FAQs

Being in the fitness industry is really cool and exciting, because you learn facts about exercise science and nutrition that let you distinguish between the bullshit that's out there on the market, the bullshit people talk about when they have no idea what they're saying, and the idiot models/actresses who act like eating 5-6 meals/day and exercising will help you reach the 95lb frame that they are (which is disgusting and unhealthy) when they really just starve themselves and drink diet coke and coffee. UGH.

There's no denying that America is the fattest country in the world with more than half of our population being overweight, and more than 1/3 being obese. Yet, there's also about 40 billion/ year being made in the weight loss industry with ads of false promises of magic pills, shakes, fad diets, sensa? If I had a dime for every time I turned on the TV and heard "Take this drug, and without diet and exercise, or even changing your habits at all, you will lose weight, and burn fat in no time." It tickles me that there are people who actually buy into that shit. No wonder we can't stop yo-yo dieting. The same goes for exercise equipment, the shake weight, the thing that's supposed to wrap around your stomach and "stimulate your abdominal muscles." It all appeals to the majority of people out there who 1.) want to lose weight, but don't want to have to work hard or give up any of the foods they love. Let's face it, no one wants to know the truth which is dieting sucks, especially when you're EXTREMELY overweight or obese. You didn't put that weight on overnight either, so it'll take twice as long to take it off. It's going to suck every single step of the way, so you might as well realize this going in. That magic pill, cure, overnight fix that you thought existed..doesn't. Sorry. Now get over it. Move your ass. Because anyone and everyone who has lost weight, and been successful in keeping it off, has already discovered this, but maybe they don't always want to share what worked for them. The truth is, everyone is different. Everyone has different motivators and triggers for weight loss. The key is to find what you're bad habits are and coming up with a strategy to overcome those certain behaviors. Any successful business person or athlete keeps climbing the ladder of success because they identify their weaknesses and come up with a plan to attack those weaknesses. We'll get more into that later..

I have a lot of family and friends who ask me legitimate questions about (mostly) fitness "the do's and don'ts" but also help with distinguishing fact, and myth..so here's some of the questions I wanted to answer to end some of these misleading marketing tactics out there.

1. "I'm seeing gluten free foods, and tons of celebrities doing gluten free diets. Should I be doing it? What is gluten anyway?"
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It's what makes the dough bind together when making bread and pasta, so if you ever see or taste gluten free breads and things, the texture just sort of crumbles without that gluten holding it together. People who have Celiac disease cannot digest gluten; once it gets into the small intestine, it attacks these little fibers that are supposed to filter out protein and amino acids leaving these individuals with intestinal issues and upset stomach. This disease is becoming more prevalent, calling for the demand of more gluten free options in supermarkets, restaurants, etc. Unless you have this, you're pretty much good to go on breads, pastas and barley, although it's always better to choose whole wheat or grain instead of white breads, pastas, rice. NOW; I would never tell a person with Celiac disease this, but I'm still not completely sold on this "genetic disorder" that is all of a sudden affecting so many people. I think people with intestinal issues may often have a form of Chromes disease, or have some food allergies that they are not yet aware of, OR they have an eating disorder and are looking for an excuse to basically only eat fruit, vegetables, and lean protein. There's no way that a "genetic disorder" that affected no one, now all of a sudden affects EVERYONE. I think they food industry did what they do best every time there's a new craze, they capitalized on an opportunity to cash in and create gluten free products. Just like the low carb craze, and all of the low fat, low sugar, shit that's out there, it's like all of a sudden you walk down the supermarket, and there's a whole gluten free section now and people go "what the hell is this?" In the defense of Celiac disease, I think that Dr.'s don't know shit about nutrition, they know how to prescribe drugs, so when they can't prescribe a drug for something, they come up with these nothing diseases, and the food industry goes crazy for it. If you have celiac disease and I offended you, then I apologize, but do yourself a favor and get a blood test for food allergies. Do some research, before you take the word of a Dr. who knows nothing about nutrition (and they don't even claim to). Who am I kidding, if I offended you then FUCK OFF I don't care.

2. Is meat bad for you/should I become a vegetarian or vegan?

Red meat does always have a higher fat and cholesterol content of the meat/poultry category. When you think about it, cows and pigs are fat animals, so when we eat them, we’re getting everything from them including fat. However, animal protein is the only protein which gives us B12. Better sources for B12 are lean turkey, chicken, eggs (especially egg whites).  Some great alternatives for red meat burgers are turkey and veggie burgers. The Morningstar brand has the best veggie burger I’ve ever had, it tastes just like a real burger, and the lean ground turkey is much leaner. Vegetarian or vegan, this is a COMPLETELY personal choice. Most people who choose to become vegan, do so, because they don't believe in animal cruelty, etc. If this a route you're interested in traveling, just make sure you do your research, and find ways to get enough protein and especially B12.

3. I want to tone, but not add "bulk" what's the best way to do this?
First of all, unless your a female bodybuilder and jack yourself up with supplements and hormones, you're never going to add "bulk" when you lift weights. This is the biggest misconception I think there is. We are not men, so will not look like men when we lift. Weightlifting, combined with cardio and a healthy diet is essential for adding lean muscle mass. The more muscle to have, more your body will burn fat at rest. This is good. Go nuts and lift as heavy as you can/want to. Just make sure you're on a proper routine using correct form. I bet you'll get that toned look you're going for too.

4. "I know soda is bad for you because of all the sugar added, but what about DIET soda?"
All diet sodas contain NutraSweet, which along with most other artificial sweeteners contain aspartame. Long story short, the FDA approved aspartame to be used in food and drinks in the 1970s but there was much controversy over this because of its contents. Aspartame has 3 parts- 1.) Aspartic Acid, which has been linked to chronic and neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s and MS, also causes neurological side effects like migraine, anxiety, depression, etc 2.) Phenylalanine- an amino acid normally found in the brain. People with the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot metabolize phenylalanine. This leads to dangerously high levels of phenylalanine in the brain. It has been shown that ingesting aspartame, especially along with carbohydrates, can lead to excess levels of phenylalanine in the brain even in people who do not have PKU. 3.) Methanol-Even though Aspartame is only 10% Methanol, it breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin. Do yourself a favor and drink water. "But what about fruit juice?" Eat fruit. Drink water. "But what about those naked juice drinks?" Juice your own fruits, or eat them. Drink water.
Get it?

5. "I don't understand why I can't lose weight, I never eat breakfast.."
DUH, that's why. People who don't eat breakfast gain 7-8lbs/year on average. Get your metabolism going and EAT in the morning. Eat 5-6 small meals/day every 3-4 hours. This prevents you from feeling starving at any point in the day and binging. This also allows you to keep your metabolism and energy up. Your body is amazing. It can use about 300-450 calories for daily function every 3-4 hours (depending on age, sex, and activity level). So if you think about it, when you eat this way, your body naturally metabolizes mostly everything you eat (granted your getting your calories from great sources like fruits, veg, whole grain, protein, etc.) without having to store any excess calories for fat. ISN'T THAT FUCKING AMAZING? "So Caitlin, you're telling me that I can eat every 3-4 hours and lose weight? Not only CAN, but like basically guaranteeing weight loss?" YES, THAT IS WHAT I'M TELLING YOU. I'm not reinventing the wheel here. These 5-6 small meals have been around forever, but most people would rather just have one huge meal and overindulge. Every time you overeat, your body can't process all of the pasta with alfredo and chicken you've just consumed, so it takes what it needs for energy and body function at the moment, and then stores the rest acts like it's going to use it later, but it goes right to your ass. HUGE MEAL=FAT ASS. small meals=small ass.

I have so many more, I'll keep it going. But for now, just remember this.. everything you see on tv, hear on the radio, hear from your friends about diet/exercise is bullshit. Unless your friend is also a fitness professional or your watching the biggest loser on TV because those fuckers are working their asses off literally and deserve some serious praise for putting up with Jillian Michael's loud bitch ass in their face every single day. HARD WORK+DIET+EXERCISE=WEIGHT LOSS. Everything else is someone telling you a lie because they want to make money and don't want to see you succeed.