Are you eating low calorie? Are you eating paleo? Are you honestly stressing out about your nutrition and eating as strict as possible… And not getting results?
This unfortunately happens quite a bit. But before we go jumping on the vitamin and mineral deficiency bandwagon, please give yourself an honest and outcome based assessment.
Are you actually eating quality foods all the time? Like bright and deep coloured vegetables, quality meat, nuts, seeds, and fish?
If you are doing this, working your butt off at bootcamp and are frustrated with weight not flying off then we need to consider a vitamin or mineral deficiency.
See, when a diet is based on grass fed meat, wild fish, free range eggs, vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, every vitamin and mineral be acquired.
So, reality check. Is that what you are really doing?
Here’s some examples below and the supplements you may need to take. Before reading any further, please consult your physician to confirm a deficiency as high dose mineral supplementation can have bad outcomes.
Examples…
- If you don’t eat meat, eat low calorie, and are advancing in age, then you may need to supplement with vitamin B12. Before you go running out to buy some B12, please consult with your physician.
- If you don’t eat dairy, green leafy vegetables, or beans then you may need a calcium supplement. Before you go running out to buy a calcium supplement, JUST EAT MORE GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES!
- If you don’t consume iodized salt, seafood, or sea vegetables, then you may need an iodine supplement. Before you go supplementing with iodine, don’t consume more or any salt for that matter. Most people’s sodium intake is way too high and could be one of the reasons it is hard for you to lose weight, as it makes you hold onto all your water weight. Seafood in my opinion, should be a part of everyone’s diet. Tuna is an amazing snack or lunch on the go. Add it with olive oil for some healthy fat.
- If you eat a high amount of processed food (anything that comes in a box), are female, don’t eat much red meat or eggs, and have not reached menopause, then you may need an iron supplement.
Before you go supplementing with iron. Please go see a doctor. The stats on iron deficiencies are quite high especially in women who have not reached menopause (since you lose blood monthly and your loss of iron in the blood may exceed your intake).
In athletic populations tested, 50% of females suffer from lack of iron. 15% of males suffer from lack of iron.
Lack of iron can cause anemia, symptoms including excess fatigue and weakness.
Read more about this subject here: http://www.
Iron rich foods include:
- Red meat
- Egg yolks
- Dark, leafy greens (spinach)
- Dried fruit (prunes, raisins)
- Iron-enriched cereals and grains (check the labels)
- Mollusks (oysters, clams, scallops)
- Turkey or chicken giblets
- Beans, lentils, chick peas and soybeans
- Liver
- Artichokes
Don’t think you need to eat all of those… I’m sure not having liver this week or next. Here’s a tip, some foods also inhibit iron absorption, so avoid eating iron rich foods with caffeine, fiber, coffee, and tea. Instead, eat plenty of vitamin C from foods like tomatoes, broccoli, and citrus fruit.
And if you are concerned with lack of iron, or lack of any vitamin or mineral, please consult your physician. Modern food unfortunately has displaced vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals due to processing, and deficiencies that have not been prevalent for 100 years are now forming in people.
These 3 steps can ensure you cover all your bases:
- Eat whole foods such as pasteur raised meat, wild fish, free range eggs, vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
- Use a multi-supplement daily.
- Use other supplementation when a specific deficiency exists.
There’s so much information out there it can be overwhelming. If you ever have any questions on nutrition, or want to seek out the best source of information, the definitive resource for information is http://www.
Committed to your results,
Josh Saunders
The Bootcamp Effect
