Eggs are BAD for you?!

The word out on the street is that whole eggs are bad for you! Consuming them causes cholesterol levels to rise which leads to coronary heart disease. STAY AWAY your doctor tells you. 

Not so fast my friend. It's time to bust some misconceptions and speak the truth! Because that's what we all deserve. It is our birthright! Okay enough ranting. Here goes:

Stay away from Egg Yolks! Just Eat the Egg Whites

The reality is that the yolk contains almost all of the nutrition. All the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes are here at the core of the food you are told to neglect. As a matter of fact, in order to digest food you need vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. So if you are just eating the egg whites, where is this coming from? Why is it that most people that consume egg whites have some serious gas? Well it's because they aren't able to digest the egg white protein without the supporting cast. You are having to pull from your own body to digest this food!

Take a look yourself (the chart represents chicken eggs). There are virtually no nutrients aside from just the protein in egg whites.

I may be so bold to even say that most Americans could fix a good amount of their nutrient deficiencies just by introducing whole eggs into their diets! Chicken eggs, Duck eggs (even more nutritious!), Goose Eggs (looking forward to trying these)....Have fun with it :). Seriously. 

Whole Eggs Cause High Cholesterol

Where did this cautionary saying start? The American Heart Association and The Mayo Clinic recommends a limit of 300 mg of cholesterol a day. After eating 2 eggs you have exceeded that the limit. What about all your other meals that contain cholesterol? Are you only to get your proteins from vegetables? Do you turn vegan? 

Here's a little secret. Eating foods that are high in cholesterol don't actually raise levels of cholesterol in your body. Your body doesn't work that way. You see, your body creates cholesterol on its own for the purpose of creating and releasing crucial hormones. Hormones are the traffic cops of much of what goes on in our body. They regulate our sleep/wake cycles, sex drive, energy levels, fat loss, building muscle, and even make up the integrity of our cell membranes. If you didn't have them, you would be a mess! Here's a refresher on hormones if you don't remember: http://www.lifestyletransformfit.blogspot.com/2013/05/losing-fat-and-building-muscle.html.

As a matter of fact our body produces 1-2 g of cholesterol in the body a day. That FAR exceeds what the recommended limit per day of 300 mg. So when you consume that yummy cholesterol, your body produces less cholesterol. Beyond this, if you consume less cholesterol from foods like eggs, your body produces more!

Confused? It's because your body has a set point for cholesterol in the body. It's like a thermostat that is largely determined by your genetics, level of exercise, and stress. Diet plays a small role in all of this.

But Doctors and Researchers are the ones who claim this!

Recent research have actually determined that high cholesterol foods aren't the culprit. They have dis-proven this myth over and over in controlled trials (the best kind of research). The medical community is just slow to catch up. I don't blame them, they have been advising their patients for years to stay away from eggs. They hold a very important position in peoples health! The last thing they would want is to admit that they are wrong.

(The only instance I would be weary of eating whole eggs are in diabetic populations and those who consume high levels of sugar and carbohydrates in their diets)

What do you get out of a whole egg anyway?

Egg yolks have 90 percent of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate, pantothenic acid and B12 of the egg. In addition, the yolk contains vitamins A, D and E, not to mention the heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

They also contain choline, lutein and zeaxanthin. What's so cool about these?

Eating more Choline  means less inflammation, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimers, and more.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are the major antioxidants in eggs. They protect the eyes by filtering harmful light wavelengths and lowering risk of macular degeneration.

Bottom Line

Consumption of whole eggs don't cause high cholesterol and coronary heart disease. They are a great addition into your diet, provide you with some amazing nutrients, and taste delicious. 

**Just to be clear, I'm not saying you have to eat eggs every morning. I truly believe that variety is always best when it comes to your food, or anything in life for that matter!

Enjoy your Eggs!

Much love,

                  Sumair

I Can't Workout (Inspiring Story)!

How many reasons can you think of NOT to workout? Write them down. Alright, now how many reasons can you come up with TO workout?

If your list favors the "NOT"side, here is a little story that may change your perspective.

I was at Hyde Park Gym about to hit the platforms for some heavy deadlifts (I'm thinking man these are going to suck!). As I was getting mentally prepared, I noticed someone who seemed very different from the average member there. I first noticed his gaze and it was that of complete conviction and pure emotion. What I saw next came to me by surprise. As he turned towards the platform next to me, I saw that he had his right arm amputated (from the elbow down), and that there were straps that he had attached from his upper arm. At this point I'm thinking is he about to do deadlifts?! No way...

Low and behold, he strapped his right arm to the bar, got his left arm in position, preceded from a STRONG posture, and lifted 135 lbs for reps. At this point, I was in complete awe. Here I am thinking how deadlifts are going to suck, and here this man is rocking the hell out of the exercise with one arm! Not only that, he was completely independent in the gym, he knew which exercises he was going to do, and he moved with purpose.

I wanted to ask him about how he got to where he is, and how I admired his strength in the gym. Instead I sat, watched, and went off on what I like to call: My Own Mental Adventures. I began to think of the stories that he must have that led him to this point. I explored the pain he must have felt when he had his arm cut off. I went off on all sorts of tangents!

In the end, all of that didn't matter. I feel that him walking into the gym at the exact time that I was dreading deadlifts wasn't on accident. It was to teach me a valuable lesson. And I can summarize it in these few words: "Obstacles are what we see when we take our focus off the goal". As soon as I realized this, I turned to my obstacle (345lbs), kept my focus on completing that lift successfully, and imagined my musculature and nervous system adapting to become a stronger version of myself. I preceded from this space, and completed the lift with an inspired sense of vigor. I achieved a personal record for that lift!

I am eternally grateful for getting to watch this gentleman in the gym. He changed my outlook by being himself. It took courage and resilience to show up the way he did, and I can't help but admire that.

So now, I ask you to revisit your list and write down your goal with conviction and passion.

What is the emotional reason behind it all. Once you've done this, connect with that emotion every time you step into the gym/playground/trail/training session. Focus on that! Let it drive you to what you really want for your body. And last but not least....Remember the man with no arm.

Much love,
                 Sumair