Do the things I’m going to share with you in this article today, and I guarantee you’ll feel a hell of a lot better, plus you’ll get leaner if you stay consistent.
I’ve gotten this question many times but as of late it came up more often, so I wanted to write it for the masses..
“How do I improve my Gut Health?
And will it improve my body composition?”
First off, yes it will – improve your body composition.
Gut health and our gut flora is an extremely important thing to keep in mind.
In fact, this is really the only specific issue I have with the “if it fits your macros” crowd.
I agree that we shouldn’t restrict ourselves, but many people take it too far and forget that our body still thrives on nutrient dense foods.
And by “Thrive”, I mean that we will feel better physically inside and out, but we will also perform a lot better. We would be dumb to think that because a cookie has the same macros as a cup of oatmeal and handful of almonds, that we would perform and feel the same from both…
Common sense can tell us that the oatmeal and almonds have more nutrients and our body will most likely perform and feel better from that. But like I said, there is always room to fit in things you like and I absolutely preach that, because moderation is key.
But my point is that filling your macros up with beer and pop tarts isn’t going to achieve a great physique, regardless of the macro’s at the end of the day and that is mainly because your gut health will be complete shit.
So lets talk about the negative effects of having an unhealthy gut:
-Poor digestion.
-Poor nutrient absorption
-Decreased carb tolerance or ability to utilize
them properly
-Highly possible fat gain, from all of the above
-Poor immune health and increased risk of
getting sick more often
-And a huge list of other health risks…
So obviously if your gut health is shit a WHOLE lot more things in your body will too, go to the shitter as well.
Ok so if all that bad stuff will happen if we don’t focus on our gut health, what gets better or improves if we do focus on gut health?
Well, essential all of that does!
You will digestion foods easier,
You will absorb nutrients better,
Tolerate carbs better and utilize them to fuel training and build muscle/recover,
You will put on less fat and more likely will burn more fat,
You will have a healthier immune system and get sick less often,
And at the end of it all, you will truly feel a lot better.
Gut health is kind of a big deal, but it’s also something we tend to overlook. So lets get into what you actually want to hear…
How do YOU improve YOUR gut health, today?
#1 – Get probiotics into your daily routine.
Couple ways you can do this.
First I would recommend a greens drink that you can drink every day, without adding a ton of calories.
I would also suggest a probiotic supplement or a digestive enzyme supplement.
[ Both the above links go to Onnit, which is one of the only supplement brands I truly trust and recommend. ]
2 – Eat more probiotic-based foods.
These are RARE to find in peoples diets, but they are very very beneficial.
And studies have shown them to be MORE effective than a probiotic supplement because,
First off they’re not tampered with. So it is the REAL DEAL.
Secondly, probiotics are live cultures and when they’re turned into supplements – they can “die” in the process.
Thirdly, who really knows if the supplement can be trusted?! Many are bullshit.
Lastly, our body absorbs nutrients from food better.
So what foods are best, here’s my top list:
– Kimchi
– Kefir
– Sauerkraut
– Kombucha
– Raw Cheese
– Organic Yogurt
If you can get these into your diet more often, your gut will thank you BIG TIME!
And I know I know… “Kimchi and Raw Goat Cheese taste funny!!”… Well, sometimes health is more important! (Plenty of recipes out there in the city of Googleville that can help you enjoy them).
3 – More complex carbs and resistant starches.
This just means focus on food quality, really.
Now, there is nothing wrong with white rice for instance – I have it daily almost.
But there is something to be said about making sure to get a variety.
So add in things like sprouted grains, berries, quinoa, brown rice, yams, etc… These foods are absorbed slower, keep satiety at bay a bit better, contain more fiber, and typically have more nutrients in them.
Now as for resistant starches, these are some carbohydrate sources that have a specific benefit on the gut flora and metabolism.
They can essentially act as an extra probiotic. These are foods such as yams, oatmeal, and beans,
for example.
Also, they are even MORE beneficial when they’re cooked ahead of time and cooled down before eaten.
Studies have shown this to be because the cooling process, after the cooking process, changes things within the food itself, making it more beneficial after time passes.
As for the exact science of why, I don’t know exactly – to be 100% honest with you.
And to be even more honest, I could care less.
I just want what works and gets me the result, I’m sure you do to and this works well! Also, this is an extra motive to meal prep.
At the end of the day, health matters. If your health is great, you’re more likely to have a better body. The easiest way to think of it is that if you feel good, perform good, avoid getting sick, and can absorb the food you’re eating very well – you’re probably going to get better results.
“Better Gut, Better Abs.”
If you struggle to plan out how to improve your gut health, or nutrition and training in general,
Or maybe you just lack a system, plan, or support/accountability to your goals :
Click HERE now to get on a strategy call with me to map out how you can get there.
