Can meal replacement shakes help you lose weight?

A lot of people including myself have always drank protein shakes before or after my workout to replenish our bodies. Some people even take a “meal replacement shake” which are intended to provide the full nutrition of a full meal. Some of these shakes come prepared in a bottle and there are some that are mixed with milk or water. When consuming them they contain a good amount of protein, fiber and essential vitamins that you would be getting in a regular meal. It’s basically an easy way to get quick meal on the go that is low on calories. But this big question that a lot of my clients as me is if I just take this and not eat, will it help with my weight loss process. And today I am here to break it down and give you the answer.

#1 Help you avoid unhealthy food

Meal replacement shakes are portable and convenient for you so the next time you want to stop by McDonald’s this would give you less temptation. Also eating fast food would not be giving you all of the key nutrients that you need. One of the most common excuses that I hear when it comes to eating healthy is the time it takes to prepare certain foods. Now I’m not saying that I’d suggest taking one every time instead of making a meal from whole foods but if your schedule and jam packed and you are on the go taking a meal replacement shake is a better option.

#2 May help you lose weight faster

Reducing your calorie intake is one of the main factors to help you losing weight. One of the challenges of sticking to a low calorie diet is that you may end up feeling hungry. The key to taking meal replacement shakes is that they will help you feel full during this process while consuming fewer calories. Also they can help with people who struggle with type 2 diabetes and help then lose weight faster than someone who is trying to diet conventionally.

#3 Some are high in protein which will help with weight loss

The good thing about meal replacement shakes is that not all of them are the same. Many are high in protein which is a major factor when it comes to weight loss. Higher protein diets makes you feel more satisfied which will then lead to you eating fewer calories throughout the day.

Risks

Some risks that come with taking a meal replacement shake so that some of them contain unhealthy ingredients such as added sugars, artificial flavors, chemical preservatives and corn syrup. Also some shakes may contain more sugar than protein which would not help lose weight but gain it. So you have to be very careful when picking out the right shake if you want to go this route.

Another risk is that this is not a long term solution for you. Many people take these shakes and try to replace it for whole foods. This will not work because not only do whole foods have vitamins and minerals that you won’t get in a shake, it also has compounds and enzymes that may be hard to put into a bottle.

Lastly they do not fix bad eating habits. Generally just dieting does not work for weight loss it requires long term lifestyle changes. While drinking meal replacement shakes, yes they can help you lose weight but they will not force you to change your unhealthy eating habits.

At the end of the day whether you want to go this route or not, meal replacement shakes can be used to your advantage when dieting but this is not something that I would recommend that you use for your main meals. I still suggest eating whole foods and taking these shakes from time to time will benefit you the most.

Difference between overeating and binge eating disorder

A lot of people may have binge eating disorder and let years go by without realizing that they have it. But there can also be many misinterpretations when it comes to having this disorder. Having an extra serving of ice cream after you had a stressful day doesn’t mean that you have a binge eating disorder. The most common way of knowing if you have this is if you constantly find yourself eating lare amounts of food and those eating episodes cause you to be shameful, feel regret, guilt or sadness.

A lot of people mistake ove eating for having a binge eating disorder. This disorder is a medical condition and is the most common eating disorder in the united states. People with BED regulary eat learge amounts of food and while they do this, they sense to be at a loss of control while they are eating. And when this is over the feeling of guilt and ashame comes over them. No one really knows what causes this disorder but it can also stem from genetics or family history. Emotional eating is another thing that is associated with BED and is often one of the main triggers that cause this overeating. If over eating is something that you do on ocassion but you don’t stress over it then you more than likley do not have binge eating disorder. But on the other hand if you feel shame and guilt and you hide your eating habits then that can be a sign that you are suffering from this disease.

Some of the downfalls of this eating disorder is for it can cause numerous health issues. Some of the issues it can cause is asthma, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. This disease can affect you emotionally as well, people with BED experience anxiety, depression and low self esteem.

Hopefully I have cleared this issue for you all, if you have any questions or concerns comment below!

Is Creatine good for you?

Before vs After Creatine

A lot of people often wonder what supplements are good for them when they are wanting to workout and gain weight. A lot of mystery circulates when people hear the word creatine. Growing up I know for a fact when I mentioned it to my parents they were totally against it. They thought it was some type of steroid and that I would have all of these different problems if I took it as my body started to develop. And honestly that’s just parents for you. But in reality creatine is actually good for you. Whether you are an athlete or just somebody that wants to gain muscle, it can help you. Below I will list some of the benefits from it.

#1. Supports many other functions in muscles

Creatine is one of the most popular and effective supplements for getting bigger muscles. It can alter many cellular pathways that will lead to your muscles growing. A secret about creatine that many people do not know is that it increases the water content of your muscles. This then makes your muscles grow quicker than someone who is not using creatine.

#2 Improves High intensity exercise performance

Creatine can improve your athletic abilities in numerous ways. It can increase your strength, sprinting ability, Muscle mass, muscle endurance and your recovery. Creatine will benefit you regardless of what your fitness level may be. You do not have to be high level athlete to see the benefits from creatine.

#3 May reduce fatigue and tiredness

I know for myself when I wasn’t using creatine I would find myself getting tired during my lifting sessions and would feel very sore the next day. But when I first started taking it I didn’t see any major results until the fourth week in because at first it has to get in your system and you go through a ” loading stage”. But once the fourth week came around I was literally powering through my workouts. Fatigue was not really a factor when I was taking it consistently and I found myself getting stronger and the more I lifted the more I got addicted to the results.

#4. It’s safe and easy to use

A lot of people look for different supplements to help them gain muscle or they try and take the easy way out and use steroids which cause tons of money and comes with a whole bunch of side effects. Creatine is simple and easy to use and is one of the least expensive products on the market right now.

Overall I think creatine is one of the best products on the market and I know for myself when I want to bulk up and get cut I turn to it because it is the only product that has shown me results. Of course you can’t just take it and expect to get muscle if you are not working out regularly but it is definitely something I would recommended. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to comment below!

Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is one of the most popular types of vinegar that we know of in the health community. It it known to have all types of benefits which have been proven through science. These benefits include weight loss, reduced cholesterol, lower blood sugar levels and symptoms of diabetes. Here are some health benefits of taking apple cider vinegar as a supplement.

#1. can kill many types of bad bacteria

Vinegar can kill pathogens including bacteria. Traditionally it has been used for cleaning and disinfecting, treating nail fungus, warts and ear infections. It has also been used as a food preservative, so if your looking for a way to naturally reserve your food then apple cider vinegar can be highly useful.

#2 Lowers blood sugar levels and fights diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by high blood sugar levels either because of insulin resistance or the inability to produce insulin. Also high blood sugar can also be a problem in people who don’t have diabetes. The most effective way to keep your blood sugar in the normal range is to avoid refined carbs and sugar but also taking apple cider vinegar can have a powerful effect. 2 tables spoons of apple cider vinegar before bedtime can reduce fasting blood sugar.

#3 Helps you lose weight and reduces belly fat

Apple cider vinegar can help you lose weight. Some studies show that their is an increase so the amount of weight that you would potentially lose will almost double when consuming it with a meal. Overall it is a useful weight loss aid but along with this you should be working out regularly.

Although it is not clear for the direct link that promotes the weight loss some suspect that properties in apple cider vinegar interfere with processing starches and starches are bad carbs (Breads potatoes). Because apple cider vinegar also promotes high blood sugar after it’s intake that leads to the reduction of craving sugary snacks.

Making a lifestyle change

I’d like to say for the majority of my high school career I looked like the picture on the left. I would go into the weight room and not know what to do and copy what every one else was doing. I did not know how to lift or what exercises worked what body parts. Funny part is when I was a freshman in high school I broke my wrist lifting weights with 25lb dumbbells. I seen somebody doing hammer curls and I wanted to try them and never attempting them before here I was when a broken wrist because I didn’t know what I was doing. I was confused and was tired of being skinny so I wanted a change.

I always had abs but as you can see on the left my core was weak. I never worked any of the exercises that helped make them stronger. It was not until my sophomore year in college where I changed up my whole game plan. I knew that I wanted to gain weight but I didn’t know how to do it. So I met with my trainer and he gave me a guideline of what to do everyday and he started with a meal plan.

The Basics
5AM Cardio – 1 Mile per day

Read at least 3 Chapters per day of a book

Air Alert

Program Weight Training Program & Stretching
Meal Program – Eat 6-7 times a day – small meals every 2 to 3 hours. Drink a lot of water
1 – Morning – Eggs – 2 Whole or 1 Cup Egg White with 2 slices wheat toast, Glass of Water

1 Multi-vitamin

2 – Protein Shake – 1 Scoop 25 Grams – Mid morning with water

3 – Lunch – Chicken Breast, White Rice, Pasta, Turkey, Potatoes, Lettuce, Vegetables, Beef

4 – PBJ on wheat bread or rice cake

5 – Dinner – Same as Lunch

6 – Hand full of Almonds
Half Gallon of Water – Bring a 12 oz container and fill it up each time – Drink 4 of them at least
—————-
20 Push ups and sit ups in AM upon waking up, 20 push ups and sit ups before bed Hamstring, Groin and ankle stretching daily
Air Alert 5 Days a week for 12 Weeks follow program exactly
Weight Training 3 days a week – Light to moderate weight and body weight
500-1000 shots per day
Dribble and foot work Drills daily
Cardio – Daily 1 mile straight per day – AM before school
Stretching, Icing and massage your knees constantly

This was my life literally everyday. The only thing I modified in this program was my push-up routine. I would literally attempt to do a deck of cards twice a week just to build my body up and get the frame that I wanted. And I knew eventually if I kept this up my body would start to change so months would go by and I would start to see my body start to transition. My confidence grew, I walked differently and not to brag or boast but when you start to feel good about yourself and see the results you have a different swagger about you. And this is what I’m trying to get you to have. The mindset of you feeling good about yourself wherever you go and having an abundance mindset.

Now obviously this specific plan may not work for you (because I am a college athlete) but I just wanted to spark the idea of wanting to change yourself for the better. I could have easily just accepted the fact that it’s in my genes and I’ll be small a scrawny my whole life but my end goal was that I wanted to be the best at my craft and not get pushed around every time I’m on the court so I had to change. And not only the basketball court was a factor but overall life it was a health/lifestyle change for me. Getting up at am and training everyday was never easy for me but now I have made it part of my routine where if I had to train a client at 4:30 in the morning I can easily make that happen and not worry about oversleeping because it’s embedded in me.

So why wait until tomorrow to start your change why not start today?

Playlist for the Gym

The question has been asked to me what music I listen to while at the gym, below I will provide you guys with a list of songs that I recommend

Nipsey Hussle – Victory Lap

Young Nudy – One Dolla

Yo gotti- Put a date on it

Jay Z, Kanye West- Watch the thrown

Future – Unicorn Purp

Dave East – Traumatized

Dave East- Scale and a Razor

Meek Mill- Trauma

2 Pac- Hit em up

Lil Baby- Life goes on

Tea Grizzley- Activated

Gunna- At the hotel

Gunna- Oh Okay

Drake- Nonstop

Fabolous- Goyard Bag

Benefits from Yoga

Going to yoga regularly can provide you with mental and physical health benefits. Yoga focuses on your body’s natural tendency toward health and self healing. At first when I went to my first yoga class I thought it was going to be very weird and strange because of the environment but once I finally realized the benefits that I actually got from it, it helped me a lot. While there are more than hundreds of different types of yoga most of them typically include breathing, meditation and holding different postures that stretch different muscle groups.

Some of the physical benefits include

Increased flexibility
Increased muscle strength
Improved breathing and energy
Weight reduction
cardio and circulatory health
Prevention from injury

Some of the mental benefits that yoga provides are managing stress better which can have a negative impact on the body and mind.Having stress in your life can cause sleeping problems, inability to concentrate and lower your immune system. Also practicing yoga can create mental clarity and relaxes your mind so you can become one with your body. When this happens you can sense things more clearly in your body so you may notice a pain in your body that you might have overlooked and you can get it taken care of. And what is good about yoga is that anyone can join. You don’t have to be a expert in it if you simply want to get in tune with your body and your inner self you can start today!

To eat or not to eat processed foods?

Nowadays people are much more aware of the organic foods that are being made. We are much more conscious about how the food we eat is made. The processing of food is what makes or breaks if it is really good for you or not. Recently I have really been looking at the food that I am eating and asking myself is it in natural form?

A lot of my snacks include nuts and seeds especially when it is late night and I do not want to make a full meal. Now you may ask yourself are nuts really good for you? And the answer to that is as long as they are not processed and they are raw nuts then they are fine. The difference between processed and non processed is when you actually crack the shell yourself and eat them right then compared too when they are not directly out of the shell, roasted then extra preservatives to keep them fresh. When this happens you are pretty much eating dead food because when they are processed it loses some of its vitamins and minerals that you would only receive when you consume them in their natural state.

I know for myself that I like to have salted and sweet cashews from time to time but once I did my research and learned that some of the vital nutrients was being stripped from me I transitioned into eating nuts raw. And of course it took a little time to get used too but once you start to give your body natural foods then it will start to crave them and your sugar cravings will go away. This same concept can be used when eating vegetables as well. When you cook them for too long key nutrients, vitamins and minerals will start to go away and again you will be eating dead food. Pay attention to the foods that you are putting into your body.

Are your dreams on a back burner?

As a kid we all have different aspirations and dreams that we wish to accomplish. But as we grow older and start to get criticized when it comes to these dreams, we often shy away from them and put them on the back burner. There is always that big “what if” that strangers will put into your mind. We find ourselves often listening to their criticism and get discouraged. But why do we allow ourselves to let this happen? I personally find myself needing these type of people in my life because without them I have no motivation to prove them wrong. You need doubters and naysayers in your life. And I can honestly say that people will only talk bad about you when you are doing something special. They will do and say anything to destroy your confidence and have you second guess your decisions. So as my father always told me, when you tell someone your dream and people don’t laugh at it then dream bigger.

I say all this to say that if you have a body transformation goal that you want to accomplish then do not let somebody tell you that it is not possible. The only person that can stop you is you. We all have unlimited potential so why do people think that they can’t change their bodies to look the way they want? All you have to do is have the desire and know what you want the end result to be. There will be trials while you are training and people will question why are you even wasting your time at the gym because they (from the outside) don’t see a change. There will be times that you think you had an awesome week of training and you step on the scale and you see that you only loss a pound (which is still great). Then finally there will be that realization that you can get into the dress you always wanted to fit again or your abs will start to peak. Everything starts within yourself and if you can stay focused on this journey to success then I promise regardless of what the haters say at the end of the day you will be happy.

Importance of eating vegetables

Growing up eating vegetables was never a favorite of mine. To be completely honest with you I use to put them on my plate then put them in a napkin and ball them up to act as if I ate everything on my plate. And until this day I do not think that my parents know this. But it is something that I absolutely dreaded eating. Then as I got a little older I started to enjoy salads but I could only eat them if it had chicken in it and I had to drown the salad in dressing just so it could taste good. As time went on and I went off to college I promise you it was eliminated out of my diet, not purposely but just because the way the cafe made them were not appealing to me. So now that it is my senior year in college I wanting to take care of my body more I started to do some research on what to eat. And I was telling my clients to start eating more healthier and to eat vegetables but I never was so I wanted to feel the pain they were going through and practiced what I preached. So doing so I’ve did a lot of research and wanted to share some benefits of eating vegetables.

Benefits:

Having a diet that includes a lot of vegetables may reduce the risk for heart disease, heart attacks and strokes
Also maintaining a diet that is rich in vegetables can protect you from having certain types of cancers
Includes the vitamins A,E and C also is a great source for nutrients including potassium, fiber and folic acid
Potassium can help maintain healthy blood pressure
Fiber from vegetables can help lower blood cholesterol levels

Lastly I know a lot of my clients have asked me in the past and you may have this same question is how much vegetables should you eat a day? And my answer to that is to eat however much you feel comfortable with, if you first start out like me and you absolutely hate them then eat a small portion and gradually increase your intake. Eventually you will find yourself enjoying them will see major improvements in your body.