There must be a billion of these posts but there are a few that most experts (that actually look the part) both practice and preach.
1. Don't Eat Carbs + Fat Together.
Every macro spikes insulin to a degree but carbs do it the most. Insulins purpose is to open the door to your cells to allow nutrients in. (This is why bodybuilders sometimes inject themselves with insulin to get bigger muscles)This is all good but it also opens fat cells for more storage too. So, when attempting to manage weight you want to manipulate this process to your favour. You see when you eat fat, it also spikes insulin but it also releases something called ASP (Acylation Stimulating Protein). ASP stores fat directly but it also spikes insulin. Now go back and read what I said about insulin. So, having the 2 together is not a good idea. Of course, the odd charcuterie board is good for the soul, however.
2. Avoid Processed Carbs
Unfortunately this is not common sense yet but avoiding what we call the 4 white devils will definitely work some wonders.
1. Flour: I'll start by saying that whole wheat is just as bad as white more or less. Any wheat is not really a good idea in this day and age due to the genetic breeding of more gluten and gliadin in the grain. Ancient grains such as Spelt, Kamut, or Buckwheat are better but use them sparingly if you must. A great alternative is coconut flour.
2. Sugar: The most addictive substance on the planet. This one I think is more well known as a poison these days but I'll give you a tidbit. The "sugar/caffeine" cycle plays hell on your adrenals, creates low back/neck pain, low energy, and STORES BELLY FAT due the the cortisol chaos it creates. Get off the smack.
3. Milk: Some dairy can be ok such as full fat yogurt of keifer, but those still should be in moderation. What should be absolutely avoided is regular old milk. Don't believe the hype you heard as a kid. The combination pasteurization, homogenization, and skimming turns this once relatively healthy drink into dead sugar water with dangerous proteins still in tact.
4. Table Salt: Again, anything white has been stripped of what was once a relatively whole food. Salt included. The salt industry takes a "whole" such as sea or himalayan, strips it of its minerals and sells them to supplement companies that make multivitamins/minerals, and leaves you only with sodium chloride. It's the isolation of sodium chloride that is the problem, not whole salt such as celtic sea, or himalayan. So go for those options.
3. Carb Cycle If You're Eating Them.
This is an easy win. Dr. John Berardi of Precision Nutrition has such a simple answer to carbs it may just be the best thing since sliced bread. Pun intended. Put simply: If you're going to have carbs, eat them POST workout. Period. Some carb cyclers say to have them before, however, depending on your workout and your ability to tap into your stored glycogen, workouts are prime time to burn fat baby! Why would you have a bunch of carbs just before that?! Again, bodybuilder mentality is that it will fuel the workout. Personally, I do weight training sessions in a fasted state, along with millions of others that have debunked this theory, and I carry a ton of intensity through my training session. I also practice keto so I am more fat adapted and that is definitely a key in not being "dependent" on carbs. Also, POST workout is when your muscles and liver are most receptive to insulin so any insulin that is spiked will take the carbs there first to be turned into glycogen and not stored as fat.
Try these tips and I'm sure you'll see a difference. Stay Strong
Travis Graham, The Alpha Coach
