What should my Apple Watch ring goals be to stay healthy (not lose weight)?
IMO the “move” goal doesn’t really matter because smart watches are known to be inaccurate when it comes to calorie burn during a workout. I think setting it to about 500 cal is an average goal, but like I said, don’t obsess over it.
A better stat to look at is your steps. 10k isn’t magical, but it’s a good starting point. Try setting a steps goal to encourage you to be active throughout the day and reduce sitting time (for me that’s more like 12k, but for someone else 8k may be more realistic).
Another good goal is to be active at least 30 minutes a day. It’s ideal to move your body in a way that gets your heart rate up at least 30 minutes a day or 150-300 minutes of moderate exercise a week.
How do you choose a probiotic? What Probiotic should I take?
It’s essential to choose a probiotic which specifies CFU versus “active cultures” or “live cultures.” Look for a formula with a minimum of 40 billion CFU.
Next, look for a probiotic containing prebiotics to significantly increase the overall effectiveness of the probiotic.
Laslty, it’s ideal if the probiotic has undergone clinical studies. Check the supplement facts section of a label to see if it has the trademark ™ or registered symbol ® next to each strain’s substrain. This symbol is your indication that the strain has undergone clinical testing.
I’ve taken SEED in the past and really liked it- bonus it’s in a glass bottle which helps with the survival of the probiotic strains. I now take Athletic Greens and feel like it’s done wonders for my gut health the past year I’ve been taking it.
Belly post kids/hormones/core dysfunction breathing while working out- especially when lifting?
After I had Quinn I had a little abdominal separation and went to a pelvic physical therapist. They gave me exercises to work on to strengthen my core safely and can help with breath etc. It’s important to get that basic strength back before trying to jump into anything crazy.
For hormones post kids, I would say to work with a naturopath and have all the labs run and create a supplement/meal plan/treatment plan based on what’s going on.
Is liquid collagen worth the hype vs. powdered? Vital proteins vs. Modere?
You know the research is limited overall on collagen (bigger, long-term studies are needed) so a lot of the information on collagen gets kind of confusing. Collagen in general is not a supplement I would say someone MUST take for health like Vitamin D for example. However, if you’re wanting to add a collagen supplement to your routine for potential health benefits it’s by no means going to hurt.
I tried Modere when I was newly postpartum to help with hair loss. I tried their LIFE supplements for about 4-6 months I would say and really didn’t notice a difference more significant than when I took Vital Proteins. It’s also really fricken expensive. I know a lot of bloggers push this supplement, but it wasn’t a game changer for me. Modere marketing is definitely catchy and makes their product sound promising about CLA’s fat burning potential. As far as the actual science goes for CLA health claims…there are limited studies in humans and very limited long term studies. The non-human studies are promising, but those findings are not translating when tested on humans as shown in this review paper. I don’t think the science is there to totally back up Modere’s product claims, but CLA is deemed a GRAS (generally recognized as safe) food by the FDA. Therefore, I don’t think their is any harm in trying this product, but it might be a waste of $$$.
I add 2 scoops of Vital Proteins to my coffee daily. I love the extra dose of collagen protein first thing in the morning and if it’s helping my hair, skin, and nails as well then fab! Lastly, when you’re taking a collagen supplement it’s important to include lots of vitamin C rich foods in your diet. Vitamin C increases collagen and elastin synthesis. Vitamin C also helps defend skin against free radicals.
This is a good review on collagen and what to look for and what to avoid.
Vitamin D + K combo
This is a very easy to understand article on what vitamin D, what is does in the body (spoiler alert: it has MANY important roles) They show the recommended dose as 600 IU/day which I find to be on the conservative side especially if you live in the PNW and don’t get a lot of sun. It’s ideal to get your D levels checked first then chat with your doctor about how much to take.
You want to find a vitamin D3 + K2 (I use the AG1 drops) per their website: “Athletic Greens Vitamin D3+K2 liquid drops contain the active forms of vitamin D and vitamin K2. These two essential nutrients work synergistically to support the heart, vascular system, immune system, and respiratory system, all while optimizing the delivery of calcium and minerals to the bones and teeth to add strength and protection from the deterioration caused by age, vitamin deficiency, and poor diet”.
Drop any of nutrition questions you’d like me to review in the comments section.
xx, A
