Health & Fitness Advice from AshleighMarieColor

What made you decide to get into studying nutrition? 

I decided to start studying health and nutrition because I once struggled with my own issues with poor food choices, body image, and self-confidence issues that once I overcame those hurdles and I got obsessed with a healthy lifestyle, how it made me feel.  I feel like there is so much information out there and a lot of it is conflicting. So I wanted to learn for myself and my future clients what a truly healthy nutrition and exercise program would look like.  I chose to get The Primal Health Coach Certification because Mark Sisson, the “godfather of paleo” and his book The Primal Blueprint is what initially motivated me to ditch the fast food, and dive in deep to the health world.  I have been living a mostly Paleo lifestyle for almost a decade now. So I felt like it was my niche and expertise.

How did you develop your passion for health and wellness? 

My husband actually used to own two gyms when we first met. So when we first started dating, being around all the members of his gym and seeing so many people changed their lives with diet and exercise was really inspiring to me.  I got really into cooking my favorite foods, but with healthier ingredients. And I read countless books, blogs, and listened to health podcasts in my free time. And before I knew it, I was a health nut! Me, the girl who used to eat Taco Bell every day, and called salads “rabbit food” is now eating Sweetgreen because I prefer it.

Fast forward 9 years, and I’ve created this sort of lifestyle that many of my friends and clients ask questions about and follow along. And I was starting to be seen as more of an expert. So I decided to make it official and really put in the work and become a health coach.

You follow the caveman/keto diet… can you tell me more about that?

Lol! Yes, I love that! I am a total cave girl! I follow a primal style of eating. Consisting of whole foods, like fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, meat, and fish. The concept behind the “Paleo” (short for Paleolithic era) diet is that human beings were hunter-gatherers. And eating food similar to our ancestors is what our bodies are most adapted to thrive on. Obviously cookies, cakes, and chips didn’t exist back then. And are typically off the menu, as are most foods that comprise the bulk of the SAD (Standard American Diet) like grains, sugar, legumes, soy, gluten, dairy, processed foods, and vegetable oils. Although there are now lots of paleo “treats” on the market, typically staying to the whole foods approach is much better when you’re trying to change a habit, especially initially.

Keto is something I use when I am not at my ideal body composition and I want to shed some fat and lean out and curb appetite and sugar cravings. Cyclical keto is more of what I would call it, where you commit to eating keto strictly, which you have to commit to for about 21 days to truly be getting the full metabolic benefits of the ketogenic diet (under 50g of carbs).  Once I have reached my goals I slowly transition back to a paleo style eating pattern 80% of the time, which is still considered a lower-carb diet, of about 150g or under of carbs a day as the sweet spot which leaves plenty of room for enjoyable paleo treats like homemade paleo nice cream, or sweet potato fries.

Whether I am paleo or keto, I make sure to be fully satisfied with what I am eating, so I never feel deprived.

On the paleo pattern of eating you also don’t count macros. Although it is good to know roughly that you’re eating the right amount of protein, fat, and carbs for optimal nutrition. There is no calorie counting (cavemen didn’t have scales!). So you just eat until you’re no longer hungry, not stuffed.  Paleo foods are nutrient-dense. So you’re never hungry and you have plenty of energy for the day without needing to snack often.

Keto is a different story because you want to be ideally eating 70% of your diet from fat. And only 15-20% from protein and 5-10% carbs to reach ketogenic goals. So getting a tracker (I like Carb Manager app) keeps you from overeating on any one area.  I find that many people overeat on a protein that is converted into glucose via gluconeogenesis. Thus, spiking glucose levels in the blood and kicking you out of ketosis.  Sorry if I lost some of you there. But there are many factors to consider when going to keto so it should be monitored more diligently.  The keto diet should be conducted and closely monitored by a professional. Like a doctor, nutritionist, or health coach to be completely safe. And those with diabetes or health risks should consult a doctor first.

What’s a typical day of eating like?

I eat very intuitively. So based on what my body and energy levels are telling me I listen to it.

Typically I like to eat:

9 am: 1tbs ACV in 16 oz water, 1 cup bone broth, breakfast of 3 organic free-range eggs in pastured grass-fed ghee and 2 slices pastured bacon from a local farm or local smoked salmon and organic avocado with lemon and salt

1 pm: Snack of 75% of higher organic paleo dark chocolate or sweet potato soup or wild-caught tuna salad

6 pm Dinner grass-fed rib eye, with asparagus and romaine salad with a homemade dressing of EVOO, lemon, and maple vinegar or baked cold water fresh wild fish with veggies.

(I don’t eat dessert, I always eat my sweets in the afternoon when I need quick energy and for better sleep. Also, I never eat within 3 hours of bedtime for better recovery and sleep. I also try to practice an eating window 16/8, Intermittent fasting when I am fat adapted (eating keto for longer than 21 days).

It’s hard to be perfect all the time! Do you ever “cheat”? If so, on what? 

I am definitely not perfect, especially not lately lol. But perfect is boring!  I did a 6 month strict no cheats paleo challenge after NYE. And although I felt better than ever, I did miss social eating and some of my favorite foods, which I think is good for the soul to indulge from time to time.  Life’s too short to not indulge once in a while! Find out what your faves are and try to stick to the 80/20 (about 3 meals per week) rule. You’ll still get the benefits from eating a healthy diet with a few cheats here and there.

My fav all-time cheats are In n Out (I grew up in LA lol), mashed potatoes, chocolate croissants, and chocolate chip cookies. I have been “cheating” more in the summer, which is normal. Even in primal times our ancestors fattened up in the summer (eating more seasonal fruits). And they burned more energy because of the longer days and play due to the good weather. We are also typically less active in the winter months. So eating less food and lower carbs are natural for us as human beings. And I follow this approach as well.

How often is it ok (really) to have dessert? What about alcohol?

I think you should enjoy the food you are eating. So I would say you can have it most days, but with healthier alternatives. And in the afternoon to optimize the energy you’re getting from the carbs.  Most days I indulge in paleo dark chocolate, paleo nice cream, dark chocolate avocado paleo mousse, some berries with coconut whipped cream and it’s all nutrient-dense and still in line with a low insulin producing diet which is the primary goal.  I believe you should never be deprived or feel unsatisfied with a meal. So you have to get creative if you want something, and make it at home and with healthy ingredients.

Be sure to stay away from processed sugar, grains, soy, dairy, and bad oils and you’re good.

Obviously, if you have weight loss goals, you’ll want to indulge less. But depriving yourself will just make you crave and obsess over the foods you can’t have. And that triggers your brain to want it more. So I think being smart and having fruit or whole food ingredients is completely healthy. Just try to stay under 150g of carbs a day. Don’t know how much that is? Try using a tracker for a week with your fav foods to find out.

Alcohol is a neurotoxin, contributes to insulin resistance, causes immediate damage on the brain and other tissues, and it inhibits fat metabolism.

With all that being said, alcohol is in no way a part of a healthy lifestyle. However, there are some psychological benefits from occasional social drinking. So I think limiting and exercising the 80/20 rule is best for most people.  If you are trying to lose weight, or are following a keto diet, I think you should wait till you get to your ideal body composition and then party it up. But it hinders fat loss goals and spikes appetite hormones, causing most people to crave high-calorie foods. And triggers an area in the brain to overeat due to the lack of nutrients when alcohol calories are being burned (empty calories).

If you are trying to lose weight, but you just this once are going to a GF’s birthday party, I recommend sticking to vodka, tequila on the rocks with lemon, and sparkling water.  No sugary juices, liquors, or sodas, wine, beer, mixed drinks. Just hard alcohol in moderate consumption.  And make sure not to eat while drinking because the calories will be more likely to be stored as fat. And also not too late because it disrupts your sleep. So don’t go work out the next day because your recovery will be compromised. And you’ll need a few days to fully recover from the damage due to the alcohol (remember it’s a poison) on your body.  In other words, I would limit drinking if your goal is optimal health. And definitely cut completely if your goals are weight loss.

Let’s talk about exercise. So many of us fall into the trap of thinking more is more. Can you explain why it’s actually counterproductive to over-exercise? 

Ok so this was a new concept to me. I was also a habitual chronic cardio over-exerciser because I think most health culture preaches “consistency is key”. And thinking more is more when it comes to exercise. Then we find ourselves dialed into this pattern, thinking we are so healthy and this is what it takes to be healthy or lose weight.  Compulsive exercise in the name of consistency is flawed and counterproductive. Causing inflammation, burn out, and not enough time to recover each day, thus a higher risk of injury.

Especially when weight loss is the goal, it is better to conduct low-intensity exercise 2-3 days a week like walking, yoga, pilates. Because aerobic exercise burns fat, and not glucose. Thus, using your stored fat as energy instead of glycogen or ingested carbohydrates.  Staying in a fat-burning metabolism is crucial if you’re hoping to achieve ketosis as well.  I also suggest adding 2 days a week of brief (15-30 mins max), intense weight training of full-body workouts (I like P.volve, and Tracey Anderson) to tone and build muscle without causing too much strain on the body.  Then accompanying 1 sprint (bike, elliptical, or treadmill/grass field) 4 rounds of 10-20 seconds at 80-90% max effort to stimulate a hormonal response that will burn fat for days, and repair damaged cells within the body.

Conventional health practices like intense boot camps lasting 50 mins or longer stress the body and increase inflammation, and spike hunger hormones.

Trust me when I say, less is more when it comes to exercise, you’ll see a change in your hunger, and energy levels, and less inflammation.

So what is the desired intensity and amount of exercise we, as women, should aim for every day?

This is completely customizable depending on your stress level, energy, and lifestyle. But I think people need to first take a look at how you are feeling and stay away from too consistent of a schedule because life is full of surprises and you should ideally only be exercising if you are properly recovered from your last work out or even life stress like travel, injury, or mental fatigue, and even sleep.  You should only work out if you feel motivated and full of energy. But if you are ready and raring to go, I recommend no more than 5 days a week.

1 Sprint 4 rounds(no more) 10-20 seconds at 80-90% intensity after warming up with a light jog, running drills of 5 mins

2 30 min weight training exercise (think brief and intense). At medium intensity

2 sessions of yoga/pilates/leisure bike ride/long walks/hike.In low intensity

2 full rest days ideally after higher intensity workouts

Any other diet and exercise tips you live by?

I recently learned that drinking a tbsp of ACV before meals decrease insulin spikes. And makes you lose weight faster, so that is a game-changer.

Walking 5-15 mins after a meal also decreases the insulin spike after a meal that normally lasts 2 hours.

Eating only when you are hungry helps to correct leptin resistance (the hunger-stimulating hormone) so don’t eat regular meals and snacks, just eat WHEN( When Hunger Ensures Naturally)

Liquid meals (yes even green juice and smoothies) have been shown to increase hunger sensors, making you eat more food because the perceived liquid meal makes the body less full and prone to overeating. It is much better to eat the fruit or veg in its most natural form to get the full benefits. And for the body to feel full from the meal.

I don’t believe in many common health ‘fads’ like celery juice, collagen powder or cleanses. So I advise people to think outside the box and read medical studies. Or books written by doctors/experts, or certified nutritionists as much as you can.  Most of the influencers or models you follow on social aren’t necessarily experts in the field. So consider the source of your information and educate yourself.  When you know how food affects your body, and you understand why something is unhealthy for you it makes making food and lifestyle choices much easier.

Knowledge is power!

It really is! So many important takeaways from speaking with Ashleigh… the biggest one for me is largely around exercise (less really is more). I also think it’s so important to note that what works for one person may be different than what works for you – everyone’s body is different! I also really advocate doing your own research and testing a lot of different things to find what works best for your body – trial and error, and then consistency is key! At the end of the day, your diet and exercise routine should be a lifestyle, not a chore. Big thanks to Ashleigh for sharing such a wealth of knowledge, be sure to check out her blog and follow her on Instagram!!