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Hi, guys, it's Tony Robbins.
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You're listening to Habits and Hustle.
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Crush it. Hey, friends. You're listening to Fitness Friday on the Habits and Hustle podcast, where myself and my friends share quick and very actionable advice for you becoming your healthiest self. So stay tuned and let me know how you leveled up. Before we dive into today's episod, I want to thank our sponsor, Momentous. When your goal is healthspan living better and longer, there are very few non negotiables. One of them quality. And when it comes to supplements designed for high performers, nobody does it better than Momentous. Momentous goes all in on NSF certification, which means every single batch is tested for heavy metals, harmful additives and label accuracy. And that's why they're trusted by all 32 NFL teams and top collegiate sports dietitians across the country. Here's the thing. They don't sell every supplement under the sun because they believe in nailing the basics with rock solid consistency. And those basics are protein and creatine. Momentous sources. Creapure. The purest form of creatine monohydrate available and an absolute must for both men and women who want peak physical and cognitive performance. So if you're serious about leveling up, go to livemomentous.com and use code Jen for 20% off. Just act now. Start today. Jen for 20% off livemomentous.com welcome back to Fitness Fridays and I am joined yet again by my friend Liron. Thank you for coming, Leron.
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Thank you for having me.
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Liron also has a gym in la. It's called Beyond Fitness la. Yeah.
B
Westwood Boulevard.
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You think I'd know the name by.
B
Now, but you got a lot of things going on.
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I do. I actually do. But it's super easy when you're here because it's. It's so easy. We know each other for so long.
B
We're also neighbors.
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We're also neighbors and we just like to blab about all things health and fitness. But today we're going to be covering a lot on nutrition because I think people are making big mistakes with their nutrition.
B
Agreed.
A
And because of that, they're not reaching their Overall health goals. 80% of your goals, fitness wise, body wise, comes from your nutrition. It's not, you're not gonna be making. That's what they say. Like abs are made in the kitchen, they're not made at the gym. And you can be squatting all day and you can be lunging all night. But if you're not eating properly, then good luck to you. And so I really wanted to do an episode, a fast episode, short episode on, I believe, the top nutrition mistakes that people are making. And then you can tell me what you think. Okay, how's that sound? Okay, sounds great. I believe some of the top nutrition mistakes that people are making that really can overhaul your overall goals if you just watch on these. The first one is your portions. I think portions is where people always fail. We think, we know, we eyeball it. We think, okay, that's a chicken breast or this looks like a normal size of rice or pasta. And we're always wrong. Because if you actually look at what an actual portion is to what we're actually eating, very, very different. And that can make a major difference in your overall calorie intake. So if we are much more mindful of our portions, it will save you a lot of heartache. That's the first one. Another big one that I think is really important is supplementing. I think that we rely on supplements way too much over our actual nutrition, like what we're actually eating, and it's not making us any healthier. I think if we actually ate the nutrition, like the nutrients that our body needs, it would help us with our overall satiation. Yeah, right.
B
For sure.
A
And another, of course, I know this is another big one, and I know you're gonna, you're gonna definitely agree with me on this one, is people are not consuming enough protein. Yeah.
B
Protein is like, it's like, that's not the number one.
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That's like, that is like the real. That is like the number one. I mean, protein satiates you. Yeah, right. Like, if I'm not eating enough protein, I am starving.
B
Yeah.
A
Literally starving. Yeah. And I think if people would uptake their protein, it would like, it's like a game changer again.
B
It's. I think that one goes down. I talk about this a lot, but it goes down to evolution. Like, we've evolved to eat protein, so our guts are like protein seeking machines, you know, and so when they register the amino acids, like that umami flavor of protein, it's just extremely satiating because that's literally just how we're built.
A
Well, first of all, it also regulates my blood sugar. Like, I'm like, I shake if I'm. If I'm hungry. And the second I eat a piece of chicken, I feel so much better. And I'm a big animal protein person. I think that's like the really. Like, to me, you don't have to be an animal. Protein person you can be eating, you can eat other things that are not animal protein.
B
You could try.
A
You can try. But animal protein to me is like the number one source for my protein.
B
Is how we're designed. It's how we're built.
A
Oh, 100%. And like the other, other really big one, is that eliminating food groups is a real mistake, right? Not eating enough carbs, thinking that carbs are going to make you fat. No, it's the portion and the kind of carb will make you fat, not an actual carbohydrate. Eliminating that from your diet is such a bad move.
B
You need fats, carbs and proteins. At some point, you're going to need to check all those boxes.
A
You have to in order to. Having a balanced plan is what it is, Right. Like you, you can't just eliminate because your body is like, your body's going to crave it and you're going to eat it somewhere. You're going to eat something else that's maybe not as good for you. Correct.
B
Technically, I think the only one that is not essential, like from a scientific perspective, is carbs, because you technically don't need carbs to survive because your body will create carbs out of protein or fat, like gluconeogenesis and stuff. But. But in practice, everyone needs it. And also, if you're an athlete and you're working out, you also need it for performance. Your performance is going to suffer tremendously. Your mental health suffers tremendously without carbs because it boosts serotonin and stuff, you feel better. So practically speaking, you definitely need some form of carbs, some form of fat, some form of protein, and trying to, like, shortcut or, like, cheat the system by just getting rid of one. It's nice idea. And a lot of people, especially with carbs, because you lose water weight, they'll lose 10 pounds in a week. And they're like, oh, I'm a winner. Yeah, but you lost water and maybe some muscle and actually you're less healthy than you were when you were 10 pounds heavier.
A
So totally agree with you.
B
You're cheating yourself really Well, I feel.
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Like that's a big one, right? Because people, they're not relying on the muscle they're building, they're relying on.
B
Big mistake, huge mistake.
A
They're fat. Like, what's it called? Like, they're overestimating the fat loss and underestimating the muscle gain.
B
Don't want to lose fat and lose muscle at the same time. You only want to lose fat, but.
A
It'S really hard so what I think when you eat carbs, like you're saying you may lose that water weight, Right.
B
But your muscles are made of water, so you're kind of losing muscle in a way.
A
So then what would be a good strategy in your opinion, where we can balance it? Right. Because we don't want to overeat carbs, but for sure. Or anything. Right. Like, by the way, do you believe in this myth that eating too much protein will be bad for your kidneys?
B
No.
A
You don't believe.
B
Not. Not animal protein. Fake, like fake art. Possibly protein shakes? I doubt it. Even with protein shakes, if they're animal based, meaning dairy protein, I doubt it. But like natural, basically natural sources of protein. Not a chance. Not a chance. I don't believe it for a split second.
A
You don't? Well, I see this is the thing, right? Like to me, like we talked about, protein is so important. People are getting their protein, let's say just from like their shakes. Are they getting enough protein then? Right. Because to me people are exclusively getting.
B
It from their protein shakes. Yeah.
A
Well, to me, I feel like that you can't just exclusively get your protein from a protein shake.
B
I wouldn't advise.
A
Well, well, well, I would think you'd be like, for me, when I have a protein shake, I'm starving 20 minutes later. Right. Because it does, I guess maybe because of the digests really quickly into your body, whatever. But I feel like animal protein for me is what actually the animal protein is what satiates me. Yeah.
B
If you isolate too much again, I think protein shakes have their place and I will have them from time to time and I will tell clients to have.
A
Yeah, me too.
B
Especially if they're learning to get their protein up and they're trying to get their gut to adjust to a high protein diet, which in the early phases, protein is fantastic. Protein shakes have their place.
A
Okay, well, listen, I love. By the way, I have a protein shake. I try to have a protein shake on the go. Like, I have like my. By the way, I have literally.
B
Yeah, I'm literally going to have this.
A
I have those right after this podcast. But I use these a lot pre workout. Yeah, pre workout, post workout or on the go.
B
Yeah.
A
But I need, I have other things in addition than that to that. Right. Like, I also use like momentous. I like the. Their chocolate whey protein or the vanilla whey protein. I like that.
B
You'll give me that too.
A
It's delicious.
B
But like, I mean that's like they have more natural sweeteners and stuff. It's like.
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No, no, it's just they. What I. What I like about it, they have this third party tested.
B
Oh, okay.
A
I like. And also I just like the taste of it. I like the ingredient. I like all of it. But my point is I do both. Right. Like, but because I need, I need the satiation of having animal protein as well. But I feel like where shakes come into place a lot of times is when I need to supplement with more protein. Right when I'm busy. When you're on the go, you need.
B
To have that convenience factor.
A
The convenience factor, which we've spoken about.
B
In other podcasts, like, convenience is an underrated facet of fitness that people need to factor into what they're doing. Things have to work functionally and they have to be convenient for you.
A
Exactly. Now those to me are like big mistakes that I see all the time. What are other ones that you see that people are making?
B
So I think not focusing on food quality and also not enjoy. I think the biggest one now is like, not enjoying their food, like, not factoring that in. And again, this kind of flies in the face of what most people are told. But I, my theory is, and I'm really fleshing this out, so this might sound a little bit jumbled, but like, I think your brain has a certain, let's say, pleasure point principle where it wants to get a certain amount of pleasure from food. And if it doesn't get that amount of pleasure from food, it will kind of force you to binge later on. So, so essentially what's happening is that your brain is seeking pleasure from food, and if it doesn't register that pleasure from food, it will keep asking for more and more food. So by eating something that by only eating things that people don't enjoy, or not consciously enjoying the food that they're eating, they're setting themselves up for failure because their, their body and their brain is kind of storing a little craving for later. It's like, wait a minute, I didn't actually enjoy that. You better pay me.
A
So basically you're saying when you. A big mistake is when you deprive yourself.
B
Yeah.
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It will end up backfiring because you'll end up eating something different or more or badly later on. That's what I do. That's my big thing. I deprive. I deprive. And then I'll go fucking apeshit on something else. Like, like, for example, I don't want to eat a lot of sugar, but then I'll eat nine pounds of grapes. So, like, that's my thing. Like, I love fruit and I know people say fruit doesn't make you fat if you have nine pounds of grapes or mango. Yeah. Well, you may not make, you may not get fat, but you will gain some.
B
I think it's definitely better to have a more balanced approach. But then, but then ultimately the truth of it is, is that you probably should have given yourself the grapes in the first place and then maybe you only would have only had four or five pounds as opposed to nine.
A
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, the thing is, not even the grapes. I should have given myself something else. Because what I'm using is I'm using the grapes as my sugar food. Like, because, because I'm, I'm, I, I'm craving sugar. So I'm like, oh, I'll just have grapes. Which then really kind of brings us back to portion. Right? Portions, port. That's why I always circle right back to portions. I think where that's, where most people really make that mistake is when they just over eat with that portion. It's not, like I said, it's not so much always just the food. It's the amount you, you can gain weight on eating too much healthy food. You know what I mean? And that's what I do, right? Like, I'm like, oh, chicken breast is okay, I'll have seven of them. Or, oh, you know, like, grapes are okay, I'll have nine pounds. Still, like, overeating is overeating. Yeah. You can overeat good food and you can also overeat bad food.
B
The issue with you have more.
A
Okay, wait, you have more wiggle room with eating good food, but you still have to, it's more wiggle room, but you still have to be careful.
B
And that's why things like if it fits your macros and stuff, I don't think people bother with that anymore. But that used to be a thing. If it fits your macros, meaning just as long as you're eating your macros, it doesn't matter. The problem with that is if you're eating Twinkies as your carb source, you're gonna go, you're not going to be able to stick to 200 grams of carbs a day or whatever it is because you know you're just gonna rifle through those so fast because they provide no actual nutrition. So your body is still craving nutrients and therefore you're going to overeat those foods. So calories in, calories out is completely non gross. But that's how it works. Like, you cannot, that's Just a mathematical law of the universe. If your calories in more than your calories out, you will store weight. Whether that's muscle or fat is, is potentially negotiable depending on what you're eating.
A
But I don't get why that's even still a controversial.
B
No, that's just a fact. It's like gravity. That's just how it works.
A
But that's controversial. Like, there's been times where people are like, what are you talking about? Calories in versus calories out? That's not how it works.
B
There's no point arguing about.
A
I'm like, what are you talking about? That's just how like it is, how it works. Because I'm a good, I'm a prime example, right? I exercise like a fanatic, I eat very healthy. But if I'm not watching how many calories I'm inputting into my body versus how many I am outputting, I gain weight.
B
I think where, where the conversation becomes more interesting and nuanced is where you start to talk about, you start to break that down and talk about what? What does calories in mean versus what does calories out mean? First of all, you would have to absorb the calories in. So if your body for some reason decides it doesn't want to absorb those calories, if your gut says, you know what, I'm not absorbing these calories, I'm going straight out, then technically that's not calories in. It went into your mouth, but it didn't go into your body. So that's not something that happens all the time. But again, it's like, where does that calories in versus calories out equation become relevant? What does calories out mean? Does it only mean walking? No. Your calories out could be your growing your hair, it could be your reproductive system, it could be your digestive system, it could be your immunity. So it's so insanely complex that thing that to try to reduce it to a mathematical formula that we can predict is. On the flip side to it is you're not really going to be able to do that long term. It's too complex. But you have to be aware that that is how it works.
A
Another one I should think is really important too, because again, we talk so much about protein and we are seem to be remiss about fiber. Like me, maybe I'm eating a lot of fiber by eating all these grapes and everything else sounds or like, or, or I'm a big vegetable. Vegetable and fruit person. But I would say like there's a A crazy stat that, like, I think 90% of Americans are not eating enough fiber. And fiber is a MA is like a major macro ingredient, a macronutrient that's so important. And it helps with keeping you full and your digestion and your gut, I.
B
Think your gut even eats certain types of fiber. It literally like pulls energy from the fiber itself. So your gut needs the fiber just to like function well.
A
So besides just, you know, making sure you are eating enough protein, make sure you're eating enough fiber. And if you can't eat fiber, then get a supplement that can help you with getting that fiber because it keeps you full longer, faster. Not faster, but longer. It helps with your absorption of your nutrients. So if you're not absorbing your nutrients, the other problem is that you may eat more because you don't feel like you're eating properly. Does that make sense?
B
Yeah. Also in nature, again, it goes back to like my, my nature kind of binding philosophy for nutrition. Like in nature, fiber is everywhere. You know, every plant, yes, every plant has some type of fiber in it in nature. It's only when we live in our modern world that we have the ability to mechanically get rid of fiber, that we, that we're not getting enough. So if you were to eat in a more natural way, like as we were built to eat, you would, you should be getting more fiber.
A
And I think they say what, you should be eating between 25 and 30 grams of fiber per day right now, I guess, depending on the size of the person. But I think if you can do that, like, that's why incorporating fruits and vegetables is so important. Taking a supplement, that's where I think where the supplements come. Like I was saying earlier, I think sometimes we're supplementing not for our body, but for what people think is like, what's popular. Right. Like you're taking the trendiest supplement.
B
Yeah. Some really age obscure thing.
A
Right. Versus what your body actually, what you actually need. Like if you know you're somebody who's not eating enough fiber, then take that as a supplement. If you're someone who's not eating enough fats, like fatty fish, then you can have like take an omega. Like making sure you're supplementing for yourself will help balance out your, your nutrition or your nutrients properly. That makes sense.
B
Makes sense.
A
I think those are good ones. What else did we miss? Eating enough protein, eating enough fiber. Don't overly restrict your calories. Yeah, that's another big one. I think people sometimes think in order to lose weight, they have to eat less. That's another big common myth because sometimes what happens is we end up eating more down the road because we're trying to eat less at a certain time. That's different than dep. That's different than deprivation.
B
Yeah, I think don't. Yeah, you don't want to deprive yourself. Like.
A
No, that's different though. Like, like for example, you're like, okay, I'm only going to have this one egg for breakfast. Right. Versus having the egg, the avocado, the piece of whole grain toast. That's different than deprivation is like, I'm not going to eat that piece of chocolate. I'm not going to eat that piece of chocolate. And then you end up like, you know, binging, binging on a chocolate cake. This is different. I think that like there's a misconception, a big nutrition mistake is that like we. Eating less is more. Actually sometimes eating more is more.
B
Yeah. Especially with regards to like protein. I think people need to eat more actual food to avoid snacks. And that's why I always go back to the jungle analogy. Like if you stick to actual food, like how you would eat in the jungle, if you stick to actual food, you'll find yourself satiated a lot. Far like more with more consistency a lot faster. And the whole process is a lot more enjoyable when you try to like have these like clever little tricks and eat these kind of made in a lab foods that everyone seems to be eating now. Some cool thing that's being pushed on tick tock or just. I just all of these things, I, I can't even. I'm so divorced from that stuff that I don't even know the name of it. But I see like, and I'm not going to name names because I don't know, I don't know who's been on this podcast before but like all these things like, you know, you know what I mean? Like things made in a lab versus things.
A
Oh, I know. Well, that means a bunch of nonsense. We're gonna do a podcast about that right, right now which is like these like crazy like you know, myths and debunking some of these things.
B
Nobody I know who's in really good shape and no high level athlete consumes more than 20% of their diet in, in these kind of edge man made foods. Every especially athletes, every high, high performing athlete and they'll have probably two, three, four foods that they religiously like. They almost worship these foods because they think they have these like magical powers to make them function better. And it's because they kind of do. Like, every athlete I know has, like, whenever I look at what they eat, they always talk about two or three or four foods that they absolutely love. And they usually. Actually, this is one more thing I would say is nutrient density. Like, focus. People don't focus enough on, like, nutrient density. Not just macro, but micro. Like the hidden invisible nutrients inside food. A lot of this has to do with color. So, like, colorful foods.
A
I was just going to say that. You know, it's funny, I was just going to say that because actually, what I was actually going to say, what you were saying is, like, I have. And I agree with what you're saying, but I also think that there's a little bit a caveat to that, and that is it's really important to have. I eat, I eat very boring, right? Like, I eat the same things over and over.
B
To someone else, it's boring. Or to you, it's boring.
A
To anybody, it's boring, right? Like, I eat the same thing over and over again. But I will say that I do. Even though I think it's important, I do think that I did my body an injustice, which is like, I think variety actually works better overall for your overall health. Like, because if you're not eating a variety of foods, you might be missing out on some nutrients that you otherwise need. Like, for me, forever, I would have, like, I loved asparagus and chicken or like, you know, or asparagus and salmon. But, like, I missed out on a whole, you know, rainbow of other vegetables that are really important.
B
Literally rainbow.
A
Like, in terms of literally rainbow, like, all the colors. Like, I feel like it's really important to incorporate colorful foods into your diet.
B
And again, this goes back to how we're built.
A
Yeah.
B
Why do, like, candy companies and just food companies in general. So they just recently banned red. Whatever the. Whatever.
A
Thank God. Red dye.
B
Red dye. People are going to have number 40, but they're just. They're going to switch it to red dye number 39 or whatever. So I don't buy any of this, to be honest. I'm not that excited about we're moving in the right direction. But, like, I'm not trusting the food companies and the food scientists to be my, like, health star all of a sudden. But what I would say is, why do they force these dyes into food? Because it tricks your brain into thinking it's nutrients. And your brain wants nutrients, especially for kids. But adults, too. The reason why they. Why are they. Why do you have to add color to these made in a lab food? Because Otherwise, your brain would be like, that's bullshit. I don't want that. That has no nutrients in it. But with the color, all of a sudden, your brain's like, oh, give me some of that. Right.
A
Well, I also think, though, that people do that. I think that's also because if it looks good, people are. It's more enticing to.
B
For sure, because we're wired to look at a space visually. Yeah.
A
You know, I recently went to a restaurant here. I'm. I'm really. I'm so upset about this. I. I really am. Like, first of all, I go to this restaurant at least five times a week for this, to me, was the thing that I thought it was the cleanest version. Right. I get a chicken kebab and salad, and I love the chicken and the garlic sauce on the side. And it was like. It's something that I felt was the healthiest version at the restaurant. So I would force people to go with me whenever I do go out.
B
To eat the garlic sauce. Like the white dip thing. My wife loves that.
A
I love it. I love the garlic sauce with the white.
B
Oh, it's good. It's good.
A
It's delicious. So I would literally force whoever I would be having, like, a meal with. I'd be like, let's go to this restaurant. Right? And recently I found out. And the chicken is like. They grill the chicken in front of you. Like, they put it on the bar.
B
I think I know where this story is going to go.
A
And I'm like. And I was like, I thought it was super healthy. Right. And I asked them. I'm like, what's in the marinade? It's so delicious. And like, I, like, I've asked a couple of times, and. And I got the basics the first time. Oh, it's olive oil. We put some yogurt in it.
B
Olive oil?
A
Yeah. Okay. No, but then they told me that. They're like. The one guy was like. And we use egg color number 40. I'm like, huh? And he's like. I'm like. It was. I'm like, isn't this saffron the color? I'm like, they're like, no, it's yellow egg 40. I'm like, what are you talking about? He goes in the back. I'm like, let me see what you're talking about.
B
He brings out food.
A
He bro. Yes. He brought out the food coloring that they add to the recipe to make it look yellow. To make it look like they're using saffron. Because saffron is really expensive. Saffron's a really.
B
Saffron in your food.
A
Well, saffron's a really expensive spice, right? And I'm p. Like, the. The chicken.
B
You can get Spanish saffron is cheaper, but, yeah, it's okay.
A
But the. The. The chicken skewer is $22. It's not like it's so cheap. And I assumed that it was, like, a spice that they were using. I told. He broke my heart when he brought out the egg color number 40 to.
B
Make it a little yellow.
A
To make it yellow.
B
Is that in the chicken or the sauce?
A
In the marinade? No, in the marinade that he marinates the chicken in. And so it took me four people to get me to the actual answer. The first three people just said, oh, it's olive oil and lemon juice. They use all the basic ingredients. So I thought, oh, great. But it was the actual. The guy told me that even the.
B
Olive oil, look, isn't that horrible. I'm going to say no. And the reason I'm going to say no is because, look, you have to get out of this idea. By you, I mean everyone. People listening. And I tell my clients, I tell my family, I tell everyone. Like, you can't be so naive. Their job, the restaurant's job, food company's job, is not to make you healthy. I know their job is to make them profit, and I understand that. Like, I'm a businessman. I am not expecting them to make me healthy. Okay? It's not going to happen. They are going to make as much profit for themselves as possible. So provided they're not overtly poisoning you and you don't never go back or give a bad review on Yelp or whatever, it's not going to hurt their bottom line. What they want to do is lower their expenses, meaning using cheap ingredients. So when they say olive oil, sure. It's olive oil. Really? It's like, pure, extra virgin olive oil. No. Chances are it's a blend of olive oil and canola oil. I. I walked past a very famous chain, and I'm not going to say who.
A
Who?
B
Can I say who?
A
Why not?
B
I'm gonna crush people's soul.
A
Okay, who?
B
It's California Chicken Cafe.
A
Oh, I love that place.
B
Yeah, I'm gonna ruin everyone's day. So I walked past, and by the way, I love California Chicken Cafe. And from time to time, I still get it, but they were my neighbors, so I had a gym literally right next to them, and I knew everyone, and I walked.
A
Tell me, tell me. I want to know, I, I didn't.
B
Want to know this, but I, I had already. I walked past and I saw them loading, loading the crates. And it said olive oil. So they're loading their olive oil. And I looked and it's not even in fine print, but these are in big industrial crates that they get. And it said 75 canola, 25 olive oil. So it was an olive oil blend and it's 3/4 canola oil, which is seed oil. Now, some people find this controversial. It's not. Take it from me, you shouldn't be eating seed oil. Okay? Seed oil is the number one poison in the western food supply. And it's the reason why westerners are so fat and everyone else is not is because of seed oil. Straight up and down.
A
Why do you think that?
B
Why do I think that seed oil is so bad?
A
Yeah.
B
Because it literally triggers the inflammatory process that leads to fat storage.
A
Wow. Let's quickly talk about a health issue that affects almost all of us. Fiber deficiency. Did you know that 95% of people don't get enough fiber in their daily diet? I was shocked when I learned this because fiber is truly the foundation of overall wellness. It's not just about keeping our digestion smooth and regular, although of course that's super important. But fiber also nourishes the good bacteria in our gut. It supports a balanced microbiome, helps us feel fuller for longer, which makes managing our weight even easier. And it even improves our energy by optimizing nutrient absorption and stabilizing our blood sugar. That's why I am really excited to share Biome's daily prebiotic fiber with you. This product makes meeting your daily fiber needs simple, enjoyable and super effective. With 8 grams of fiber per serving plus gut friendly prebiotics, it's designed to close that fiber gap in your diet and support your digestion and gut health every single day. And it fits effortlessly into your routine. Just mix it in the morning smoothie or tea or coffee or afternoon snack and you're good to go. I love that it's so easy to prepare and you can incorporate with literally every busy lifestyle. So if you want to make getting fiber easy, visit biome, that's b I o m e.com and enter code Jennifer20 for 20% off. Your first order of daily prebiotic fiber. That's biome.com code Jennifer20 for 20% off. Grab it today. So that's really interesting. So I that suit to me there's a fine line between being is that deception because people are going to California and I'll tell you why people are going to California Chicken Cafe for me. It's called the Pita Grill, and I would go there all the time, and I was really, like. I thought I was, like, doing a healthy think for myself. Like, I thought, like, this is, like, I'm going here because I believed it to be the healthier option. I didn't think that they would be using that ingredient, like, food coloring. Like, to me, I think there is, like, a level of deception because people are going to these places because they think they're doing something healthy for themselves. I agree with you, though. Like, it's not the restaurant's job to make me healthy. I. I hear that, and I. And I think it's like, their job is. Is for their bottom line and for their profit. Absolute. Something to be said for these places that kind of position themselves as, like, healthy options. And then they're doing things that are kind of not that healthy.
B
They're all doing it. Okay. Like, I know one of my life philosophies is I refuse to be a victim of any. In any way. If I feel any sense of victimhood in myself, I extinguish it immediately. And I see that with the. I see that with a lot of. A lot of people around food now. Oh, they're trying to poison us. Oh, big. Big farmer, right? Big food. And they're all. They're all in it and, like, all right, whatever. Of course they are. They're. It's a fucking business. Like, honestly, it's a. Sorry to.
A
No, you're right.
B
Excuse my friends. It's a fucking business. Grow up, like, grow up, like, this is not their job. It's your job. You feed your kids what they should be feeding. Go and get an apple. They're not poisoning the apples. I mean, I know they put wax and stuff on it, but go wash the apple. Give your kid an apple. Stop buying things in a package and expecting just because there's a picture of a child with a rainbow over the top that it's healthy. Of course it's fucking nice. It's a picture.
A
I agree. But this is where the fine line becomes, right? I believe that we all have to take ownership for our own health for sure. Right? And I don't disagree with you what you're saying. I believe, though, that if someone is under the impression that they are doing something healthy for you, and they're not. They're not outwardly giving you the facts how we should all be our own investigative journalists. And like. Like, I didn't get to the bottom of what those ingredients were in that chicken skewer, how they marinate the chicken. Until I asked four different people, the first three people did not disclose the food coloring. And it's not like it's a recipe that they're, like, putting on the, on the door saying, by the way, this is the rest. This is the ingredients. Enter at your own risk. Right. So I had to, like, literally go to, like, the fourth person who then at least gave me the. The truth. I don't think that's fair. Just like, if at, like, the chicken cafe or wherever, they're saying to you, oh, you know what we're using? We're using olive oil. But are they.
B
I mean, it depends on what the law is.
A
There's a deception piece.
B
There is a deception piece.
A
That's what I'm saying. I'm not saying you got to, like, make me healthy. I'm not saying that the restaurant, it's beholden on them. No, of course it's my responsibility. But at least, like, provide the facts to me and then let me make my own decision.
B
Look, if I were the president, which I'll never be because I'm an immigrant, I'm not allowed to be president, but if I was president, I would pass a law stating, like, saying that things like the olive oil thing would be illegal. If you say it's olive oil has to be 100% pure olive oil. But.
A
But I guess it's. But then again, like, not to get into the nuance. Right, but is it practical? No, but then again, it is technically all. It is olive oil.
B
It's a. It's a small percentage of olive oil.
A
Yeah, but they, they omitted the fact that there's also seed oil.
B
It should at least be 51%. But again, like, omission. There are. So it would. It's. So it will be years. I think we should start moving in that process. So I'm happy that we banned red, whatever the hell it is. But these companies are going to be as low as they can legally get away with, or at least that makes sense for their business that you. That's what you have to expect. You have to expect almost nothing from these companies because their job is to make profit. And we should change the law so that the low bar that we have, the extremely low bar, especially in America. In England, where I'm from, artificial food coloring has been banned for decades.
A
I know. By the way, Canada, too, this is.
B
A US because it was linked to add.
A
Yeah, there's a lot. But the Thing is like that's a whole thing right now in the U.S. right. Like things are in the U.S. nutrition wise is not. They are adding all this shit to.
B
The food bar is on the floor the fda. But what I will say is the fda, I'm pretty sure, I think it's well known that they're a corrupt organization. So I would probably, instead of going after each individual food company, I would look more at the structure of the FDA because they, their job is overtly not to make profit. Their job is to protect and serve and benefit the people. And so I don't think they're doing their job. So if I was to go after anyone, I wouldn't go off the California Chicken Cafe because I don't think what they're doing is even illegal. I think I would go A, it's more practical to go to the top and try to change the laws from the top.
A
And B, they're saying they're trying to do that. That's, that's like a big movement right now. Is that because. Yeah, I agree with you. Like they're adding things in the, in the US they're not. And it has to come from, it has to be from much more of the topic. Nothing gets changed at the.
B
I don't blame McDonald's, I blame FTA.
A
Yeah, I understand that. Okay, you guys, now I'm like even more angry because I would love to have a chicken kebab and I'm not going to do it.
B
I'll make you some chicken.
A
Okay, thank you. Well, but like, like I said earlier, like I don't like to eat every meal out, but when I do go out, I like to know that. I like to believe that I'm eating.
B
Do your research. Yeah, do your research. That's what I would say. Like, fine.
A
And again, stay away from. You said. Another big mistake is you think a, a big thing is staying away from seed oils because it's such an inflammatory.
B
If I were to give someone one nutrition tip. Yeah, you know, it's stay away from Cedar 100. It's not just about fat. It's about, it's linked to everything. You know, it's linked. People say that it's. And this sounds so dramatic but I, I believe it. This. It's. It's as bad, if not worse than smoking. Like, it's linked to every. Because it's because fats are part of like fatty acids are part of every single cell in your body. They make up essentially the structure of your body. If your fatty acid profile is wrong. It makes sense that every single process in your body is going to be affected negatively by that. And seed oils are super high in Omega 6 is, which is a fatty acid that gets basically represented in every single cell in your body. So it can affect anything and everything. And it's rampant in us. There's a reason we love fats, and our body absorbs fats. We need fats. But if you have the wrong fats, they will. It will kill you. And if you have the right fats, it will do the opposite.
A
How dramatic. What a dramatic ending. So everyone stay away from seed oils and watch your portions.
B
Yeah.
A
Thank you. Have a great one, guys. Bye. Bye, guys.
Podcast Title: Habits and Hustle
Episode: 424: Liron Kayvan: The Top Nutrition Mistakes to Avoid + Are Seed Oils Bad for You?
Release Date: February 14, 2025
Host: Jennifer Cohen
Guest: Liron Kayvan
In Episode 424 of Habits and Hustle, host Jennifer Cohen welcomes back her friend and fitness expert, Liron Kayvan, known for his gym Beyond Fitness LA located on Westwood Boulevard. The episode delves deep into common nutrition pitfalls that hinder individuals from achieving their health and fitness goals. Starting at [02:04], Jennifer sets the stage for a candid discussion on how nutrition plays a pivotal role in overall fitness, emphasizing that "80% of your goals, fitness wise, body wise, comes from your nutrition."
Jennifer kicks off the conversation by highlighting portion control as a fundamental yet often overlooked aspect of nutrition.
Jennifer (02:36): "The first one is your portions. We think, we know, we eyeball it. We think, okay, that's a chicken breast or this looks like a normal size of rice or pasta. And we're always wrong."
Liron concurs, stressing the importance of being mindful about portion sizes to manage calorie intake effectively.
Liron (03:00): "If we are much more mindful of our portions, it will save you a lot of heartache."
The discussion transitions to the overuse of dietary supplements, where Jennifer and Liron express concern over people depending too heavily on supplements rather than obtaining nutrients from whole foods.
Jennifer (04:22): "I think that we rely on supplements way too much over our actual nutrition... it would help us with our overall satiation."
Liron adds that while supplements have their place, they shouldn't replace a balanced diet.
Liron (09:29): "Protein shakes have their place, especially if they're learning to get their protein up and they're trying to get their gut to adjust to a high protein diet."
A significant portion of the episode focuses on the lack of adequate protein consumption, essential for muscle repair and overall health.
Liron (04:45): "Protein is like, that's not the number one. That is like the number one."
Jennifer (05:04): "Protein satiates you. If I'm not eating enough protein, I am starving."
They discuss how protein not only aids in muscle building but also helps regulate blood sugar levels and keeps individuals feeling full longer.
Jennifer and Liron address the mistake of eliminating entire food groups, particularly carbohydrates, due to misconceptions that they lead to fat gain.
Jennifer (05:52): "Eliminating food groups is a real mistake... Not eating enough carbs, thinking that carbs are going to make you fat."
Liron (06:24): "You need fats, carbs, and proteins. At some point, you're going to need to check all those boxes."
They emphasize the necessity of a balanced diet, explaining that the body craves all macronutrients for optimal functioning.
The conversation shifts to fiber intake, with both hosts agreeing that a vast majority of Americans fall short of the recommended daily fiber consumption.
Jennifer (16:27): "95% of people don't get enough fiber in their daily diet. Fiber is truly the foundation of overall wellness."
Liron (17:02): "Think your gut even eats certain types of fiber. It literally pulls energy from the fiber itself."
They advocate for incorporating more fiber-rich foods or supplements to aid digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, and promote satiety.
One of the most compelling segments revolves around the deceptive practices of restaurants and food companies, particularly the use of misleading ingredients to present unhealthy options as healthy.
Jennifer (25:03): "And he brought out the food coloring that they add to the recipe to make it look yellow... it's the number one poison in the western food supply."
Liron (27:33): "Their job is to make as much profit for themselves as possible... their job is not to make you healthy."
Jennifer shares a personal anecdote about discovering that a supposedly healthy chicken kebab was marinated with a significant amount of canola oil—a type of seed oil—under the guise of pure olive oil.
A heated discussion ensues about seed oils and their detrimental effects on health. Liron strongly advocates against the consumption of seed oils, likening their impact to smoking in terms of health hazards.
Liron (28:31): "Seed oil is the number one poison in the western food supply. It's the reason why westerners are so fat."
Jennifer (36:33): "Seed oils are super high in Omega 6, which is a fatty acid that gets basically represented in every single cell in your body. So it can affect anything and everything."
They argue that seed oils trigger inflammatory processes leading to fat storage and other health issues, emphasizing the importance of choosing the right fats for cellular health.
Jennifer and Liron stress the importance of nutrient density—ensuring that the foods consumed are rich in essential vitamins and minerals, not just macronutrients.
Liron (21:29): "Focus on nutrient density, not just macro, but micro—like the hidden invisible nutrients inside food."
Jennifer (22:52): "Variety actually works better overall for your overall health... In terms of literally rainbow, like all the colors."
They recommend incorporating a diverse range of colorful fruits and vegetables to cover a broad spectrum of nutrients, ensuring comprehensive dietary intake.
Concluding the episode, Jennifer and Liron offer actionable strategies to avoid the discussed nutrition mistakes:
Mindful Portioning: Using measuring tools or visual aids to accurately gauge portion sizes.
Jennifer (13:52): "Overeating is overeating. You can overeat good food and you can also overeat bad food."
Whole Foods Over Supplements: Prioritizing whole food sources for nutrients while using supplements judiciously.
Balanced Diet: Ensuring a mix of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates without eliminating any food groups.
Fiber Intake: Incorporating fiber-rich foods or supplements to maintain gut health and satiety.
Avoiding Deceptive Ingredients: Being vigilant about food labels and restaurant ingredient disclosures to steer clear of harmful additives like seed oils and artificial colorings.
Episode 424 of Habits and Hustle provides a comprehensive look into the common nutrition mistakes that impede fitness and health goals. Through an engaging dialogue between Jennifer Cohen and Liron Kayvan, listeners gain valuable insights into the importance of portion control, balanced macronutrient intake, and the pitfalls of deceptive food industry practices. The episode serves as a compelling reminder to prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods and remain informed about the ingredients we consume daily.