Why I believe the new wave of meal replacements are the future of our diet.

Hear me out.

Most of my life, I didn’t give much thought to meal replacements or
supplement drinks/shakes; I just never seemed, in my mind, to fit into the category that they were intended for.
MetRX was for bodybuilders.
Ensure was for seniors.
Slimfast was for those who wanted to lose weight.

Recently, I started reading about Soylent, the meal replacement product created about six years ago that has quickly become a favorite of Silicon Valley biohackers. Marketing itself as a nutritionally complete food, Soylent is high in protein but isn’t necessarily a protein drink; it has an “essential vitamin and mineral” profile, but not specifically for any target age group (just, not children); it can be used for both calorie monitoring or calorie boosting, hence it could be appropriate for both weight loss and weight gain (and yet neither).

Rather, Soylent was designed to help the rushed and busy among us avoid poor, nutritionally deprived, and expensive food choices on the go. The FAQ on its website boasts, “Soylent is not designed as a diet program, but is designed to provide roughly 20% daily recommended micronutrients* (based on an average 2000 calorie diet), plus a balance of fats, carbs and protein […] If you choose to replace less nutritious meals with Soylent, it may help improve your overall diet.”

Once I read this, I was intrigued: making rushed, ill-advised and expensive food choices due to my busy schedule was something that was a MAJOR issue in my life. Without a car, I was reliant on things like Amazon Prime and Postmates for many of my meals (or else I was buying lunch from one of the overpriced eateries in the Hollywood tourist district where I work). If I wasn’t spending tons of money on takeout and unhealthy grab-and-go, I was shelling out just as much on Amazon Prime and adding more time to my schedule on meal prep/planning, cooking, and washing dishes. Time is money, after all.

Last year, when I spent all of 2018 experimenting with various diets (vegan, paleo and keto–I meant to write a blog post about it, but there are already so many out there), I tried out a meal-kit service (Hungryroot); after some bloodwork revealed that I was pre-diabetic as a result (thanks, vegan diet!), I switched to a prep-meal service (Territory) which only left me hungry (and occasionally grossed out).

Side note: I’m a Certified Health Coach, so I have some background in Nutrition. I’m well aware of the value of careful meal planning, micro- and macronutrient balance, and also the signs of eating disorders (yes, some fans of meal replacements have been labeled as having an ED).

It’s largely because of this background that I felt almost an obligation to my commitment to good health to try out these products. My alternatives to paying for, shopping for, storing, preparing and disposing of healthy foods were, to be frank, very unhealthy and costly. I was tired of spending half my paycheck on Whole Foods delivery and coming home late after a long day at work, only to have to decide what to eat, prep it, and wash up at midnight (the only alternative to which was Postmates/Uber Eats, which offered only more expensive and calorie dense options, plus the added joy of f*cking up my order more than a few times).

Soylent, and subsequently its UK-based counterpart, Huel, seemed to potentially solve all of these issues for me.

photo credit: official IG account for @soylent

first shipment of Huel (@laurathehealthcoach)

Not one to make a hasty decision–especially when it involves a financial commitment–I was sure to do my research (if Googling “huel diet” “soylent diet” count as researching, which certainly worked for my former High School seniors during my former life as an English teacher).

There was enough evidence for me to at least give it a shot. I was confident that I wouldn’t be depriving myself of any nutrients (or calories), and the price (compared to what I was already spending on food) was right.

Part of my goal was weight loss: while both Huel and Soylent do not advertise themselves as weight-loss products, the fact that you can use them to portion out your caloric intake make them viable for calorie restriction, and therefore weight loss. No real biohacking here, with ketosis or retraining your body to use alternate fuel sources: just good old calorie restriction, like eating smaller portions. Energy in, energy out. More active? Just have more of it–simple.

Soylent RTD (ready-to-drink) arrived first, in pretty two-toned cartons. I started with one meal a day, then two. It tasted pretty good (I ordered Cacao, which tasted kind if like what I *remember* chocolate milk tasting like?), but I was concerned about two things: the sweetness and the source of protein (soy). Still concerned about my sugar consumption, I wanted something with fewer added sugars (note: for the record, Soylent’s sugar content is comparatively low when you look at other meal replacements on the market). As a woman in her mid-50’s, I wasn’t too keen on having soy as my protein every day.

Enter Huel.

I had heard about Huel through both my research on Soylent, as well as through some aggressive Instagram ads on my Health Coach account. Huel, which originated in the UK and is now produced in the US as well, utilizes a different protein source (pea and rice) and has a lower sugar content. I promptly ordered the Vanilla and Berry powders, which came with a discounted packet of “flavor boosts” to add, a shaker, and a t-shirt (thanks, Huel!). Huel was definitely less sweet, but I felt better about drinking it. Besides, shaking it up in the shaker made me feel like I was doing “meal prep”. Weird, I know.

After about a month of Huel in the morning, Soylent at night, and a light meal in between, I’ve noticed the following:

-mild headache for the first couple of days, then felt fantastic (more energy)

-less hunger in between meals; no desire to “snack”

-sugar/carb cravings: GONE

-RTD is so portable, I don’t ever miss a meal (something that happened frequently at work, which would lead to low blood sugar headaches/fatigue/general irritability)

-NO digestive issues! This has been a lifelong struggle for me; food sensitivities since birth have made for digestive nightmares, the details of which I am happy to spare. Interestingly, the gas that many people have reported on various forums for these products was not an issue for me. **One product, an in-between meal snack bar from Soylent called Soylent Squared, did give me a little trouble the first time I ate it. This could be attributed to the probiotics, or the corn syrup in it.

Caveat: make sure you’re not allergic to any of the ingredients (soy, tree nuts like coconut, etc.) so that you have an idea of how your body will tolerate these products.

-gradual but steady weight loss (5 servings/bottles a day of Huel or Soylent will give you all the necessary vitamins and minerals for a 2000 calorie/day diet; I was consuming 2 servings–800 cal–plus a light meal, so I was averaging 1300-1500 calories per day)

To sum up the Pros and Cons:

Pros: convenient; low cost (relatively), no need to shop for, plan or prep meals; no cleanup (except the shaker), easy managing of caloric and macro/micronutrient intake; improved digestion (for me) and energy; no cravings

Cons: if you enjoy “real food”, you will miss it (but you don’t have to miss it all the time); missing the social aspect of meals (see above); challenging if you have a family, and meal prep/dining is part of your routine; for those who actually enjoy cooking, you may miss the creative aspect of planning and creating meals–but again, just like the social aspect of dining out, it’s just something that will be less frequent, and therefore, maybe more special?

I know these products are still very much works-in-progress, just like versions of apps: one suggestion I would offer to the creators is, perhaps make a blend for those with different nutritional needs (like, post-menopausal women, perhaps? ) The one-size-fits-all approach to the macro/micronutrient balance is counterintuitive: when it comes to nutrition, one size does not fit all.

If you’ve read this far, maybe you’re considering giving these new generations of meal replacements a go. I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I’ve included some reward links below to help make it worth your while:

http://RWRD.IO/IL65WAF

(Soylent affiliate link)

https://huel.mention-me.com/m/ol/pi7lz-laura-rebecca (Huel affiliate link)

me and my Huel (@laurathehealthcoach)

Don’t forget to follow my personal/yoga IG: @laurateachesyoga (also on the Firework app!) and my Health Coach blog, @laurathehealthcoach

Prenatal Yoga Modifications (CorePower Yoga Blog)

Hello yoga and fitness pals!

It’s been a minute since I’ve posted: I’ve been distracted by things such as settling in to a new role within my company, leading a continuing education program for Hot Yoga teacher training grads, and gearing up to coach another 200-hour Power Yoga Teacher Training program in June.

All good things, but it’s made it challenging to keep up with the blog! Oh also: I’ve started working with a personal trainer for Crossfit, and it’s been amazing!

Therefore, this week’s post will be a repost of a very good article from the CorePower Yoga Blog about Prenatal Yoga Modifications by Trimester. Prenatal Yoga is one of the modules in our 200 hour Teacher Training programs, in addition to a Sanskrit introduction, a survey of the Chakras, Yoga History and Philosophy, and of course yoga asana posture clinics and practice teaching.

(image courtesy of Pexels)

Let me know what you think of the article (or if you have any questions about our Yoga Teacher Training programs) in the comments. Enjoy!

https://www.corepoweryoga.com/blog/prenatal-yoga-modifications-trimester

The Truth about Entrepreneurship and why it sucks

“People out here talking about owning a successful business like it’s as easy as owning a 🐶 puppy. “–Gary Vaynerhuck @garyvee

My father was an Entrepreneur.

Spoiler alert: the most valuable lesson I learned from my father is that entrepreneurship is not easy, and does not necessarily equate freedom.

Mind you, my dad was an entrepreneur back in the days way before social media, before email newsletters, blogs, and the internet. I don’t think that had any bearing on his success, or lack thereof. I should probably mention here that my dad was a terrible businessman, and his business was far from financially successful.

He busted his ass. I watched him operate a printing business from the basement of our family home and work 14, 16 hour days. He never took a vacation, he never took a day off. He took catnaps on the couch in our den in his work clothes for a half hour at a time, then go back downstairs and run his printing press. Lack of hustle was not one of his shortcomings.

He often dealt with clients who were slow payers, vendors who didn’t deliver, and ultimately, unscrupulous partners who took everything he built and then cut him out of the equation. These are things business owners deal with.

I asked him once why he quit a secure union job as a typesetter and pressman at a printing shop and instead devote his life to creating his own business and brand, and he said: “I didn’t want to have a boss.”

Maybe he didn’t do it “right”? I don’t know. He supported us, albeit modestly, and he was his own boss. Those were his goals, and he achieved them.

In spite of my dad’s struggle, I somehow got in my head that I wanted to own my own business.
I tried, and failed many times. I love failure: it’s generally the best teacher. We all know the quotes from Michael Jordan and Thomas Edison about failure.

I know how fucking hard it is to run your own business, because I watched my dad do it. I watched him take risks and crash and burn. I was the 14year old kid he put to work answering phones in the print shop he eventually opened. It was one of the best things he ever could have done for me, because it taught me that business is all about the value you actually give to consumers, not the value you claim to have.

So many people I know want to be entrepreneurs now. It’s such a departure from when I was young: in my youth, the dream was to get a job at a “good company”with a salary and benefits and retire with a pension: anyone who wanted to strike out on their own was viewed as a little foolish.

Today, those jobs are few and far between, Companies no longer take care of their employees. The unpaid internship was almost non-existent in my youth, and hourly jobs were usually just for teenagers working after school. Now everyone is an “independent contractor” with no health insurance, and if you live in a major city you’re likely to be working more than one job. No wonder we all gravitate to the “be your own boss” dream, in spite of the risk.

Of course, our rose-colored worldview and “good vibes only” society would never discourage you from starting your own business. But I will. I want to discourage you so you WILL succeed. I’m not gonna pat you on the back and say “way to go” when you build your Instagram following to over 1000 because that’s a bullshit indicator of success in business.

I’m not saying don’t leverage social media: I’m saying, don’t post a picture of your ass in yoga pants and sit back waiting for all your friends (and a few creepy strangers) to hit “like” and comment “gorgeous”; and maybe the occasional solicitation from an account to “feature” you on their IG as a free model or brand ambassador. If your goal is to get likes, stalkers and be a brand ambassador, then that’s awesome; but I don’t think that’s your goal, is it?

Do the work.

Get up early, even if you’re not a morning person (which I totally get). Do things that inspire you: meditate, run, play with your dog, read inspirational people.
Then do the work. Don’t talk about it, post about it, don’t take a picture of yourself with a caption about how you are thinking about the work: ACTUALLY DO IT. Create something of value that your target audience (and you have to know exactly who they are) will have no choice but to pay money for.

Here’s what Gary Vaynerchuck says about “entrepreneurs” (he’s been one of my inspirations for the last ten years): https://www.instagram.com/p/BmHbCc5nsdd/

What do you think of this post? Let me know!

Rock Stars and their Zen

New article  up on CultureSonar! Click here to check it out: http://www.culturesonar.com/sex-drugs-rock-n-roll-qi-gong/

While many of us mere mortals may generalize that the typical “rock star” lifestyle is notoriously self-destructive, we might be wrong. Certainly,  crazy hotel-room legends and debauched touring tales abound in the chronicles of rock and roll. However,  many famous musicians and performers today are more likely to be found meditating on a yoga mat or moving through an advanced tai chi form than they would be found partying like, well, a rock star. This article talks about some pop stars and their respective holistic health and fitness regimens.