Vigor Ground Nutrition Corner Article Series: Episode 1

Filming the Nutrition Corner with Luka is one of my favorite things to do. We get to share nutrition knowledge with all of our followers and supporters, I get the chance to step in front of the camera and shine a little spot light on my niche, and it usually always turns into a fun day of laughs when we’re all together.But unfortunately we don’t get the opportunity to come together and film it as often as I’d like, for the simple fact that we’re busy and Luka gets the amazing pleasure of traveling as if he’s Amelia Earhart.But I can’t hate on the guy, it’s a pretty awesome lifestyle! Not to mention he’s spreading our message everywhere he goes to help thousands of different people.What’s my point in all this?Simple, I am bringing the Nutrition Corner back to you in blog post form! This way I can continue sharing my nutrition info and answering your questions more often, so you can continue to get better, more fit and improve your healthy lifestyle.

Question #1: Micronutrients vs. Macronutrients - Which is More Important For Getting Lean?

I get this quite often and it can actually be a pretty difficult one to answer without going into extremes. But the simple answer is that they both have their place and they’re both extremely important for not only getting lean, but for overall health and longevity.The biggest thing to focus on here is that neither works well for specific results without the other. You must have a decent understanding of where your macros are at on a daily basis. I say “decent understanding”, because in most cases you don’t not need to follow an exact number or ratio every waking minute of your life.People often go to extremes and overthink or completely stress over a single digit number, as if having 138 grams of carbs is going to kill you because your macro plan says 135. Well the truth is it doesn’t have that large of an effect on you in a small scale like this and on top of that, food labels and nutrient suggestions are not 100% correct.How can they be?!If you’re telling every single chicken breast has 30 grams of protein per 3.5 ounces, then that means you’re also telling me that every single chicken on this planet has been raised the same, eaten the same, was the same size, had the same body fat percentage and the same muscle mass as one another…. NO!The truth is that these are estimated facts, very well estimated facts that is and we are much better off tracking them to be as close to spot on as possible.So I am not saying tracking macros is pointless, I’m saying do not stress over being that over/under your macros by a small shot.Now does that mean we just need to focus on micronutrients and follow a more relaxed and guesstimated approach with macros??Not exactly...My suggestion is tracking your macros, attempt to be as close to spot on as you can with them and make sure you’re still getting in all of the micronutrients you need on a daily basis.So this means figuring out your macronutrient needs [Click here for a guide on how to do this] and filling up those macros with foods that contain tons of quality nutrients.That is how “IIFYM” was meant to work and that is how many clients, including myself personally, have reached a good level of results with dieting properly.Foods that are high in the micronutrients we need are things like blueberries, apples, avocados, sweet potatoes, wild caught fish, eggs [THE YOLKS TOO!], garlic, onions, peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, zucchini, grass fed meats, and the list goes on and on and on…To simplify that list above, think of only eating “Earth Grown Nutrients”. Things that the earth produced naturally and has been kept in its most raw, natural and unprocessed form possible.Doesn’t mean you need to go paleo, grains are products of the earth too and you can definitely add them into your diet. But when you do, shoot for gluten free oats, Ezekiel breads, or brown rice.

Question #2: Brown Rice vs. White Rice - Which is Better For Achieving Results??

This one is tricky...but I’m going to do my best to answer it without going 100% nutrition geek-mode on you guys.The best way for the majority of people to look at this is so much simpler than they typically make it out to be… Rice, regardless of color, is a much better choice than the typical carb choices of an American.So before worrying about whether or not you need to eat brown or white rice, make sure you’re cutting out the chips, breads, pastas, cereals and bagels and replacing them with rice!Now if you’ve made that substitute and you’re still looking for the answer to this puzzle, then there are a few things to look at - timing of the meal, your personal activity level, and your body composition goals.Most argue that brown rice is better because it has higher fiber and protein in it, but the truth is that it is so minimal that you shouldn’t even worry about that. Eat a protein with the white rice and add some broccoli, you’ve just implicated the exact benefit that brown rice would have and added some!But that’s not my point here…If you’re eating this as a pre-workout meal, then I would suggest using brown rice because it may digest and absorb slower which could lead to a delayed and longer lasting energy source during training.If you’re eating it as a post workout meal, then I would actually suggest using white rice because it is a starchier carb with less fiber and will spike the insulin a bit quicker and harder. This effect will lead to a better anabolic recovery response, refill depleted glycogen stores faster and more efficiently, and can contribute to more muscle gain.Now if you’re a sedentary person or just not very active in general, I would suggest brown rice because it has less of an impact on insulin, has more fiber, and can possibly be more of an appetite suppressant. All of these things are more beneficial for fat loss, IF you’re not active.If you’re a very active person or train consistently multiple times per week, I’m usually going to suggest white rice as your recovery could possibly be better and you may add more lean muscle tissue. All that will increase muscle mass, reduce fat mass, and add more strength to your performance.So these things lead me to what your goal is. If you’re looking to get lean and you train pretty often then white rice is great, as it’ll lead to better performance and body composition.If you’re looking to only cut fat and you’re not training heavy, then go for some brown rice. But if you want to cut fat and you ARE training heavy, eat white rice post training and you’ll still get amazing results!But honestly, it all truly comes down to the first thing I said… Eating the rice over the crappy carbs most want to eat instead of the rice. So don’t over think it, just eat it! If you like one taste better than the other, choose that!

Question #3: What Supplements Are Essential For Getting Lean? [My Top 4

This is probably one of the most common questions we get as health and fitness professionals, which sucks to be honest.It sucks because it shows our reliance on supplements and how many people in this culture look to quick fixes, magic pills and powders to achieve results. So before I answer this question, I got to set the record straight!Real results come from adhering to a specific training and nutrition plan, consistency. To truly get great results, that last long-term, you must train hard and eat clean, each in a way specific to your needs and goals. If you can do this, then you will get amazing results that can last a lifetime.Now that that’s said, I do believe supplements can help achieve these results once we have built a foundation of proper training and nutrition.1. One supplement I believe you need to get lean is, first and fore most, an Omega-3 Fat supplement. This could be a wide variety of fish oil pills and it can also come from supplementing specific foods like wild caught salmon or ground flaxseed into your diet. But for the sake of this article I’m going to give you the top choice, which is Onnit’s Krill Oil. It has the exact daily need of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in which you need to improve insulin sensitivity, help lubricate joints, reduce triglycerides, increase cardiovascular health, and can actually help you burn more fat! This is my number one MUST have supplements.

2. Next up is a greens drink supplement and once again, Onnit takes first place in quality with their EGN [Earth Grown Nutrients] Drink. This is an all in one supplement as it comes with every fruit and vegetable extract you can possibly think of, tons of probiotics, tons of digestive enzyme’s and when putting them all together it gives you tons of vitamins and minerals. The majority of us do not get enough Earth Grown Nutrients in our diet; by this I mean natures plants, vitamins and minerals. This drink gives it all and will result in better gut health, better digestion and better nutrient absorption, all in which are directly linked to getting leaner and a better body composition.

3. This next supplement I will share is one new to my list but has been getting more and more popular among the fitness community, Pink Himalayan Sea Salt.

This salt is one of the most pure and healthiest salts on the market. Its benefits are simple; it increases hydration, absorption of nutrients, can increase muscular hydration and blood flow, and also improves electrolyte balance. Not too mention it adds a great taste to your meals! My suggestion is to add some into your pre and/or post workout meals. This can help you absorb your post-workout carbohydrates more efficiently and also can help increase “The Pump” when consumed prior to your workouts.Now all the guys reading this just needed to see the word “Pump” and they’re sold! But for you ladies, the pump is a good thing for many reasons besides having huge guns. This is a sign of our muscles getting adequate hydration, blood flow and oxygen and all three of these things lead to gaining more lean muscle tissue and reducing body fat. So the Pink Himalayan Salt isn’t just for guys chasing the pump, it’s for anyone trying to perform at their best and improve their own body composition.4. Last but not least...Super Thermo-Burn! The most INTENSE fat burner on the market...Ok, that was a joke!The real last supplement I’ll share with you is Coconut Oil, or MCT Oil. Either works great, they are both an essential fat source to get into your diet on a daily basis. You can cook with it, add it too your coffee [Better than butter for your Bullet Proof Coffee!], or get some pure coconut butter and eat it by the scoop! The key here is getting this nutrient into your diet.

The benefits of Coconut Oil are endless, but here are a few of the top ones. First, just like the Krill Oil, Coconut Oil is another amazing fatty acid to have in your diet. It is specifically a MCT [Medium Chain Triglyceride] and when consumes drives directly into the liver to be processed as a fast energy source. So if you’re on a low carb diet, this is a MUST have nutrient for great energy.Coconut Oil can help increase energy expenditure which can lead to more fat burned during training, has been shown to be a natural appetite suppressant, can improve blood cholesterol levels, the MCT’s inside can boost brain function, aids in digestion, and last but not least this amazing oil can improve hormonal balance as well.Most of you are thinking, “Holy shit! He didn’t mention Whey Protein?!”.And you’re right, I didn’t. Why?Well, because it is not in my top 3, 4 or even 5! Do I think you should have some whey protein in your household? Absolutely, because it makes a great on-the-go meal replacement or snack and also can help you hit your daily protein marker.But when it comes to protein intake, and every other macronutrient for that sake, whole foods always win the battle.