Category: Podcast Episodes

Bio :  I’m Claudine Lariviere, health strategist for women who want to feel good in their own skin and fully embody the leader in them! Following years of personal and professional experiences, I decided to dedicate my practice to the female hormonal health. I help women leaders transform their overworked lifestyle so they can be in coherence in all aspects of their life by allying with their hormones through nutrition, sleep, and stress management strategies!

IG : https://www.instagram.com/thewomenhealthcoach/

Website : claudinelariviere.com

Program : https://www.claudinelariviere.com/coherence-program 

The word calorie was coined in the beginning of the 19th century, around 1819–1824.

Use of the calorie gained traction in the following decades, so by around 1845 the “calorie” as a unit of heat energy was being widely used by scientists and engineers.

In 1887  the word calorie finally came into the common American nutritional vocabulary when Professor Wilbur O. Atwater introduced it in an article for Century magazine called The Potential Energy of Food. The Chemistry and Economy of Food.

If Atwater did not pioneer calorie counting and macro-based nutrition in the US, he can certainly be said to have opened the door to both.

In the same article of 1895 Atwater also lists the “Potential energy of food” as expressed by the “Calories in the nutrients in one pound of each food-material” for 44 common foods.

Well, as we know where the word comes from, we can begin to understand where we go wrong.

In 1894 Atwater wrote the first USDA Farmers Bulletin, entitled “Foods: Nutritive value and cost” where he illustrates the breakdown of some popular foods into “nutritive ingredients” – protein, fats, carbohydrates – which correspond to modern-day macronutrients aka macros. 

Now, we are getting into calorie counting

Dr. Lulu Hunt Peters introduced calorie counting to American in the best-selling ‘‘Diet and Health with Key to the Calories’’ and sourced a lot of information from Atwater in 1918.

So, do you think calorie counting is new? Guess again.

A 2005 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition on the “economics of obesity” claims that obesity in America is a largely economic issue. 

The study found that healthy foods that contain fewer calories per gram (such as lean meat, fish, dairy, fruits and vegetables) tend to cost the most.

On the other hand, the cheapest foods contain the most calories per gram, and tend to be less healthy (refined grains, added sugars, and added fats).

Stop and think about that for a second.

It is easier to get fat because those foods are cheaper which usually leads to them being more accessible. 

Yes, obesity is an economic and a social issue. That is the reason why obesity is prevalent in poor neighbourhoods. 

Now, we are getting somewhere.

The issue here isn’t just the calories, but the nutrients.

Our bodies need nutrients to thrive

If we eat nutrient dense foods, we in turn will eat less calories.

We often think the other way around, putting the cart before the horse.

Let’s break down macros by calories:

Protein- each gram has 4 calories 

Fats- each gram has 9 calories 

Carbs- each gram has 4 calories 

It is important to understand that fats are more dense than carbs. 

1 gram of carbs is a lot more than 1 gram of fat

With everything we just discussed, now we know.

The issue here isn’t calories, but nutrients.

By focusing on calorie restriction, especially excessive restriction, you run the risk of being nutrient deficient.

Here are some things that can happen:

1. Cortisols saying too high for too long (This is because your body is constantly in survival mode. This can lead to high blood pressure and other health issues)
2. Hair loss (due to being malnourished) 
3. Hormonal imbalance (as you are underfed, your body is challenged to operate efficiently)
4. Plateau and yes, weight gain (Your BMR adjusts and your body holds on the excess food as storage for future energy. This is a bi-product of being in starvation mode)

These are just a few things that can happen when you excessively restrict calories.

So, if you are looking to lose weight, but not end up calorie restrictions, the answer is clear. 

Most of your diet should be rich in nutrient dense foods.

When I say nutrients, I don’t just mean macronutrients, but also micronutrients. 

Remember our bodies also need vitamins and minerals to thrive.

If you have been following me for a while, you have heard me talk about magnesium, iron, vitamin c, etc. 

If you eat more nutrient dense foods, then there will be less space for low quality foods.

Eat nutrient dense foods and the calories will take care of themselves.

Here we go! Don’t fall for gimmicks! 

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First we have to understand what energy is.

In physics, it is a property that must be transferred to a body or physical system to perform work on the body or heat it.

In simple words, we generate energy to heat our bodies or to do work.

That is why it cannot be created or destroyed, but transferred. 

If you dont seem to have enough energy, it is usually because you are not efficient at generating enough.

We first need to know why we have a hard time generating energy:

1. Get Quality Sleep

If you have been listening to me for a while, you know how much I talk about sleep. 

In fact, getting quality sleep is vital for  your health.

Yes, even more important than nutrition.

When it comes to energy, sleep is absolutely vital

These are some things that happen when you sleep:

1. Rebalance your hormones 
2. Recover
3. Rest 
4. Heal

If you do not sleep well, you are literally robbing your body.

I do not care if your nutrition is on point.

This is where it starts. 

2. Eat carbs in moderation

It is true that our bodies prefer carbs and sugars for energy, but the problem is that when we give our bodies more than it can use, it stores it as fat. 

Remember in my episode on  building muscle and  fatloss, I explain that one pound of muscle burns about 6.5 calories per hour. 

Muscles burn 5.5 times more calories than fat tissues, which only burn about 1.2 calories per pound per hour.

Having more muscle helps you to generate more natural heat aka energy 

As a side note here, remember to strength train. 

I carb cycle.  I eat the majority of my carbs around the time I am working out. Within an hour before and after. Especially simple carbs that my body can use for energy and to fuel my muscles. 

3.  Spending time with the right people  

This is so important. Everyone doesnt deserve your time.

The wrong people can pull from your energy or motivate and push you. 

From time to time I text and call my close family and friends to let them know how much I appreciate them. 

I would not be where I am without certain people in my life. 

If the ppl around you are not supportive, get to know ppl on social media.

Some of the most supportive people in my life, I have not physically met. 

As long as you are having positive and uplifting conversations 

Join The ZecoHealth Crew on Facebook. 

There are some awesome people in my group.

I also provide gems to help you feel better, manage your weight and improve your health. 

4. Eat less or eliminate foods that are rich in trans fat aka fast foods

This is vital.

No food in nature carries high amounts of transfat. 

In fact we make transfat as use it as preservative. 

A doctor told me once to pick up a package of processed foods and look at the expiration date. 

The longer it stays on the shelf, the more time you are taking off your life.

Do I eat processed foods?

Absolute, but not many at all.

At least 80% of my diet is made up of whole foods.

5. Spend more time at play to reduce stress

A body in motion stays in motion. 

Get a pet to run around with.

Play with your kids or nieces and nephews

Ever realized that you can wake up tired, but as you keep moving, you don’t feel tired.

That is because your body is generating heat aka energy. 

That is another reason why we tend to have less energy during the colder months, lack of heat and lack of movement.

These are some basic tips, but start here. 

As you start to feel better, you can make other changes.

1. What is stress?

Well according to the dictionary-  it is pressure or tension exerted on a material object.

I prefer this definition that I found though, a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.

By combining these definitions we understand that it can be physical or mental pressure. 

We often think stress is bad, but we need to understand what it is.

Let’s start with physical pressure.

This is all around us, for example, if I push against an object, I am exerting stress on it.

When it comes to our bodies, stress usually shows up in the form of pain. 

Physical pain is a signal that our bodies are under stress. 

The pain isn’t stress though, the pain is telling you that your body is experiencing stress

I want to make that clear because when we experience pain, we often try to attack it or think the pain is the problem, but nope! Pain is a sign that there is an issue in your body.

Now, let’s talk about emotional stress.

Earlier, I said that it is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.

We then often confuse stress with the responses to stress.

According to The Cleveland Clinic Worry, fear, anger, sadness and other emotions are also all normal emotional responses.

Stress is caused by the pressure, worry, fear, anger, sadness and other emotions are how we respond to it.

It is important to note this distinction.  

We often say, we are stressed over a situation, but are we?

Or are  we responding emotionally due to stress?

If you have not listened to my episode with Dr. Chris Lee yet, go back and listen to it.

One thing he said that still resonates with me is thoughts are the language of the mind and emotions are the language of the body. 

That is a quote from Dr. Joe Dispenza, this guy is banging and is on a totally different level. They both are.

My point of everything here is that stress is a normal part of life. 

The question we have to ask ourselves is how we will respond to it.

I am being very simplistic here and I am not trying to diagnose anyone, but will give you day to day tools to deal with stress that may come up.

Now that we now what it is, let’s discuss the things that may cause stress:

1. How we being our day 

Most of us are exposed to multiple stressors before we begin our day:

1. The loud noise of the alarm that jumpus us out of sleep 
2. Rushing to shower
3. If you have kids, you have to get them ready 
4. Where is my coffee or let me grab something quick
5. If you are in rush hour traffic 
6. When you get to work, you have to hurry up and get starte
7. ETC!

Do you know what this does to your body? 

When we talk about stress, such a high start is causing it and making our day more stressful than it has to be.

It is true that cortisol is supposed to be higher in the mornings, but not so high that it spikes your blood pressure and ruins your health.

Here are some tips to start your morning better. It starts with the night before:

1. Set yourself a bedtime 
2. Block out all bluelight once the sun goes down (buy a pair of blue light blocking glasses and get some blue light blocking bulbs. I put my bulbs in my bathroom cause that is the only light I have on after 7pm)
3. If you have to watch T.V, try not to watch anything too excitable and keep the volume low. 
4. Take a nice relaxing bath or shower.
5. Journal and reflect on your day.
6. Do not do any work in your bedroom (bed room is designed for 2 things, I will let your imagination answer that)
7. Set your alarm to a softer tone or light. If that won’t wake you up, then you are going to sleep too late
8. Set your AC to 68 to 70 degrees ( We fall asleep faster in colder temperatures) 

A caveat here is ditch the energy drinks and coffee within 8 hours of your bedtime.  

If you are caffeine sensitive like I am, then maybe even earlier.

Caffeine has a half life of at least 6 hours. 

It will take time, but once your circadian rhythm resets, you will fall asleep faster and wake up feeling amazing.

Generally, it is fine to take melatonin when you travel outside of your timezone or from time to time to reset your circadian rhythm. 

I sometimes take it on Sunday nights to reset my sleeping pattern since I stay up later on the weekends. 

Please! Start with these habits!

If you don’t get quality sleep, nothing else matters.

You will feel better throughout your day and have more energy.

During the day here are some habits to reduce stress:

1. Get at least 30 minutes of sunlight in the morning (This resets your circadian rhythm and tells your body that it is morning time. Most of us don’t get morning sun, but expose ourselves to false bluelight at night. We wonder why our sleep quality is so bad)
2. Try to get up every hour and move around for a couple minutes during the day. (this helps your body generate energy naturally. Maybe you can ditch the 5Hour Energy)
3. Do cardio or high intensity workout in the morning or earlier in the day (too late will leave your cortisol levels too high, too late in the evening.)
4. Stay hydrated. Hydration helps your body operate at its utmost best.

There are many habits to discuss, but this episode would go on forever. 

Here is a start. Look where you fall short and make adjustments. 

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Keep being awesome.

—
Bridget Botelho is a certified integrative health practitioner who helps women with autoimmunity intuitively rebalance their bodies to reclaim their vibrant energy and power. She became inspired to be a health practitioner after her own personal journey living with Multiple Sclerosis for more than 13 years. When Bridget is not health coaching, she’s urban hiking in San Francisco, watching the latest Netflix obsession, or watering her many (many) plants.

Her instagram is @immune.intuition

—
Bridget Botelho, IHP

ImmuneIntuition.com

Let’s start with the first section:

1. Did you know that muscles help you lose weight?

So, how does this happen?

It helps you burn calories at rest.

One pound of muscle burns about 6.5 calories per hour. 

Muscles burn 5.5 times more calories than fat tissues, which only burn about 1.2 calories per pound per hour.

Then the push back I get from females is,  I don’t want to look like a man.

I always say few things in response:

1. Muscle is lean and sleek. 
2. Most females and guys who are bulky train purposely to look that way
3. They put in hours and eat every 2 hours to build that much muscle
4. If you want to lose weight as you age, you need to build lean muscle, there are no ifs, ands and buts.

There are other benefits outside of weight loss.

Building lean muscle is associated with:

1. Getting stronger 
2. Fewer injuries
3. Stronger bones
4. Heart health
5. Improved Insulin Sensitivity 
6. And the list goes on and on

So, by now we know why we need to lift.

2.  Let’s talk about how often

I won’t spend too much time on this.

I have at least 2 episodes on weightlifting

For the general public, I say 3 to 4 days per week is ideal for around 45 minutes to an hour.

Now, if you are a bodybuilder, obviously, you will lift a lot more.

This show is for the general person who wants to improve their health.

Of course, it has to be a well rounded program, training your small and large muscle groups.

3. Here, I want to ask, how much muscle is too much muscle?

There are 2 ways to approach this.

1. It can be based on reference. 

It is perfectly fine to not want to be ripped.

I like to walk around looking like a machine, but between me and you, that is mostly for my ego. 

Again, for most of us, if you lift a few days per week and eat adequately, you will build lean muscle and won’t look like a  terminator from the future.

2. There is such a thing as too much muscle though

The more muscle you have, the more stress you put on your body, including your organs.

There is also a severe condition of having too much muscle  called Hypertonia. 

Hypertonia is a condition in which there is too much muscle tone so that arms or legs, for example, are stiff and difficult to move.

Again, that will not be for most people.

For the average person,that is where BMI plays a role.

Even with a lot of muscle, with a high BMI, you could be putting too much stress on your body, causing oxidative stress and shortening your lifespan.

I generally say a BMI of 30 to 35 can hinder longevity. 

I put a link to a BMI calculator in the show notes. BMI Calculator

If you would like to know, my BMI is 25

Type in your numbers and know your BMI.

4. Lastly, how to not lose muscle as we age.

That is a true issue.

The main reason why we tend to have more pain as we age, is due to the loss of muscle as we get older.

This unfortunate situation is called Sarcopenia

This is defined as involuntary loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength as we age.

In fact research is now tying in the lost of muscle loss and accelerated aging

Meaning they can tell the rate of which you age, by how much muscle you lose consistently .

This is why cardio will never be enough for optimal health.

There are few things you can do to starve off this unfortunate situation:

1. Weight Train

Again, this should be 3 to 4 days per week for 45 minutes to an hour.

2. Reduce Oxidative Stress & Inflammation

I have many episodes on these topics that you can go back and listen to and I will have more in the future.

This generally means eating foods that are gut friendly and a more favorable Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio.

3. Eat adequate protein.

We know that our muscles require adequate protein to build and grow.

Generally try to eat around 30 to 40 grams with each meal.

If you need more, like myself, it can be up to 40 to 50 grams per meal.

It really depends on how active you are and how often you eat. 

The moral of the story is that you need protein.

Thanks for listening 

Make changes as needed

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Keep being awesome!

Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electric charge. 

Did you hear that? Electric Charge!

Are you lacking strength and energy? You may be lacking Electrolytes

I will get more into the lack of electrolytes later.

Let’s continue with the definition

They’re found in your blood, urine and sweat and are vital to specific processes that keep your body functioning as it should.

These are essential for your body to operate at its utmost best.

Yet, many of us neglect to get enough daily.

So, it is natural here to discuss what happens when we don’t get enough.

Symptoms can be mild to life threatening .

Let’s start with some mild symptoms

They can be diarrhea, constipation, muscle cramps and fatigue. 

Severe conditions can be life threatening, including fever, chill, vomiting etc. 

These are usually connected to severe Electrolyte Imbalance

Electrolytes are crucial to keeping your nervous system and muscles functioning and your internal environment balanced.

1. Nervous System Function- 

Your brain sends electrical signals to communicate with the cells throughout your body.

These signals are generated by changes to the electrical charge of the nerve cell membrane.

These signals are called nervous impulses, and they’re generated by changes to the electrical charge of the nerve cell membrane.

When this happens, it sets off a chain reaction, moving more sodium ions (and the change in charge) along the length of the nerve cell axon.

2. Muscle Function-

Electrolytes are needed for muscle contraction. 

They allow fibers to slide together and move over each other as the muscle shortens and contracts.

Some are also required so that the muscle fibers can slide outward and muscles can relax after contraction.

3. Proper Hydration-

Yes, you heard me correctly . 

Water must be kept in the right amounts both inside and outside each cell in your body

Electrolytes help us maintain fluid balance through osmosis.

This is the process where water moves through the wall of a cell membrane from a dilute solution (more water and fewer electrolytes) toward a more concentrated solution (less water and more electrolytes).

4. Internal pH Levels-

To be and stay healthy, our bodies need to regulate our internal PH levels.

This is basically how alkaline or acidic your body is.

Our bodies regulate this process, in fact that is why I dont care for alkaline water, since it won’t survive the acidic nature of our gut. 

Basically, the right balance of electrolytes is key for maintaining your blood pH level, not over expensive water.

Now, know how important they are and what can happen if we don’t have enough, let’s learn what they are:

1. Sodium-

So many of us are afraid of sodium. 

We hear that it causes high blood pressure, heart attacks, etc

This can be true and sodium can play a role in health issues.

Not having enough sodium can as well.

Hyponatremia is a common issue with lack of enough sodium.

This can lead to muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness to shock, coma, and death.

Yeah not enough sodium can cause health issues too.

2. Potassium-

Your body needs a certain amount of potassium in order to function.

It is essential for everything from nerve, muscle and heart health to keeping your fluids balanced.

Having very low potassium levels is known as hypokalemia.

A potassium deficiency can occur for many reasons, including excess sweating, vomiting or diarrhea.

According to Mayo Clinic,  this can cause serious and even life-threatening consequences, including cardiac arrest. 

3. Calcium-

We now how importance calcium is for bone health

It also has other uses.

In fact, it helps maintain heart rhythm, muscle function, and more

Long story short, we need calcium.

4. Magnesium- 

We often overlook this nutrient, but oh my do we need it!

There are studies that show that up to 75% of people worldwide do not get enough magnesium

Considered by many as the #1 nutrient deficiency in the world.

In reality magnesium can help you regulate your blood pressure, keep your bones strong and keep your heart rhythm steady.

I don’t even want to imagine what a lack of this important nutrient can cause. 

These are the big ones I want to mention, but there are others like Chloride, Phosphate & Bicarbonate.

I think you get the picture by now and how important they are for your energy level, cells, muscles and overall health 

At the end let’s talk about some ways you can get electrolytes in your diet.

Remember, these are not recommendations and before making any dietary changes, speak to a medical professional and/or a licenced nutritionist. 

The first thing I have to say here is that electrolytes aid the delivery of water to your cells. In fact, that is the science behind sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade. 

The issue with them is that they are too high in sugar, primarily dextrose and glucose.

We know how sugars can damage our gut and health 

I personally drink Liquid-IV to replenish after a tough workout. 

Not only is it low in sugars, but delivers 3 times more electrolytes that sugary sport drinks

Go to liquid-iv.com and use code zecohealth for up to 25% off any order.

The link is in the show notes and the description of the episode. 

Now, let’s talk about foods that are rich in electrolytes. 

1. Whole Milk-

Yes, milk can have benefits for us. It contains calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium.

It is important here to note that we need to pay attention to the quality.

How is the cow fed?

Is the animal free range?

Is the milk organic?

Most studies on milk do not take into consideration the quality of the milk.

Same with the studies on meat.

2. Yogurt-

Yogurt can contain calcium, potassium, magnesium , potassium and phosphorus. 

Same concerns with quality as milk.

Know the quality and source. 

3. Unsweetened soy milk or almond milk –

This is a great option for vegetarians.

These can contain potassium, magnesium, potassium and calcium

Let’s talk about fruits and vegetables that contain electrolytes:

1. Fruits high in potassium are: bananas, oranges, kiwi, avocado, tamarind, peaches and nectarines. 

Many dried fruits are high in potassium, including dried apricots, dried apples, prunes, raisins and dried figs. 

Vegetables high in potassium are: sweet potatoes, yams, baked potatoes, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and acorn squash.

2. Sun-dried tomatoes, radishes, artichokes, bell peppers, spinach and sweet potatoes contain some sodium. 

However, when pickled, cucumbers and cabbage go up in salt content. Cantaloupe, honeydew, dried apples and avocado have trace amounts of sodium.

A word of warning. Be wary of your sodium content, especially if you are genetically prone or struggle with high blood pressure. 

You also may want to think about using better quality salt like Pink Himalayan or Celtic Salt

3. Collard greens, turnip greens, arugula, bok choy or Chinese cabbage, okra and broccoli are all vegetables high in calcium. 

Fruits that are high in calcium are dried apricots, plums, dried figs, kiwi, kumquats, prickly pears, tangerines and oranges.

4. Bananas, avocado, spinach, kale, Swiss chard and beet greens are fruits and vegetables that are high in magnesium.

Adding electrolytes into your diet can make a huge difference for your health. 

Remember to be mindful of allergies and do not make any dietary changes without consulting a medical or licensed professional. 

Keep being awesome!

As  always do, 

Let’s break it up into sections:

1. Let’s start with our good friend jogging.

This is a traditional workout and when we want to lose weight, this is the most common type of cardio.

There are downfalls and benefits to this approach.

Let’s start with the possible benefits:

1. Insulin Sensitivity- According to Healthline , It has a positive effect on insulin resistance. 

How so?

Jogging promotes the use of carbohydrates as fuel.

By training your body to use carbs properly, you can improve insulin sensitivity.

2. It can help you cope with stress, in fact.

I jog from time to time to clear my mind. 

Addition to this, proper breathing is vital.

Control your breath and do not lock your core. 

Locking your core makes it hard for you to breathe and can also be unsafe.

3. It can improve your Immune System 

There is a PubMed  research that explains that jogging can strengthen your immune system. 

It goes on to explain that moderate exercise, like jogging, actually strengthens your body’s response to illness.

That includes short-term illnesses, like upper respiratory tract infections, and long-term illnesses, like diabetes.

4. It can help you lose weight

Of course, I have to mention this.

By training your body to burn carbs as fuel, it depletes your glycogen storage and can then lead to fat oxidation, which is breaking down your body fat for fuel.

At the end of the day, to sustain weight loss, you need to maintain fat oxidation.

5. There are other benefits that I wont get into detail like, improve your cardiovascular health, help you break through plateau, improve cognitive function and much more

Yes! Jogging can be a great exercise.

Just like anything else, there are possible downfalls:

1. Damage to your joints. 

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, damage to weight-bearing joints is one of the most serious disadvantages associated with running.

This tends to lead to the infamous runner’s knee. 

Which we know is common among runners.

2. Increased Risk of Heart Attack

This contradicts my earlier point so let me explain.

Excess running, in fact, any high intensity exercise that constantly raises your heart rate raises your blood pressure and puts a lot of stress on your heart and large organs. 

60% of your blood should be in your gut, some to your organs and the rest to fire that amazing brain of yours.

We are not designed to consistently pump blood to our large arteries. 

3. It can cause sugar cravings and weight gain

That is tied to the reason above. 

Excessive cardio raises your cortisol levels even for hours post work.

This can be good as you continue to burn sugars, carbs and fats.

If your cortisol stays high for too long, you can crave excess sugars, leaving you to fight cravings. 

Remember, our bodies ten to prefer carbs as fuel.

Don’t let anything I say scare you, remember that I have some recommendations at the end.

2. Now, Let’s talk about Walking:

Many trainers now say that walking is the best kind of cardio. 

Is it really?

Let’s start by discussing the benefits:

This really great article in Harvard Health lists 5 amazing benefits:

1. It counteracts the effects of weight-promoting genes.

This is important to understand. 

One of the downfalls for those who struggle to lose weight is that they don’t walk enough.

Remember that for optimal fatloss, we need at minimum 10k steps per day 

I would love to see 5k before your first meal.

2. It helps tame a sweet tooth. 

A pair of studies from the University of Exeter found that a 15-minute walk can curb cravings for chocolate and even reduce the amount of chocolate you eat in stressful situations.

One of the main benefits of walking is it can balance your cortisol levels.

We now know that excess cortisol leads to sugar cravings

3. It reduces the risk of developing breast cancer.

A study from The American Cancer Society shows that  walking found that women who walked seven or more hours a week had a 14% lower risk of breast cancer than those who walked three hours or fewer per week

4. It eases joint pain.

And not as hard on your joints a let’s say jogging

Studies show that walking reduces arthritis-related pain, and that walking five to six miles a week can even prevent arthritis from forming in the first place.

5.  It boosts immune function.

A study of over 1,000 men and women found that those who walked at least 20 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, had 43% fewer sick days than those who exercised once a week or less.

During flu and cold season, most of us barely move.

Adding to reasons why we stay sick. 

Walking can be great for your body

In fact, I take between 10 to 12k steps most days

Now let’s talk about some possible downfalls to walking:

1. It doesn’t burn as many calories as jogging

Walking can be a great exercise, but there are times when you need to burn more energy to promote fat oxidation

Depending on your fitness level, you can walk for miles, but never reach the cardio zone 

Hitting the cardio zone at least couple times per week is great for sustainable fatloss

2. Not as much after cardio burn

This means that you may not get as much post workout energy burn as jogging 

That is why you can’t just walk once a day. 

To sustain fatloss, you have to keep walking throughout the day 

3. Can be too strenuous 

This is vital if you have achy joints 

In fact, constantly striking the floor can damage your joints leading to knee pain 

Now that we know these things, let’s get to part everyone wants to hear

Which one works best and how to implement.

It is best to have a combination of each

But that is only if you can 

If you are new to fitness, it may better to do brisk walking 3 to 4 days per week for about 30 minutes each time 

Making sure to keep walking throughout the day 

My personal rule is I do not sit for more than an hour each time

Every hour, I get for for about 5 minutes

That is great for your joints and your metabolism 

As your fitness level increases you can have 2 days where you walk and 2 days where you do a walk run 

This is great for cardio health and you are beginning to get the benefits of both 

Then from there you can get to the area where you have 2 jogging days and 2 walking days 

All that may become too much on your joints

Depending on how much you run/jog, I recommend getting a book to learn proper form

You can also replace couple of those days with an upper body focused cardio like rowing 

Or even a lower body focused cardio that doesn’t put as much stress on your joints like biking

Now, it goes without saying, you still need to lift weights to build muscle

Do not assume that cardio alone will sustain fat oxidation

In fact the reason to cardio is not as much to burn fat, but improve your cardio health 

When you combine it with muscle building, it makes it easier to sustain fat loss as you age

An added benefit is building muscle, especially leg muscle can help to support your knee and joints, 

First, let’s break down the possible benefits of getting adequate sunlight:

1. Relieves Pressure on your kidneys!

2. Promotes Good Sleep

3. Speeds up Your Metabolism 

4. Promotes Fat Oxidation

5.Of course I have to mention our friend, Vitamin D aka The Sunshine Vitamin

According to a PubMed article, Vitamin D Deficiency can lead to abnormalities in calcium, phosphorus, and bone metabolism.

In addition there are tons of studies that show a connection between Vitamin D deficiency and obesity .

Now, correlation does not mean causation. 

Getting adequate Vitamin D by itself will not lead to fatloss, but it plays vital roles along with other nutrients for a properly functioning metabolism.

Now that we know all this, what’s next? 

Just go outside. We live in a society where we are told so many things that we are afraid of nature.

Just like anything, too much of a good thing can end up being bad.

For example, if you drink too much water you can drown your body.

Yes, that is a thing. 

Some things to be mindful of:

1. Try to get sun early in the morning and later in the evening where it is not so hot.

Tip on this. Early morning sun safely raises your cortisol levels in the morning as nature intends. This, combined with the right diet approach can lead to more effective fat oxidation. 

2. If you live in a highly polluted area, the pollution can make the sunlight harsh on your eyes and skin
3. Be mindful of how much sunblock you wear. If you are always wearing sunblock, you can diminish your body’s ability to create adequate melanin. If you wear sunblock, please get a natural sunblock that does not have a ton of harmful chemicals. Remember that our skin is out #1 detox organ and those chemicals do seep into our bloodstream. 
4. Once a day try to get at least 10 to 15 minutes of redlight from the rising or setting sun. Research shows us that redlight has tons of benefits i.e reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. In fact, harnessing the power of redlight is becoming a common practice for health and medical professionals
5. Unless medically necessary or if you are in a location that is highly polluted or the sun rays are extremely damaging, minimize the use of sunglasses to help your body properly synthesize Vitamin D from natural sunlight. 
6. If you can, workout outside from time to time to increase energy expenditure and calorie burn.
7. Make sure to stay hydrated. I usually have to drink twice as much water on the days I spend more time in the sun. Dehydration can lead to dry skin and wrinkles, fyi. 

A word of warning, gradually make changes. If you decide to get out in the sun, which I highly recommend for most people, gradually allow your body and eyes to adjust.

Don’t move from barely getting sunlight to immediately getting hours.

You would put yourself at a higher risk for sunburn, skin cancer and excess again, just to name a few. 

Lastly, subscribe to The ZecoHealth Show. I will continue to provide accurate, up to date and actionable content. 

So, What is a plateau? 

According to the Oxford Dictionary it is a verb that means: to reach a state of little or no change after a time of activity or progress. 

That is literally what we think of when we say plateau!

One of the biggest mistakes we make when we reach a plateau is we immediately try to break through it.

Sections:

1. Ask yourself, are you really on a plateau?

This may sound silly, but think about it for a second. 

A plateau is when we experience little or no change.

What if you are experiencing a change, but you think you aren’t’?

What are your markers?

The All or nothing thought

Taking control of your health, including your weight, especially long term takes a holistic approach. 

That is what we mean when we say “ It is a lifestyle”

This is one reason why obesity leads to COPD, Type 2 Diabetes and other health issues.

Do you have more energy? Do you feel better? Have you lowered your A1C? Are you sleeping better?

Better yet, are these markers getting better? Then you are not in a plateau!

These are not small things! 

They are signs that you are getting better and regardless of what the scale says, you may need to shift your mind and thought process!

Now, let’s talk about what to do when the scale isn’t moving!

1. Do not panic. 

Stress raises your cortisol level, which pumps excess blood to your large arteries, which can lead to a heart attack and other health issues. 

Your body cannot maintain that level of stress. 60% of your blood should be in your gut , some to your organs and the rest to fire up that amazing brain of yours. 

In addition, excess stress leads to you craving more sugars, making it hard for you to maintain a healthy weight. 

Excess stress also leads to poor sleep Which is what I will talk about next

2. Get quality sleep. For anyone who has been listening to me, I am beating a dead horse, but sleep is the main factor in sustainable weight management. You that I have an article on zecohealth.com on how to get quality sleep. Yes, we know that poor sleep equals poor cortisol levels among other hormonal imbalances. 

3. Now, let’s talk about nutrition-

1. Hydration- Let’s reset and get back to the basics. Remember the pee test to make sure you are always hydrated . In fact, everytime you drink water, your body burns extra calories to heat the water from room temperature to body temperature. That is why I always say to drink water 30 minutes before and post each meal to burn more calories from the food you eat. Oh and if you combine that with walking, you are promoting fat oxidation aka fat loss. 
2. Are you primarily burning fat or carbs? Are you eating carbs when you are not active? This is very important to understand. I am being very simplistic here, but this is how your body stores/ burns carbs:

1. Goes into your blood for use
2. Stores the excess in your liver for backup. That is around 12 hours worth
3. Anything over that is converted to body fat. 

Ask yourself if you are eating more carbs that your body needs

Remember I say to eat most of your carbs around the time you are active, generally 30 mins before and post workout. 

Any carbs you eat the rest of the day should be minimal and complex in nature. DM me on Instagram @Zecohealth if you have further questions on this topic and I will love to discuss. 

C.  Our best friend protein? Are you eating enough to fuel your muscles? Generally speaking you want to aim for .7 to one gram per pound of bodyweight.

Additionally, 40 grams within the first hour before and 40 grams within the first hour post any lifting session to boost strength and aid recovery and muscle growth. 

Lastly, let’s talk about working out. 

D. Are you overtraining? In most case, this is associated with excessive cardio. Easy ways to know are if you are constantly tired, craving excess sugars or gaining weight. 

Here, I recommend that you slow down, reassess and take a look at your workout routine,

Remember that excess training leads to excess cortisol which leads to you craving more sugars and yes weight gain. 

And! That’s all folks. Take a look at your routine, reflect and make adjustments where needed.

Remember, it is not a fast food menu. You cannot pick and choose. If you want optimal results, you have to take a holistic approach.