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Vitamin (Ph)D: Evidence-Based Performance Nutrition

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Coaching is about so much more than nutrition. Or training. Or sleep. Or even stress. Yes, we help clients manage all of these factors to meet their health, performance and physique goals... ... but it's really about vulnerability. Counting macros, filling plates with veggies, packing gym clothes in the car-- these are certainly helpful tools and health-promoting behaviors. But they don't cushion the blow when we trip over the roots of the reason why we so often feel the need to change our bodies...or to emotionally eat...or to fib to our coach about what we ate...or to avoid being in photos with our families...or to avoid shopping for a bathing suit...or to avoid intimacy with our spouses... The reasons often lie in shame and feeling less-than-enough. Everyone needs to know that they are valuable, and worthy, and connected to others. They need to know that they can communicate with you without judgment in their moments of vulnerability and shame. Our eating habits are far more often about emotion than physiological hunger. So, coaching isn't just about managing nutrition and training. It's about managing thoughts and emotions. It's about creating a safe space for your clients who might not have anyone else in whom to confide. To remind them that they can pursue health and physique goals and change their bodies with love rather than shame. To assure them that they can make mistakes along the way, because perfection is never the goal. This level of connection fosters the growth of new roots in self-worth, confidence, and tolerance, and eventually that tree can shade out the growth of shame and insufficiency. #healthcoach #health #wellness #behaviorchange #evidencebased #nutrition #mentalhealth

Latest podcast with @hardyhaberland covers SO many topics and new research...plus my favorite movies from childhood!😂 #guthealth #gut #gutmicrobiome #probioticsupplements #probiotics #dysbiosis #ibs #ibd #fodmap #lowfodmap #leakygut #weightloss #collagen #supplements #evidencebased #science Show link is posted in my stories and highlights, and will be on my website soon!

THE SCIENCE OF SWEETENERS PART II Natural must be better, right? Anything that's created in a lab is a chemical, and chemicals are always more harmful than stuff we get from nature... ...but if you're reading this--and you like my content at all😜--you know that EVERYTHING is chemicals, and there's no reason to fear them or assume that 'natural' is intrinsically safe. In this case, the 'artificial' sweeteners are much less likely to make you poop your pants on accident. Just one potential 'con' if you're making a list, IDK. As with anything else, the dose makes the poison--or the laxative, in this case. Also, as with most other things...we really can't make any definitive statements about how these sweeteners might affect the human #microbiome. They can certainly cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea, all of which have the potential to impact your quality of life as well as the microbes in your GI tract. However, as long as you stay below the tolerable threshold, you're probably just fine. In some cases, these sweeteners double as #prebiotics! :) If you have #IBS, you may want to limit your intake, and as you can see, some of these are also on my #FODMAP post. This doesn't mean these sweeteners are 'bad,' but it's probably prudent to limit any food that gives you uncomfortable gas and loose stool. Not that I'm here to tell you what to do, though. I'm just here for the #science. (References are the same as those in the first AS post!) #guthealth #gutmicrobiome #nutrition #dysbiosis #evidencebasedfitness #sportnutrition #supplements #probiotics #artificialsweeteners #diet #lifestyle #fitness

FODMAPS AND FARTS They go together like peanut butter and jelly, minus the enjoyment factor! What is a #FODMAP, anyway, and why are they such a big deal? A FODMAP is a carbohydrate that fits one or more characteristics: -It's fermentable, meaning your gut bugs can use it for energy and produce gas as a by-product -It's osmotically-active, meaning it attracts water into the lumen of the intestines -It may contain chemical bonds that can't be broken down by human digestive enzymes -It may be very slowly absorbed in the small intestine, or may pass through to the large intestine completely intact Because of these characteristics, FODMAP ingestion can lead to bloating, gas, and diarrhea. HOWEVER... Because of these characteristics, they're also excellent #prebiotics! This means they're great for our #microbiota. FODMAP-style diets have become more popular lately, and though there isn't one gold-standard way of following one, there are a few key points and red flags to look out for! -A low-FODMAP diet is NOT intended to be followed indefinitely, as this will lead to a reduction in beneficial microbes and butyrate production -The elimination of FODMAPs should only last a few weeks -Testing needs to be applied to one FODMAP group at a time, systematically -After testing, the diet should be personalized to include the maximum amount of variety of FODMAPs that an individual should tolerate -It is NORMAL to experience gas at times; there's no other way to pass the gas that those bugs are producing! If someone is telling you that you should *never* experience gas or bloating, check out what they're trying to sell you...something to 'heal your gut?' 🙄💩LOLLLLL😏 Check out more info at Monash University, as they actually developed this intervention for folks with #IBS! It's one of the few evidence-based dietary interventions that appears to have massive benefits, especially for IBS-D. #guthealth #gutmicrobiome #nutrition #dysbiosis #sibo #lowfodmap #microbiomehealth

A recent podcast that covered far more than the #gutmicrobiome! Always a delight to chat about my career change and approach to coaching. 🤗 Will post the link in my stories and on my website! #nutrition #sportsnutrition #fitness #evidencebased #exercisescience #Repost @daretomovepodcast • • • • • • Did you guys catch last Wednesday’s episode with badass nutrition 🍎 coach and gut health 🐛 expert, @vitaminphd ?! She absolutely crushed it and gave us amazing tips on fat loss, mindset, gut health and how to pivot career paths!! . . Huge shout out to @vitaminphd for her time and her transparency online! We love how she shows up authentically and with ALL the facts 🤓 always!!! . . Tune in today, before we drop another interview episode tomorrow!! We appreciate the listens!!! #daretomove #guthealth #nevergiveup #rps

The internet does a great job of glamorizing the burden of fitness... NO PAIN NO GAIN HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT? YOU DON'T WANT IT BAD ENOUGH NO EXCUSES 110% COMPLIANCE DETOX CLEANSE YOUR SOUL IS IMPURE AND YOU ARE MEANINGLESS UNLESS YOU BUY THIS FLAVORED POWDER TO PUT IN YOUR BRANDED WATER BOTTLE You get the idea. Of course, what the industry promotes usually isn't aligned with what the research actually illustrates. When it comes to long-term behavior change and weight management, you're far more likely to stick to a plan that you enjoy. What a novel concept! Instead of punishing yourself all the way to the finish line where you'll realize you haven't adopted sustainable habits...maybe try to find the health-promoting behaviors that bring you happiness? Maybe that's not "extreme" enough... ENGAGE IN JOYFUL MOVEMENT ADD PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DURING QUALITY TIME WITH LOVED ONES DO YOUR BEST PERFECTION ISN'T A REALISTIC GOAL MODERATION AND REGULATION ARE SKILLS THAT REQUIRE PRACTICE YOU DON'T NEED A SPECIFIC SUPPLEMENT OR DIET PLAN Okay, that was weird. Anyway... There's a reason that the results of 30-day challenges or extreme weight loss shows don't last. Actually, there are a bunch of reasons, but the big one is arguably the emphasis on external regulation of behavior. These folks aren't engaging in enjoyable activities that can develop into long-term habits. They're making short-term changes to reach a goal to win an award or avoid some form of punishment. Sadly, many coaches '#motivate' their clients in similar ways, leading to disordered eating tendencies and burnout. Swipe over a slide and take a look at some of the examples of self-talk associated with various forms of behavior regulation. Do any of these sound familiar? Are you punishing yourself or your clients to the finish line, or integrating new, enjoyable habits for lasting behavior change? Of course, not all behaviors are directly enjoyable (or easy or fun), but we should be able to enjoy them for the sake of their contribution to our overall health and #fitness journey. #fitnessmotivation #nutrition #nutritioncoach #behaviormodification #coaching #sportnutrition

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