Rachael Recommends February 2023

Posted by Rachael McDonald on February 1, 2023

Offsetting Strategies


We're cruising through 2023 already, with month one already over. Looking forward to February, we see Valentine's Day on the horizon. Hopefully, you have fun plans with your partner, gals, or bros to celebrate and enjoy. I will confess that for me, Valentine's Day always includes a special meal and some sweet treats. I also must share that I plan to "offset" these treats with specific strategies to help keep off the extra fat that can easily come with enjoying these goodies. I thought today I'd share some of my easy offsetting strategies for you to use on Valentine's Day (or any day) as you choose to indulge in treats.


Offsetting is a concept I learned from author Joel Greene in his book, The Immunity Code. In the book, he says, “Instead of trying to eliminate ad libitum eating (eating whatever) and major groupings of foods due to fear of weight gain, we have a new way of doing things - offsetting.”


I will share a short list of offsetting strategies (those tricks and hacks for when you aren’t disciplined or don’t want to be). They are each what we call “preloads," meaning they should be taken/consumed before the special treat or meal. Check out three of my favorite ones below:


  1. Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA): Take about 300mg. 20 minutes before the meal. Among other things, ALA mimics insulin and can help mitigate the blood sugar spiking that can come from eating higher-carb foods or sweets.
  2. Walnuts: Eat a handful 30 minutes before the meal. This can help increase insulin sensitivity and can help break down fat after the meal.
  3. Whey Protein: Drink a protein shake 30 minutes before your meal. Include in your shake: 1 scoop of whey protein, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder, and one teaspoon of olive oil (the cinnamon and olive oil are optional, but help the effect a little bit). There is a significant reduction in post-meal blood sugar when this strategy is used. We recommend Vital Performance Protein Powder, available at any Fitness Collective location!


One last powerful strategy for assisting your body in managing high-carb meals, high-fat meals, and treats is to move! Move your body on Valentine's Day for one added bonus hack to keep unwanted fat off.


Once again, thanks for skimming. I'm hoping I convinced you to give one of these tricks a try, and I hope you learned something helpful that adds to your life.


Happy February,


Rachael