
Bekar O, Yilmaz Y, Gulten M. Kefir improves the efficacy and tolerability of triple therapy in eradicating Helicobacter pylori. J Med Food. 2011;14(4):344-7.
Erginkaya Z, Turhan EU, Tatl? D. Determination of antibiotic resistance of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional Turkish fermented dairy products. Iran J Vet Res. 2018;19(1):53-56.
Yang KM, Jiang ZY, Zheng CT, Wang L, Yang XF. Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum on diarrhea and intestinal barrier function of young piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88. J Anim Sci. 2014;92(4):1496-503.
Jitomir J, Willoughby DS. Cassia cinnamon for the attenuation of glucose intolerance and insulin resistance resulting from sleep loss. J Med Food. 2009;12(3):467-72.
The post Dear Mark: Antibiotic Recovery, Sprinting on Keto, Preparing for Bad Sleep appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.
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Who is a good candidate for keto, and who isn’t? How does someone successfully adhere to a ketogenic diet? Check out this article to find out and get tips on following the keto diet.
The post A Complete Guide to the Keto Diet appeared first on Chris Kresser.
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It is true: you really can’t outrun your fork.
I kept thinking about this – over and over – when speaking with Kyle, one of our Nerd Fitness Coaching clients.
You see, Kyle works for a non-profit that promotes bicycling as a major mode of transportation.
As part of walking the walk – er, cycling the cycle – 10 years ago Kyle gave up driving a car.
Instead, he gets around by biking, walking, or public transportation.
Since Kyle bikes most days, you might think all that riding would ensure he’d stay in shape.
However, you’re reading Nerd Fitness, which means you’re smart. So you know that people can’t outrun their fork…or out pedal their fork.
Like many others who struggle to lose weight, Kyle lived off pizza and other carb-heavy foods, which brought in a ton of extra calories.
Simply put, despite the crazy amount of exercise he did every day, he still consumed more than he was able to pedal away.
As we know from study after study after study, it is very difficult to exercise your way thin. This is why adjustments to nutrition are the key to a successful transformation.
Which is exactly what Kyle did!
I’m honored that Kyle is one of our 1-on-1 coaching clients, and that we were able to offer some tips on how to go about a vegetarian diet correctly, something many Rebels struggle with.
Switching up his diet is not the only accomplishment Kyle has made: he is also now crushing pull-ups!
Which makes me really happy.
You don’t need to hear all about it from me though: let’s bring in Kyle!
Steve: Hi Kyle! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me.
I’d love to hear from you about your past – Can you take us through a typical day before you started your journey with Nerd Fitness?
Kyle: My day would include an early morning to make breakfast and get the kids ready for school. Then I’d ride my bicycle to the office. I’d work all day – stopping to purchase and eat pizza or a sandwich for lunch. After work, I’d ride my bicycle home. Evening time would be spent hanging out with my kids until bedtime.
On days when I am traveling, substitute family time and school preparations with sitting in an airport or hotel. And I travel a lot.
Steve: Traveling can be grueling, especially when being on the road takes you from your family.
I find it interesting you bike to and from work. But from talking to you, I know it wasn’t enough to prevent you from gaining weight.
Can you tell us a little bit about your fitness journey prior to finding Nerd Fitness??
Kyle: For more than a decade, I’ve incorporated some physical activity and healthy eating into my daily routine:
I gave up driving a car as my primary mode of transportation about 10 years ago and rely on walking, biking, and public transportation to get around.
I’ve been a vegetarian for more than 15 years.
And I’ve engaged in other extracurricular activities like indoor soccer, running half marathons, or mountain biking.
I often thought that all this was enough to keep in shape without the need to adjust my diet or routine.
Steve: I hear ya – I can also see how it could be frustrating to do “all the right things” and not look the way you want to look for all that effort! You were already exercising, watching what you ate, and stayed active.
What made you decide that something needed to change?
Kyle: Last year, my wife lost 60lbs almost entirely by changing her diet.
In June, she and I had the opportunity to take a short vacation together without our kids.
We took a lot of photos during that trip and after looking at them – compared to her new, lighter, look – I realized how much weight I had personally put on over the last couple of years.
Starting a new job, moving the family across the country, and adapting to a new hectic travel schedule for work had left me 30 pounds heavier than any time previously in my life.
When we got back home, I started looking for local gyms and fitness programs that I could join, but none worked with my busy travel schedule (seriously, I travel a LOT) or weren’t convenient enough for me during the time I was home.
I didn’t want to give up the precious time with my wife and kids when I wasn’t traveling, so I began looking for alternative solutions and stumbled upon Nerd Fitness.
Steve: I’m so happy you made your way to our strange corner of the internet. We’re very lucky to have you as part of the Nerd Fitness community, and we’re glad you chose us to kickstart your journey, brother!
You’ve been working with Coach Matt M., what is he having you do?
Kyle: I asked Matt to design a workout that could be done either at my hometown gym or in any random hotel in the world with an unknown quantity of fitness equipment.
Because my environment was constantly changing, I needed a workout program that worked anywhere and everywhere.
I also stressed that my past anxieties about going to a gym centered around not knowing what to do – how many reps of what exercise, should I use the machines or not, is this too much weight or too little.
It was all just a bit dizzying.
Simply put, Matt provides a workout routine in three supersets that can be accomplished in about 60 minutes. Each exercise has one or more alternatives that can be performed depending on what equipment is available.
The supersets usually progress from core body routines, followed by heavy lifting, and concluding with lighter lifting that also engages a bit of cardio. The alternatives provided keep me on pace when I don’t have barbells or other equipment while on the road.
Since I spend about 50% of my time traveling, having nationwide access to my trainer has been a game changer.
Training while on the road works in most cases, and there have been some scenarios where the alternative training exercises Matt provided were essential to staying on track.
Being a NF client made that both easy and possible.
I’m proud to say I haven’t missed a workout since we started working together.
This has helped with the confidence that no matter where I am, I won’t fault in achieving my goals.
The consistency is paying off. For the first time in my life, I’ve been able to rock pull-ups! I’m the strongest I’ve ever been.
Steve: That’s great! Although I’m super-biased (I have a coach who programs road workouts for me too), I think NF Coaching is perfect for people who travel a lot. When you think about it, you have worldwide accountability and expertise!
What’s been the most important change you’ve made since starting this recent journey??
Kyle: Eating.
Like I mentioned before, I’ve been a vegetarian for a long time, but often resorted to carb-heavy breads, a dizzying amount of melted cheese, and chips to fill in the hunger between salads and quinoa bowls.
Matt helped me track my eating and make adjustments that still worked with my dietary preference.
Like the workouts, Matt also helped me design meal options for my busy travel schedule – protein bars and shakes – so I wouldn’t be driven to a slice from Sbarro between flights.
Being a vegetarian, I spend most of my effort maintaining consistent levels of protein intake. Since consuming protein comes along with either fat or carbs, balancing the amount each day was the biggest adjustment I made.
As we progressed beyond what foods I like to eat that work within those parameters, we began incorporating carb loading on workout days, intermittent fasting when I’m not traveling, and small dinner plate usage for portion control.
Steve: That’s amazing! I’ve written before that a common mistake vegetarians make is simply living off bread and pasta. I’m really happy that Matt was able to take an objective view of your diet and make some suggestions.
What’s a typical day for you like now? Workouts, diet strategy, and so on. Give us the details!
Kyle: On workout days, I’m normally at the gym by 5am. It’s early – but it just works for me to get the workout in first thing in the morning before my kids are awake or I go to work. The gym isn’t normally too busy then either.
After my workout, I skip breakfast and bike to my job. I’ll drink coffee and water all morning during work and usually have a light lunch around noon.
My recent go-to is a plate of raw veggies with hummus and hot sauce. A couple of hours after that I have a protein shake as an afternoon snack. Then I’ll bike home from work and begin cooking dinner for the family. This is usually my biggest meal of the day. Often it includes eggs.
We’ve also been experimenting with using cauliflower in all its forms. Since my wife is continuing the diet plan that helped her lose 60lbs, it’s really easy to keep on track by eating together.
Steve: It sounds like you have a solid routine: you’re very active and prioritizing nutritious meals. Great job dude!
Besides your routine, what else has changed about you?
Kyle: I’m definitely able to wear clothes I couldn’t have worn a year ago. Now that I’m smaller and weigh less, trying on clothes really makes me aware of how heavy I had gotten.
There’s also a joy in sharing this transformative moment with my wife.
We are both working on our selves side by side, and it adds a level of support that I find really helpful when all I want to do is eat an entire cheese pizza, lol.
Steve: I love that you guys are supporting each other – and I can’t wait to see where you are a year from now!
Do you have any words of advice for somebody who just starting out on a weight loss journey? What if they’re considering a change, but not sure where to start?
Kyle: Coach Matt helped me realize a person doesn’t have to make all the drastic changes overnight.
To anybody starting out, going one step at a time is easier than trying too much, too fast!
Even though I was prepared for a bigger shock, Matt’s coaching eased me into new routines and only after I demonstrated a commitment to those did he offer something new.
And honestly, that’s been really helpful when it comes to eating.
Also, if you travel, a remote coach you can access from anywhere is awesome! It turned out to be exactly what I needed.
Steve: Traveling can be tough to maintain healthy habits, so I’m glad you found a solution that works for you.
Okay, I’ve got to ask: where do you plant your nerddom flag?
Kyle: I’m all in for Star Wars (and a minor participant in most other fandoms).
The family and I attend cons on a regular basis and are trying our hand at cosplay for the first time this year!
I’ve also got a huge vintage Star Wars action figure collection that my kids and I add to regularly.
Steve: A Star Wars collection you let your kids even look at? Dad of the year… Some fathers won’t even let their kids in the same room as their collectibles.
Where do you go from here Kyle? What goals and habits are you still working on?
Kyle: We’re definitely working to lose a few more pounds, which would bring me down 30lbs! We’re tackling this mostly through the addition of interval cardio training and small diet alterations.
Additionally, we’re working to reach some interesting physical fitness goals.
I’ve never been able to do a pull-up, but now I’m doing two each workout (and working towards more).
I’m not sure what we’re working on next, but I’m looking forward to the next steps at getting there.
Steve: YES! Welcome to the “I love pull-ups and want to tell the world” club. It’s the best club.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your story with us Kyle! Best of luck to you and the family!
In speaking with Kyle, I realized he had a few key traits that helped him succeed where many others fail.
Lots of people try to get in shape.
Many of them have a lot of the same obstacles to overcome as Kyle:
What’s special about Kyle is not the challenges he had to face. We all have unique barriers in our lives.
What’s special about Kyle is how he went about systematically overcoming those barriers.
In speaking with him, and analyzing his choices and decisions, I think there are five traits that set Kyle apart.
Here’s what we can learn from Kyle’s success:
#1 KYLE KNEW WHEN TO ASK FOR HELP
There’s nothing quite like a spouse or partner or friend who is crushing it to motivate you to make some changes.
Kyle’s wife decided to get in shape after having their two kids – she created a plan, stuck to it, and lost 60 pounds.
When checking out photos from a recent vacation, Kyle knew his wife was on the right track.
He, however, was not.
But he didn’t know what to do: he was already eating the way he thought he should, he was biking every day, and staying very active. The results just didn’t match the effort.
And he was also stuck due to his work schedule: Traveling made any kind of fixed routine impossible. What does one even eat at an airport that isn’t pizza?
Kyle knew things had to change, so he decided to ask for help from a professional. A professional that spoke his language: a dad that loved Star Wars.
That extra pair of eyes from Coach Matt – a father of 2 (and huge nerd), which allowed Kyle to see things in a whole new way.
Asking for help was a great first step, and then he did something many people forget: he actually LISTENED!
#2 KYLE LEARNED YOU CAN’T PEDAL YOUR WAY THIN
When people want to get in shape, they often think that hours of cardio is the answer.
They’ll start a running routine, or buy a treadmill, or even start biking to work.
While exercise and movement are critical for heart health and overall happiness, we here at Nerd Fitness know “You can’t outrun your fork.”
I think it’s super awesome that Kyle works to advocate cycling as a major mode of transportation. More bikes on the road and fewer cars is great for everybody involved – including the planet.
However, Kyle learned a valuable lesson: biking miles a day, in of itself, is often not enough to get in shape – unless it’s combined with changes to nutrition too.
We highlight over and over here at Nerd Fitness that 80%-90% of the weight-loss equation comes down to a proper diet. After gaining 30 pounds as a new dad, despite pedaling his bike every single day, Kyle knew something had to give.
He lost weight – though I think maybe 1 of those pounds might be from trimming his beard! Ha 🙂
#3 KYLE ADJUSTED HIS PLANT-BASED DIET
While Kyle spent a lot of calories riding his bike everywhere, it wasn’t enough to overcome all the calories he was eating in bread and pasta.
Kyle tried whenever possible to eat healthy vegetarian dishes like salads and quinoa bowls, but they never satisfied his hunger This led to him eating bread along with “a dizzying amount of cheese” to hold him over until his next meal.
So although weight loss come down to calories in and calories out, the quality of the food can really impact how easy or tough it is to stay within your calorie goal for the day.
It took an outside pair of eyes, from Coach Matt, to point this out to Kyle.
Now, Kyle prioritizes a healthy plant-based diet.
He skips breakfast and snacks on veggies and hummus and a protein shake during the day. His big main meal at night will often include eggs, a great protein source for those on a vegetarian diet.
The fiber from the plants and the protein from the eggs help keep Kyle full from meal to meal. So he can bike around town and not be tempted by the pizza joints on every corner.
#4 KYLE MADE THE ROAD WORK FOR HIM
Traveling can make getting in shape challenging.
Your normal routine is thrown out the window.
Instead of cooking your own meals in your kitchen, your dependent on restaurants. Instead of having access to your normal fitness facility, you get the rundown treadmill the hotel keeps so they can say they have a gym.
Here’s the thing though: you don’t need a gym to train. You can work out in a nearby park, find an empty playground, or even just do bodyweight exercises in your hotel room.
The important point is consistency. To not lose momentum on the days you’re away from your home.
With Matt’s help, Kyle developed a plan on workouts to do from anywhere.
If he’s at home?
Perfect, he’s off early to the gym to crush his training.
If he’s traveling?
No problem, Matt built workouts that don’t require any equipment whatsoever.
No momentum is lost.
If you live on the road, don’t let it become an excuse to not train. If half your days are spent in hotels, that’s plenty of time to continue growing stronger.
Make exercise your one constant when living out of luggage.
#5 KYLE HAS A SUPPORT NETWORK
I’m so happy that Kyle’s wife is also on her own journey, going about things her own way. They’re also supporting the heck out of each other!
This means it’s two heads in the kitchen instead of just one.
When Kyle has to wake up early to hit the gym, his wife understands (and vice versa!).
They both want to prioritize their health, for their own future and the future of their children. Having someone in the house whose on the same fitness journey is a godsend.
Plus, it’s not the only support Kyle has.
His coach, Matt, also has his back. This non-judgemental extra pair of eyes proved critical.
Matt helped Kyle see, with a little bit of adjustment, his vegetarian diet could be a tool for weight loss. Matt helped Kyle create a plan for the gym, so he could get in, know exactly what to do, and get out.
Matt adjusts Kyle’s workout on the fly depending on his travel schedule for the upcoming month. Every day, Kyle wakes up, looks at the NF App, and knows exactly what he needs to do.
The lesson: if you can, find a fellow Jedi or a Jedi Master!
Maybe your spouse has expressed interest in getting in shape.
Maybe you have a brother or sister or roomate who wants to start strength training, and you two can share your progress with each other.
Maybe you have a coworker who also wants to go for walks at lunch with you.
Or perhaps you can hire expert guidance, like a coach, to help make plans and recommendations for you to hit your goals.
A companion can be a lifesaver for when things get difficult, so team up – even if it’s just for accountability!
The great thing about Kyle’s transformation, is he is still Kyle!
Kyle still takes his bike to work every day.
Kyle still follows a vegetarian diet.
And Kyle still shares his love of Star Wars with his kids, because kids should know about Star Wars.
Sometimes, you don’t need to do a complete life overhaul to level up your life.
Sometimes, an outside pair of eyes can point out some key changes you could make, to help you reach your goals.
No matter where you are on your fitness journey, I would encourage you to think about what made Kyle successful:
If you related to Kyle’s story, seemingly doing the right things without making any progress, think about what you can do differently.
Start by testing your assumptions:
Maybe running on a treadmill for an hour isn’t enough to burn the calories from all that pizza at lunch.
Maybe a vegetarian diet should include vegetables.
Maybe pull-ups are the best. I know Christina, another coaching success story, agrees!
As we learned from Kyle, an outside pair of eyes can be really useful for analyzing your routine. Sometimes it’s hard to look at ourselves objectionably.
Depending on your current situation, our 1-on-1 NF Coaching Program might be just the extra pair of eyes you need! Someone who can learn your life, understand your individual obstacles, and make a plan for success!
Want to learn more? Go ahead and click on the box below and schedule a call with our team!
No matter what you do, here’s what I want you to take away from Kyle’s story:
In a year and a half, by focusing on the above two points, Kyle got within 3 pounds of his goal weight (27 pounds down at the time of this writing).
If you started focusing on your diet with small sustainable changes, I promise you in 18 months, you’ll be closer to your goal than you are today.
The important thing?
Start!
Not tomorrow. Not next week.
Today!
-Steve
PS: I want to give a special shout out to Coach Matt, who provided the non-judgemental pair of eyes Kyle needed to level up his life.
If you are somebody that wants to have your own Yoda guiding you in the ways of the Force, check out or 1-on-1 coaching program, and I could be sharing YOUR story this time next year!
PPS: Speaking of success stories…If you’ve had success with any aspect of Nerd Fitness, whether it’s our free workouts, Academy, or Coaching, email us! Send your story to contact(at)NerdFitness(dot)com and let us know so we can share your adventure with the galaxy!
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