The Phoenix Pyre

09/19/2024

Eating the rainbow refers to consuming a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, each packed with unique phytonutrients that support everything from immune function to heart health.

These plant compounds act as antioxidants, helping to reduce inflammation and protect the body from chronic diseases.

♥️ Red: Lycopene and anthocyanins
🍊 Orange/Yellow: Beta-carotene and flavonoids
🤍 White: Allicin
🥬 Green: Chlorophyll, lutein, and isothiocyanates
🫐 Purple/Blue: Anthocyanins and resveratrol

09/19/2024

09/19/2024

If there was one single reason why we don’t lose weight – it’s because our reason for wanting to do so is all off, which leads us to invent or undertake weight loss methods that fail us. The problem is, the weight is there for a reason and it has a message. It has a deeper purpose. It’s talking to us. What do you think your weight is telling you?
-Marc David

09/19/2024

🚫 Oils to avoid when possible: Canola, Grapeseed, Soy, Corn, Palm.

WHY? These oils are often heavily refined, chemically treated, and exposed to high heat during processing, stripping them of nutrients and leaving behind harmful compounds. They can lead to inflammation, disrupt hormone balance, and negatively affect our guts and overall health 😢

Instead, choose nourishing alternatives like cold-pressed olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, and ghee, for a dose of healthy fats. 🌿✨

What's your favorite oil to use?

09/19/2024

For too long, weight loss has dominated the health conversation, often at the expense of true well-being. We’ve been bombarded with the misguided notion that shedding pounds is the ultimate—and sometimes only—measure of good health.

But times are changing. Society and medical research are finally waking up to the fact that weight loss alone isn’t the answer to a long, healthy life.

Instead, the focus is shifting to body recomposition—building muscle, improving strength, and fostering a healthier relationship with our bodies.

Welcome to the new narrative of women’s health. Learn more at the link in bio!

11/25/2020

Let’s Talk About…. Fats

So, most of us know that healthy fats are an essential part of our diet. However, most of us are also unsure as to what so-called “healthy fats" are or how much of those healthy fats we actually need.

First, let’s start with what we need those fats for. Fats are essential for hormone signaling and strong healthy tissues, like skin, hair, nails, and internal organs.

Stored fats are the body's secondary energy source.

When we have too few fats we may notice a lack of muscle coordination and balance, an imbalance in our hormonal cycles, and the appearance of skin and nails looking dry, dull or broke out with acne. We may also feel unsatisfied or not full enough from our meals. We may feel brain fog or think slowly. We may not recover efficiently from physical activity and/or feel slow or fatigued.

And as we all know, the major effect of eating too much fat is gaining excess body fat. So, when we have too much fat, we may feel overfull and gain body fat.

So how do we know when we have the right amount of healthy fats in our diet?

When you eat the right amount of fats, you should feel satisfied from meals, feel sustained energy all day, feel sustained energy during long physical activity, feel clear headed, recover well from workouts, and maintain a healthy weight.

Lastly, what IS a “serving” of fat. A good way to measure, that takes into account each individual’s needs, is to use the hand, fist, thumb method. According to this method, a serving of fat should be about as big as your thumb. This equates to approximately, 7-12 grams or a Tablespoon. If you're eating 3-4 meals per day, most people do best with about 1-2 thumbs of fats per meal.

The amount that you need is different for everyone. However, when determining whether you are eating the right amount, consider these physical and mental feelings and then adjust accordingly.

08/31/2020

Let’s Talk About…. Carbs

So much controversy about carbohydrates in our diets makes it confusing for people to know what they should be doing for their best health.

The short answer is, carbohydrates do not effect everyone the same. Therefore, there may be some truth in some of the things that you hear BUT that does not mean that its true for everyone.

For example, in general, women and endurance athletes have a higher carbohydrate need to balance hormones and have enough fuel for their activities, respectively.

One thing that is true for everyone is that carbs are NOT the devil 😊

What we should be focusing on is the quality of our carbohydrates. When we eat whole food, unprocessed carbohydrates (ie. potatoes, rice, squash), it is a lot harder to overconsume than it is when we eat highly processed carbs (Ie. ice cream, bread, pizza).

03/29/2020

Did you know our eyes are 95% WATER?

Water is necessary for several bodily functions and processes such as dissolving and transporting nutrients and waste, lubricating joints, and regulating temperature and blood pressure.

A good rule of thumb is drinking half of your weight in pounds in ounces of water per day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should aim for around 75 ounces of water per day. This is roughly a little more than a half gallon or 2 Liters or about four 20oz. bottles of water. 😁💪

03/08/2020

Fat deposits are decreased in reverse order of accumulation. If you have increased fat deposit in your abdominal area and then in your hips, the fat will first be decreased from your hips and then your abdominal area.

03/01/2020

On average, following a 10-week resistance training program, a previously untrained adult can increase muscle mass by about 3 #, decrease fat weight by almost 4 #, and increase their resting metabolic rate by 7%. 💪🏋️🏊

02/14/2020

Muscles can shorten in as little as 2-4 weeks when held passively in shortened positions (ie. desk job or continuous sitting) without being stretched or put through full range of motion.