You Were Right! Fats ARE Bad for Your Health!

Continue ReadingYou Were Right! Fats ARE Bad for Your Health!

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spinach-omelet

…when you don’t eat them 😉

One of the most dangerous myths in the world of healthy nutrition, which has been gathering more and more power, for the past 50 years, is this: FATS ARE DANGEROUS. The notion that everything, which does not contain fats is healthy is actually what is ruining our health.

This myth, led to the situation, where every real, healthy food, was taken out of the list of healthy; then it was forced to undertake a dissection, and in the process all the valuable micro and macronutrients were derived.

You know that my philosophy about healthy food, revolves around real food- the one which is closest to its natural state; the food, which you will easily find in nature and the food, that doesn’t need to undergo a bunch of technological processes so it can be considered good for consumption.

Just give it a thought! Which are these foods when we exclude veggies, fruits and seeds?

These are meat, eggs, homemade dairy products, fish.

Each one of these foods, is probably part of your daily menu, but not in its natural state.

You are probably eating dairy products- bought from the supermarket. Dairy products which claim to be low fat or enriched with calcium.

You are probably eating meat- mainly chicken, and if you accidently buy pork, you always choose the leanest cuts.

You eat eggs, but you don’t eat more than one or two yolks. The rest always find their way to the trash can, because you are so stuck in the notion that yolks are bad for your health.

Here is the time and place to tell you that nature has created everything, which we can use as food for fuel, in the macro and micronutrient ratios, which assure our best and optimal functioning and survival.

Imagine it like this. You create a machine, which needs a particular type of fuel in a particular quantity and ratio of ingredients. In order for the machine to work and in order to get advantage of its full potential, you create another product- the fuel itself. You pack it in a bottle or in another container and no matter the package, the fuel inside always preserves its ratios and the ingredients needed for the machine to work.

Let’s accept that some “shifter” decided to suggest you to attenuate the fuel, so you can give less money and have more liquid.

You agree and what happens next? When you pour the fuel in the machine, it doesn’t work optimally. It might even get broken down. Was the “shift” worth it? Absolutely not!

Now, refer this example to your own body! Accept the fact that nature packed our fuel in different foods. Each food from a piece of fruit, to a piece of meat, contains macro and micronutrients in a particular ratio.

The machine, our body, knows how to use this fuel, it distinguishes it. When you get your fuel from these foods, your body gets the ratios of micro and macronutrients, which lead to a cascade of other processes. Actually, our food is something like information for our bodies. It is an information, which plays the role of a code. A code, which unlocks the functions and the processes in the body. If the code is right, the processes will happen properly. Get the wrong code and (more…)

CAUTION Carbs! The Forbidden Macronutrient and What The Experts Think about It!

Continue ReadingCAUTION Carbs! The Forbidden Macronutrient and What The Experts Think about It!

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Снимка: http://www.yummymummyclub.ca
Image source: http://www.yummymummyclub.ca

If there are topics which should never be discussed on the dinner table or in public, these would be the topics about politics, religion… and CARBS, of course! These are the topics, which force people to lose their mind and try everything, just to defend their own point of view.

I love discussing exactly these topics- those that help you earn a bunch of criticism and a bunch of supporters. I think that in discussions like those, you get to discover a lot of information and a lot of pieces from the puzzle of your own truth. Then you can use the new data, as a stepping stone to a deeper understanding.

That’s why I decided to reach out to some well-known doctors and experts, who have kind of controversial opinions about carbs and fats and ask them one question:

What is your take on carbs? What should be the proportion between carbs and other macronutrients and what type of carbs do you recommend? Do you have a different approach to carb intake, when it comes to the average person and when it comes to athletes? (more…)

The Zone Diet and Why I Consider It to Be UNHEALTHY

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Continue ReadingThe Zone Diet and Why I Consider It to Be UNHEALTHY

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zonata

What do I think about the zone diet– a question that many of you ask.

What is the Zone diet?

First of all, let’s get clear what is the Zone, for those of you that aren’t familiar with this nutrition plan.

The Zone is a nutrition plan, created by Dr. Barry Sears. The goal of the diet is to sustain a hormonal balance in your body. According to him, everything comes up to sustaining the balance between insulin and glucagon. Insulin is the so called “storage” hormone, and glucagon is “the releasing” hormone. In Dr. Sears’ opinion, sustaining the balance between insulin and glucagon has a direct correlation with blood sugar levels, body fat levels and weight balance. By sustaining this hormonal balance, we could stay healthy and be in the Zone… or at least this is what Dr. Sears claims.

Being in the Zone, depend on what we eat. Dr. Sears makes the conclusion that this balance, could be achieved if the food we eat, corresponds to a proportion in the macronutrients as follows: 40% carbs; 30% proteins; 30% fats.

Dr. Sears has a formula, that helps you calculate the quantity of blocks, that you are supposed to eat. The calculation is made by using a coefficient for your present level of physical activity, as well as your present level of fitness- measured by your body fat percentage. This said in a simpler manner, means that the number of food blocks for the particular day is equal to 10% of your active weight (muscles and organs) measured in pounds. For example if you are 185 pounds and you have 10% body fat, then you should eat about 17 blocks a day.

Таблица за определяне на броя блокове Image source:http://crossfitimpulse.com
Таблица за определяне на броя блокове
Снимка:http://crossfitimpulse.com

The total amount of blocks- in this case 17, is being distributed in all your meals. The zone recommends between 5-6 meals a day.

Using our example, this would mean that the meals could be arranged like this:

1 meal: 4 blocks

2 meal: 4 blocks

3 meal : 2 blocks

4 meal: 4 blocks

5 meal: 3 blocks

What do these blocks mean?

Meals that consist of 1 block:

This means that you have to choose one block from every macronutrient. Every block corresponds to a particular amount of food- in grams or pieces.

Two blocks, would mean that you should choose a quantity that is equal to 2 times 1 block protein; 2 times 1 bloack fats; 2 times 1 block carbs.

Three blocks, would mean, that you will choose a quantity, that is equal to 3 times 1 block protein; 3 times 1 block fat; 3 times 1 block carbs.

How much of each macronutrient is in each block?

Proteins:

7 grams of protein = 1 block.

 14 grams = 2 blocks.

21 grams = 3 blocks.

Carbs:

9 grams of carbs    = 1 block.

    18 grams = 2 blocks.

  27 grams = 3 blocks.

Fats:

1.5 grams of fat  = 1 block.

3 grams = 2 blocks.

4.5 grams = 3 blocks.

Here you can see a table with food quantities and the corresponding blocks.

If a particular meal consists of 4 blocks,  you should eat all blocks in one meal, i.e. you can’t leave a couple blocks of fat or carbs for a later meal. Actually you can do everything, but you are not supposed to do it if you follow the Zone and if your goal is to keep the macronutrient proportions.

The blocks are created with the mere goal to make your calculations easier, while they guarantee you that you will keep the balance between proteins, carbs and fats.

Examples in pictures.

Хранене от 4 блока
Хранене от 4 блока
Image source: http://fitbandits.com
Хранене 2 блока
Хранене 2 блока
Image source: http://crossfitimpulse.com
Хранене 4 блока Снимка:http://crossfitimpulse.com
Хранене 4 блока
Image source:http://crossfitimpulse.com

This is enough as a basic information for the Zone. Now, we will get straight to my conclusions, based on my personal experience with the Zone.

What did I learn from my experience with the Zone diet?

About three-four years ago, when I just got interested in the science of nutrition, I read Barry Sears’ book and I decided to try the Zone. I sticked with it for about 5-6 months. I will save my long explanations and stories and I will try to list my conclusions below: (more…)

Sorry to Disappoint You! The Painful Truth about Fruit Smoothies!

Continue ReadingSorry to Disappoint You! The Painful Truth about Fruit Smoothies!

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Image source: http://www.thehealthychef.com
Image source: http://www.thehealthychef.com

Today I will pay attention to our favorite topic- fruits and the latest trend of turning every piece of fruit or vegetable into a smoothie. Those might be a really quick and easy way to full yourself, how healthy you are living and how you are eating enough fruits and veggies. But in reality is this the most appropriate way to eat your food?

I’ve never been keen on drinking my food. Just writing it sounds weird.

There are a bunch of reasons about it. Let’s start with (more…)

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