After stuffing yourself this Thanksgiving you’re probably thinking ahead to your 2017 New Year’s Resolution: getting fit. For Part II of our interview, one of the Valley’s leading Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches, Kelli Michelle, reveals a few more tips for achieving your goals.
In 2014, Kelli started her own fitness and nutrition company focusing on fat loss, endurance training and sport performance nutrition. With seminars offered in nutrition and the group class “Posterior Chain” taught by Kelli herself, you can glide into a happy and healthy 2017 with fitness plans in pack.
Check our Part I of the interview here for some more Q&A.
Q: Celebs like Cameron Diaz tell us to drink a glass of water before anything else in the morning. Is this good or bad advice? Should we be weary of celeb eating/nutrition tips?
A: No dispute, water is great. Drink it throughout the day. Watch guru celeb diet tricks remember they get paid to endorse snake oil. The fad diet culture is always selling something. There is no special number of ounces a person needs. Again, each person has different needs. Start with 8-10 Cups and you will see how you feel with a little more!
Q: What is a healthy food you recommend we eat daily?
A: In all honesty most people eat little protein and too much fat and carbs. A perfect balance but certainly: Lean protein and protein with a decent leucine profile. Second would be foods containing fiber. A major issue in the US is obesity right alongside its step brother Type- 2 diabetes. Sufficient protein and fiber alongside the right amount of good omega fats and carbs paired in meals can help reverse insulin resistance. Please don’t get carried away with “good foods” vs. “bad foods”… eat in moderation and without binge eating and you will lose your weight.
Q: Low-carb or Low-fat for weight loss?
A: Neither (balanced diet with all 3 macros in perfect portions for the person) according to their goals! Fats/Carbs and Protein are all in the diet with purpose!
Q: How important are Calories? Should we stop looking at these altogether?
A: They are important because macronutrients (carbs, protein and fat) makes up your calories every day. If you take calories only you may be completely off if you’re not tracking your macro nutrients. You could be eating all of your calories from fat and carbs with very little protein which is typical for the American diet.
Q: What are three main benefits of counting macros? Why should we count them?
A: Tracking macros makes you aware of where you’re deficient and where you might be missing the bull’s-eye. If your goal was about loss and you’re eating really high fat you will want to make sure that you’re within a certain percentage base so you can get to that goal.
It’s important to know what you’re doing and you won’t know what you’re doing with calories and nutrition unless you track macros. Just like training without a plan, you’ll fail to hit your goal exactly.
Q: Cheat meals: How many should we schedule a week and what should a cheat consist–or not consist–of?
A: I love this question! Cheat meals are just another word for “binge eating.” If you cannot have some of the things that you like every day and make it fit in your diet plan, it doesn’t sound sustainable and will usually lead to binge eating or having a “cheat meal “on the weekends. These meals, days and episodes can set you back being (counterproductive) and may just have you chasing your tail. I feel that people should eat what they like in moderation and not restrict themselves to eating clean during the week, binging or guilt restricting every Monday after a weekend cheat day. Eat some of the things you like in MODERATION every day or at least every other day!!
Q: What are the benefits/risks of dairy products? Should we stay away?
A: There is no data behind dairy being risky. Dairy supplies vitamins and minerals and can be bought raw/organic if you are worried about pesticides, pasteurization and such. It supplies protein and is NOT the devil.
Q: Bread: is it okay to have? (Are enriched flours/breads harmful?
A: Yes in moderation all things are fine unless you have a gluten intolerance in such a case then you eat GF bread. Again labeling foods that have no data showing they are killing people as bad is another way to make people feel guilty for enjoying a slice of bread. The macro profile is the same as most “clean” carbs! Don’t be sacred to enjoy a piece of bread, it’s not dirty. I washed it! 😀 Fear mongering is a marketing tactic that, again, is something you should read accurate data on before being fearful. I guess we could dispute any food for various reason.
Q: Juicing and Cleansing: Should we do it?
A: If your doctor says it is needed for a medical purpose then you may. There is no data showing that cleansing and juicing alone is the magical process by which all dietary needs are met or fat loss is achieved. Lots of confusion out there on pyramid cleanses, detoxes etc. America, do your research on that product and blind studies. Do not watch Dr. Oz or Oprah, they are trying to sell you supplements and garbage that you don’t need and they are making millions of dollars by exploiting people. They are not helping people they are taking money and endorsing these products most of which have no real science. Oprah has traditionally done every fad diet for the last 25 years. I would highly recommend you do not take dietary advice from Oprah Winfrey she does not her finger on the sustainable weight-loss pulse as you can see from her extreme gaining and losing pattern. Personally, I wish she would track macros!
Don’t forget to visit www.kellimichelle.com for nutrition and fitness inquiries. Stay health and stay fit!
