Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels »

I have read a lot of books on physiology, more specifically hormones and metabolism, written by people with board-certified medical degrees. This book explains almost all of what the others do, plus more recent research, in a much easier to read format with helpful charts and references. I was very surprised a book of this quality could come from a non-degreed personal trainer. I have a new respect for Jillian Michaels for passing along medical researched-based facts (many pages of peer-reviewed medical references in the back if you want to check the sources) and dispelling myths like working out on an empty stomach, and the problems with soy and other substances interacting with hormones. Her own story is very interesting and there is a very thorough section explaining hormones and their interconnecting roles in our health. I’ve already started cleaning out my fridge and cabinets.

Read The Label! »

Most people check the nutrition facts on a food, and make their decision. But just as important as calories and fat, are the ingredients inside your food.  Here’s what some of those ingredients are and what they mean for your food.
 Hidden Sugars: Sugar isn’t the only word to look out for. Ingredients that end in [...]

Are You Slowing Down Your Own Metabolism? »

Calories are fuel for your body. If you don’t give your body enough fuel, it will start to slow down your metabolism to conserve energy because it thinks you’re starving. When your metabolism is in the slowed state, it’s called “starvation mode.”

The second your body starts to run low on energy, your body slows and enters starvation mode. Some days you burn more calories than others- you work out more one day, walked around more often than usual, or perhaps you laid down all day because you were sick. Perhaps you conserved energy (calories) on that day you were sick, but used them up, plus some, on the day you started feeling better. Even though you ate 1700 calories on that day you worked out, you only consumed 500 calories the day you were sick (I’m guessing you ate some bad sushi the night before.) It is still possible for you to enter starvation mode on the day you ate 1700 calories, because you burned 4,000 calories through your BMR and activity