Make Healthy Food Taste Great

Enter "The Healthy Diet=Bland Food " Phenomenon

The most common complaint I hear from clients and people I meet, is healthy food tastes  like $^&*. As a result, they become so averse to foods that nourish and support the healthiest versions of themselves. Sad story...but true story nonetheless. I definitely feel like the food we eat should taste good in order for us to integrate it into our lives. Now, if I absolutely have to, I'll down some chicken breasts, broccoli, and brown rice with not a hint of flavor. Why? Because I would rather get in the nutrients I need, than relinquish the control of my own body to "It just doesn't taste good"...and I'm a nut about health optimization, muscle gains, fat loss, and feeling awesome.

Do you have to do that? NO. Do I do that on a regular basis? Oh hell no. I come from an South Indian family that is so invested into flavor, that if a dish doesn't turn out quite right, it ruins the essence of the meal. The dishes have to come together and provide a combination that gives your palate an explosion of taste and texture. So trust me, I like my food to taste GOOD! How do you do that you may ask?

Embrace Spices, Roots, and Oils

Alright folks, I need to fill you in on something. There's more to taste than butter, salt, sugar, bread crumbs,and pepper. The palate can experience such a range of flavor, and yet people stick to such narrow choices. I get it. Fat, salt, and sugar = pure satisfaction. Hell, the brain's reward centers light up like the fourth of July! It says give me more of that good good! Here's the thing though: We can only go so far with that route until some sort of dysfunction occurs in the body. That's where spices, roots, and oils come into play.

Not only do they provide you with flavor, they also have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antioxidant, and immune system supporting properties. This is definitely good news for you! So head on over to your bulk sections and get to exploring your taste buds. If you are in Austin, Tx (and surrounding areas) Central Market, HEB, Wheatsville Co-op, Natural Grocers, Whole Foods, and Sprouts will have what you are looking for. If you are from out of town, you will be sure to find what you need in stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and SafeWay.

What do you do now?! Experiment and try new things.

 This is what I'll do for you:

I'll leave you with a list of MY favorite spices, roots, and oils that I use on a regular basis. Without these, I'd be sitting there chewing food with the most disgruntled look on my face. In addition to that, I will provide you guys with two resources that truly know how to combine these "flavor-helpers" into a nutritious and delicious meal. Feel free to experiment. That's half the fun.

Sumair's List

Spices

-Tarragon Spice

-Garlic Powder

-Fresh Ground Peppercorn

-Onion Powder

-Curry Powder (Asian Stores are bound to have this!)

-Turmeric

-Oregano

-Cajun Spice

-Cayenne Pepper

Roots

-Ginger

-Garlic

-Red onions and White onions

Oils/Fats

-Coconut Oil

-KerryGold Irish Butter (VITAMIN RICH!)

-Olive Oil

-Avocado Oil

-Grapeseed Oil

I usually pick one from the oil/fat category to cook my food, 2-3 from the root category, and anywhere from 3-5 from the spice category. Tell me what awesome combinations you come up with. If you want a baseline to go off of before you explore yourself, here are two amazing resources for recipes:

http://www.anaboliccooking.com/blog/recipes/ -Dave Ruel is the authority blogger for this site and really knows how to create meals that support your fitness and wellness goals

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/favorite-gourmet-nutrition-recipes-John Berardi is the founder of this website, and knows his nutrition at a PhD level. 

I highly recommend both resources as they are both very well-respected in the health field AND I feel that they can be extremely resourceful for you all!

I look forward to hearing about your cooking adventures.

Happy eating folks. Go forth and expand your palate. I know it's scary, but it sure as hell is worth it!

YOU DON'T HAVE BAD KNEES! " http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbfLvo6eJsQ (if you'd rather watch the video, here it is!) If not, enjoy the article! "squatting is bad for your knees. I have bad knees anyway. I used to be able to do that but I guess Im just getting older now...." "My knees are just jacked up..." How often do you hear that? Or how often do you say that to your friends/peers? I ask this question because I hear it so much! Because of this, I had to look deeper into the context behind why people's knees were bothering them. Because in reality we are meant to squat, bend, twist, lunge, push, pull, and throw (primal and innate movements!). That's what our bodies are designed for! Most of the clients that I have come across have chronic knee pain. Now, if you have had knee surgery due to injury, the process by which you get back into your primal movements is a little different. However it doesn't mean you justify not squatting or moving with "bad knees". There is always something else going on BEHIND the scenes that can better assist your knee in functioning in a healthy way! So what am I talking about?

The Body is Holistic! To isolate the knee and say "you are the cause of why I can't do this, this, and this! ughhhh!", is assuming that your body works like a car. It has parts and you can isolate the problem, remove things, and replace them. But you see, the body is more complex and interconnected than that. Imagine this. Your brain connects to your spinal cord and then literally branches out into your periphery. It's almost like it falls into your body spreading its connections to organs, muscle tissue, glands etc. Beyond that, there are connections between connections. It's one HUGE network of communication! Why then would be treat the body as anything different?! Okay back to the knee.

Your Knee is Like The Middle Child Your knee literally is like the middle child. It lies between your hip joint and your ankle joint. Whenever the knee is extended (straight) the ligaments around the knee have to tighten or fasten to hold it locked in position. Whenever the knee bends however, those ligaments have to loosen to allow for movement of the knee. NOWWW.... it's really on your tendons and muscles that are either upstream or downstream from the knee that will ensure that it is stable and functional! We blame the knee so much that we forget what's happening around it. It's not your knee folks! If you hips and ankles are dysfunctional, then..you guessed it...your knee will be as well! So what does THAT even mean? There are two main reasons why your knee becomes compromised: 1) You have muscular imbalances that have developed from your hip to your ankle  due to misuse,abuse, and disuse! 2) Your body structure is either bow-legged or knock-kneed making your more prone to knee pain

Muscular Imbalances Muscular imbalances apply to your whole body! if there are some muscles that are overdeveloped compared to others, there will be some sort of dysfunction or instability. The degree to which this exists depends on the disparity between muscle groups. So let's start with the hips and move downward! 1) Hips- If there are muscles around your hip that are weak relative to the surrounding musculature, it will cause instability and pain in the knee. a) Namely, if there are imbalances between your ABductors (the muscles that move your leg away from your body) and your ADDductors (muscles that move your leg toward the body). What this means is that one set of muscles are overdeveloped compared to the  other. They are like wires on a bridge. If one side is underdeveloped the foundation begins to shift and fall out of place (knee instability and pain). This is more common than you think! You may very well have the same process occurring with your physiology.   2) Quadriceps and Hamstrings- The same concept applies to the quads and hamstrings! If one is way overdeveloped than the other there could be anterior or posterior tracking of the knee. This puts your knee at risk for injury! 3) Foot, Ankle, Tibia- Again the same concept applies for the muscles downstream from the knee as well! Also if your ankles are overly tight, you limit the amount of movement you can have in your knee.This causes tightness in the achilles, calves, and even the muscles on the lateral and anterior parts of the tibia! Andddddd you guessed it...it will cause a dysfunctional pattern in the knee! So what should you do?!?! For all imbalances your goal is to stretch the muscles that are overactive and strengthen the muscles that are weak!!!

Bow-legged-ness vs Knock-Kneed Now the other cause of knee issues can also be the way you are structured. Don't worry you aren't doomed! Below is a depiction of different kind of structural positions of the legs. Genu-valgum indicates "knock kneed" and Genu Varum indicates "bow-leggedness". 1) Knock-kneed- Your ADDuctors are over-active while your ABductors are weak. A primary concern for this group of people would be strengthening the ABductors while stretching the ADDductors. 2) Bow-legged-ness- Your ABductors are over-active while your ADDductors are weak. So your goal here would be to strengthen the ADDductors while stretching the ABductors.

This should shed some light on why you feel like your knees are "bad"! In the end, the goal is the same: strengthen the muscles that are weak, and stretch the muscles that are overdeveloped. This will help bring your body back to a more functional state. And remember folks don't hate on your knees. It's has a difficult job as it is being the middle child! Next time, we will focus on exercises that aid you in balancing the muscles around your hips, knees, and ankles! Stay tuned and much love,                                              Sumair

Food Becomes Your Cells The best, healthiest, and strongest version of you depends on 3 factors: How well you MOVE, EAT, and LIVE! We often get the movement thing going. We get out there and log hours and hours in the gym. We think by punishing ourselves we can feel better about the donut we ate from krispy kreme this morning. It's all about calories. Calories, Calories, Calories! Where has that game gotten us? Truly take a look at the Calorie craze. We have more colorful packages and boxed goods that promise low fat, low calorie, and "gluten" free "food" and yet people can't seem to change their bodies in their favor. They don't feel like they are getting anywhere. They aren't losing the fat, building the muscle, feeling energetic, FEELING VITAL! Here's the truth. It's more than calories. It always has been. Read http://lifefittransform.blogspot.com/2013/05/losing-fat-and-building-muscle.html to learn more. The way your body is right now is a product of genetics, how your neuro-muscular system is trained, what hormonal environment you possess in your body, what nutrients you possess or are devoid of, your emotional state, and the the thoughts you possess about yourself. You simply have to pay attention to how you feel in response to the things you DO! Whether it is in response to what emotion you are feeling, what food you put in your mouth, what liquids you infuse into your system, what you are breathing in, what you are breathing out, and how you are moving....Just pay attention to how you FEEL after doing them! What do you notice?!?! You'll be surprised by your answers. I invite you to try this as you go about your week. If you feel stressed, sub-par, and not yourself, reconsider your actions!

You Are What You Eat...Literally. Just like the title of this email, simply everything you put in to your body becomes a part of you. It infuses into your cells and becomes a very intimate part of who you are and how you function. So if you aren't fueling yourself with whole foods, you are doing yourself the biggest disservice. You are becoming something un-whole. If there are nutrients that you are devoid of, there are crucial processes that don't occur in your body. And if these processes don't occur, the functionality of your body is diminished. So, you simply have to make a choice about how you wan to FEEL everyday. Sit down and really ask yourself that question. If what you are putting into your body doesn't serve you, re-think your actions! More importantly, be aware of what you put into your body and figure out whether or not it serves you. Confused on what foods to eat? I'll lay out some options for you to experiment with!

What Do You Eat? So what the heck do you eat? Well I'm going to give you guys some healthy options to choose from whenever you create your meals. I'm going to break it down into the big food groups: Proteins, Fats, Carbohydrates, Veggies. PROTEINS- (Go local and organic as much as possible on these)- Grass-Fed beef, Ground buffalo/bison, Atlantic Salmon, Tilapia, Trout, Pasture-raised eggs, Duck Eggs, Turkey, Pork, Raw Goat's Milk, Raw cheese. FATS-Avocados, Almonds, Cashews, Brazil Nuts, Flax seed, Chia Seeds, Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Grass-fed butter CARBOHYDRATES-Brown Rice, sweet potatoes, quinoa, lentils, black beans, pinto beans, sprouted bread, Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Bananas, Apples, Watermelon,  (other fruits) VEGETABLES (Go local and organic as much as possible)-Go for as much color as possible! The wider the variety of color, the more vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and phytonutrients that you receive! Beets, Squash, broccoli, swiss chard, spinach, tomatoes, onions, garlic, red cabbage, kale, celery, zucchini, radish.

But How Much Do I Eat?! Those of you who know me, I usually craft meal plans that consist of measuring out how much you eat according to grams, cups, and oz of particular foods to meet your nutrient needs. However, I invite you to take a simpler approach. Especially in the beginning of your lifestyle change, the last thing you need is complexity! This is an approach that I have adopted and used from Dr. John Berardi, and it takes into account your body type. Here are some images below to depict the body type that you most likely possess. Each body type metabolizes and utilizes foods differently. So depending which body type and sex that you are , you can make appropriate decisions of how much of a certain nutrient you need to take in.

A Closer Look at Body Types I types: If you fall under this category you metabolize food very fast, you tolerate carbs well, and you have high energy. You have a hard time gaining weight V types: If you are here, your body is designed to be a powerful, athletic machine. Excess calories generally go into lean mass versus storage. You can gain muscle and lose fat easily. O types: Your metabolism is a little slower, you are carb sensitive, and excess calories are likely to be stored as fat. How do you portion out your meals for each body type? I'm glad you asked! This is a simple way to do it. This is based on 3-4 meals on non-workout days and 4-5 meals on workout days. If you are an I type Male: I type Female: V type Male: : V type Female: O type Male : O type Female:

There you have it folks!!! Incorporate this into your daily living and note how you feel! Stay tuned for next time where we talk about addressing nutrient deficiencies! Much Love,                      Sumair

Be Like Chinese Bamboo-Transform Your Life!

I came across an interesting parallel to growing and transforming your body. It came from a seemingly unexpected source. However, upon examining it, I began to realize that all processes are the same at their most fundamental root. So here goes.

Transforming your body is much like the growth of Chinese Bamboo. Once the seed has been sown, all the growth begins to occur underground. A complex root system is reaching upward and outward and is setting a strong foundation. After much time has elapsed (months to years), the bamboo shoots up to 25 meters!

Just like the bamboo's transformation starts with planting it's seed, YOU must do the same. AKA start by making the commitment to yourself, and BE-lieve in your grandest vision for yourself. Then water and feed that seed by cultivating lifestyle habits that serve the grandest vision you have for your body. This happens PROGRESSIVELY! Don't go about changing our life all at once.

When all the necessary changes happen internally, what you present externally to the world, will be the best version of yourself.

It doesn't happen over night folks. When in doubt, remember Chinese Bamboo.

Much love,
              Sumair

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

Memento Mori-Remember your Mortality

With the current loss of of my brother, I have gained a lot of insights. One that screams the loudest at me is "Memento mori". It is a Latin term that originated in Ancient Rome used to remind us of the inevitability of death. Native Americans would shout, "It is a good day to die" before they went into battle as a reminder that they will leave everything out on that battlefield. No reservations. No regrets. Ever since, it has evolved into sayings like: "Live today as if there were no tomorrow". The list goes on and on.

I don't say this as a means to scare you. However, I do want to offer you a perspective that may be of use to you. Let's face it. The time we have here on earth is limited. The dreams, aspirations, and relationships we want to create have a time limit. So why do we put it all on hold? It's simple: FEAR.

Everything you do now can either be a result of fear or love. Your actions are a direct reflection of how you are BE-ing in every waking moment of your day. And sometimes it takes action in spite of fear to BE who you truly desire. Either way, the sooner we embrace the fact that we are afraid, the easier it is for us to do something about it.

Sumair's Invitation to YOU!




Ok so you are afraid. But what if I were to invite you to shift your perspective into the experience of life! Just like when we were children, almost everything was experiential. We put things in our mouth, climbed things,  grabbed things that were colorful, lit up when we saw monkey bars, and learned from it all. We learned what hurt us and what made us feel GOOOOOD. What changed? 




As we have matured, we have tacked on insecurities, old tales, myths, and societal conditioning. While some of it allows us to proceed with caution, the rest of it causes us to come to a complete standstill with life. 




So from now on, I invite you to embrace that intuitive wisdom that you've always had as children. Dip into the experience of EVERYTHING. Gain your own unique insights and share it with the world.




That goes for anything you desire to accomplish in this lifetime. From attaining the body you desire, creating your most vital self, being able to move with freedom, to pursuing the hell out of your dreams as a result.....Just start DO-ing. It doesn't have to be perfect. As long as you are moving in the direction that you desire, you'll get to where you want to be. 







Let's create the life we truly desire! It all starts with taking care of YOU.




Memento mori my friends.







Much love,

               Sumair