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6 Best Carb Sources for People with Diabetes

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We’re pretty well known around here for boldly proclaiming that sugar is not evil (and we stand by it!), but when you have diabetes, carbs really can seem like the devil. As a diabetic, you’ve probably been told that a lower carbohydrate diet is your best option… and depending on your source, what “low carb” means varies widely. Low-carb and Keto diets have come under the spotlight recently and have been recommended in a lot of diet spaces as good options for people with type 2 diabetes. But, a recent study suggests that low-carb dieting is only effective in the short term and doesn’t provide any value over a high-carb diet in the long run. While this new research doesn’t mean you should run out and eat a package of Oreos, there are a wide variety of carbohydrates that can be a part of a healthy diet that keeps your blood sugar in check. Now, when it comes to choosing your carb sources, you need to be careful as some foods are inherently better than others. But which carbs are ...

7 Best Macro-Friendly Vegan Protein Sources

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So you’re rummaging your cabinets, flipping through recipe books, googling all the words and calling up your grandma wondering what you can do to get more protein in your diet. We get it and we’re here to help. Protein is important for optimal health, it is vital for muscle growth, muscle strength, weight loss, and it is critical in many of your body’s biochemical functions. When people think protein they tend to think meat, but there’s a whole universe of other vegetarian and vegan protein sources out there that can be excellent to help keep you full, build muscle and help with weight loss. Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, proud meat eater, or anywhere in the middle, these seven healthy and delicious vegan protein sources can help spice up your kitchen and keep your protein macros on point. ​Seitan / Wheat Meat (pictured above) Vegetarians and vegans cherish this plant-based meat substitute. Seitan comes from gluten, a protein found in abundance in wheat, rye, and other...

What is Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)… and why is it important?

What is TDEE? TDEE is an acronym for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It represents an estimated total of the calories your body burns for energy each day. TDEE is an essential factor if you are trying to lose weight or gain weight because the two are basically about the deficit between your calorie intake and calorie expenditure. Because every individual has a unique set of genes, in addition to gender, age, and weight, we all have distinct TDEEs. If you are trying to gain muscle mass, lose weight, or maintain your current body weight, it's important that you understand the effect of TDEE on your goal and how to calculate it. For somebody aiming to lose some pounds, your target is to make your calorie intake less than calorie burn, i.e., eat below your TDEE. And if you are training to be the next Mr. Olympia, you need to eat above your TDEE so your body can get the nutrients it needs to make you bigger and stronger. But if you are okay with your current body, all you have to ...

IIFYM Myths: Why so many carbs?

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7 High Protein Snacks for Those On The Go

  We live in a world where we tend to rush around like a chicken with its head chopped off—minus the gore and awkward flailing. At the sound of our alarm clock we hop out of bed, jump in the shower, dry off, throw our clothes on, brush our teeth and hair, wake up the kids, clothe them, make them breakfast, make yourself breakfast, rush everyone out the door to catch the school bus, and then off to work you go. Phew. It’s exhausting just thinking about it. There are days where you simply don’t have time to sit down and eat breakfast yourself, I get it. And for that reason, you need to ensure you have high protein snacks at your disposal. At IIFYM, we love protein and try to fit it into all of our meals and snack options. As science tells us, protein is the building blocks for muscle growth and recovery. More specifically, it’s the amino acids found in protein that are the true champions at maintaining and building that hard-earned lean muscle mass we all strive for. (A great pl...

Dealing With Negative Family Members That Don’t Support Your Fat Loss Efforts

  “If it was easy, everyone would do it.” One of the most overused, but quite accurate statements about virtually anything significant we pursue. Fat loss is right up there with some of the most personally rewarding but often-difficult tasks to achieve. Especially when first starting out. Even with tools like the IIFYM Macro Calculator on hand, the journey of fat loss can be confusing and be challenging at times. Fat loss becomes especially challenging if we feel negative pressure from our family members that may not support our fat loss efforts. Or just simply don’t understand what we’re doing. As encouraging as a positive support system can be, equally discouraging is the feeling that those closest to us believe what we’re doing is silly or unnecessary. As an online physique coach, I’ve had experience with a myriad of athletes focused on fat loss that have shared various encounters with family members. Experiences that, along with my own, have helped me gain a perspective o...

Why An Exercise Routine Isn’t Necessary To Lose Fat

  While many people attribute their weight loss to exercise, it turns out that using an exercise routine really isn’t necessary for losing body fat. Although that may sound counterintuitive to everything you’ve heard in the past, total weight and fat loss is actually due to creating what is known as a negative energy balance. Fortunately, a negative energy balance can be accomplished via manipulation of many different variables, which may or may not include an exercise routine. In this article, I’ll be discussing why exercise isn’t required for fat loss and then what other variables you should manipulate if your goal is to drop body fat. (Whether your goal is to lose fat, build muscle, or maintain weight our macro calculator is a great place to start.) Factors Influencing Fat Loss Before getting into further specifics, it’s important to point out key variables associated with weight and, of course, fat loss. Understanding these principles is imperative if you want to change...