An inspirational story you don&apos;t want to miss.Episode 13 is part 1 of a 2 part interview with best selling authors, Chris and Eric Martinez.Identical twins, Chris and Eric,  have had a lot of adversity in their lives and have come through all of that to become best selling authors, entrepreneurs and influencers in the fitness industry.They have helped countless clients through their dynamic duo online training and are now converting all of that experience to help other fitness professionals to develop successful fitness businesses through their dynamic fit pros program.Join us as Chris and Eric share their amazing story and how they converted adversity into opportunity; a story they describe as going to "hell and back".The boys introduce to us what it means to live a dynamic lifestyle and the 4 pillars of life and their views on the New Era of Fitness and the Rise of the Fit Pros.

Balanced Choice

Episode 13 - Chris and Eric Martinez Part 1

Today&apos;s Episode is the first installment in a multi-part series on Carbohydrates.We answer frequently asked questions about carbohydrates including:What are carbohydrates?What are the different types of carbohydrates?Do we even need carbohydrates?  If so, how much carbohydrate do we need?Can the body create its own glucose or do we need carbohydrate in our diets?We touch on ketosis and the ketogenic diet and discover that there is no such thing as an "Essential Carbohydrate" However, things are more complicated than that.  Carbohydrates are our fastest and the body&apos;s preferred source of energy.  This can be both a good and a bad thing.  We discuss how carbohydrates are digested in the body starting with salivary amylase in the mouth and through the GI tract.More importantly. we discuss what happens when you have an excess of glucose in your body. Excess glucose is concerted into glycogen, but there are only 2 areas in the body that can store excess glycogen.Excess glucose that can not be stored as glycogen will be converted to fat and deposited into adipose tissue.  We also answer some of the questions people have above eating combinations of foods.  For example, some people promote not to have carbs and fats in the same meal.We introduce Smart Carbs (or complex carbs), which will be covered in more detail in Episode 13.What is carb cycling? and how do you use that in weight loss and weight management?What about endurance athletes and the concept of fat adaptation?  Yes, these do exist.  What about the old myths about carb loading before a big race?  What about nutrition and fuelling (re-fuelling) strategies for marathons and endurance events? How do you prefer muscle breakdown during endurance events?Question of the week from Chris in Singapore - "what are the best sources of soluble and insoluble fibre?"

Episode 12 - Carbohydrates - Part 1

Today’s episode is dedicated to a deeper dive into fiber; types of fiber; good sources of fiber and how it is processed in the body. During the research on this topic I uncovered some polar opposite views on fiber and quite a lot of controversy.  There are some people, including some that I admire, advocating that fiber is not critical and in some cases they are saying it should be avoided.So, in the interest of complete transparency in this episode I am going to cover all sides of this story of the fiber controversy before giving my recommendations on what to do about itToday&apos;s episode will cover topics such as:What is Fiber?What are the types of Fiber and how are they different?Why is there controversy about Fiber?The Arguments Against FiberThe Arguments For FiberRecommendations on how to manage Fiber, andThe calculation of Net Carbs

Episode 11 - The Fiber Controversy

From the last episode we received a lot of questions on exactly what are healthy and unhealthy fats, so today’s episode is dedicated to breaking that down further and giving some practical advice on how to manage that.In this Episode we are going to be exploring:a.    Types of dietary fat;b.    The History of fat in the diet;c.     Which fats are the so-called “healthy fats”;d.    Which fats are abjectly unhealthy and why; ande.    What you can do about all of that.First of all Fat is an important macronutrient that is critical to the functioning of the body.  In provides us with energy, in fact it is the most energy dense macronutrient with 8.9 calories per gram; it helps make and balance our hormones; provides the structure and protection of our cells through the creation of cell membranes; fat is used to form our brains and our nervous system.  Fat also acts a transport for Fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K.  So, without fat we would be in big trouble.For many decades dietary fat was seen as Public Enemy Number 1.   In the 1970s the 7 countries study by Ancel Keys produced a hypothesis that it was dietary fat that was making us fat.  There was great debate in the scientific community with many scientists poking holes in Keys’ research and pointing to sugar and refined carbohydrates as being the culprit.  But Keys was somehow able to be more convincing and the McGovern report and subject Dietary Guidelines for Americans lead to the “low fat” mantra.Now, the evidence is really speaking for itself.  In the subsequent 40 years since those guidelines have been released, obesity rates have triple, diabetes has increased by a factor of 4 and we are spending far more on healthcare than ever before.There are 2 major classes of Fat – Saturated Fat and Unsaturated Fat (with Unsaturated Fat broken down into 3 more subclasses – Monounsaturated; Polyunsaturated; and Trans Fats).So, which are the healthy fats and which are not healthy fatsLet’s start with our Stars – Mono and Poyunsaturated Fats are both considered to be healthy fats.  They are both known to increase your HDL and decrease your LDL, which if you recall from Episode 9, that is exactly what we are trying to do to stay healthy.So you are encouraged to find high quality sources of monounsaturated fat including avocados, almonds, eggs, olives and nuts.You are also need sources of essential polyunsaturated fats including Omega-3s from fish, fish oil, eggs, flaxseeds and walnuts and Omega-6 from corn, nuts, seeds, and meat.  So, mono and polyunsaturated fats are healthy fats.The tricky ground is Saturated FatsMany studies are now concluding that Saturated Fats are completely healthy in your diet, but I would like to put a moderation and balancing caveat on that.  Saturated fats are known to increase both your HDL and LDL and you will remember we want to increase your HDL, but you want to decrease or maintain lower LDL.  So a diet that is rich in Saturated Fat should be balanced with a good amount of fibre and good sources of unsaturated fat to improve your HDL and LDL ratio.  The universally accepted NO NO is Trans Fats.  The small amount of naturally occurring Trans Fat in meat and dairy is fine, but the man-made Trans Fats in margarine, fried foods and cookies is just not safe.  There is no safe amount to have.  The process of hydrogenation creates a strong bond that makes the product solid at room temperature and makes it stable without going rancid.  They same process makes it very difficult for lipase and digestive enzymes to break down Trans Fats leaving them to be a sticky and somewhat solid mess in your body.

Episode 10 - The Truth About Fat

In this episode we debunk myths and misunderstanding about cholesterol covering topics such as:What is cholesterol?Why does it matter?What can you do about it?Cardiovascular diseases are the number 1 killer in the world and are generally linked to their predecessor hypertension.We talk about what hypertension is and the cholesterol plays in this balancing act.We uncover the truth about dietary cholesterol and debunk myths about foods that are high in cholesterol that are actually good for you.We reference studies that show no linkage between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol; describe the body&apos;s processes for processing dietary cholesterol and the process the liver uses to create its own cholesterol.We reveal the truth about how cholesterol is transported around the body and under what circumstances it becomes dangerous to your health.All of this leads to a deeper understanding of cholesterol, lipoproteins including cholymicron, vLDL, LDL, and HDL and the balance that you need to achieve.Providing practical advice on how to manage your cholesterol levels through diet and exercise.

Episode 9 - The Truth About Cholesterol

The world is still trying to find their feet in the so-called new normal under the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus.  We have people from all walks of life learning to adjust to all kinds of new such as working from home; for many people they are probably having more sedentary lives as they stay at home and have less incidental movement; and we have gym closures as well as the suspension of team sports.  So today, our focus is going to be on the growing phenomena of online coaching and we are honoured to be joined by Jeff Snow.Jeff is the principal and founder of Redefined Wellness in Halifax in Canada, but I want to be careful pigeon-holing him there but as an online coach geography probably means a lot less.  235 pounds, nearly 30% body fat, short of breath. Sound familiar? This was Jeff’s story back in 2008. He knew he had to make a change, and he did. Through trial and error, he became his own guinea pig and educated himself by networking and developing relationships with the health and fitness industry&apos;s best minds.This included becoming a Level 2 Nutrition coach with Precision Nutrition and certification through MNU who specialise in evidence based approachesToday&apos;s Topics:Online coaching.  Does it really work?  How does it work?  General tips about how to stay active and eat well during a pandemic 

Episode 8 - Jeff Snow - Online Coaching - Does it work and is it suitable for everyone?

Stephen Box (aka "Train with Box" or "Speaker Box" is a personal trainer and nutrition coach with a big difference.  He has been there and done that.  Stephen turned his life around and lost 80 pounds and kept it off.  In this episode he shares his secrets on what worked and didn&apos;t work for him.  He had his successes, plus also hit roadblocks along the way.Come and listen to this inspirational story of how Stephen went from overweight to superfit personal trainer and nutrition that now helps his clients to achieve the same and "regain their prime".Stephen is a Men’s Health Coach and Speaker who specialises in helping men over 40 to seize back control of their lives focusing on their nutrition and fitness so they can get back to their prime.We all know the drill here, it is so easy to fall prey to the middle age spread and let life get in our way and Stephen helps men to get things back in check and back on the right road.He is a certified fitness trainer through the International Sport Sciences Association and a practitioner of online fitness training through the Online Training Academy with industry legend Jonathan Goodman.He is also a certified nutrition coach with Precision Nutrition and remains very active in the PN community of coaches.Stephen referenced the book Atomic Habits in the show.  You can purchase through Amazon at the following link:https://amzn.to/2CPz7we Contact details for Stephen can be found at:Here&apos;s how people can connect with meStephen Box - Personal pageStephen Box - Men&apos;s Health Coach & SpeakerInstagram @trainwithbox  Website - trainwithbox.com

Episode 7 - Stephen Box - Lost 80 pounds without Keto

Episode 6 is our first guest interview and we are deeply honoured to be joined by Ryan Charem, the founder of Precision Fitness in Hong Kong.  Ryan is one of a small group of people that have had a profound and long lasting positive impact on my life and was instrumental in helping me finally turn things around in terms of having a sustainable and healthy relationship with nutrition and fitness.He is the founder of Precision Fitness, a boutique fitness studio in Central, Hong Kong, perfect for people who don’t actually like the gym. Originally from the USA, and based in HK for over 8 years, his core expertise is helping clients in all dimensions of life by using a unique "deep health" approach which looks at how food, movement, environment, relationships, and connection all influence our neurobiology and physiology. Ryan is also a mentor to other health professionals helping to elevate their mindset, become better at their craft, and supercharge their business to create a life they love for themselves. Since 2012, he has worked with clients Barclays, Crown Relocations, HSBC, Landmark HK, lululemon, House of Dancing Water (Macau), the Hong Kong Integrated Oncology Centre, and most recently, Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts. In this episode we explore weight loss, fitness, nutrition and overall wellbeing from the perspective of an amazing personal trainer and studio owner who takes a very holistic view.

Episode 6 - Ryan Charem - How's that working for ya?

In today&apos;s episode we introduce our first power habit.  Eating Slowly and Mindfully.  If you want to learn how to lose weight and keep it off, this simple technique and habit needs to be part of your toolkit.It takes 20 minutes for the brain to receive a signal that you are full.  In our busy lives I am sure that most of us are finishing our meals much quicker than that and running a very high risk of eating more than we need to.  We later than find ourselves overfull and not feeling too great.Studies have shown that faster eaters not only eat more in their current meal, but they also feel hungry again much sooner giving us a double whammy effect.We also cover eating mindfully in this episode and our host Mick Spiers talks us through 2 practical examples - one using a raisin and the other using a hamburger to demonstrate that eating mindfully can apply to any form of food.We hope you enjoy the show.

Episode 5 - Eating Slowly and Mindfully

The human body is the most amazing thing ever created.  We are yet to fully unlock the full power of our brains and are still discovering things about the major systems of our body including the endocrine system, the nervous system and the immune system.The human body is incredibly resistant to change.It stems back to early man where we are geared to resist any major changes in our body composition in either direction.  This is called homeostasis and is part of our survival instinct.When this comes to our weight loss your body develops what we call a “body set weight” and a set point for body fat. Some scientists argue that this may even be “pre-programmed” in our DNA, but I do not personally prescribe to that theory. My own personal experience of losing more than 100lbs and keeping it off for many years tells me it can be reset.Based on my research I draw the conclusion that the body set weight is the last known state that the body became accustomed to for a period of time. Homeostasis will then lead the body to resisting any dramatic changes to that weight and body fat percentage.The author of “Why diets make us fat”, Sandra Aamodt PhD has posed that going on a diet is actually one of the best ways to actually gain weight over time for a number of different factors“Whenever your weight changes too much, your brain will intervene to push it back to what it thinks is the correct weight for you.” Sandra Aamodt PhDYour body will do everything in its incredible powers to resist changes to that state and return the body to its last know body set weight.Stephen Guyunet PhD, author of “The Hungry Brain” often draws an analogy to the thermostat in your house. When the temperature in your house rises about the set temperature the thermostat will send signals for the air conditioning to kick in and cool the place back down. When the temperature drops below the set point then the heater will be asked to do its job and raise the temperature back up.In the human body this is controlled by the hypothalamus, a very small part of the brain the size of an almond is responsible for body set weight (amongst many other things) and will use multiple controls to attempt to return to body set weight if large deviations are detected.Variety of exercise Regardless of your exercise goals, it is advisable to have some variety in your routines. In the gym this could mean varying exercises or having a progressive overload of weight and/or repetitions. If you are a runner, mix it up between things like hill sprinting; strides; interval training; in addition to longer runs. Build in combinations of resistance training and cardio training. I am a big fan of High Intensity Interval Training sessions that involve getting the heart rate up AND using some form of resistance work. However, even then make sure you mix it up and don’t gravitate back to the same exercises and routines every time.Some things to remember The body is resistant to change and will always try to return you to your body set weight Severe calorie restriction will cause your body to use all its powers to reverse any short term weight loss you may have achieve and your slowed metabolism will make it even harder to lose weight in the future Rather than restricting calories look at replacement and displacement as ways to improve the quality of the food you are consuming Look for a balanced diet of nutrient rich foods that are low GI and higher in fibre Mix up your exercise routines to avoid doing the same thing over and over again.

Episode 4 - Body Set Weight and How to Shift It

Today, we will start exploring the physiological reasons why diets don’t work starting with our good friend the calorie.Everyone has heard advice like “eat less and move more” or “its simply a case of energy in vs energy out” This advice is well meaning, but it is also very misleading and wrongNearly all conventional diets and weightloss regimes are built on these premises.  We have been told for years that we just need to consume less calories than we burn.To eat a healthier diet and to move more IS very good advice and I am not going to start arguing against the laws of thermodynamics, but the way we have been going about it is just plain wrong and the whole equation is far more complicated than the simple throwaway line of eat less and move more.Most of these roads lead to a strong focus on Calories, butCalorie counting is fundamentally flawedCalorie is NOT a calorie anyway

Episode 3 - Calorie Counting is BS

The weight loss and diet control market is worth US$72 Billion annually in the US alone.  So, how can it be that we are still losing the battle of bulge? According to the WHO 39% of the world’s population is either overweight or obese and the numbers increase every year.  This leads to cardiovascular disease, Type 2 Diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders and some cancersThe double whammy is there are still cases of malnutrition where someone can be overweight but still not getting sufficient nutrients to be healthyThere are lot of conflicting stats out there but it is generally considered there is a 95% failure rate.  There is a tendency for people to consider that “I failed my diet”, but we prefer to think that "95% of diets fail people".So what are some of the reasons for these alarming statistic?The first big issue is where people have unsustainable diets that do not fit into their lifestyles; the 2nd is that people go off the rails (or more to the point it is what they do when they go off the rails) and thirdly, people try to change everything at once.In this episode we discuss each of these factors and provide practical advice on how to lose weight and keep it and start answering your most frequently asked questions.

Episode 2 - Why all diets fail - unsustainable diets; reset buttons; and habit building

Episode 1 Introduces Balanced Choice to the world with your host Mick Spiers.  Balanced choice is a new weekly nutrition, fitness, and health podcast designed to give busy people practical advice on how to take back control of their lives.Our mission is to address the vast amounts of misinformation in the marketplace about nutrition and fitness.  We will break down complex topics into simple terms and give practical recommendations on how to achieve sustainable weight loss (how to lose weight and keep it off) and to improve your nutrition, fitness and health.In Episode 1 we will introduce the concept and format of the show and the types of topics we will address in future podcasts.  These include everything from why all diets fails (and what you can do about that), discussing key topics such as different types of diets (Keto; Intermittent Fasting; Low Fat; Low Carb; High Protein) and other key factors such as stress; sleep and hormonal impacts to weight control.The podcast will have a few different styles from educational solo shows covering specific topics through to interviews of guest hosts that are either experts in their field or just everyday people with an interesting story and journey to share.Episode 1 also introduces our host, Mick Spiers.  Mick is a busy executive, dad and husband who (like many) has had troubles with weight and health throughout his life.  But, here&apos;s the thing, Mick has managed to master all of that and has now achieved sustainable weight loss and fitter, healthier and happier than any other time in his life.Mick will delve back into his past and share the story of his journey so far and start introducing some of the mistakes he has made in the past and what he has learnt along the way.Mick is now 48kg (106 lbs) lighter than he once was and he has now managed to achieve a fit and healthy state with sustainable healthy habits.  Along the way he has become a certified nutrition coach and personal trainer and a competitive obstacle course racer competing in the Spartan World Championships for his age group.The episode rounds out with a quick list of some of Mick&apos;s most important lessons, each of which will become topics of future podcasts.

Episode 1 - Introducing Balanced Choice

Balanced Choice is designed for busy people that find it hard to find the time to take their health, fitness and nutrition seriously. We will debunk the BS that people hear everyday and to provide practical tips on how to improve your health. We will be joined by special guests covering a wide variety of topics.

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Balanced Choice

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