Healthy Eating Tips for Success

[Dave]

A lot of people ask me for my thoughts on nutrition and whether I have any helpful tips. Here are what I believe are the foundations of a healthy diet. These are just my thoughts based on my experiences and my experiments with several different nutrition plans (not "diets"), beginning with the P90X Nutrition Guide.

1. Whole Foods - Avoid processed junk. Look past the nutrition facts and read the ingredients. The more ingredients, the lower the likelihood it is going in my mouth. A strawberry has ONE ingredient. So does an egg, or a chicken breast, or broccoli. Take a look at the ingredients in the foods you are eating. If you have trouble pronouncing them...keep moving. If you can get your foods from a local supplier that is preferable. Foods that are organic do make a huge difference. They are lower in toxic pesticides and generally higher in micronutrients. See if you have a local "CSA" (Community Supported Agriculture) program in your area. We pay $25 a week for a huge bag of organic seasonal veggies and fresh eggs that are raised in a real "cage free" environment and not fed corn and antibiotics. These types of eggs are much higher in Omega-3 fatty acids and generally much more nutritious. Check out www.localharvest.org.

2. Supplements - I take a multi-vitamin (super important), Shakeology (www.shakeology.com/azfitclub (http://www.shakeology.com/azfitclub)) whey protein, Omega-3 fatty acids and on occasion the recovery formula (sugar is an issue, but it has its place). The goal here is to give my body what it needs to process the basics. At the minimum you need a good multi-vitamin. You have to focus first on making sure your body’s basic functions are addressed. It isn’t going to do you any good to take an expensive supplement if you can’t digest it and process the ingredients. Address your base nutrition first and foremost.

3. Make carbohydrate intake correspond to activity level - Everyone has different fitness goals, and getting the right amount of carbs is key. Limiting carbs, in particular SUGAR, to the amount you need to support your goals is essential. As a triathlete training for a 1/2 Ironman, my carb intake is going to be a lot higher than someone that is doing P90X. The sugar has got to go. Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNYlIcXynwE&feature=player_embedded. Understanding the insulin response and limiting the presence of excess insulin in your body is essential to health and fitness.

4. Limit foods that make your blood acidic. Huh? Watch this: http://www.thefitclubnetwork.com/2009/11/how-diet-soda-makes-you-fat/. Soda...get rid of it. It is poisoning your blood. Water...drink way more of it. It helps refresh your blood.

5. Limit dairy. Tony Horton said this weekend, "cheese is a spice". Use it that way. A little Parmesan on your food is ok, but otherwise ditch the cheese. It is high in fats that don't help your body. Many people feel that our bodies are not conditioned to process milk from other animals. We are the only species that drinks milk that doesn’t come exclusively from our own mothers. Try to cut milk out of your diet and see how it works. I feel a lot better since doing that. Some people don’t have any adverse reaction, but if you aren’t sure, cut it out for a month and see how you feel. That’s what I did and I only have it in my coffee now. Almond milk makes a great substitute for cow's milk.

6. Healthy fats. You’ve got to get fat in your diet. Huh? Yes, fat is good for you. There is an ongoing debate about saturated fats and whether or not they are beneficial. The generally accepted principal is that they are not. After reading Mark Sisson’s The Primal Blueprint, in which he presents the theory that saturated fats are not to blame for our society’s weight problems, and increasing my own fat intake I believe he is correct (a large number of people in this community have had similar results). My fat intake is between 30 to 45% depending on where I'm at with my carb intake. When I'm endurance training I need more carbs, and take in less fats. When I'm not, I limit carbs to my activity level and that means increasing my fat intake. I've found it to be a remarkably good source of energy and fatty foods really fill you up, which means you don't need to eat so much to feel satisfied. Regardless of that debate, you cannot go wrong with increasing your intake of fatty foods like avocados, nuts, and olive oil. Take the time to understand how fats work in your diet, because they are important.

7. Quality over quantity. What you eat is far more important than how much you eat. Spend more time focusing on what type of foods you eat and less worrying about how many calories you are taking in on a daily basis. Knowing your caloric range is important, but don't get too caught up in that analysis. If you are hungry and have something healthy to eat, then eat it. If you are not hungry, don't feel like you have to force food down to get to some predetermined caloric count. Just go with that feels right and eat healthy.

8. The 80/20 Rule. Try to make 80% of the foods you eat be healthy whole foods that meet all of the criteria above. If you can do that, then the other 20% won't hurt you too much. If your diet isn't particularly good at this time 80/20 will be a huge improvement. The 80/20 rule came straight from the Tony Horton Fitness Camp seminars. Tony follows a 90/10 rule, so apply this according to your personal goals.

Hope this helps. If you are reading this, and have questions, don’t hesitate to contact me at dave@thefitclubnetwork.com. I’m happy to help.

Dave

[Dave]

Nutrition is like religion and politics. Everyone has opinions on the topic and everyone has stories, facts, experiences, studies and statistics to back up those opinions. Dairy is a microcosm of this debate. It seems to be the one topic in my “Healthy Eating Tips” that people seem either skeptical about or in outright disagreement with. So, let me follow up on that just a bit.

My view is that I (note I) do a lot better when dairy is an extremely minimal part of my diet. I’m talking about a splash in my coffee and that’s about it. I don’t eat yogurt, cottage cheese or cheese on a regular basis. I like to sprinkle a little bit of parmesan on my eggs, a salad with lemon juice as dressing or on the occasional bowl of whole wheat pasta. That’s what works for ME.

In 2008 when we were in Hawaii I got to pick Tony Horton’s brain on a few topics during a workout with about 6 other people (including Mike and Tami French, who’s opinion on nutrition I really respect). The two major things that came out of that for me were: (1) do your yoga; and (2) consume less dairy. I’ve beaten people over the head with the yoga thing since, so maybe I’m moving on now. At Tony’s camp on Jan 22, 2010 he made the statement about cheese being a spice. I was in the back grabbing some water when he said that (Missy Costello was presenting), so I talked to him about it a little. He again told me that cutting dairy was huge. It has worked for me, and when Tony takes a stand I generally go with him.

Before I put together my Healthy Eating Tips I consulted with Mark Sisson, via his blog Mark’s Daily Apple. I’ve been reading The Primal Blueprint and implementing his philosophies and it is really clicking for me, so I wanted to see how dairy fit in. Here are Mark’s thoughts: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dairy-intolerance/. Given Mark’s thoughts, I felt I should qualify my opinions with the old “do what works for you”. I stand behind that because it does work for some, but I do believe that you should make that determination on your own and the only way to do that may be to cut dairy for 30 days as Sisson suggests. Try almond milk as a substitute for milk and just see how you feel.

Now for a quick word on “studies”. “Studies show”… I hear this a lot. One of the things I really like about Mark’s book, is that he tells you what study he’s talking about and why he finds it reliable. When citing studies, I think we need to be very critical of the sources. Who pays for studies on foods and drugs? Well, primarily it is food and drug companies. The Dairy Industry and food manufacturers constantly fund studies supporting the consumption of their products. I’m relatively sure you can find a study or 10 that say high fructose corn syrup is not bad for you. Now I’m not saying that some of these studies are not accurate or based on sound science. What I am saying is that we need to really dig down past the conclusions if we are going to rely on any study for something as important as our health.

So there you have it, my opinion on the dairy debate. My suggestion is to give this a try if you feel there is something not quite right in your diet, but you are not sure what it is. That’s how I came to this conclusion and that’s what works for me. You’ve got to do what works for you.

Dave

[absolutebica]

Dave,

Nice post. Dairy is something I have never considered removing from my diet. Cheese...yes, but I do like to eat 1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese from time to time, maybe before bed to give my body something to feed on versus fasting..similar to the casine protein approach I guess.

And then like I mentioned, I drink some low fat chocolate milk with whey as a part of my post workout drink.

The only thing recently I have distinctly noticed when doing P90x and eating more whey protein is gas. I know gross topic, but I end up feeling bloated on some days and a few buddies of mine said flat out...its the whey. Now...maybe that is also in part to the chocolate milk I am drinking. btw - I ONLY drink milk as part of a post workout drink. Other then that, all I drink is unsweet tea (fresh brewed) and water. I rarely even drink juice unless I am making a smoothie.

Regarding Multi-Vitamins...do you have any issues against a Centrum. My chiropractor friend is a "Whole Foods" nut, so anything I mentioned to him that isn't from that store he thinks is poison :)..so maybe you feel the same way.

Also, regarding the recovery drink...if you had to substitute it with something of a "poor mans" recovery drink or post workout...what would you use? I realize you support Beach Body..but if someone can't afford many beach body products, what are solid alternatives? So in my case, instead of low fat chocolate milk + whey...what else?

Thanks man

[Dave]

Dave,

Nice post. Dairy is something I have never considered removing from my diet. Cheese...yes, but I do like to eat 1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese from time to time, maybe before bed to give my body something to feed on versus fasting..similar to the casine protein approach I guess.

And then like I mentioned, I drink some low fat chocolate milk with whey as a part of my post workout drink.

The only thing recently I have distinctly noticed when doing P90x and eating more whey protein is gas. I know gross topic, but I end up feeling bloated on some days and a few buddies of mine said flat out...its the whey. Now...maybe that is also in part to the chocolate milk I am drinking. btw - I ONLY drink milk as part of a post workout drink. Other then that, all I drink is unsweet tea (fresh brewed) and water. I rarely even drink juice unless I am making a smoothie.

Regarding Multi-Vitamins...do you have any issues against a Centrum. My chiropractor friend is a "Whole Foods" nut, so anything I mentioned to him that isn't from that store he thinks is poison :)..so maybe you feel the same way.

Also, regarding the recovery drink...if you had to substitute it with something of a "poor mans" recovery drink or post workout...what would you use? I realize you support Beach Body..but if someone can't afford many beach body products, what are solid alternatives? So in my case, instead of low fat chocolate milk + whey...what else?

Thanks man

Hey Bryan - I've never really used chocolate milk as recovery formula, but a lot of people say it is indeed the poor man's recovery formula. While we do support Beachbody we are all about getting people fit and REALITY. Sometimes you just have to make it work with what you've got. I was pretty much off of dairy by the time people told me about it. At $43.95 a tub recovery formula works out to be about $1.75 per serving. Chocolate milk is probably still a lower cost alternative, although I'm not sure if you are putting whey in it. I'm sure that there's someone here who's used it and hopefully they will chime in with some thoughts.

As for the gas, that's part of the equation when you are taking in a lot of protein. As I mentioned in my email Phase I of the P90X Nutrition Plan is well in excess of the generally accepted 1g of protein per pound of lean body weight. That much protein, whether from food or whey is going to cause that issue. The whey itself shouldn't be the problem.

Not a fan of Centrum. They don't use pharmaceutical grade products, which is why they are cheap. They use a lot of binders, etc. which interfere with the absorption of the vitamins/minerals. You really shouldn't notice a discoloration of your urine (keeping with the bodily functions theme) when you take a multi-vitamin. If you do, then that's a pretty good sign it is low quality and your body isn't absorbing the vitamins/minerals. Rather, they are going right through you. I would follow the chiro's recommendation and get something good.

Dave

[absolutebica]

Nutrition is like religion and politics. Everyone has opinions on the topic and everyone has stories, facts, experiences, studies and statistics to back up those opinions. Dairy is a microcosm of this debate. It seems to be the one topic in my “Healthy Eating Tips” that people seem either skeptical about or in outright disagreement with. So, let me follow up on that just a bit.

My view is that I (note I) do a lot better when dairy is an extremely minimal part of my diet. I’m talking about a splash in my coffee and that’s about it. I don’t eat yogurt, cottage cheese or cheese on a regular basis. I like to sprinkle a little bit of parmesan on my eggs, a salad with lemon juice as dressing or on the occasional bowl of whole wheat pasta. That’s what works for ME.

In 2008 when we were in Hawaii I got to pick Tony Horton’s brain on a few topics during a workout with about 6 other people (including Mike and Tami French, who’s opinion on nutrition I really respect). The two major things that came out of that for me were: (1) do your yoga; and (2) consume less dairy. I’ve beaten people over the head with the yoga thing since, so maybe I’m moving on now. At Tony’s camp on Jan 22, 2010 he made the statement about cheese being a spice. I was in the back grabbing some water when he said that (Missy Costello was presenting), so I talked to him about it a little. He again told me that cutting dairy was huge. It has worked for me, and when Tony takes a stand I generally go with him.

Before I put together my Healthy Eating Tips I consulted with Mark Sisson, via his blog Mark’s Daily Apple. I’ve been reading The Primal Blueprint and implementing his philosophies and it is really clicking for me, so I wanted to see how dairy fit in. Here are Mark’s thoughts: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dairy-intolerance/. Given Mark’s thoughts, I felt I should qualify my opinions with the old “do what works for you”. I stand behind that because it does work for some, but I do believe that you should make that determination on your own and the only way to do that may be to cut dairy for 30 days as Sisson suggests. Try almond milk as a substitute for milk and just see how you feel.

Now for a quick word on “studies”. “Studies show”… I hear this a lot. One of the things I really like about Mark’s book, is that he tells you what study he’s talking about and why he finds it reliable. When citing studies, I think we need to be very critical of the sources. Who pays for studies on foods and drugs? Well, primarily it is food and drug companies. The Dairy Industry and food manufacturers constantly fund studies supporting the consumption of their products. I’m relatively sure you can find a study or 10 that say high fructose corn syrup is not bad for you. Now I’m not saying that some of these studies are not accurate or based on sound science. What I am saying is that we need to really dig down past the conclusions if we are going to rely on any study for something as important as our health.

So there you have it, my opinion on the dairy debate. My suggestion is to give this a try if you feel there is something not quite right in your diet, but you are not sure what it is. That’s how I came to this conclusion and that’s what works for me. You’ve got to do what works for you.

Dave

Just curious. You mentioned how you follow suit when Tony recommends something. Ever disagree with him on anything in particular regarding fitness or nutrition?

[Dave]

Just curious. You mentioned how you follow suit when Tony recommends something. Ever disagree with him on anything in particular regarding fitness or nutrition?

Not that I can think of. I've never asked him for any advice on endurance sports. For general fitness and nutrition, I think he's spot on. I am starting to believe that we should be eating far less grain based carbs, which is something TH would probably disagree with. He's a big oatmeal fan. Currently, I am focusing on taking in an appropriate amount of carbs (note that does not mean I'm "limiting" carbs, just taking in an appropriate amount) and getting as many as I can through fruits and veggies rather than grain based sources. This is week three of that plan, and it is working very well so far. See the Primal Blueprint thread for more information on that.

[Bryan87]

Quick Question about supplements, I would prefer to get a supplement that I can easily grab over the counter thats good to take that doesnt cost that much. Right now on a budget and trying to become financially independent as well ;) so about 25 bucks is alot to me for vitamins, personally, and even though I am young I am just getting back into the realm of vitamins since I havent takent them since I have been little. Any help ? Cause I thought Centrum was decent, guess not, lol

[Dave]

Quick Question about supplements, I would prefer to get a supplement that I can easily grab over the counter thats good to take that doesnt cost that much. Right now on a budget and trying to become financially independent as well ;) so about 25 bucks is alot to me for vitamins, personally, and even though I am young I am just getting back into the realm of vitamins since I havent takent them since I have been little. Any help ? Cause I thought Centrum was decent, guess not, lol

Bryan - I would go to your local vitamin store (GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Hi Health) or a health food store and ask them for a recommendation. I've taken the Beachbody supplements for the last 4 or 5 years now. I think you want to have, at a minimum, a good mulit-vitamins and Omega-3 fatty acids. I know these things are expensive, but this is your health we are talking about. Is there anything that's more important to you? Living a healthy lifestyle can be more expensive...in the short term. I like to think of it as paying for things up front. People that do not take care of themselves are destined to be on perscription medicines, most of which could have been avoided. Look at the number of people on statin drugs to deal with cholesterol. In the vast majority of these people that end result could have been avoided through proper nutrition and minimal exercise. So, my recommendation is that you put your health first. Invest in your body, and it wil pay you unlimited dividends.

[Bryan87]

Sounds like an excuse I will have to get over, but I know sales, and I am NOT gonna go for the first thing they hand me, which if they are amateur will probably be the most expensive stuff, but I hope to get this promotion so that could mean more income. But if not, I could always ask HELP (hint hint) as far paying for things, my EGO is in the right place, because I know when to ask, and I have know trouble asking when finances are involved whats a ballpark figure are we looking at that you have found

[absolutebica]

Sounds like an excuse I will have to get over, but I know sales, and I am NOT gonna go for the first thing they hand me, which if they are amateur will probably be the most expensive stuff, but I hope to get this promotion so that could mean more income. But if not, I could always ask HELP (hint hint) as far paying for things, my EGO is in the right place, because I know when to ask, and I have know trouble asking when finances are involved whats a ballpark figure are we looking at that you have found

I almost vow to never buy anything at GNC ever again. Everything is marked up and they are in it for a quick buck (the sales people). Many of them are not even knowledgable about the products, just what they are supposed to "push".

I have a much better experience doing plenty of research online and purchasing online. I actually buy my whey from bodybuilding.com because price wise, they are very competitive and their customer service is top notch.

I might consider them or another online retailer versus giong to a store for a better multi-vitamin purchase.

Dave, thanks for the tip about centrum...this is why I HATE the supplement industry...you can't trust anyone and you never know what real quality you are getting.

[absolutebica]

To your question about the chocolate milk + whey, yes I do that every time.

The other day, I opted for Grape Juice + whey and that worked out pretty good.

btw - I have noticed I have not been as gassy lately, and I wonder if it has to do with my body getting used to the protein absorption by now.

[Dave]

I almost vow to never buy anything at GNC ever again. Everything is marked up and they are in it for a quick buck (the sales people). Many of them are not even knowledgable about the products, just what they are supposed to "push".

I have a much better experience doing plenty of research online and purchasing online. I actually buy my whey from bodybuilding.com because price wise, they are very competitive and their customer service is top notch.

I might consider them or another online retailer versus giong to a store for a better multi-vitamin purchase.

Dave, thanks for the tip about centrum...this is why I HATE the supplement industry...you can't trust anyone and you never know what real quality you are getting.

I have to confess that I have not been in a GNC for a long time. I usually go to Hi Health. I've found them pretty helpful and somewhat knowledgeable. I do get contacted by people all the time that say "I went to GNC for recovery formula and they sold me whey", so the point is very well taken.

[Dave]

To your question about the chocolate milk + whey, yes I do that every time.

The other day, I opted for Grape Juice + whey and that worked out pretty good.

btw - I have noticed I have not been as gassy lately, and I wonder if it has to do with my body getting used to the protein absorption by now.

Are you still in Phase I? Here's a great article about Ketosis, which tends to happen when carbs are at a very low level.

[InnerStrength]

Hey Dave, :D

I'm thread hopping-- I thought I had seen you mention a concern about staying on Phase 1 and found it--- but I don't see the link to the concern about Ketosis. . . for the year leading up to P90X my diet was very close to Phase 1. I've had it in my mind that breakfast be a post-workout protein shake (for the nutrition, but also the convenience as I'm usually rushing to work), lunch, a protein, carb, and veggie, and dinner a protein and a veggie; snacks a protein (almonds) and an apple (yes, every day). . . dairy and a second snack were added with P90X. . . Guess I'm curious to know if the past year put my body into Ketosis. . .

Phase 1 brought the biggest feeling of changes (positively) for me, but Phase 2 has left me feeling a plateau even though strength was feeling a boost during the first two weeks. . . I know you've already said Phase 2 is the better place to stay, so my question now is if I cut out the dairy (I've been doing nonfat Greek Yogurt with 1/2 a fruit serving as my p.m. snack all month and replaced almonds with string cheese in the a.m. snack), what would be good to replace the dairy with????

I am starting to feel hungry between meals again. . . but also haven't seen/felt many changes the past two weeks. . . Sorry for the many questions, I just want to do my best as I enter the final Phase!!! :)

Thanks Dave!
Cel
Lean Version, Round One, Phase 3 starts next Monday!

[Dave]

Hey Dave, :D

I'm thread hopping-- I thought I had seen you mention a concern about staying on Phase 1 and found it--- but I don't see the link to the concern about Ketosis. . . for the year leading up to P90X my diet was very close to Phase 1. I've had it in my mind that breakfast be a post-workout protein shake (for the nutrition, but also the convenience as I'm usually rushing to work), lunch, a protein, carb, and veggie, and dinner a protein and a veggie; snacks a protein (almonds) and an apple (yes, every day). . . dairy and a second snack were added with P90X. . . Guess I'm curious to know if the past year put my body into Ketosis. . .

Phase 1 brought the biggest feeling of changes (positively) for me, but Phase 2 has left me feeling a plateau even though strength was feeling a boost during the first two weeks. . . I know you've already said Phase 2 is the better place to stay, so my question now is if I cut out the dairy (I've been doing nonfat Greek Yogurt with 1/2 a fruit serving as my p.m. snack all month and replaced almonds with string cheese in the a.m. snack), what would be good to replace the dairy with????

I am starting to feel hungry between meals again. . . but also haven't seen/felt many changes the past two weeks. . . Sorry for the many questions, I just want to do my best as I enter the final Phase!!! :)

Thanks Dave!
Cel
Lean Version, Round One, Phase 3 starts next Monday!

Phase I of the P90X nutrition guide does features very high levels of protein and very low levels of carbs. That can cause a state of Ketosis, but that's not necessarily bad. Ketosis occurs when the intake of carbs is severely limited.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dear-mark-ketosis/

If Sterling catches wind of this, he'll really have more to contribute on this topic than I do. I found this absolutely fascinating research. Frankly, all of Mark's stuff has interested me. Check out the article. I think that's why Phase I is so effective. In addition, it weans people off of their sugar addictions. Most people in this Country (you excepted) are addicted to sugar. This happens to carb junkies, fast food junkies, alcohol abusers and most of us who don't understand that food companies are peppering our food with high fructose corn syrup for the very reason that it keeps us addicted to their product. I'm on a rant here, but the point is that the information needs to be communicated. Our carbs, in particular our sugars, our completely out of control. When I started reading labels my body changed very quickly.

Thanks for the questions Cel. Do you feel like you've gone down the rabbit's hole yet? We may rename this whole board. LOL.

[FitRunner]

Rabbit hole sounds about right for the state of food in this country :) I really wish I could get out of cooking ALL the time sometimes, but a feeling of overpaying for a feeling of BLAH and HRMH is the alternative.

Good for you for ranting, Dave - someone's got to keep it up and it's hard not to feel like some fringe lunatic on the topic of nutrition sometimes. I'm so glad I don't have to do all the ranting and explaining of the hidden issues in our food supply around here :)

[JimNAZ]

This is probably old news for some of you but we watched the documentary Food Inc last night. Nothing was really a surprise (except for some statistics) but at times we tend to forget while we pull a pack of meat, eggs or (fill in the blank) from the store shelves.

If anyone has seen this documentary it appeared as if some farmers did care while others were in it for the $. (Disclaimer: It stated that there is a large investment for the farmer with a less return so it appears they get locked in to being controlled by the major players (Tyson etc . . .) with not many options.)

[FitRunner]

I think the control these large food companies can exert on farmers, ranchers, etc, is a huge part of the problem. It seems as if the choices are do it your own way and accept not being part of the major food supply chains or conform big time, whether you like it or not.

[JimNAZ]

Exactly! In the documentary there was a chicken farmer who refused to comply with the demand to keep chickens in a dark window-less building. She lost her contract (with Tyson) that same year.

[FitRunner]

Yeah... and she seemed to know that was what was going to happen but did it anyway because she was sick of conforming. Good for her, but where's the payoff other than having done the right thing? In that light it seems all we can do as consumers is to try to find ways to buy from those who refuse to conform. Create larger possibilities to stand outside the big companies and still make a living.

[Dave]

It's all about CSA kids. Find a program near you. http://www.thefitclubnetwork.com/2010/02/community-supported-agriculture/.

[Sterling]

Phase I of the P90X nutrition guide does features very high levels of protein and very low levels of carbs. That can cause a state of Ketosis, but that's not necessarily bad. Ketosis occurs when the intake of carbs is severely limited.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dear-mark-ketosis/

If Sterling catches wind of this, he'll really have more to contribute on this topic than I do. I found this absolutely fascinating research. Frankly, all of Mark's stuff has interested me. Check out the article. I think that's why Phase I is so effective. In addition, it weans people off of their sugar addictions. Most people in this Country (you excepted) are addicted to sugar. This happens to carb junkies, fast food junkies, alcohol abusers and most of us who don't understand that food companies are peppering our food with high fructose corn syrup for the very reason that it keeps us addicted to their product. I'm on a rant here, but the point is that the information needs to be communicated. Our carbs, in particular our sugars, our completely out of control. When I started reading labels my body changed very quickly.

Thanks for the questions Cel. Do you feel like you've gone down the rabbit's hole yet? We may rename this whole board. LOL.

Ketogenic is defined as forming or capable of being converted into ketone bodies. Ketosis is neither good nor bad, it simply means that you are burning fat for energy and ketones are a byproduct of that fat metabolism. So being in ketosis is perfectly fine and not harmful.

Each of the 3 macronutrients have varying degrees of ketogenic 'capabilities'. Fat is 90% ketogenic and 10% non-ketogenic. Protein is 46% ketogenic and 58% non-ketogenic. Carbohydrate is 100% anti-ketogenic. Ketosis shouldn't necessarily be a goal or a marker of diet 'success'. If your diet is 1/2 protein and 1/2 fat, you'll likely be in ketosis. But if you are exceeding your required caloric intake, you'll gain weight regardless of ketosis. If you're 'in' ketosis you are simply using fat as your main energy source outside of gluconeogenesis.

Eating a high protein diet, even extremely high i.e. 2 grams/lb body weight, will not necessarily put you in a state of ketosis. I've eaten over given time periods a diet extremely high in protein, low in fat (less than 20 grams/day), and low in carbs (less than 20 grams/day including vegetables -- that's almost non-existent carb intake) -- my calories were 85% derived from protein. I was not in ketosis. There have been times when I fasted that I was burning ketones like a mad man because my body was using body fat for energy. So regardless of protein intake, ketosis really depends on fat ingestion and body fat. A fatter person would be more likely to be in ketosis on a high protein diet or in a fasted state because their body would draw the remaining required energy from their own body fat. Remember also that ketosis means that ketones are present in the blood. Most times they are present in the urine, but a ketostix could say that you're not in ketosis when you really are (just semantics here but thought I'd point it out). Finally, a true ketogenic diet is extremely high in fat and low in carbs.

For the opposite of ketosis-like behavior check out my blog post today on carbs: http://bit.ly/cJqrLf

[BubbinStuff]

It's all about CSA kids. Find a program near you. http://www.thefitclubnetwork.com/2010/02/community-supported-agriculture/.

Finally!!! A reason to be proud of living in Ohio!!! ;)

[chrisiclow]

I purchase all my vitimans at www.vitacost.com I love the site shipping is really cheap and the products are cheap. I take a liquid vitiman called 30 for 14.00

Anyone know if any omega 3 would be fine...I know we need a bunch of different things but for now the multi vitiman and omega 3 along with a whey protien shake a day will hopefully be enought to get started with P90x

[chrisiclow]

I totally agree with that we need to make a stand purchase from the local famers ...who will not conform

[Dave]

Yeah, we love our farmer's market. We are going to buy a share in the local farm once we get back from Hawaii. The food is so much better. I love eggs. Love them. The eggs are incredible. In addition, you get to support local businesses. I found out first hand how bad the economy is when my law firm excused me from my duties last week. I can't imagine trying to make it as a local farmer. Overlooking them is like overlooking the best player in the NFL draft because he comes from a small school that has no reputation of creating heros. Jerry Rice comes to mind.

[CyberFitnessGuru]

I eat an entire bag of salad per day. I feel eating live geen foods is the secret to my success.