 The stuff on the bottom of the pyramid is the most important stuff. As you make your way up the pyramid, you get less and less meaningful impact per time invested. 1. Sustainability And Adherence The most important thing about your diet? It has to be something you can stick to. Even with fast weight loss, you'll still be dieting for quite some time. If your diet isn't something you can stick to for at least a few months, you won't be able to get results. When I first started coaching, I gave all my clients macros - based on my own success with tracking. What happened? Hardly anyone could stick to their diets. This is exactly why we spend so much time initially talking about your lifestyle, and what diet structure will work best for you currently. That's how we create a diet easy for you to adhere to. Now, our goal is NOT to keep you dieting for the rest of your life - so you don't have to be able to see yourself doing this for years... but it has to be maintainable for the course of the diet (typically 3-6 months). So really, after the diet is over is when sustainability comes into play. The habits you've learned - eat protein at every meal, prepping ahead, focusing on high-volume foods, balancing calorie intake with movement - these are what allow you to sustain your new bangin' body composition once you get there. Basically, you'll never just be able to eat crappy food constantly and be fit. So while you don't have to constantly be dieting - you do need to implement the healthy behaviors you've learned to sustain your results. 2. Energy Balance  Basically:
-When you eat FEWER calories than you burn in a day, you lose weight. -When you eat More calories than you burn in a day, you gain weight. ^This is how ALL diets work. They're simply different ways of getting you to eat less. For everything else you could possibly want to know about energy balance, check out last week's email. 3. Macronutrients All your foods are made up of some combination (or at least one) of these “macros”. Your macro intake can have a pretty big impact on your body composition, but it does NOT overrule energy balance. Calories in - calories out is still the most important factor. The calories per gram varies a bit by macro: *Protein: 1 gram of protein contains ~4 calories *Carbohydrates: 1 gram of carbohydrate contains ~4 calories *Fat: 1 gram of fat contains ~9 calories *Ethanol (alcohol): 1 gram of pure ethanol contains ~7 calories Protein Keeping protein high is crucial to building a great body, BECAUSE:
2. Carbs: 5-10% of calories consumed are burned via TEF 3. Fat: 0-3% of calories consumed are burned via TEF When you eat more protein, you're actually increasing the Calories outside of the energy balance equation, since you're burning more calories via TEF.
Fat
Well - no. You can absolutely drink and still hit your fat loss goals. Seriously, don't feel like you need to give up your social life entirely to get in great shape. Now, your body views alcohol as a toxin. So priority one for your body after drinking is getting the alcohol out of your system A.S.A.P. To be more efficient at this, the body shuts down other processes to clear the system faster. Processes like: Oxidation of fat, hormone production, muscle tissue repair, etc. Basically, when you drink, your results (losing body fat, building muscle) stop until your body clears the alcohol. All that being said, fat loss still comes down to creating a calorie deficit. So no need to be afraid of alcohol. To work alcohol into your daily intake: *If you're tracking: swap preferably fat, and then carb calories for macros. -For fat: divide the total calories in your drink by 9. The resulting number is the grams of fat to subtract from your daily intake. -For carbs: divide the total calories in your drink by 4. The resulting number is the grams of carbs to subtract from your daily intake. Basically, always keep your protein higher. Carbs and fats are going to have to take a hit. Try to keep carbs as high as possible, as long as possible. Don't let fat drop below 15% of your total calorie intake. 4. Micronutrients Ok - so this could get really boring. I'm not going to hit you with an exhaustive list of vitamins and minerals. We'll just cover the essentials quickly. You've probably heard the term nutrient-dense foods. Nutrient-dense foods are simply foods that are packed with vitamins and minerals. These nutrients are key to overall health, gym performance, and even your mental state. Typically whole or minimally processed foods are nutrient-dense foods. Think - anything that comes from the earth OR lives on the earth. Meats, veggies, fruit, etc. On the other hand, highly processed foods typically contain very few nutrients. Think - Food that's produced in a factory. Typically a very long ingredient list. Now, the five most common micronutrient deficiencies are:
As far as fruits and veggies - a good rule of thumbs is to eat one serving of fruits and veggies for every 500 calories you consume. So how important is food quality? Here's the thing - you could eat only Twinkies and lose weight, as long as you maintained a calorie deficit. For real. The professor in THIS STUDY ate strictly Twinkies and the like for 10 weeks. Dude lost 27 LBs, while eating strictly highly-processed, sugar-laden foods. All he did was maintain a calorie deficit. Now, do I recommend this approach? Absolutely not. Your health will be awful. You need adequate intake of the nutrients whole foods provide to feel good, perform in the gym, and function properly. Plus, while dieting, you have to deal with being hungry often. Highly-processed foods are literally engineered to make you want to eat more. They're "hyper-palatable". Not ideal when the goal is to eat less. Eating mostly unprocessed, whole foods will keep you full longer. Whole foods typically have more volume per calorie (you get more "bang for your buck" as far as satiety per calorie goes). They also generally contain more fiber, which also increases satiety. So does your diet have to be strictly chicken breasts and tilapia? No way. But - making 80-90%of your diet whole foods will make the process much easier, and you'll feel better throughout. From there, you're free to enjoy the other 10-20% of your calorie intake from whatever your heart desires (as long as you work it into your food intake goals) without any negative effects on your results OR your health. 5. Meal/Nutrient Timing How many times have you heard: "You HAVE TO eat six meals a day to lose weight." ^This is super not true. The thinking behind this myth was - due to TEF, you burn more calories (via digestion) when you're eating. So eating more often means you're burning more calories. Thing is - on average, TEF is about 10% of the calories you intake. 10% of a larger meal, or a smaller meal. Whether you eat 2,000 calories in 4 different 500 calorie meals, or in 2 different 1,000 calories makes no difference. TEF at the end of the day will still be 10% of 2,000 calories. So does meal timing/number of meals matter at all? Well, yes. It CAN make a difference. Just be sure to prioritize. All the stuff we've talked about previous to this makes MUCH more difference for your body composition. Treat it as such. A few things to consider:
The most important thing - finding the meal frequency that is easiest for you to adhere to. (Anecdotally, clients usually do best with 3-4 per day.) 6. Supplements “Get ripped in two weeks with the SuperShred-69 fat burner!... And don’t forget to use my promo code.” -J. Swollzz, Instagram Fitness Model Most everyone has tried some type of fat burner, detox, etc. expecting dramatic results...and…..nothing. The problem is, the supplement industry is crazy good at selling on the idea that “the thing” is out there somewhere. You know, "the thing" that’s finally gonna get you the body you want, without having to put in years of hard work and consistency. "The thing" doesn't exist. Truth is, most legal supplements do little to nothing. That's why they're way up here, at the top of the pyramid. Are any supplements worth the money? *A Note On Proprietary Blends: Supplement labels often include “proprietary blends”. This allows for the total amount of ingredients in the blend to be listed, while leaving the exact amount of each individual ingredient unspecified. Taking supplements containing proprietary blends is much more likely to be a health hazard. Finally, do your own research. The following is purely informative, not a recommendation. It’s up to you to determine if a supplement is safe to take. That being said, a few supplements do have merit. Creatine Monohydrate Creatine is an extremely well researched supplement, with the most effective form being creatine monohydrate. Our bodies use creatine phosphate as a fuel source for the first few seconds of intense or explosive movement/exercise. Think of supplementing with creatine as “topping off the tank”. It allows you to maintain high-intensity exercise for slightly longer. This means an increase in strength, and overall workload you’re able to handle in the gym, equating to building more muscle. That being said, the effects of creatine are far from “steroid-like”, but it is a proven supplement to aid building muscle and strength. 3-5 grams/day will do the trick. Caffeine We’re all well-versed in/potentially addicted to this one. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. Although considered a psychoactive drug, its use is extremely common and mostly unregulated. Of all the supplements on this list, caffeine has by far the most noticeable effects. Not only does caffeine boost mood, alertness and mental clarity, it also has some real benefits to your workouts. Research shows that caffeine decreases perceived effort, increases power output, and improves endurance. Not that you needed an excuse for more caffeine, but it’s a real performance booster. Just keep your intake reasonable. Ideally less than 400mg per day. Protein Powders If you’re able to hit your daily protein requirements entirely from whole foods, there’s no need to use a protein powder. Protein powders are lacking many of the micronutrients that quality, whole food protein sources will have. But, if you’re struggling to meet your daily protein requirements, supplementing with a protein powder can be helpful. Whey protein and casein proteins have the best amino acid profiles of available protein powders. They're the easiest for your body to absorb and use. It’s debatable which is superior. The body digests whey protein quicker than casein protein. Whey and casein protein are derivatives of milk. So if animal products are a no-go for you: pea or rice proteins have the best amino acid profiles. Multi-Vitamin Getting all of your micronutrients from whole foods is ideal. Ideal, but not always realistic. Taking a multivitamin is a good way to ensure your daily micronutrient needs are met. Vitamin D We obtain vitamin D naturally through food and sunlight. The issue? Most of us don’t get enough time in the sun, and the amount of vitamin D is negligible in most foods outside of fatty fish. As a result, vitamin D deficiency is extremely common Taking a vitamin D or Cod liver oil supplement can be extremely helpful in preventing this deficiency. The typical recommended dose is 1,000-2,000 IU per day EPA And DHA (Fish Oil) EPA and DHA are essential fatty acids. Now, if you eat fatty fish 2+ times per week, you're good on these. If not, a fish oil supplement can help. Typically, 1-2g EPA + DHA per day is advised. Again, supplements are the LEAST important factor. You'll rarely see any noticeable difference from taking a supplement. So don’t get caught up in the minutiae of things like supplements, and forget to focus on the things that really make a difference when it comes to changing your body. Ok, got all that? A quick summary: Week Three: The Nutrition Hierarchy 1. Finding a diet you can adhere to and learn sustainable behaviors from is by far the most important factor. 2. You must have a negative energy balance for weight loss. You need a positive energy balance for weight gain. 3. Adequate protein is super important. Carbs and fat intake can be geared towards what is easiest for you to adhere to. 4. 80-90% of your food intake should come from whole foods. 5. Meal timing doesn't matter all that much if you don't have 1-4 dialed in. Eating 3-5 meals per day is slightly more ideal. The most important factor is finding a meal frequency that fits your lifestyle. 6. Supplements typically make little to no difference. A few will help you hit your nutrient needs, and/or slightly improve gym performance. Hit comment with any questions! - Coach Kayli
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Blog Post by Coach JulieNCI Certified Nutrition Coach L1 & Certified Mindset Coach I began Phase 4, the reintroduction phase, on July 7th. With this phase I started 2 new supplements Flora Protect and a supplement called PepZin GI. These two supplements are to repopulate the gut with good bacteria and to protect the gut barrier and gut immunity. I will maintain the S. Boulardii with these two supplements and I have continued the peppermint oil. I am reintroducing foods on a 3 day cycle. The first day, I will consume half a serving of a certain food. If I don’t have symptoms, I will continue to day two where I will consume a half serving twice per day. Assuming there are still no symptoms, I will eat a normal serving on day 3. Day 4 is a rest day, to make sure that I don’t experience any delayed symptoms. Sometimes delayed symptoms can occur if you’re experiencing constipation so we’ve built in a rest day to allow any symptoms to subside before we start a new 3 day cycle with a different food. After the end of the cycle, if there were no symptoms, I have been waiting a week or so and then reincorporating those foods back into my normal diet.
Since the last update, I have reintroduced: ranch dressing, granola, avocado, ice cream, pears, beets, onion and garlic. All have been a successful introduction. The only noticeable symptoms I have had occurred during the garlic reintroduction. I had minimal stomach upset and a little bit of a bloated feeling. Not enough that I will completely exclude garlic, but I will keep it to a minimum. I am still working through a list of foods that I had eliminated and this will continue until I have tried all the foods that I eliminated so that I am either back to a normal diet or have identified some trigger foods. I am getting very close to wrapping this phase up, I have 3 more foods that I would like to add. I am taking this phase very slowly to be sure that I can clearly identify if there are some trigger foods. My coach has said that I can probably wrap it up, but I feel more comfortable maintaining this cadence until everything I used to eat is included. I have discontinued all the supplements, including S. Boulardii, with the exception of the PepZin GI and Peppermint Oil. I will be continuing those through the Nexium cessation phase. After this phase, we will move on to Phase 5 where we will eliminate Nexium and work on increasing my stomach acid levels. I have the protocol and I know what I will be adding, however I am not going to start this until I have completed the current supplementation and the reintroduction phase. With my forecasting, it looks like I will be starting that phase on December 3rd. Blog Post by Coach JulieNCI Certified Nutrition Coach L1 & Certified Mindset Coach I began Phase 4, the reintroduction phase, on July 7th. With this phase I started 2 new supplements Flora Protect and a supplement called PepZin GI. These two supplements are to repopulate the gut with good bacteria and to protect the gut barrier and gut immunity. I will maintain the S. Boulardii with these two supplements and I have continued the peppermint oil. I am reintroducing foods on a 3 day cycle. The first day, I will consume half a serving of a certain food. If I don’t have symptoms, I will continue to day two where I will consume a half serving twice per day. Assuming there are still no symptoms, I will eat a normal serving on day 3. Day 4 is a rest day, to make sure that I don’t experience any delayed symptoms. Sometimes delayed symptoms can occur if you’re experiencing constipation so we’ve built in a rest day to allow any symptoms to subside before we start a new 3 day cycle with a different food. After the end of the cycle, if there were no symptoms, I have been waiting a week or so and then reincorporating those foods back into my normal diet.
Since the last update, I have reintroduced: cauliflower, bran, kidney beans, cream cheese, honey and apples. All have been a successful introduction. I am still working through a list of foods that I had eliminated and this will continue until I have tried all the foods that I eliminated so that I am either back to a normal diet or have identified some trigger foods. I am getting very close to wrapping this phase up, I have 11 more foods that I would like to add. I am taking this phase very slowly to be sure that I can clearly identify if there are some trigger foods. My coach has said that I can probably wrap it up, but I feel more comfortable maintaining this cadence until everything I used to eat is included. I am continuing the supplement regimen that I listed above until I am out of them. When I run out, I will not be refilling those. This includes the S. Boulardii. The only supplement listed that I will continue is the peppermint oil as that will be carried over into Phase 5. After this phase, we will move on to Phase 5 where we will eliminate Nexium and work on increasing my stomach acid levels. I have the protocol and I know what I will be adding, however I am not going to start this until I have completed the current supplementation and the reintroduction phase.  There are a few key nutrients that can make the sometimes challenging task of balancing your blood sugar easy and approachable! These three key nutrients are: fat, fiber, and protein. Other diabetes resources focus on limiting or even removing certain foods from your diet, but instead we’re going to focus on adding these three key nutrients to your plate each time you eat. . .
THE BLOOD SUGAR ROLLER COASTER
sugar and other forms of carbohydrates.
shown above.
FAT •Fat often gets a bad rep in the media and becomes feared by many, grabbing the non-fat or low-fat options at the grocery store or coffee shop. However, fat is a vital macronutrient essential in everyone's daily diet.
fat to absorb the goodness of these specific vitamins. So eating avocado or salad dressing on a salad will function both for flavor and aiding the absorption of those fat- soluble vitamins in vegetables. •Fat helps keep us full and satiated. This is simply because this macronutrient takes longer to exit the stomach, so when your meals or snacks contain fat, they help keep you satisfied longer and keep hunger away. •Fat can also slow down carbohydrate absorption, which means a more steady blood sugar response after meals and snacks.. FIBER •Fiber is great because it prevents us from getting hungry again soon after we've eaten and can help regulate blood sugar levels. •There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. •Soluble fiber dissolves in water. Soluble fiber is helpful for our cholesterol and blood sugar regulation. •Insoluble fiber is not dissolvable in water and will aid in moving food through our digestive system. •A great way to increase fiber in your daily diet is to keep the skin on vegetables and fruit. So, for instance, if you're making a soup, scrub the carrots well to clean off any dirt but leave that beautiful orange skin on the vegetable to retain more fiber! PROTEIN •Protein is a macronutrient that plays a vital role in balancing our blood sugars. •Protein can be derived from animal-based sources such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy. Protein can also be derived from plant-based sources such as whole grains, legumes, beans, nuts, and seeds. PUTTING IT INTO ACTION Toast
Dairy
Oatmeal
Rice or Pasta
- Coach Kayli Blog Post by Coach JulieNCI Certified Nutrition Coach L1 & Certified Mindset Coach I began Phase 4, the reintroduction phase, on July 7th. With this phase I started 2 new supplements Flora Protect and a supplement called PepZin GI. These two supplements are to repopulate the gut with good bacteria and to protect the gut barrier and gut immunity. I will maintain the S. Boulardii with these two supplements and I have continued the peppermint oil. I am reintroducing foods on a 3 day cycle. The first day, I will consume half a serving of a certain food. If I don’t have symptoms, I will continue to day two where I will consume a half serving twice per day. Assuming there are still no symptoms, I will eat a normal serving on day 3. Day 4 is a rest day, to make sure that I don’t experience any delayed symptoms. Sometimes delayed symptoms can occur if you’re experiencing constipation so we’ve built in a rest day to allow any symptoms to subside before we start a new 3 day cycle with a different food. After the end of the cycle, if there were no symptoms, I have been waiting a week or so and then reincorporating those foods back into my normal diet.
Since the last update, I have reintroduced: barley, cottage cheese, mayo, and peaches. All have been a successful introduction. I also took a 4 day vacation to Chicago where I ate nearly everything I wanted to without any gut upset or discomfort. I did avoid the key foods like onions and garlic that are known to be harsh offenders, but I ate foods that I haven’t consumed for years and felt totally fine. I did experience some anxiety because I was a little uncertain of how it would settle with me and being out and about and not wanting to miss out on seeing sites in town on my vacation. I am still working through a list of foods that I had eliminated and this will continue until I have tried all the foods that I eliminated so that I am either back to a normal diet or have identified some trigger foods. I am getting very close to wrapping this phase up. I am taking this phase very slowly to be sure that I can clearly identify if there are some trigger foods. After this phase, we will move on to Phase 5 where we will eliminate Nexium and work on increasing my stomach acid levels.  This is not just a typical before and after. Yes, you can see that my body is smaller, but look closer. Look at my eyes. Look at the color of my skin. I looked sick and unwell . . . and I was. Now, a decade later, I look healthier. Am I the picture of perfect health? Absolutely not. None of us are. But I feel better. I don’t feel sick all the time. I don’t hurt all the time. I have more energy. I have a higher sex drive. I sleep better. I’m less stressed. I’m happier. How did I do this? MOSTLY FOOD. My diet in 2010 was a lot of dining out, fast food, and processed food. The food quality was shit. Stuff that I ate then, I wouldn’t feed to my dogs. Seriously. I also drank Dr. Pepper like I needed it for life. I also ate way too much food. I was also sedentary. During this time, I had developed high blood pressure, high cholesterol, IBS, PCOS, anxiety and depression. I took 13 prescription pills per day to manage these issues. Most body and health transformations are 20% fitness and 80% nutrition. I didn’t know this then. I actually just learned this within the last 5 years. Since the photo from 2010, I cleaned my food quality and reduced the quantity. I stopped eating fast food. I’ve limited my intake of processed food. I prioritize protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. I stopped drinking soda. Just in the last few months I’ve started drinking Sprite Zero and I love it, but I keep it to one per day and it’s zero sugar and zero calories. I also stopped eating multiple servings at dinner time. I started meal prepping. When I meal prep, I know exactly how many meals I’m making and I know exactly how much one serving is, and I stick to it. Note I did not say that I stopped eating foods I love. You can bet your ass I’m taking my smokin’ hot wife out to smash pizza and ice cream at least once per week. I also started working out. Since 2010, I’ve eliminated all but 2 prescription medications. The 2 I take now are only for anxiety. I no longer have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, PCOS or IBS. Read that again . . . I started really slow. I started with no education and no guidance. I simply reduced the amount of food I was eating and increased activity. I started riding a stationary bike at home. Eventually I started lifting weights and teaching myself the ropes of resistance training. I lost 100 pounds, 11 pills, and 4 diagnoses (illnesses/diseases). I gained better health, better sleep, less stress, more happiness. I have, in recent years, hired my own coaches. Coaches need coaches. This has been a decade of work. If the changes are sustainable, it doesn’t happen overnight. It takes work. It takes dedication. It isn’t easy. What most people don’t realize is a shitty diet can cause inflammation. The root of all disease is inflammation. There is a point of no return though. You should start cleaning up your diet when symptoms start. If you maintain your diet and take medications to mask the symptoms, you’re still fueling the diseased state. Food can be medicine. I’ve heard a doctor say, “If you have type 2 diabetes, and you haven’t been told you can reverse it with diet, you haven’t been given proper advice. It’s a disease caused by food and it can only be healed by proper food.” - Coach J Blog Post by Coach JulieNCI Certified Nutrition Coach L1 & Certified Mindset Coach I began Phase 4, the reintroduction phase, on July 7th. With this phase I started 2 new supplements Flora Protect and a supplement called PepZin GI. These two supplements are to repopulate the gut with good bacteria and to protect the gut barrier and gut immunity. I will maintain the S. Boulardii with these two supplements and I have continued the peppermint oil. I am reintroducing foods on a 3 day cycle. The first day, I will consume a half serving of a certain food. If I don’t have symptoms, I will continue to day two where I will consume a half serving twice per day. Assuming there are still no symptoms, I will eat a normal serving on day 3. Day 4 is a rest day, to make sure that I don’t experience any delayed symptoms. Sometimes delayed symptoms can occur if you’re experiencing constipation so we’ve built in a rest day to allow any symptoms to subside before we start a new 3 day cycle with a different food. After the end of the cycle, if there were no symptoms, I have been waiting a week or so and then reincorporating those foods back into my normal diet. So far the foods I have attempted are: watermelon, peas, hummus, gluten, Greek yogurt, ketchup, mushrooms, black beans, and raisins. So far all the foods have been tolerated except hummus. It has been hard for me to determine if the issues were actually with the hummus or issues I was having at the time with constipation causing some discomfort. I am still working through a list of foods that I had eliminated and this will continue until I have tried all the foods that I eliminated so that I am either back to a normal diet or have identified some trigger foods.
After this phase, we will move on to Phase 5 where we will eliminate Nexium and work on increasing my stomach acid levels. Blog Post by Coach Kayli NCI Certified Level 1 Nutrition Coach, NASM Certified Personal Trainer, Woman's and Gut Health Specialist Calculating your calorie needs can be a bit complicated because you have to factor in a number of variables, including your weight, height, age, gender and activity level. But you can get a ballpark estimate using this simple formula:
And of course, the type of calories you’ll be eating matters, too. Focus on plenty of produce and lean protein (fish and seafood, skinless chicken, lean meat, beans, and lentils), and enjoy moderate amounts of whole grains and healthy fats. Now if you are seeking to build muscle your simple formula would look like this:
You can do this! Blog Post by Coach JulieNCI Certified Nutrition Coach L1 & Certified Mindset Coach Throughout this process, I have continuously surprised myself. Phase 3 that I thought would last 6-12 weeks, I completed in 4. My body has been responding very well to the treatments. I have eliminated all symptoms after 4 weeks of fighting SIBO with diet and supplements. I started Phase 3 on June 3rd and ended on July 3rd. When this phase began, I was to discontinue the mastic gum and the DGL encapsulations and immediately begin the 4 SIBO supplements. The 4 new supplements were: Oregano Oil, Berberine, GI Detox and BioFilm Defense. Oregano oil is a natural antibiotic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It has also been shown to help stabilize intestinal flora balance. Berberine is usually a natural alternative to some diabetes medications including metformin. Studies are showing that it has a benefit to gut microbiome and has shown to improve symptoms of diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. The BioFilm defense helps support healthy levels of biofilm and provides nutritional support for detoxing the gut. It is also an aid for bloating, gas and GI distress. Lastly, the GI Detox is exactly what it sounds like. This is a supplement that will help bind all of the harmful microbes we are trying to flush from the body and get them out of the body. I also continued the Phase 1 practices during this phase. Those steps included diet changes, starting S. Boulardii, starting colostrum, walking after meals, managing stress, getting good sleep, and keeping my workout intensity lower. These are all in place to help my body naturally detox and heal. The diet changes are to keep inflammation to a minimum. The S. Boulardii and colostrum help support the gut during the detox and die off process. Walking after meals aids with digestion and minimizes bloating and discomfort. Managing stress, getting good sleep and keep my workout intensity low are all about reserving my energy for my body’s healing and fighting the infection. It is normal to experience fatigue during this phase so keeping some energy is vital for allowing your body to recover. The typical expected symptoms associated with die off include: fatigue, muscle aches, joint pain, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and flu like symptoms.
I did not experience any adverse symptoms during this phase. I was able to maintain consistency with the supplements and the protocol which is probably why I was able to get out of this phase within 4 weeks. Now, it’s time for Phase 4. Phase 4 is going to be continuing most of the Phase 1 protocol things. I discontinued the 4 SIBO supplements and the colostrum. I have also started taking a probiotic called Flora Protect and a supplement called PepZin GI. These two supplements are to repopulate the gut with good bacteria and to protect the gut barrier and gut immunity. I will maintain the S. Boulardii with these two supplements and I will be continuing the peppermint oil. So far the introduction of these new supplements has gone smoothly. The first day I had some cramping, but I believe this to be caused by a 3 hour window between taking the pills and eating my first meal. The supplements are to be taken on an empty stomach however I learned that my first meal needs to be shortly after I take them. The basis of this phase is reintroduction of foods. All the items that we discontinued in Phase 1 will be added back in. This is a gradual reintroduction, we aren’t just throwing caution to the wind. We are implementing a 4 day cycle. I will be choosing one food from each category and introducing it on a 4 day cycle. Day 1 will be a half a serving. If there are no symptoms, day 2 will be the same size serving twice per day. On day 3 if there are no symptoms, I will eat a normal serving. Day 4 is a rest day to allow the gut time to rest. Day 5 starts another 4 day cycle with a different food from a different food group. As we go through this process, I will be tracking what foods I’m introducing and what symptoms I experience. By the end of this, I will have identified my trigger foods, if there are any, and can avoid them to maintain gut health. I anticipate I will be in this phase until I have cycled through all the foods that I would like to add back into my diet. After this phase, we will move to Phase 5 where I work on increasing stomach acid and titrating off Nexium. Of course, you will receive an update in 4 weeks on progress. What you do 80% of the time… …is more important than what you do the other 20% of the time. Consistency > Perfection. every.single.time. I believe the most important thing when approaching ANY holiday is to go in with a plan that you'll be happy with at the end of the day. If you plan not to track a single thing and eat whatever for the day, that's awesome, as long as you will feel good about that choice. If you plan to track the best you can while enjoying time with friends and family, that's great, as long as you will feel good about that choice. The key is to be intentional with how you choose to approach a holiday (or any event, for that matter). And then define what success will look like for the day... Because when you go in with a plan, you create awareness and ownership of your goals for the day, and you're less likely to shift into the habits you're working to change. After the holiday celebration, I highly suggest you reflect on your day and ask yourself what worked, what didn't, and what lessons you can walk away with for the future (remember, there's no failure, only feedback). That being said, I am ALWAYS up for sharing tips to help you succeed on your journey... >>> Click Here For My 8 Fav Holiday Success Tips <<< And one last thing before I go...one of the more frequent questions I'm asked around the holidays is how to track alcohol. If that's a question you've also wondered, check out the free guide I created that will show you how to log your alcohol intake! Click the button below to grab it. |
AuthorKayli is a certified personal trainer and online coach that specializes in fitness, wellness, nutrition, mindset, mobility and everything in between. Archives
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