I Have Low T.....Now What?

"Over the past 2 decades, the average man's testosterone has dropped by 22%"-John Romaniello , Author of  Engineering the Alpha.

FELLAS!!

There is an obvious trend going on here and it's a testament to the lifestyles we lead nowadays. It's no longer just an "age" thing either. Kids in their early 20s are having low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, low energy, disinterest in life, and a slew of other health problems. No you don't have to resort to pills for the rest of your life. There is MUCH more you can do before you take that route.

So here is my call out to all men to take responsibility for your OWN HEALTH first. Here are just a few things you can start doing to turn your life around:

1) Build Awareness- If you aren't sure whether you have low T, get a blood test. Find out what your T value means and where it should be.

2) TAKE MASSIVE ACTION- Awareness is not enough, you must act.

a) Cut out refined sugar. Yes completely. It is not serving you right now. It's making you weaker.

b) Consume your whole eggs, nuts, avocados, and meats (white and red). Worried about cholesterol? Don't be. It is a precursor to making testosterone in the body. More than that, it is been shown that high fructose corn syrup, refined sugars, and processed foods are the cause of heart disease, high cholesterol, and diabetes. NOT dietary cholesterol.

c) Eat vegetables with every meal if you can. Don't like them? Go here and invest in http://www.amazon.com/Gourmet-Nutrition-Cookbook-Food-Lover/dp/097743091X . It'll change the way you look at "healthy food". Everything I've had from this book tastes delicious.

d) Drink more water. Aim to get 1/2 your body-weight in ounces a day. If you are peeing yellow, up your intake. You are made up of this stuff folks! So get in there.

e) Stop binge drinking on alcohol. It's destroying your testosterone, and is not doing much for fat loss. If anything cut it all out for now.

f) Sleep more! Turn off your laptop, cellphone,  and lamps/lights at 11p. Or atleast dim them. It's only keeping you up at night, increasing levels of cortisol (stress hormone) in the body, disrupting your sleep, and of course affecting your hormones. You need this time to rebuild and repair your body!

g) UNPLUG from the MATRIX- With all the distractions of our life, it's easy to get sucked into lights, telephones, work, Tv shows, work...and more..work. You need time to rest, so make that time for yourself. Go out for a hike, sit and meditate, do some breathing work, take some time off, play some music, and just do something that makes you happy.

h) Get some SUN!

I) HAVE SEX! lots of it...with real people (consenting of course :) ) Cut out the porn. It's like you are mentally having sex with tons of women and so when it comes time to have sex with a real woman....caput...you feel nothing. It doesn't stimulate you enough.

J) Lift heavy weights and odd objects. Incorporate compound movements into your workout routine. Deadlifts, squats, Lunges, Box jumps, Hip Thrusts, Pullups, and Pushups will be your friends.

Even if you were to implement some of these into your life, it will start making a difference. What are you waiting for? Don't wait for another drastic health condition to pop up. This is an opportunity to take the reigns and dominate the hell out of your life!

On your side,
                   Sumair

And more articles for you if you want to know more in detail:

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/testosterone-replacement

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-testosterone

http://www.poliquingroup.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/934/Five_Simple_Ways_to_Raise_Testosterone_Levels_for_.aspx

http://www.poliquingroup.com/Tips/tabid/130/entryid/1953/Tip-560-Natural-Tips-To-Increase-Testosterone-To-Get-Leaner-and-Stronger.aspx

Runner's Guide to Staying Healthy PART 1

"My knees hurt, my feet are bruised, my ankles and calves are tight, I can't lose this extra fat, and I feel stressed all the time"- A runner's nightmare....

If you've ever done long distance running for a LONG period of time, you have probably experienced some of the above symptoms. I see that this is your passion. You love the feeling of running because it gives you a sense of freedom and decompression from everything in your life. And this is just one overarching theme I see with a lot of runners I know. There are several reasons behind why one loves to run. It can be the feeling of being able to go anywhere and everywhere as you explore the world around you, it could be the sense of freedom you feel when you are out there, and it could even be the euphoric high that you receive after you have finished your session. This is great, but there are some nagging issues that are being neglected. As a result, your body is breaking down at the hands of your undying love of beating away at the ground.


Now before I go on, this is NOT an anti-running blog post meant to steer you away from what you love to do. However, there are a lot of repercussions to performing a repetitive movement for long periods of time. This goes for any type of athlete/movement! A basketball player taking jumpers, football players enduring tackles, pitchers throwing constantly, power-lifters enduring large loads on on their body, and the list goes on.

There is a pattern that is occurring as you take one step after another on the running surface of your choice. You are overloading particular muscle groups, your nervous system and metabolic system are being taxed, and your hormonal system is under a lot of stress. It's just the nature of how the human body works under any stress for long periods of time. You do something over and over, it will often wear out. It's like the car that you drive for miles and miles, and eventually it needs repairs, replacements, adjustments, and constant checkups! What do you need? You need balance!

Ok now that I have prefaced you with this, lets address these issues.

Muscular Imbalances

If running is the only thing you do, you are setting yourself up for pain, discomfort, and other nagging issues. The first thing you have to realize is that this is all self-imposed. You don't have to continue to do it, but you do because you love to do it! I get that. However, just like a car wears out after you put miles and miles on it, so will your body if you don't take care of the whole system!

Your Glutes (your bum) and the muscles surrounding your hip get the shaft when running. So does your back, deep abdominal muscles, and postural muscles of the shoulders and neck. What you will commonly in unbalanced runners are a slew of these symptoms which can be called upper crossed and lower crossed syndrome.


From the diagram to your right, you can see all the muscles that get neglected and weak :( ! Poor guys....

 And because there are muscles getting weak, opposing muscles have to tighten and spasm to hold your posture in alignment. A common mistake in a lot of runners is that they just stretch and foam roll their tight areas and continue running like they've done themselves a ton of good. That doesn't do jack sh*% about the underlying problem though! Your body is spasming because it wants to PULL you back into healthy alignment! It's saying STOP! Take care of me.

As this happens, your joints become subjected to stresses that should be taken up by your musculature. However, your body is simply just trying to keep itself in proper position. How is it supposed to protect your joints as well if you muscular strength is all over the place. Here's the truth: IT CAN'T! Not if you keep re-inforcing the same motor pattern of pounding away at the pavement! Say hello to injury :(.

What do you do about Imbalance?

So what the hell do you do first? Your first order of business is to lay off the running. Not completely, but you NEED to focus on strengthening the muscles that are SCREAMING for your attention. Glutes, deep and superficial abdominals, and your back and shoulders. Then stretch/foam roll/massage the muscles that are overly tight. Namely, your quads, calves, hip flexors, anterior shoulders/chest, and hamstrings.

After you have done this, begin to incorporate all planes of movement into your workouts. Your body is designed to move in multi-directional patterns. It will tell you when you are taking yourself away from it's natural state. If you are pulling, you better be pushing, If you are flexing you need to be extending, and If you are walking/running you better be squatting and lifting. 

A good training regimen could look like this : 2 days a week of strength training/stretching (should be more like 3!), 3 days of running (one long run, and two medium runs), and 2 days dedicated to mobility/yoga/recovery/structural work! You.Will.Feel.Much.Better!

What exercises do I do?

I could sit here and list them all out but it would take forever. So I'm going to list some that I think should take utmost priority

Strength

1) Barbell Glute-hip bridges and all variations thereof

2) Deadlifts

3) Barbell back Squats and Front squats (If knees bother you, start with glute hip bridges)

4) Cable rows, Single arm rows, Y-Rows, Face-pulls

5) RKC Planks, Ab strap Knee raises, Stability ball pass backs

Mobility/ Flexibility/Pre-hab-Yoga is a great option. If not, here are some of my top ones to do

1) Lateral band walks

2) Single leg glute hip bridges

3) Hip flexor stretch

4) Split stance adductor stretch

5) Foam roll your IT-bands, quads, calfs, hip flexors, and ankles

6) Ankle dorsiflexion

Don't know what these look like? Youtube to the rescue! Look these up, and/OR find a trainer that can assist you and ensure proper form throughout all these movements (most recommended!). 

This is just one piece of the puzzle! There are many more things to look at. Yes, you do have to think. Why? Because its the only body you have! Stay tuned for Part 2 where we talk about structural imbalances, manual therapy, and metabolic stress/nutrition!

Change is SCARY (Personal Story)

I may have scared off a few potential readers already with my title, but for the ones that are still reading this, thank you. Why? It's because what I am about to share with you is something about myself that I have felt ashamed of, disgusted by, and dejected about for years. I can already feel the fear seeping into my bones as I hesitantly type away on the keyboard. So here goes....

Masks

Are you completely yourself when you are around other people? Or do you project a version of yourself that you think people would find desirable or attractive? Ever since I was a child, I have been weary and cautious about what people think of me. I have often kept an arms distance away from the friends I have made over the years. Sometimes I feel as though people don't want to see the real me that I am slowly unearthing. That shit is weird anyway right? It's this constant feeling that I'm not good enough. Like I have to become more or learn more before I could be worthy enough of having a stimulating conversation with someone That was the story I told myself daily and still tell myself from time to time. So what do we all do when we just want others to like us? We try to fit in. That's exactly what I sought out to do.

This includes but is not limited to:

-Trying to sound cool but feeling like a complete ass inside

-Eating sugar/fat/salt like it was my job

-Drinking to feel socially accepted and to summon enough courage to talk to women

-Playing videogames like Final Fantasy 7 and Diablo 2 so that I could feel like a complete badass (only to escape my own insecurities).

-Pursuing Medical School because I thought that would help me make money, find the woman of my dreams, and gain respect from my peers. I mean that is the right path for anyone of South Asian Descent..atleast that's what I'm told.

These qualities created a mask-like persona of who I thought I had to be like to be accepted by society. Not who I REALLY wanted to be.

"MMMMMMM CAKE"

Enter Hidradenitis Suppurativa/Cystic Acne

From the time I have been a teenager till age 24, I continued on the same "masked" and destructive path.It got to a point where my health began to deteriorate. If I had heard the song that goes "so what we get drunk, so what we don't sleep, so what we get high...that's how it supposed to be...living young and wild and free" back then, it would be my JAM! But it wasn't supposed to be that way and it showed. I was always tired, couldn't focus, and got sick more often than I would have liked. Then things got serious.

I started to develop weird boils, cystic acne, and scars all over my chest. They hurt a lot, often had pus coming out of them, and made me feel like I was some sort of freak. It made me want to isolate myself even more for fear of what people would think. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, I developed a rare condition called Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS). Tongue-twister huh? It's a disease where the sweat glands underneath your armpits become blocked causing painful invaginations in the skin. Exhibit A below:

Often times, they seep out pus, blood, and other cheesy substances (leave it up to your imagination). When I first discovered what it was, I had to go to the doctor. They tried everything to help me heal my skin conditions. Nothing worked. No steroids, antibiotics, or washes healed me. "You are just going to have to try to keep it all at bay with medication" they said. I have never felt so low than in that moment. I went home and began to think of how I would deal with this while hiding it from everyone I knew. How could I reveal this to anyone without feeling utterly embarrassed, unattractive, and abnormal. I wanted to fit in after all right? 

I would come home sometimes with my armpits soaked in blood and pus and my chest so red and inflamed that I simply wanted to give up on life. How did I cope? Well, the same destructive lifestyle of booze, junk food, pursuing the American Dream, suppressing emotions,and binge exercising. Did it help? NOPE.

As I went back to get a routine blood test, they said my testosterone levels were well below the normal healthy 24 year old male. Boom another blow to my ego! All the while, I was trying to pursue a career in fitness...IRONIC. How the hell was I supposed to help my clients, when I couldn't even help myself?! In my depression and feeling of hopelessness, there was also crystal clear clarity. Funny how that happens huh? It was like I could see the dichotomy of my situation. I could either relinquish my health to the woes of my conditions OR do something positive about it. It was really as simple as that. A DECISION. I took the latter.

Embrace The Best Version Of Yourself

I dove head first into Fitness/Nutritional/Health/Personal development books and articles by the likes of John Berardi, Tony Robbins, Alan Aragon, Paul Chek, and Charles Poliquin. I even took to the health forums sifting through different people's experiences HS/cystic acne. I sifted through youtube videos, holistic health practitioners, acupuncture, prayer...you name it! Each time I found a piece of advice worth experimenting with, I immersed myself in it. Through this practice, I found what worked and what didn't. When something did give me positive results, it gave me confidence to keep pushing forward.

 Each time my health improved, I noticed parts of my body that I neglected or took for granted. I became aware of them and began to really appreciate the intricacies of what made my body function the way it did. I started to eliminate my destructive habits, create supportive environments for my goals, and pursue a stronger version of myself. Hell, I even met a wonderful woman who accepted me just as I was. It allowed me to accept myself and express emotions that were deeply buried within me. There were several moments of cathartic release and even that was accepted. It made me feel like there was something wonderful on the other side of all of this.

Transformation Through Healing

One would say I took upon a complete lifestyle transformation. I changed the way I ate, lived, talked to people, conversed with myself, and the way I dealt with my emotions. Don't get me wrong, the process was difficult! I found myself having to make decisions that either served me or didn't. Every time I was confronted with these decisions, I often times asked myself "Is this going to help me get to where I want?" Sometimes I decided F*%$ it..and relapsed. Other times, I took the high road. What was consistent through all of it was a deeper understanding of myself and what I needed to feel my best. So what came of all of this you ask?

I'm the strongest I have ever been in the gym, my testosterone is back to optimum levels, and I have a thriving personal training/holistic health coaching business. Of course my HS and cystic acne have healed as well! I'm left with a bit of scarring but nothing compared to the pain I was in a few years ago. Did I want to give up? Pretty much everyday. Was it worth it? It sure as heaven was!

So when someone asks me why I'm so passionate about helping people become the best versions of themselves, I tell them my story. Where ever you are in life, know that there are people that go through similar struggles. More importantly, know that you can do something about it. You simply have to decide what you want for yourself. Once you become clear on what you want, take massive action! The results will surely follow.

Much love,

                Sumair

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