Unleash Creativity

NUTRITION UNMASKED

Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done
Big Results from Simple Actions

Johnell Borer McCauley
Food Psychology & Nutrition Expert Kid’s Nutrition Specialist

Certified Personal Fitness Chef Lifestyle & Weight Management Specialist

Michael McCauley

Vitaerobics

Creating a Healthy Future for You and Those You Love

NUTRITION UNMASKED

Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy & Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

Disclaimer Readers of this eBook understand that Vitaerobics, its owners and its agents are not medical doctors nor do they represent medical doctors. Any medical information, descriptions, references and conclusions (collectively “medical information”) included in this eBook is intended as merely information - not advice. Vitaerobics provides that no warranties, either expressed or implied, are provided in relation to the medical information supplied in this eBook, and the reader cannot hold the authors, Vitaerobics, its owners or its agents responsible for the accuracy of the medical information provided, or the results of any actions taken by the reader. Readers are encouraged to consult their personal doctor or a qualified medical practitioner prior to making any changes to their diet, if they have any medical conditions, or if they have any questions about the information provided here.

Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

This book is for you if you want to:
   Wake up and get going each day Quickly and easily boost your energy and creativity any time you want Reduce or eliminate that lethargic feeling you have after meals, especially after lunch     Be more creative all day Be even more productive than you are now Teach your family healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime Be a role model for healthy eating that your whole family will want to imitate  Make healthy eating fit your lifestyle – whatever your lifestyle is

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

How NOT to use this eBook:
 Download this book and say you’ll read it later. Personally, we have never figured out how to schedule “later” on the calendar. When something is “later,” it usually doesn’t get done. Instead, “take inspired action to get inspired results.”  Skip immediately to the end. You may think that you know all of the information contained in this book, or that there is nothing new to learn. The reality is that nutrition research is constantly evolving and we are always learning. If you requested this book, then you are looking for answers. We encourage you to take the time to find them.  Think you don’t have time to eat healthy. All of the actions in this book are easy to implement. Even better, they can all be done as a family. In fact, some of the tips can even save you time by making your grocery shopping and meal preparation more efficient, more fun, and less stressful. So, take the time to read this book and use the information to create a healthier future for you and those you love.

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

Why is Nutrition So Confusing?
The first Dietary Guidelines were published more 30 years ago. They have been improved over the years, and the current version, ChooseMyPlate is simple and easy to understand. Yet, today we have more overweight or obese adults, teens and children than ever before. With the ever-growing amount of information available on the internet and through social media, it’s actually getting harder to make decisions, not easier. Wading through all of the information and figuring out what you need and how to use it can be daunting. In addition, you can get advice from lots of sources today. It seems that every time you pick up a magazine, you see an article on health and nutrition. According to one article, something is good for you. According to another article, that same thing should be avoided. Ask just about any nutrition or health-related question on the internet and there is almost no limit to the options to consider or information to read. And, asking friends isn’t much better, because they likely read the same magazine and internet articles that are confusing you!

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

The Bottom Line
The bottom line is this: If you want your mind (and your body too, but that’s the subject of another book) to perform at its peak, then you have to provide it with the fuel it needs, when it needs it. Have you ever heard that “you are what you eat?” Well, it’s true and that’s really good news! Research has found that what you eat can directly impact your brain’s ability to think – and do it fast! That means that you can impact the way your brain functions, just by changing the way you eat! By using the secrets revealed in this book and eating a balanced diet, you can actually think clearer, reason better, be more creative and make better decisions when you need them most. While there is no single “super” food, adding certain foods to your diet and eliminating or minimizing others can help your brain function better, giving you more energy and creativity to fulfill your blessing and your mission.

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

The Brain is Unique
The brain is different from most other parts of the body. First, it’s an “energy hog.” Your brain is only about 2 percent of your total body weight, but it consumes more than 20 percent of your energy. It turns out that thinking is really hard work! Second, even though your brain requires large amounts of energy to function, it can’t store any of that energy for later use. If the energy it requires isn’t available, your brain simply slows down to conserve what energy it can get. This is one reason that people often feel slow and lethargic in the middle of the afternoon. At that point, your body has often “burned” all the energy available from your lunch (assuming you ate lunch) and so your brain (and body) begins to slow down – to conserve energy. It just uses what it can get, when it can get it. And that’s really good news. It means that, if you can provide your brain with the energy it needs at any given time, you can literally unleash its power to think clearer, reason better and be more creative! Wouldn’t that be nice?

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

A Different Way to Approach Food
To reap these benefits, you first have to change the way you think about food. While eating should always be enjoyable, if you want your brain to function at peak efficiency, you need to make sure you eat the right foods at the right times. But, be assured that eating healthy doesn’t have to be dull or borin. To eat healthy you just need to follow a few simple guidelines, adjusting them to fit your lifestyle. We believe that there are no super heroes or arch villains when it comes to food. Of course, there are some foods that are healthier and some that are less healthy, but you don’t have to eat 100% organic, 100% vegan or even 100% natural to be healthy. We like to tell people that it’s not what you eat 10% of the time, it’s what you eat 90% of the time! Eat the foods you love, but do it in moderation. And make sure that 90% of the time, you’re eating a variety of healthy foods!

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

Moving Forward is the Key
Part of a fulfilling life is enjoying what you do, and eating is no exception. But that doesn’t mean you can eat anything at any time. Healthy eating can require some changes in lifestyle, but they don’t have to be dreaded changes. Think of it this way: We take up hobbies because they interest us, and then we practice them to get better. Most people enjoy the practice because they know it helps them improve their skills so they can enjoy their hobby even more. When we embark on a change in the way we eat, aren’t we simply improving ourselves? Think about it – how can you hope to be successful if you frame healthy eating as something negative that you have to do? How exciting would your hobby be if you told yourself you “had to” do it? I have a good friend that once gave me some great advice when I was going through a transition in my life. He said, “Focus on moving toward what you want, not on getting away from what you don’t want.” Why not focus on healthy eating as a great way to make you more productive, give you more energy and unleash your creativity (moving toward what you do want)!

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

Enjoy the Party!
Think of life as a party, not as a race. It is not about who gets to the end first, it is about reaching your goals and enjoying the journey. Our goal is to help you enjoy your journey. And a great way to enjoy the party is to eat those foods that will unleash your creativity so you can get more done each day! As we said earlier, there are healthier foods, as well as foods that are less healthy. But, in moderation, you shouldn’t “fear” any of them. The key is to know which foods are best for you and your brain, then make healthy choices most of the time. We hope that the secrets revealed on the following pages will change the way you think about food, health and nutrition. And remember, healthy choices you make each day can transform your family for generations!

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

Top 5 Secrets to Boost Your Creativity & Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day
Now, here’s what you’ve been waiting for – our top 5 secrets to boost your energy and keep you in the creative zone all day. We’ve even thrown in a 6th secret at the end, as an added bonus! Taken all at one time, these may seem overwhelming, but don’t despair. After you’ve read them all, pick just one to start using right away. Then, add one more next week, and keep adding one more each week until you are using them all in your daily life. Check off each one as you begin to use it. We have found that taking this “one at a time” approach will increase your success. To have some fun (remember, we said eating should be enjoyable!), let’s count down from 5 to 1, “David Letterman-style!” So, without further ado, here are the top 5 secrets to boost your energy and keep you in the creative zone all day…

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

#5: Stick with complex carbs
Carbohydrates can be divided into 2 main groups – simple carbs and complex carbs. Simple carbs are found in foods like sweetened soft drinks, fruit juices, sugars, syrups, sweets and most foods made with white flour, like white bread, pasta, cakes, cereals and cookies. Simple carbs enter your bloodstream fast, giving you a “spike” in blood sugar. Unfortunately, the energy spike is quickly followed by an energy “crash” as your body burns that sugar. On the other hand, complex carbs are found in foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes (beans). Complex carbs are full of fiber which helps digestion and they convert very slowly to sugar in your bloodstream. That means they release their energy slowly, so they’re great source of long-lasting energy. To keep your energy up, and avoid energy spikes and crashes during the day, try to eat complex carbs and avoid simple carbs whenever possible. Simple Action: Replace the usual afternoon snacks and after-meal desserts with fresh fruit. Fruit is lower in calories and higher in fiber.

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

#4: Get your fill of essential “brain vitamins”
Vitamins B, C and E, along with Omega 3 fatty acids, have been shown to improve brain function, enhance your mood, clarify thinking and slow down aging. All of these help give you more energy, make it easier to reason, and boost creativity. Good sources of B vitamins are lean meat and poultry, dark green veggies such as asparagus, broccoli and spinach, fruits like bananas, dates, figs and apricots, dairy and nuts. Fruits, especially citrus, are a great source of vitamin C, and vitamin E can be found in many nuts, olive oil and whole grains. Omega 3 fatty acids are a bit more complex, but they’re essential to peak brain function. They can be found in olive oil, some nuts and seeds, and cold water fish like salmon, cod and tuna. Omega 3s are considered the “building blocks of neurotransmitters.” In other words, they help build the highways in your brain that carry information. Simple Action: Add a variety of fresh fruits and veggies to your meals, and eat cold water fish at least 1-2 times per week.

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

#3: Start the day right
Say “good morning” to your brain with a healthy breakfast. Moms everywhere have suggested eating a healthy breakfast. Just like the rest of your body, your brain fasts overnight, so breakfast “breaks” the “fast.” Eating breakfast can improve short term memory and increase attention span, which helps with all aspects of thinking, including creativity. But, what is a “healthy” breakfast? It’s certainly not a bowl of packaged cereal, in spite of what some TV commercials tell you! A healthy breakfast should be high in fiber and include whole grains, dairy and fruit (are you starting to see a pattern here?). Sugary breakfast cereals should be avoided. These are mostly simple carbs, and high in calories too. To get your day started right and “wake up” your brain (as well as your whole body), eat a healthy breakfast. Simple Action: Try baked oatmeal as a healthy alternative to cereal or toast at breakfast. You can fix it ahead of time, then just cut a piece to eat on the run.

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

#2: Graze, don’t feast
Smaller meals and healthy snacks help give your brain a constant supply of what it needs to function at peak efficiency. Think of your brain (and body) as a finely tuned machine, with food as the fuel that machine runs on. It would be much better to provide a continuous supply of fuel for the machine to burn, rather than waiting for the tank to be empty before you fill it up again. Long gaps between meals can force your brain and body into “energy conservation mode,” leaving you tired and making it difficult to focus. If you’re like most people, your body likely has a natural low point around 3 in the afternoon. That’s the bad news. The good news is that you can minimize or even eliminate this low point by having a mid-afternoon snack of healthy, unprocessed foods. A healthy snack will recharge your “machine” and reenergize your brain. Simple Action: Prepare fruit or veggies and package them in a snack-sized serving. When you start to feel sluggish during the day, pull out your snack package.

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

#1: Avoid foods that “drain your brain”
And, the #1 secret to boost your energy and keep you in the creative zone all day is… Avoid foods that drain your brain. Foods with added sugar, trans fats, and artificial ingredients can actually slow down your brain’s ability to function! Most sugar is from sodas, energy drinks and desserts. Sugar goes by many names including fructose, cane juice, molasses and corn syrup. Make no mistake – these are all names for the same thing – added sugar. Trans fats are in many processed. They can damage nerve cells and interfere with thinking. Most often, they are listed as “partially hydrogenated” oils. This artificial chemical is the worst type of fat you can consume. Artificial ingredients are most often added to help extend shelf life, add flavor or change the texture of processed foods. They usually have no real nutritional value and can actually slow down brain activity. Simple Action: Read ingredient lists before you buy packaged foods. A good rule of thumb: If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it!

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

Quick Recap
So, there you have it, the top 5 tips for boosting energy and creativity. Here is a quick recap:

#5: Stick with complex carbs #4: Get your fill of essential “brain vitamins” #3: Start the day right #2: Graze, don’t feast
And the #1 secret to boost your energy and stay in the creative zone all day is:

#1: Avoid foods that “drain the brain”
None of these is difficult, nor do they require you to drastically alter your lifestyle. Try one or all of them and see what a difference they make for you.

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

Bonus Secret: Learn to love water
Water is incredibly important to your body, and especially your brain. 2/3 of the human body is water. It’s needed for circulation, respiration, perspiration and digestion. Without adequate water, your body can’t efficiently extract vitamins and nutrients from the foods you eat. And, like energy, your brain can’t store water for later use, so as you become dehydrated, your brain is the first organ affected. Just how much water you should drink each day depends on your size, activity level, and air temperature. Everyone has probably heard the advice, “drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.” That’s good advice and it’s easy to remember. To add flavor and variety to your water, add a slice of fresh orange, lemon or lime, sliced strawberries or even sliced cucumber. Simple Action: Keep a bottle or glass of water with you all day and take sips from it often.

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

Great Start
These 6 secrets (our top 5 plus 1 bonus secret) give you a great start. And best of all, you’ll see the results almost immediately! Have fun with these suggestions. We’ve given you a lot of information and a number of things to think about and try. Only one thing is for sure – if you do nothing, then nothing will change! All that we ask is that you go out and use what you’ve learned here to make a difference for you and your family. We’ve just scratched the surface here. Be sure to watch our website and blog for more tips, articles and books to help you create a healthy future for yourself and those you love! (www.HealthyFamilyFuture.com) and read our blog (www.HealthyFamilyFuture.com/blog) to learn more. Check out our book, The P.O.W.E.R. of Healthy Eating, on the next page.

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

The P.O.W.E.R. of Healthy Eating™

This eBook is written in easy-to-understand language and shows you how simple it is to get your whole family eating healthier when you have the right information. The best part is that you can do it without extra supplements, fad diets or expensive meal plans. This book unravels nutrition fact from fiction in ways that encourage immediate results. Eating healthy may not seem like rocket science, but it can be transformational. This book is a “must have” for anyone who wants to create a healthy future for themselves and their family. Get your copy today at: www.HealthyFamilyFuture.com/Products

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Unleash Your Creativity & Get More Done: Big Results from Simple Actions
5 Secrets to Boost Your Energy and Stay in the “Creative Zone” All Day

Johnell and Michael McCauley are the owners of Vitaerobics. They believe that healthy choices we make each day can transform families forever. Over the last 25 years, through their work with doctors, cardiologists, nutritionists and hospitals, Vitaerobics has helped more than 750,000 people take control of their health. Now they are very excited to share that same information with you. Johnell is a Food Psychology and Nutrition Expert, and a Kid’s Nutrition Specialist. Michael is a Certified Personal Fitness Chef and Lifestyle & Weight Management Specialist. Together, Johnell and Michael help families create a healthy future for themselves and those they love by unraveling nutrition fact from fiction in ways that encourage immediate results and set the stage for a legacy of great healthy. To find out more about creating your own healthy family future, connect with them at: www.HealthyFamilyFuture.com www.facebook.com/Vitaerobics www.twitter.com/Vitaerobics

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