What Should My Calorie Intake be if I'm on the Paleo Diet?

What Should My Calorie Intake be if I'm On a Paleo Diet?

It all depends on what your goals are.

If you want to gain weight, you need to be on a caloric surplus. If you wish to remain the same weight, you just to maintain your calorie intake. If you wish to lose weight, you should be at a caloric deficit.

The key point to note is that the paleo diet does not decide your calorie intake.

You do. Your goals do.

Firstly, you need to know what your daily calorie requirement is. You can find out form this link. http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

If you wish to gain weight, you need to consume more calories than your daily calorie requirement. This is for people who are underweight or if you’re trying to build muscle and bulk.

If you’re happy with your body and don’t see any need to get bigger or smaller, you just need to maintain your calorie intake. Then you will need to consume your paleo foods in the right proportion to meet your calorie intake.

There is no exact number as far as macro nutrients go with the paleo diet. You will need to adjust your macros to suit your needs. 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat is a common macronutrient ratio recommended for paleo. It helps to know exactly how many calories you are consuming with each meal.

If you’re trying to lose weight, you need to be at a caloric deficit of about 500 calories a day. Generally, most people say that it is much easier to lose weight on the paleo diet because sugar, hydrogenated oils and processed foods are not allowed on the paleo diet.

Suddenly, the fat is a lot less stubborn to burn. That’s because your body is not fighting an uphill battle. Most fat loss is difficult because even though people reduce their calories, they are still eating unhealthy food, unknowingly, and sugar creeps into many foods without any obvious signs. A good example will be tomato sauces and other sauces that have high sugar content.

If you are an athlete, your calorie requirement will be much higher than the average person. You will need to gauge how many calories you are expending during your workout and eat accordingly.

The paleo diet does not allow the consumption of rice, bread, grains and starchy fruit. So, if you are training hard and not consuming enough carbs, you may end up feeling lethargic. Or you may lose weight rapidly and end up looking gaunt.

The aim of the paleo diet is to make you look and feel healthy. In order for it to benefit you, you must know its limitations and restrictions so that you can adjust and get the best out of the diet.

While a high degree of compliance is necessary as far as avoiding the “harmful” foods, there is some room for flexibility. You may consume bananas or potatoes if your workouts need more carbs. The rules are not set in stone. Use common sense and make the diet work for you and do not end up a slave to the diet. Then you would have truly mastered the paleo diet.

Eric Dempsey

MS, NASM Fitness Nutrition Specialist

Dempsey's Resolution Fitness

for

The Chaplain Paul Voorhees Ministry

Easy Ways to Relieve Stress at Home

Easy Ways to Relieve Stress at Home

While it is not uncommon to experience stress, possibly even on a daily basis, it is also possible to find relief. Here are some natural ways you can find relief from stress in the comfort of your own home.

Avoid These Unhealthy Methods

Before you start looking at the healthy ways to relieve stress at home, you should be first aware of the ways you should avoid helping with stress. While these habits might seem like they are helping, you are actually heightening your stress overall. Make sure you don’t turn to the following unhealthy coping mechanisms:

· Drinking alcohol

· Smoking cigarettes

· Binging on junk food

· Avoiding responsibilities

· Sleeping too much or not enough

· Turning to drugs or pills

· Making erratic or dangerous choices

· Keeping busy to avoid your problems

Move Your Body More

One excellent way to relieve your stress on a regular basis is by getting your body moving. This keeps your mind occupied, releases endorphins and serotonin in your brain, and can be a healthy way to distract yourself from your problems. Even if you are not accustomed to working out a lot, there are ways to ease into a new workout routine. If you have a swimming pool, you can start swimming laps just a few at a time, then increase it every day. You can start taking your dog for a longer walk during the day or dancing in the living room with your kids.

Try Meditation While it might seem difficult, meditation can be easy if you just give it a chance. It does take some practice, but before too long you will discover just how helpful it is. It not only helps to relieve stress, but can help with anxiety, depression,

and other problems you experience in your life. An easy way to start meditating is by using visualization. Sit in a quiet room with your body relaxed and your eyes closed. Just spend a few minutes trying to visualize something that calms you, such as a running creek or waves crashing in the ocean. All you think about is that scene and nothing else for those few minutes.

Take a Lavender Bath

Baths in general can be relaxing, but there are certain essential oils that can be very beneficial. Lavender is one of the best ones for relaxation and stress relief. All you need to do is add a few drops of lavender oil to your bath then enjoy the calm you feel. You can also try lavender bath salts or bubble bath for the same effect. 

Eric Dempsey

MS, Stress Management Coach

Dempseys Resolution Fitness

for 

The Chaplain Paul Voorhees Ministry

Can Weightlifting Help With Diabetes?

The numerous health benefits of weight training has been known for many years.  There are dozens of scientific research studies which show various aspects of weight training benefitting different conditions and situations.

Many people do not realize that the scientific studies also show a direct benefit of weight training, for those with type II diabetes. Some studies like Shiroma et al., 2017, and Grontved et al., 2014, are general in nature and only speak of the risk reduction benefits of weight training, for those with diabetes. Other studies, such as Cheng et al., 2007, show that frequent weight training may lower your fasted insulin levels, and increase insulin sensitivity.

Bird & Hawley, 2017 report that resistance training and aerobic training combined in a program, may be the optimal prescription of exercise for maximal benefits. Of course, nutrition and lifestyle factors weigh in on this heavily.

Ultimately, mindset, fitness, nutrition and lifestyle are the foundational pillars upon which all health matters reside.

Instead of taking another expensive synthetic drug with many negative side effects, try hitting the weights, going for a walk, eating healthy, and lowering your stress levels by breathing drills and meditation.

Popping pills is a shortcut that rarely leads to health. Hitting the weights, however, puts you on the right path to control your glucose levels and manage your diabetes. And for those of you who do not have diabetes, weight training will greatly reduce your risks of developing diabetes in the future.

The weight set is your friend. Hit the weights! Start today.

If you are interested in learning stress management techniques, you can look here.

God bless you! Have a great week.

Eric Dempsey
Master Sergeant, US Army Retired
MS, ISSA Master Trainer
Dempseys Resolution Fitness

for

The Chaplain Paul Voorhees Ministry

Eating Healthy On A Budget

If you have problems eating healthy foods because

of the prices, you'll find these tips to be just

what you need to eat healthy on a budget.

1. Eliminate junk food

Doing your shopping on your own is the easiest way

to shop, as children and sometimes spouses are

usually the ones requesting junk food. Shopping

alone will prevent this, and ensure that you only

buy the foods you need.

2. Water or milk instead of soft drinks

You can still enjoy your favorite drinks at a

sporting event or night out, although you should

stick with the smallest size when shopping to save

money and calories. Children and adults can drink

milk or milk products on a daily basis. Milk will

also help you get strong and provides calcium for

healthy bones and healthy teeth.

3. Buy fruits in quantity

Whne they are in season, buy fruits in quantity

and freeze any extras. You can buy several pounds

this way, and freeze extras to have them when the

fruit goes out of season. Wash the fruit well,

remove any spoiled pieces, dry thoroughly, then

freeze in plastic zipper bags.

4. Meats and beans

Meats and beans are good sources for protein.

Lean meat is more expensive than meats with a lot

of fat. Canned beans are a great deal as well,

as they give you protein at a great price.

5. Beans as a substitute

You can use beans as a substitute for meat on a

regular basis. There are several varieties,

which you can prepare in a crock pot, so when

you return home, it is ready to consume.

The USDA recommends eating beans at least 4 times

per week. If you experience gas after eating

beans you should try washing them, covering them

with water, bringing the water to a boil, then

draining it off and refilling the pot.

6. If you live in a coastal area or an area

where fish are around, make that an integral

part of your diet. You can catch them from the

lakes or rivers, saving money in the process.

7. Peanut butter is great for those on a budget

as it's popular with almost everyone. You can

use it for sandwiches instead of eating hot

dogs. It does need to be refrigerated, although

bigger jars can last you for weeks.

8. You should fill up with foods that have a high

content of water. Watermelon, salads, and even

sugar free gelatin are all great examples.

Eating healthy is always something you can't go

wrong with. You can eat healthy for just a few

bucks, which makes it perfect for those on a

budget. 

9. Get generic brands and non -organic food to save money.  

You can research online about what optimal choices are for 

non-organic fruits and vegetables. 

There are many more ideas and methods that you can 

use to save money. These are just examples. Continue to research different ideas 

and techniques to manage your meal plan and budget. Now, you don't need a lot of 

money to have the lifestyle and health you've always wanted.

Eric Dempsey

MS, NASM Fitness Nutrition Specialist

Dempseys Resolution Fitness

for

Chaplain Paul Voorhees Ministry

4 Reasons To Stop Eating White Bread

4 Reasons To Stop Eating White Bread

There's nothing wrong with including bread in your diet, right? Well, it turns out it depends on the type of bread it is you're eating. Whole grain breads provide you with vitamin, minerals, and fiber – they're a great addition to your diet.

Unfortunately, white bread isn't just unhealthy, there's more to it than that. If you're trying to decide whether to ditch white bread or stay the course, check out these four major reasons that will help make your decision a bit easier.

Reason 1 – No Nutritional Value

To make white bread you first need white flour and unfortunately, white flour has been completely stripped of its nutrients. While manufacturers do enrich white flour with vitamins and minerals, it's only in small amounts.

The flour is made primarily of starch. On the other hand, you have whole-grain breads which are made from germ and bran as well, which is packed with minerals, vitamins, protein, fiber, and healthy fats.

Reason 2 – Full Of Preservatives & Additives

Additives, preservatives like calcium peroxide, ammonium sulfate, mono, DATEM, and diglycerides are all found in the average white bread loaf. There is absolutely no nutrition found in white bread, it's created with the express purpose of being a filler that is soft and has a longer shelf life.

We talk about foods being whole, living, and dead. You can categorize white bread as a dead food. Other dead foods include processed, junk foods and fast foods. If you want to eat well, choose whole and living foods – that includes lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain breads (and pastas, etc.).

Reason 3 – It Won't Bring You Satisfaction

While white bread is a filler, what it won't do is leave you feeling satisfied. White breads are high on the glycemic index and cause a spike in your blood sugar and with that delicious carb rush comes a nasty carb crash. Whereas, you can choose whole-grain breads which release energy slowly – whole-grain bread fills you up more, leaves you feeling fuller for longer, and you don't need to worry about a nasty carb crash either.

Reason 4 – It Will Lead To Weight Gain

Harvard University says, eating white bread in large quantities is going to lead to weight gain. You may think it's okay because you checked the calorie count and it's not too bad, but white bread can lead to cravings which will cause you to eat more calories the rest of the day.

When you strip away the benefits of a product just to leave the starchy remains you're going to go through those spikes in blood sugar and when you crash you will crave. It's a nasty cycle to get caught up in and eating white bread simply perpetuates it. Without the necessary fiber content, you end up hungrier as white bread leaves your stomach quickly.

You may have chosen to cut white bread from your diet, but you can't forget about the other sources of white bread that you may still be eating. Bagels count, as do English muffins, baguettes, French bread, and pizza. Refined carbohydrates the sugar in your blood ends up being stored as body fat.

In fact, some researchers are looking into the link between depression in post-menopausal women and refined carbohydrates. Dropping white bread from your diet is one of the easiest diet and lifestyle decisions you can make, all you need to do is reach for the whole wheat.

If you aren't convinced and you choose to continue eating white bread then you need to ensure you consume it in the appropriate portions and as part of a healthy, balanced diet. You can use the USDA's MyPlate to keep yourself on track.

It recommends a diet of 2,000 calories a day and you should only consume 6 oz of grain (each day), to put that into context one ounce is half a slice of bread. However, half of your daily grain count should be whole-grain.

Know the chemical Alloxan-another reason to avoid white bread.

Ounce wheat kernels are stripped of their bran and germ layers, it still a natural flour that is just white but still contains residual outer fibers. The industry is not happy until every trace of fiber is removed. The flour then goes through a process of whitening which is similar to any chlorine bleaching process. A similar chemical to chlorine but leaves a residual byproduct called Alloxan.

Unfortunately alloxan is very toxic for all animals causing the destruction of beta cells in the pancreas. These cells are responsible for insulin production. Alloxan is so effective in destroying beta cells that is the standard laboratory drug to artificially induce diabetes in rats for drug tests and other studies. So white bread potentially can contribute to diabetes. Not cool! Once in awhile probably won't matter, but repeated use could become a problem. Easier to just stay away from it all together.

 
Photo credit:

https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2013/01/11/white-bread-9aca49dd298d29eba19afe086778b821bc7f90fd-s800-c85.jpg

Eric Dempsey

Master Sergeant, US Army Retired

MS, ISSA Master Trainer

Dempseys Resolution Fitness

For 

The Chaplain Paul Voorhees Ministry

Becoming A Healthy Eater

Being a healthy eater requires you to become both
educated and smart about what healthy eating
actually is. Being food smart isn't about
learning to calculate grams or ounces, or is it
about studying labels, macronutrient ratios, 

and calorie requirements.

Healthy eating is all about balanced and moderate
eating, consisting of healthy meals at least
three times per day. Healthy eaters eat many
different types of foods, not limiting themselves
to one specific food type or food group.

Eating healthy requires quite a bit of leeway. You
might eat too much or not enough, consume
foods that are sometimes more or less nutritious.
However, you should always fuel your body and
your brain regularly with enough food to keep
both your mind and body strong and alert.

A healthy eater is a good problem solver. Healthy
eaters have learned to take care of themselves
and their eating with sound judgement and making
wise decisions. Healthy eaters are always aware
of what they eat, and know the effect that it
will have on their bodies.

When someone is unable to take control of their
eating, they are also likely to get out of control
with other aspects of life as well. They could
end up spending too much, talking too much, even
going to bed later and later.

You should always remember that restricting food
in any way is always a bad thing. Healthy eating
is a way of life, something that you can do to
enhance your body or your lifestyle. If you've
thought about making your life better, healthy
eating is just the place to start. You'll make
life easier for yourself, those around you, and
even your family.

Don't wait, start today!

Eric Dempsey

MS, NASM Fitness Nutrition Specialist

Dempseys Resolution Fitness

For

The Chaplain Paul Voorhees Ministry
 

What Kind of Carbs Can I Eat if I'm Living the Paleo Lifestyle?

What Kind of Carbs Can I Eat if I'm Living the Paleo Lifestyle?

The paleo diet is often associated with low carbs and a heavy met consumption. This does not necessarily hold true. Unlike the Atkins diet, the paleo diet is not focused on reducing carbohydrates. It is more about inclusion and exclusion of foods.

It is recommended that you only consume foods that are allowed on the paleo diet and avoid foods such as processed foods, grains, dairy, sugar, artificial additives, etc. Just by eliminating these foods or foods that contain these ingredients wipes out a whole bunch of choices that we have.

The average person consumes a daily diet that has almost all these forbidden ingredients. If you can’t eat grains, that means, rice, bread, pastas, cakes, etc. are all not allowed. Of course, your carb intake will drop significantly.

Now that most of the “normal” carbs are not a part of your diet, you have a small list of carb choices that you can choose from. Even these carbs are not as starchy. So, it will be really difficult to get fat with the paleo diet.

Some sources of dense carbs that are allowed in the paleo diet are taro root, plantains, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava, parsnips, yams, lotus roots, beets, carrots, pumpkins, onions, squash, rutabaga and a few more.

Even with carbs, there is a grey area. Bananas and potatoes are generally not recommended. Frankly, if you think that you need the carbs, then by all means, eat these. The rules are not set in stone. Eating bananas is no way as harmful as finishing up a tub of ice-cream. So, some leeway can’t hurt.

Generally, most people who start on the paleo diet, just want to lose weight, get in shape and become healthier. As long as they cut out the foods on the “no-no” list, they will achieve all their goals. There is no need to split hairs about the level of starch in the different vegetables.

Taking things to the extreme is never beneficial. The paleo diet is meant to help you. You are not supposed to feel enslaved to the diet. Stay true to the core concepts such as eating wholesome foods and avoiding the junk. That’s really all there is to it.

You might be wondering how much of your diet should be comprised of carbs. 20% would be a reasonable estimate. If you are an athlete who engages in endurance training or high-intensity training, you may increase your carb intake.

There are a few instances where people may wish to cut out all carbs and opt for a ketogenic diet which is high in fats. This technique is usually employed by bodybuilders so that the body burns any remaining fat stores. This will reduce their bodyfat percentage further into the single digits. They will be ripped and in shape for competition.

The average layman has no such concerns. So, you do not need to be overly concerned about your carb choices. Just stick to the list and eat in moderation. As long as you avoid rice, bread, pastas and grain based carbs, your carb consumption will not lead to massive weight gain or spiked insulin levels.

That pretty much says everything that you need to know about the paleo diet and carbs in a nutshell. If you wish to delve into the matter more deeply, you should grab the paleo book "Living Life the Paleo Way" and immerse yourself in it.

Eric Dempsey

MS, NASM Fitness Nutrition Specialist

Dempseys Resolution Fitness

For 

The Chaplain Paul Voorhees Ministry

Are Shrimp, Prawns and Shellfish High in Cholesterol?

Are Shrimp, Prawns and Shellfish High in Cholesterol?
Prawn and shrimp are technically different species. In common usage, the terms are often used interchangeably, although they can also be used to categorize size – shrimp smaller, prawns bigger.

Shrimp makes up a full 25% of the entire seafood consumption in the United States. Prawns and shrimp are also considered delicious seafood items in other countries. Worldwide, shrimp is the most frequently traded seafood, and along with prawns and other types of seafood, delivers a healthy form of protein that is also low in calories.

From a culinary and dietary perspective, and for the purposes of this article, any differences are small enough to be irrelevant. From here on, shrimp also means prawns.

Shellfish are High in Dietary Cholesterol

Shellfish is linked in many people's minds to high cholesterol, so a lot of people avoid it if their cholesterol level is elevated. Is this action justified?

Simply stated, shrimp are high in cholesterol. 100 grams of shrimp yields about 190 mg of cholesterol, more than half the recommended daily allowance. However, blaming shrimp for high cholesterol counts is a very simplistic response, based on a misunderstanding of how we get high cholesterol levels.

Dietary Cholesterol is Not the Same as Blood Cholesterol
Dietary cholesterol is not the same as the cholesterol that is measured in your blood. Most of the cholesterol in your blood in manufactured by the body, and dietary cholesterol is not the biggest factor.

This incorrect cause and effect conclusion is similar to the fat fallacy – for decades we have been led to believe that dietary fat and bodyfat were the same, so to lose weight we had to cut fat from our diet. How’s that working out?

Real science is now showing us that dietary fat is a safe form of energy supply, and simple carbs are most easily converted to bodyfat.

Similarly, if you have problems with high measured cholesterol, a couple of servings of shrimp per week are not the cause of your problem. If any seafood is implicated in raising cholesterol levels, it is far more likely that the true cause lies with the appended sauces and condiments, or the cooking method, rather than the animal itself.

Other Nutritional Benefits

Also, shrimp and other shellfish have other health benefits. While they contain many nutrients and are a good source of protein, they are often unrecognized for their omega 3 fatty acid content. All have a high component, and some species have similar amounts as highly acclaimed oily fish such as tuna and salmon.

Diets high in dietary cholesterol will contribute to high measured cholesterol, but are not the only factor. Gram for gram, shrimp will provide much more nutritional value than the highly-processed ‘foods’ that provide the bulk of many diets, and will contribute much less undesirable LDL cholesterol while doing so.

Part of a Healthy Diet

The key to overall health and well-being is eating a wide variety of healthy foods, and as few processed, fast and fried foods as possible. This means you can enjoy shrimp and other types of seafood, which have notoriously been vilified as cholesterol-boosters, as long as you eat them in moderation and in conjunction with other healthy foods.

Shrimp can be a delicious and nutritious part of your regular diet, especially if you choose broiled or boiled instead of fried. Eat shrimp, as well as other seafood, and you will be unlikely to affect your cholesterol level negatively.

Eric Dempsey

MS, NASM Fitness Nutrition Specialist

Dempseys Resolution Fitness

for

The Chaplain Paul Voorhees Ministry