How to Stay Motivated Forever...

I have been really into the Huberman Lab Podcast recently, and for good reason. There is a plethora of great science-based information that I can use to optimize the health and wellness of myself and the clients that I work with. On this week’s podcast, Dr. Huberman dives into the science behind motivation and how dopamine acts as our primary motivation neuromodulator (keep in mind dopamine serves many functions in the brain and body, not just motivation).

Nature has given us (and other organisms) dopamine to drive us toward accomplishing biological functions that are necessary for survival( i.e. eating, drinking, sex, and much much more). If you are driven to do something in life, dopamine is behind it. But as we are exposed to dopamine repetitively, our ability to get the same response (motivation) from the previous stimulus drops. This adaptation is known as tolerance. Dr. Huberman points out however, that when the reward of accomplishing the task is randomized, the dopamine tolerance remains the same. Anecdotally, this is how casinos get you to spend hours on slot machines. Because the result is random, you are always pulling the lever to go again and again.

We can purposely randomize rewards on tasks like exercise and other wellness related practices. Here is a simple example: after every workout you complete, you reward yourself with a scoop of ice cream. After a few weeks, your desire to complete the workout starts to drop because the motivation of the ice cream isn’t as powerful (tolerance). We could create a bigger reward (more ice cream) or, better yet, we can randomize the reward. A simple way of doing this is flipping a coin. After your workouts, flip a coin to decide whether or not you have that scoop of ice cream. By randomizing the reward, you don’t allow yourself to accommodate to dopamine. Pick one area of fitness, nutrition, or wellness that needs work and give it a shot!

In the end, if you want to maximize your fitness, nutrition, and wellness, you need a guide. That’s where I can help. I offer nutrition coaching, personal training, and training programs to create progress with minimal setbacks and wasted time. Click the link below to get started today!

Algae is the New Super Food!

Welcome back to the fitness wellness and longevity podcast

If you are new to the podcast, Fitness Wellness, and Longevity is all about optimize the health and performance of the ageless athlete. We interview tons of different guests from the fitness, nutrition, and wellness community, so if you are in to those types of things, please subscribe!

In today’s episode, my special guest is Catherine Arnston, the CEO of Energybits. Energybits is an Algae based food that contains different forms of one of the most nutritious foods on earth: Algae. In today’s conversation Catharine and I discuss how Energybits came to be, the benefits of algae, how algae can help slow aging and increase energy, and how algae farms may be the solution to global warming! I hope you enjoy this conversation with my special guest, Catharine Arnston and if you want to try Energybits for yourself enter the promocode leflochfitness20 to receive 20% off your order. Go to www.energybits.com to order!

New episodes air every Tuesday and Thursday so please subscribe!

Are you looking to make a change in your diet, but keep running into the same walls over and over again? It’s time to make a change! Book a call today to change your life…now!

Does Strength Training Burn Fat?

It's basic exercise knowledge that to gain muscles, you strength train, and to lose fat, you do cardio -- right?

Not necessarily, a new UNSW study published this week in Sports Medicine suggests.

In fact, the study -- a systematic review and meta-analysis that reviewed and analyzed existing evidence -- shows we can lose around 1.4% of our entire body fat through strength training alone, which is similar to how much we might lose through cardio or aerobics.

"A lot of people think that if you want to lose weight, you need to go out and run," says senior author of the study Dr. Mandy Hagstrom, exercise physiologist and senior lecturer at UNSW Medicine & Health.

"But our findings show that even when strength training is done on its own, it still causes a favorable loss of body fat without having to consciously diet or go running."

Dr Hagstrom and her team pulled together the findings from 58 research papers that used highly accurate forms of body fat measurement (like body scans, which can differentiate fat mass from lean mass) to measure the outcomes from strength training programs. Altogether, the studies included 3000 participants, none of which had any previous weight training experience.

MY TAKE: I have worked with hundreds of clients who have complained of the scale either increasing or staying the same as we start training together. This makes the athlete believe that the training “isn’t work.” The truth is actually to the contrary and it’s actually the limitations in accurately measuring the athletes body fat that cause concern. The gold standards for bodyfat measurement are dexi scanning or bod pod. from there skin fold testing or bio-impedance testing are “ok” for measuring your current body fat. What do I use? Simple. How do your clothes fit? 99% of the time when the scale hasn’t budged when a client has been exercising regularly, eating right, and the scale hasn’t moved, the client tells me their clothes are fitting more loosely. This is a great sign and shows that the real changes are happening despite what the scale says.

Want to get yourself moving on the path toward feeling and looking better? I’m here to help! Click the link below to get started.

Should I Start a Ketogenic Diet?

Welcome back!  If you are new to the podcast we are all about health and performance of the ageless athlete.  We interview tons of guests on nutrition, training, and wellness.  If you are into that kind of thing please subscribe!

This podcast is also affiliate with some amazing companies geared toward maximizing your fitness, wellness, and longevity.  Periodic fasting has numerous health benefits and can be used for not only weight loss but longevity.  I fast every 3 months and to help with my fast I use the Fasting Mimicking Diet from Prolon. ProLon® meals come in 5 small boxes (one for each day) that include plant-based energy bars, soups, a variety of snacks, drinks, and supplements, all studied and carefully designed to nourish your body and support metabolic and overall health for healthy aging.

Click here and enter the promocode Flochfitness10 for 10% off your order

Prolon

Do you have as hard a time getting enough fruits and veggies in as me?  Do you need more EPA and DHA?  Are you looking to get all the health benefits of algae but unsure how to do it, then ENERGYbits® is for you!  ENERGYbits® use only the highest quality strains of spirulina and chlorella, so their tablets contain the highest nutrient density available. These tiny tablets can be chewed, swallowed, or my personal preference is to add them to my smoothie after my workouts.

If you want to give  ENERGYbits® a try, go to the website energybits.com enter the promocode leflochfitness20 at check out.

In this week's episode, Scott and I talk about ketogenic diets. What is a ketogenic diet, what are the pros and cons, and finally is a ketogenic diet right for you?

If you like this podcast, please subscribe, rate, review, and shar with a friend. New episodes of the podcast come out every Tuesday and Thursday. See you then!

Is A Ketogenic Diet Right For You?

Whether from the internet, magazines, and or social media, you have probably heard of the ketogenic diet before. The ketogenic diet promotes amazing fat loss and other health benefits. But what is a ketogenic diet, what are the benefits, and is the ketogenic diet right for you?

First, what is a ketogenic diet? When fasting we deplete liver glycogen (a stored carbohydrate) and the body tends to shift into a state of ketosis. In this state ketone bodies (produced from fat) are used in place of glucose for most energy needs, but in particular by the brain. Because glucose (and some other foods particular to the individual) will bump you out of ketosis, the diet consists mainly of higher fat, moderate protein, and little to no carbohydrates (mimicking the affects of the fast by using ketones as fuel). Note: though this is a “low carb diet” you can still not be in ketosis and be low carb. Remember, even a little amount of carb timed incorrectly can kick you out of ketosis and impede fat utilization.

Second, what are the health benefits?

• Burn stored body fat

• stable blood sugar

• improved sleep

• decreased hunger

• consistent energy throughout the day

• decreased inflammation

• mitochondrial biogenesis

• enhanced cognition

• improved blood lipids

• decreased disease potential

So, yeah, there is a lot of good when it comes to the ketogenic diet.

Lastly, is the ketogenic diet right for you? That depends. First question to ask, “Does a ketogenic diet fit my lifestyle?” If you have kids, travel often for work, don’t cook, and aren’t diligent about food choices, then a ketogenic diet might not be a great fit for you.

On the other hand, if you check those boxes, and the benefits match your goals, then a ketogenic diet if for you. Later this week, I’ll dive into some commonly asked questions about the ketogenic diet, so stay tuned!

Ultimately, its difficult to make this decision on your own, which is where an experienced nutrition coach can help! Click below to get started today and lets find the perfect diet for you!

Watch This Before Buying Magic Spoon Cereal

$10 for a box of cereal?

Before you shell out the cash, watch Lauren and I's brutally honest review!

Have a great weekend!

Blood Markers For Better Performance With Dr. Gil Blander

Welcome back to the fitness wellness and longevity podcast

If you are new to the podcast, Fitness Wellness, and Longevity is all about optimize the health and performance of the ageless athlete. We interview tons of different guests from the fitness, nutrition, and wellness community, so if you are in to those types of things, please subscribe!

In today’s episode, my special guest is Dr. Gil Blander. Dr. Blander is an expert in blood biometrics and applying the wisdom of the blood to unlock longevity and resilience in sport. He leads a team of biology, nutrition & exercise physiology experts at Inside Tracker (www.insidetracker.com) .

In today’s conversation Dr. Blander shares the origins of inside tracker, how someone would get started, what information you can get from your blood, how to use biometrics to improve your performance and longevity, and we finish up with recommendations to improve your health from Dr. Blander’s analysis of thousands of data points.

If you like this podcast, please subscribe, rate, review and share with a friend.

It's Never Too Late!

In a recent study published in the European Society of Cardiology, researchers studied more than 30,000 heart patients, showing that becoming active later in life can be nearly as beneficial to survival as continued activity.

"These encouraging findings highlight how patients with coronary heart disease may benefit by preserving or adopting a physically active lifestyle," said study author Dr. Nathalia Gonzalez of the University of Bern, Switzerland.

Compared to patients who were inactive over time, the risk of all-cause death was 50% lower in those who were active over time, 45% lower in those who were inactive but became active, and 20% lower in those who had been active but became inactive.

MY TAKE? Yes, being active in your 20s,30s, and even 40s will give you resiliency as you age, but not nearly as much as staying active or starting to be active later in life. Don’t rest on your laurels, instead continue your fitness as you age. The study suggests that you complete at least 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous activity, or a combination. That’s all of 15-30 minutes a day to get the benefits cardiovascular benefits later in life.

Are you waiting for the perfect time to get back into shape? Why not now? Click the link below to get started today!