The Truth About Natural Flavors

Posted on by Wes Wise.

As discussed in Episode 25 of the Wise Eats Podcast

Key Takeaways

  1. Natural flavors are the 4th most frequently used ingredient in our food supply next to water, salt, and sugar
  2. Although natural flavors come from plant or animal sources, they may also contain as many as 100 additional chemicals
  3. Most ingredients in natural flavoring are not closely regulated
  4. The only way to protect yourself completely is to stay away from natural flavors as much as possible
  5. Choose real food over synthetic, man-made products and consume natural flavors in moderation

Intro

Look at the ingredient lists of some food items in your kitchen. Chances are you’re going to see “natural flavors” listed somewhere. And it’s no surprise – natural flavors are the 4th most frequently used ingredient in our food supply next to water, salt, and sugar. But are they really “natural” and good for you? In an effort to level up my own nutrition and help America wise up, I did a little research and here’s what I found.

What Are Natural Flavors?

Natural flavors are complex mixtures made from plant or animal sources that are created by specially trained food chemists. They’re used to enhance taste, maintain consistency, and make products more addictive. In addition to their plant or animal base, these mixtures can contain more than 100 different chemicals, including preservatives, solvents and other substances. Known as “incidental additives”, food manufacturers are not required to disclose whether these extra ingredients are natural or synthetic. As long as the original flavor source comes from plant or animal material, it is classified as natural flavor.

What’s in Natural Flavoring?

Natural flavors can be a combination of dozens of different plants or animal-based ingredients:

  • Spices
  • Fruit or fruit juice
  • Vegetables or vegetable juice
  • Edible yeast, herbs, bark, buds, root leaves or plant material
  • Dairy products, including fermented products
  • Meat, poultry or seafood
  • Eggs (Spritzler, 2016).

But that’s not all. There are over 2,500 chemically defined flavor substances used in the United States and Europe. The FDA allows most flavorings to be designated as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS), but these GRAS are not closely regulated. Some experts estimate that the FDA may be unaware of around 1,000 chemicals currently being used in the food system (Robbins, 2019).

I was shocked to discover how many items in my kitchen contain natural flavors!

Hidden Ingredients

There are two big problems with natural flavors. First, they often have additional ingredients in them like preservatives and stabilizers to make the flavors work better in the food, but those don’t have to come from natural sources. Second, companies are not required to disclose the specific ingredients contained in the natural flavoring, so it makes it impossible to avoid certain food groups, such as a vegan trying to avoid animal products. Natural flavors may also contain MSG, gluten, or GMO’s (Kuzemchak, 2019).

Natural vs Artificial Flavors

The original source of natural flavoring must be plant or animal material, whereas artificial flavors are man-made, but both are very similar. Each are highly processed and contain chemical additives, making them very similar in terms of composition and health effects (Spritzler, 2016). Many products use a combination of both natural and artificial flavor, with as much as 80 to 90 percent of the ingredients coming from chemical solvents and preservatives (Christ, 2020).

Are Organic Natural Flavors Better?

“Natural” is a very loose, poorly defined term and does not indicate that the ingredient is organic or healthy. So, what about organic natural flavors? In order to be certified organic, the natural flavor has to contain at least 95% organically grown base ingredients. It cannot be made using synthetic extraction solvents and can’t contain any synthetic carriers, artificial preservatives, or GMO’s (Robbins, 2019). Organic doesn’t guarantee the product is free of toxic substances, but if you’re going to consume natural flavors, it’s better to go with organic.

With natural flavors, you have every reason to be skeptical

The Risks

Although natural flavorings must meet safety criteria, individual reactions may occur. Since ingredients are not disclosed, people with allergies or those on special diets should be very cautious about consuming them (Spritzler, 2016). This is a major challenge because of the abundance of natural flavors in our food supply. Many people are unknowingly poisoning themselves with natural flavors, having no knowledge of what they’re putting in their bodies. Until companies are forced to reveal what is contained in their “natural” secret formulas, the long-term health ramifications will be unknown.

Natural Flavors in My Diet

Writing this article inspired me to look around my kitchen and identify all the products that contain natural flavoring. Here’s the list:

Been chewing Extra for years! Not anymore!
  • Amazing Grass Greens Powder
  • Chewing Gum
  • Dog Food
  • Dog Treats
  • Kodiak Cake Mix
  • LaCroix
  • Pickles
  • Pulse Pre-Workout
  • Rx Bar
  • Sriracha Sauce
  • Stevia Sweetener
  • Whey Protein Isolate
  • Yellow Mustard
  • Zevia

Did I immediately throw each and every one of these items right into the trash? No, I didn’t, but I kinda wanted to! If nothing else, seeing natural flavors listed as an ingredient should be a signal that reminds you this product is man-made and that you should lean toward, whole, natural foods whenever possible.

There are many other products that commonly contain natural flavoring, like breakfast cereal, canned goods, flavored yogurt, and pretty much anything that is processed. Take a look for yourself and see all of the natural flavors in your life!

A Case Study: Legion Athletics Whey Protein

My favorite whey protein contains natural flavors! :/

Since food manufacturers are not required to disclose the specific ingredients that make up their natural flavors, it’s impossible to know exactly what’s in them. One thing you can do is contact the company directly, and that’s just what I did for one of my favorite products: Legion Athletics Whey Protein Isolate. I contacted the owner, Mike Matthews, with a question about the natural flavoring included in his products, and here was his response:

“Hey Wes, Thanks for getting in touch! All flavoring is actually handled by our manufacturer, and that information is proprietary. They don’t give us the exact breakdown (to protect their recipe), but it is entirely natural flavoring, which means its original source is from a plant or animal, whereas artificial flavors can be created in a lab. Flavorings that are harmful wouldn’t be approved by the FDA so you can rest assured it’s not toxins or unknown chemicals. 🙂 I hope this helps!” – Mike

Can I trust the natural flavors in Legion’s products based on this response? Not really. Without knowing the exact ingredients of the natural flavoring, it’s all speculation. As much as I love Legion Athletics products, I’m skeptical of any company that cannot or will not fully disclose their ingredient list, regardless of the reasoning. Also, transferring responsibility and putting full trust into the FDA is irresponsible in my opinion.

Watch me discuss this topic in Episode 25!

Does this mean I’m abandoning Legion’s products altogether? Not yet. I still love the taste and texture of their protein and will use it in moderation. I plan to limit my use of the vanilla whey, switch to an unflavored option, and start researching some alternative, limited ingredient protein options (so far, the “Naked” brand appears to be a likely candidate). The important thing is to become more aware of what you’re taking in daily and understanding where it comes from. Ask yourself do you trust the company, do you trust the product, and how do you feel when you consume that product?

The Wise Choice

While it’s possible that some natural flavors are perfectly safe and good for you, there’s no way to know for sure. There could be as many as 100 barely-regulated, “generally safe”, hidden ingredients in a single natural flavor. The only way to protect yourself completely is to stay away from natural flavors and choose organic whenever possible. In general, avoid processed foods and stick with fresh, whole, real foods. Only buy products from companies you trust and with ingredient lists you understand. For many of the items in your kitchen, there are flavor-free alternatives you can buy, such as plain oatmeal, then you can add your own sweeteners and spices. With the lack of transparency in our food supply, maintaining control of the things you put in your body is always a wise choice.

Eating real food is always a wise choice!

References

Christ, S. (2020). What are natural flavors? Pure Food Company. https://www.purefoodcompany.com/what-are-natural-flavors/

Kuzemchak, S. (2019, September 24). What are natural flavors? Real Mom Nutrition. https://www.realmomnutrition.com/natural-flavors/

Rabin, R. C. (2019, February 1). Are ‘natural flavors’ really natural? The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/01/well/eat/are-natural-flavors-really-natural.html

Robbins, O. (2019, October 29). Everything you need to know about natural flavors. Food Revolution Network. https://foodrevolution.org/blog/natural-flavors/

Spritzler, F. (2016, December 16). Natural flavors: Should you eat them? Heathline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/natural-flavors

Building Muscle, Fitness & Business w/ Bryan Parady

Posted on by Wes Wise.

Key Takeaways

  • Being an example to others can be a life-changing motivator
  • “Dirty bulking” is not effective for building muscle. Stick to real food
  • To get the most out of training and recovery, focus on proper form and listen to your body
  • Consistency is the best recipe for success
  • Be a lifelong learner. Take advice from someone who has walked the journey and don’t wait to start on your own

As discussed in Episode 19 of the Wise Eats Podcast:

Back in 2009, I was 270lbs and decided to improve my health.

Over the course of the next year, I lost 90lbs and changed my life forever.

The only thing was, now I was just skinny with disordered eating patterns and problem drinking.

Took many years to get here but I did it! And you can do it too!

I was lighter and somewhat healthier, but sick all the time and feeling miserable.

It wasn’t until I improved my nutrition and developed a consistent weight training program that I began to optimize my health and finally get the athletic body I wanted.

Today, not only do I maintain a healthy weight, but I’m in great physical shape also.

So, what I’m trying to get at here is that I went from being big and fat, to sick and skinny, to athletic and fit.

I suppose you could say that I went from skin and bones….to….bulk.

Our guest in Episode 19 was Bryan Parady, creator of BonesToBulk.com. He has an incredible story of going from “skin and bones” to muscular and fit, just like I did. We dish up exactly what inspired him to take control of his health and eventually launch Bones to Bulk along with plenty of other diet/fitness tips!

BonesToBulk.com

How Bryan Became Passionate About Health & Fitness

Bryan: “I was about 21 years old and not into fitness or health at all. I weighed 118 pounds. I was a tiny dude and somebody recommended I watch the Rocky movies. I’d never seen them and so I watched and absolutely loved them. I think I binged them all in one week. By the time I was done watching I was like I want to be buff. I want to look like Sylvester Stallone. So, the very next day, I went out to a sporting goods store, bought a bench and some weights and set it up in my house and just went at it!”

“I did every single thing wrong you can imagine from lifting to nutrition to everything. I just had no clue what I was doing. It was probably about six months in where I had been consecutively lifting four or five days a week and saw just absolutely no progress. That’s when it kind of came to a head. I was like okay I can either stop and figure out what in the world I’m doing or I can give up and so I was like let’s go all in let’s try to figure this out. That’s when I really started researching and getting into the nutrition side and how to properly lift and it was from that point that I began to start seeing change over the long term”.

Personal Training Experience

Bryan has been personal training for about 4 years and initially got into it because it’s something he loves and wanted to get credentials behind his name. He’s coached around 50 clients one-on-one and countless more through group settings. He offers personalized coaching and regimens on his website, BonestoBulk.com.

Check out the Bones to Bulk podcast! Highly recommended!

Biggest Mistake Among Fitness Clients?

Nutrition is by far the biggest mistake, especially when you’re trying to gain muscle. There’s a lot of misinformation in the weight loss realm, as well, but especially in muscle building. Most people think you just need to start drinking more protein shakes and get in the gym and that’s simply not enough.

Advice for Aspiring Personal Trainers?

Bryan: “Go into it open-minded and ready to learn everything you can. Usually, the agencies provide really good study material as far as getting certified and passing the exam. From there, it’s really a matter of taking what you know personally and applying it. It’s not so much having a lot of the head knowledge as having that personal touch. You know what you’ve been through and that’s really gonna draw people to you. You can google just about anything out there but having someone who’s actually lived the journey and walked through what you’re trying to teach others that adds so much. So, really dive into that aspect of it and offer yourself because people are gonna be drawn to your story and your personality and what you have to offer”.

Advice for Muscle-Building Beginners?

A common misconception I see is that to build muscle you just need to eat as many calories as possible regardless of the source. I used to have a bad sweet tooth and would just eat sleeves of Oreos at a time. Trying to break the mindset of “dirty bulking” is what I find most often with beginners. It’s not about just how much you eat but you’ve got to be eating the right things along with the right quantities.

Advice for Intermediate/Advanced?

Once you’ve lifted for a while your muscle building progress begins to slow a bit. Similar with weight loss. Learning how to figure out those fine tweaks to continue making progress is what I do most often with intermediate to advanced weight lifters. It ends up being small things like adding extra healthy snacks, focusing more on form, and slowing down on repetitions to increase time under tension.

One way to accomplish this is known as the squeeze method. This is where you squeeze the weights as hard as possible to increase blood flow and increase the muscle stretch. As we get more advanced, we focus too much on numbers and hitting a new personal record. Sometimes it’s better to lower the weight and pump out 10 really good, slow form reps.

Your Current Training Regimen?

Bryan: “I’m currently doing a push-pull leg split. So, I do six days a week push-pull-legs push-pull-legs and I vary my exercises from the first half of the week to the last half. Some exercises stay the same and some I switch up. I found it to be really good overall and it’s hitting all your muscle groups twice a week which makes a huge difference. It’s early on but so far I’ve really likes the results I’ve gotten from it”.

Your Current Fitness Goals?

2019 was rough. I suffered a pulled bicep tendon and then got really sick toward the end of the year. This year, I want to focus more on my overall health, avoid injury, and re-build my strength. I think listening to my body will make a huge difference. Being really in tune with each workout and how my body feels and responds.

What is Your WHY for Bones to Bulk?

I want to be a good example to my audience and represent what I preach. I also want to be a good example to my two daughters (seven and three years old). I have a home gym that I work out in and sometimes they’ll come out there to lift dumbbells and I’ll show them some things. My older daughter is already very conscious of what she eats, so, I want to be a good example to them and try not to force anything because it’s important for them to make their own decisions at this age. Also, I always say that I want to be one of those 80 year old guys who’s still crushing it in the gym.

Balancing Work, Family & Passion for Fitness

Balancing Work, Family, Passion

Strict time management and team work with my wife are crucial! We both work full-time and take care of the kids. Physical health is important to both of us which is critical to be able to handle the load. Each week, we have a meeting where we discuss everything we have going on for the week and plan it out. Then, usually on Saturday nights, we put the kids to bed and go to town working on our businesses. We find that time to be more rewarding than going out or watching Netflix.

Daily Routine?

Bryan and his wife

My day usually starts at 4am. We’re not always perfect with that! My wife goes to the gym while I spend some time reading and working on personal development. If that’s not done first thing in the morning it’s not going to happen. As soon as she gets home, I leave for work. I come home from work then hit the gym with the kids. Home from gym, have dinner, family time, work on our businesses, then go to bed pretty early.

A Normal Diet Day for You?

Who does that?

It’s a little different right now because I decided to go vegan for the month of January! But here is a typical day:

Breakfast: Oatmeal or granola with some fruit like a banana. Mid-morning I’ll have some berries and tree nuts.

Lunch: Pasta, chicken, homemade tomato sauce made with olive oil. Lunches are usually pretty calorie heavy. One of my favorite pastas is made out of soy beans which adds extra protein.

Snack: This varies quite a bit. Sometimes a protein bar or sometimes dates with peanut butter spread on them.

Post-Workout: Protein Shake.

Dinner: Lots of variety here. We do lots of stir fries. Chicken and veggies over rice or quinoa. We love to do turkey chili. Also tacos with beans, corn, chicken, or turkey with whole wheat tortillas and lots of veggies.

Snack: Toast with peanut butter and banana slices or a protein shake.

Quick Bites!

Biggest Factor Holding You Back from Getting Healthy?: My mindset. Lots of self-doubt and self-esteem issues.

Favorite Exercise Routine or Program?: Push-Pull Split and Chest/Triceps Day.

Favorite Specific Lift?: Bench Press or Standing Overhead Press

Favorite Healthy Recipe?: A chicken-pasta-hummus recipe:

  • Cook spaghetti and chicken separately. Have those ready to go.
  • In a big frying pan, mix some pasta sauce with a cup of hummus
  • Dice grape tomatoes, spinach, garlic, mushrooms and add to pan
  • Mix in pasta and chicken
  • Sounds kind of weird with the hummus but it’s delicious!

Favorite Un-Wise Choice?: Either pizza or soft baked chocolate chip cookies.

Favorite Recipe for Success?: Consistency. Breaking a habit for just one or two days can easily turn into weeks or months. So, whatever your goal is, just stay consistent with it.

One Item in Your Kitchen You Can’t Live Without?: Food-wise it would be whole wheat pasta. Tool-wise it would be T-Fal pans. Nothing sticks to them and they’re not too expensive.

Favorite Source of Inspiration?: Gary Vaynerchuk. I also love audiobooks. I really enjoyed Bear Grylls’ book called “Mud, Sweat and Tears”.

Favorite Workout Music?: There’s so many. Imagine Dragons, Red, Skillet are a few.

One Song You Refuse to Take Off Your Playlist?: Spaz Out by Army of the Pharaohs.

Food You Recommend to Clients Most Often?: Quinoa. Very underrated health food. Great source of complex carbs and protein.

One Last Piece of Advice?: Don’t feel like you need to have everything together before you start. When I start a project, I want everything figured out before I ever start it. That’s usually so detrimental because we’re never gonna have it all figured out before we start. We learn so much as we go, so take what you already know and get going. Once you do, you’ll be amazed at how things begin to snowball and you’ll begin to learn new things and it will also give you the confidence to just keep growing and learning.

Also, don’t ever think you’ve arrived or “made it”. There’s always more to learn, not only in fitness but in anything.

Your New Year’s Resolution?: I have lots of things I want to accomplish with my family and finances, but for fitness I want to be in the best shape of my life at the end of 2020.

You can follow Bryan Parady @BonestoBulk on Instagram or at BonestoBulk.com.

“No matter what obstacles are in your mind, what things are stressing you out or you feel like you just can’t overcome…you CAN accomplish ANY goal that you set your mind to. You’ve got this!” – Bryan Parady

Submit questions, comments, feedback to WiseEatsPodcast@gmail.com or to @weswisefitness on Instagram. Thanks for watching, listening, reviewing, liking, subscribing, and sharing. Be good to yourself, be good to others, and make wise choices!

Cultivating Muscles, Mentality & Cannabis w/ Giovannina Wise

Posted on by Wes Wise.

As discussed in Episode 18 of the Wise Eats Podcast:

Do you struggle to lose weight and keep it off? Feel like you can’t make progress because of stress, peer pressure, or lack of motivation? Well, this article is for you, because my wife, Giovannina, lived that life for 10 years but finally broke free and made a permanent change to her physical and mental health.

Gio lost 39lbs in 2019 and has since fallen in love with weight lifting as an outlet for stress and building the body she’s wanted her whole life. In Episode 18, we discussed her weight loss journey and the factors that were most critical to her success.

Major change in 2019-2020

I inadvertently became Gio’s coach through leading by example. She has struggled with weight loss for 10 years, saw the success I had with my fitness, and wanted me to put her on a regimen. So, I finally did, and she took the ball and ran with it. Although I introduced her to some tactics that helped make her successful, the work she put in is what got her the results.

Gio finally made a choice to show up for herself every day, and when you do that, it will change your life and inspire others. I’m so proud of her for making the time to get her health in order and achieve her goals. And she didn’t use any diet fads, weight loss gimmicks, or tortuous cardio regimens to get there.

The Biggest Weight Loss Factor: Saying No

Wes: “What has been the biggest factor for your weight loss in 2019?”

Gio: “Several things I think. One of them would be saying no. That’s probably one of my biggest weight loss factors because that helped me stick to my routine. Stick to the things that I know I should be doing to keep myself healthy mentally and physically. Learning how to say no and not feeling bad about it is hard. I still don’t know how to do that, but saying no might be the biggest factor”.

Wes: “Saying no to?”…

Gio: “Saying no to food, saying no to people, different relationships. Saying no to routines that I used to think we’re healthy for me that are not. Saying no to some of my favorite stuff, you know, but saying no to some things that I thought I’d never have to say no to but it’s worth it in the end”.

The Importance of Weight Lifting

When I met Gio, she was not a weight lifter and had no desire to do it. She thought it was just a guy thing and wasn’t anything that would play a part in her life.

Well, times have changed.

After years of watching me lift weights, she finally decided it was something she wanted to try. “If you can beat em, join em”, she says in episode 18. Once she gave it a shot, it didn’t take long to start feeling and seeing results from it, and she ultimately fell in love. Today, she will tell you herself that she gets really mad if she doesn’t get her weightlifting session in.

Her favorite forms of exercise currently are walking and lifting weights. She ran into the same trap I did where she thought she had to run constantly in order to lose weight. Running is great if that’s what you love to do, but lifting weights and walking are far more effective. She would much rather do a fasted walk first thing in the morning and lift in the afternoon than ever go on a long run, and the results speak for themselves.

Struggles with Weight Loss Over the Years

Gio falling in love with deadlifts

This is not the first time Gio has lost a significant amount of weight. She had a major wake up call in 2011 when she stepped on the scale and saw 259lbs. She felt unhealthy and would often be in pain due to her lifestyle. Since then, it’s been a struggle to lose weight and keep it off. Over the past decade, she’s lost the same 20-40lbs several times by trying different regimens and diet fads, but this time, it’s much different. Finally, the weight loss feels permanent because the lifestyle she’s living is something she can sustain forever. She’s eating whole foods, staying hydrated, getting good rest, reducing stress, and resistance training.

Eliminating Stress

Walter, Marley, Cohen

Reducing stress has been one of, if not the single biggest, factor in making this lifestyle change. Here are several ways in which Gio reduced stress in her life:

  • Limiting toxic relationships
  • Using cannabis (Follow her @WiseGalsGrow on Instagram)
  • Exercise (Primarily fasted walks and weight lifting)
  • Spending time with our dogs every day
  • Creating more time for herself by learning to say no

I’m proud of the physical change, but more importantly, I’m thrilled with the mental shift. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been and it’s coming from the inside out. Muscles are just a byproduct of the happiness that is growing inside me as a result of taking care of my physical and emotional health.

Biggest Motivating Factor

Gio: “I want to be the best version of myself for me and for others. I really love giving to others and trying to figure out how I can do that has always been one of my main goals in life. The best way I can do that right now is to be an example to them and be the best version of me. I can’t give to others with my cup empty”.

“I want to see actual permanent change and to break the cycle of “this is hereditary”. Also, pregnancy may be a thing for me in the future, so I want to be the best version of myself so I can have the best delivery and be the best mom that I possibly could be”.

Consistency is Key – Developing a Routine for Life

In the beginning, Gio lifted 1-3 days per week. Some weeks she didn’t work out as many days as she wanted to or would even skip altogether, but ultimately, she stayed consistent and always got back to it. She wanted to start with a comfortable workload because she needed a routine she could stick to for the rest of her life. Now that she’s used to it, it’s much easier to show up because she’s actually enjoying the workouts more. Currently, she lifts between 2-5 days per week, which is perfect! Beginners and intermediates can make progress on very little time spent at the gym, which is why weight lifting offers such a big bang for the buck. The hard part is scheduling workouts and sticking to them.

Inspiration from Rachel Hollis

Gio: “That’s the hard part is learning that you can be in control and it’s not a selfish thing. That you’re controlling you and doing the best you can. Rachel Hollis got in my head this year so hard when she said that she stayed committed to a workout after going out with her girlfriends. She wanted to work out but put it off and went out with their girlfriends instead. But afterward, she came home and still got on the treadmill. One of her girlfriends asked, “really? why couldn’t you wait until the next day?” and Rachel’s like “because I told myself I would do it today”.

“Wouldn’t you hate it if someone said they were gonna show up for you and didn’t? What if someone said they were gonna show up every day at a certain time and never did? What would your relationship be like with that person? Yeah, so I gotta quit saying no to me. Taking care of myself is most important but to not think of that as a selfish thing was a huge mental struggle”.

“But I’ve done way better with it because I think of it as breaking a promise to myself and I don’t want to do that. I was two and a half hours late to myself the other day at the gym. Two and a half hours late? There’s no way I would have stayed waiting around for a person who was late like that. And I did that to myself. I wouldn’t do that to anybody else. I’m gonna do that to me every day? No, it’s not nice. So, learning to be better. Not just to others but also to myself”.

Diet Lesson Learned from Cannabis

@WiseGalsGrow

Gio: “One of the biggest things I’ve learned through this process is about measuring your food. I’ve done the kitchen scale thing before but the reason why that really stuck with me this year came from taking care of my cannabis plants. When I realized how important it was to measure their food and how significant that was for their life and vitality, why wouldn’t I be doing that for myself? Why wouldn’t I give myself the exact amount of food and water and nutrients that I need? How about doing it for myself and not just my plants?”

Quick Bites with Mrs. Wise Eats

Favorite Specific Lift?: Deadlifts
Second Favorite?: Incline Dumbbell Chest Press
Favorite Workout Music?: Post Malone
Your Current Exercise Routine?: I try to do at least 3 days per week and the program is called Thinner, Leaner, Stronger by Mike Matthews
Cardio Routine?: Walking every day. Fasted walks and walking in between sets.
Favorite Wise Eats Recipe?: Chicken Wise Rice & Sharpshooter Breakfast Salad
Favorite Un-Wise Choice?: Wally’s Frozen Custard
Favorite Healthy Food?: Apples. I love them and share with our dogs.
Biggest Lifestyle Change Surprise?: That I love lifting weights now more than shopping.
One Food You Love That You Never Thought You Would?: Breakfast salads with eggs in them!
Favorite Source of Inspiration?: Worship music and Rachel Hollis
Current Goals?: Lose another 20lbs and deadlift 200lbs in 2020.

Watch the full interview on YouTube at Wise-Eats.com/Episode18

Weight Loss Advice for Beginners?

I truly understand the struggle. Everyone’s journey is unique. I’m still learning every day, but for me, sustained weight loss required a complete mindset change and environment shift. As far as activity, walk as much as you can and lift weights. Drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water each day, especially first thing in the morning. It sucks carrying water everywhere you go but do it anyway if you have to. Honestly, water, walking, and weed have been my favorite overall health-building tools.

Gio’s Quick Tips for Weight Loss

Here are some of Gio’s favorite weight-loss strategies:

  • Make healthy smoothies in the morning for breakfast
  • Drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water each day
  • Go for fasted walks
  • Lift weights! (She’s usually in the 6-10 rep range for most exercises)
  • Keep track of your progress and continue to make “gains”, even if it’s just one more rep (she never thought she would EVER say gains). When you see on paper that you’re making progress, it’s a huge motivator to keep going.
  • Get extra steps wherever possible. Park further away, walk the dogs, talk short walks in between weight lifting sets. Walk, walk, walk!
  • If you have the patience for it, measure your food to know you’re getting exactly the right portion sizes. You can really have anything you want if you eat the serving size and move your butt!

Thanks for reading and, until next time, make wise choices!

I Meditated Every Single Day for Two Months – Here’s What Happened

Posted on by Wes Wise.

As part of my new year’s resolution for 2020, I meditated at least 5 minutes every single day for 2 months. Since I’m very new to meditation, I followed along with a mobile app called Headspace. Before I discuss what happened, let’s go over a quick list of meditation benefits:

Benefits of Meditation

  1. Reduces Stress
  2. Controls Anxiety
  3. Promotes Emotional Health
  4. Enhances Self-Awareness
  5. Helps Maintain and Re-Direct Attention
  6. Improves Memory and Mental Clarity
  7. Increases Positivity, Empathy, and Compassion
  8. Develops Mental Discipline and Willpower
  9. Improves Sleep
  10. Diminishes Perception of Pain
  11. Lowers Blood Pressure (Credit: Dr. Axe)

Did I Experience Any of These Benefits? Absolutely!

Honestly, in the beginning, I was very skeptical. Some days, I thought to myself this isn’t going anywhere, it’s a waste of time. Other days, the commitment seemed to have a profound effect on my mood and performance. Overall, I experienced many benefits and can say that meditation is the real deal.

The Headspace App

I highly recommend the Headspace app to anyone looking for a reliable guided meditation. It is free to try, but you have to pay for it if you want access to more sessions. There are options ranging anywhere from 5-20 minutes. The 5 and 10-minute sessions were very doable, but the 15- and 20-minute sessions were extremely challenging to stick with. 5 minutes is more than doable for any human, in my opinion, and 10 minutes seems to be my sweet spot.

What Meditation Looks Like

For anyone who has never meditated before and isn’t sure what to expect, here’s a quick run down of what a 10-minute meditation looks like for me:

  • Time: First thing in the morning
  • Location: Usually my living room
  • Position: Sitting upright in a comfortable chair, feet on the floor, hands resting in the lap

10-Minute Meditation

  • Start by briefly reflecting on why you want to meditate and your intentions for the day.
  • Close your eyes and take 3-5 big, deep breaths, in through the nose, out through the mouth, loud enough so that someone close by would be able to hear you breathing. Focus your attention on the lungs filling with air and the body softening as you release.
  • Allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
  • Focus your attention on the weight of your body resting on the chair. Feet on the floor. Hands resting comfortably. Where do you feel contact the most? The least?
  • Briefly listen for any sounds. Notice them and be aware of them.
  • Focus your attention on how your body feels. Overall sense of comfort or discomfort?
  • Mentally scan your entire body from the top of the head down to the toes, paying attention to each area of the body and how it’s feeling. Not dwelling on any discomfort but simply acknowledging it.
  • Switch attention to the breath. Focus on the rising and falling sensations. Follow the natural rhythm of the breath for a few moments.
  • Begin to count the breaths 1 in, 2 out, 3 in, 4 out, and so on, up to the count of 10, then restart. Repeat this process for several minutes (Note: It’s very easy to become distracted. When you realize your mind has wandered off, simply return your attention back to where you left off in the meditation).
  • Let go of your focus completely. Allow your mind to be free and don’t try to control it. If it wants to think, let it think, if not just let it float out into space.
  • Finish the meditation by bringing your attention back to the physical senses. The points of contact between you, the chair, and the floor. Noticing any sounds, strong smells, or tastes. Open your eyes.
  • How did you feel during the meditation today? Results will vary day to day. Just keep showing up and stay consistent with it!

Why I Decided to Meditate

Aside from hearing about all the benefits for so long, I knew there were holes in my consciousness that meditation might help with. Many days, I start off the day feeling a bit wired. I wake up in a state of fight or flight and get my day off to an intense start. If a meditation practice could bring peace to my morning and potentially reduce stress overall, who wouldn’t be up for that?

Developing the Habit

Just a re-enactment. This is not how I actually sit 🙂

I thought it might be difficult to incorporate meditation consistently, but it really wasn’t, especially when starting at only 5 minutes. By lumping it in with my daily morning practice of journaling and hydration, it was easy to quickly find the time to do it.

I will admit, however, that once I got into the 10, 15, and 20-minute meditations, it became increasingly tough to hang with it. Some days, I’d be fully submerged in the meditation and get in deep. Other times, my mind would race so much I wasn’t sure if I even meditated at all. Each day is different so just hang in there and stay consistent with it.

Overcoming Anxiety and Reducing Stress

I battled anxiety for many years, so I fully understand the power it holds over our mind and emotions. I treated it initially with diet and exercise, but briefly turned to medications because I was so desperate to cure it. Over time, I was able to beat anxiety through living a healthy lifestyle. Looking back, I wish I had used meditation to help, because reduced feelings of tension, stress, and anxiety were the biggest benefits I saw.

Although I don’t deal with intense anxiety any more, I do experience feelings of tension, and meditation has helped alleviate those feelings. I specifically recall one day driving home from work recently when the realization hit me, “I actually DON’T feel tense right now”. During many drives home at the end of a work day, I would have this general sense of tension in my chest. Not because my day had been particularly stressful; it was simply an overall feeling of pressure that wouldn’t fade until I got home. Since I started getting more headspace, I have found that this sensation no longer exists. I also feel less stress and tension, in general.

What I actually look like when I meditate

Reducing stress through meditation goes far beyond the 5, 10, 15 or more minutes you spend at the beginning of each day. The practice teaches you to check-in with your body frequently and to be conscious of how you’re feeling, how you’re breathing, and your mental state. That moment of presence helps calm the mind and get back to that sense of relaxation you achieved at the beginning of the day. This is key to unlocking all of those amazing benefits like happiness, emotional health, anxiety, and self-awareness.

Improved Sleep

Ever have trouble getting and staying asleep? Does your mind wander until you overthink yourself into restlessness? I’ve been there and meditation has helped tremendously. It teaches you methods to use in those moments where you need to get your body into rest mode. Previously, my mind would wander and I would overthink myself into restlessness. I’d wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to shut my mind off due to something that was bothering me, a project I needed to finish, or even food cravings. Now, I take a few deep breaths, use some simple meditation techniques, and I’m out like a light! Gaining more control over sleep is a priceless side effect of meditation.

Intangible Benefits

I wish there was a way to make all the benefits of meditation tangible, but I simply believe it has helped my life in ways I can’t quantify. My days seem to just flow easier; I’m less distracted, more focused, and more gratified. Getting over that initial resistance toward sitting and doing “nothing” for a period of time is difficult at first, but I believe it’s the antidote many of us need in our lives. It could very well be the key that unlocks a new chapter of awareness in your life, which is a benefit that cannot be measured.

Conclusion

Taking the time to sit and calm the mind helps you reach a baseline of relaxation for a great starting point to the day. I’m by no means an expert on meditation but have learned enough at this point to know it’s something I absolutely will continue doing and learn more about. I do not yet have the patience to sit for a full 20-minute session every day, so 10 minutes is just fine for me, for now. But even just that small commitment has made a big impact on my life, and I believe it can help you, as well. So, give it a shot! Meditation may be the physical and mental health game changer that you need to transform your life today.

If you know someone who’s stressed out and needs a way to reduce stress, control anxiety, and improve sleep, please share this article with them!

Questions? Comments? Let me know at WiseEatsPodcast@Gmail.com or @WesWiseFitness on Instagram. Thanks for reading and make wise choices!