Yes, you read that right. Drink Soy Milk, get fat.
The NUMBER ONE factor in effective fat loss is THE FOOD CHOICE. This is one of the basic principles outlined in my Zero Deprivation Diet (ZDD) program (for more info on the fastest way to lose fat, read THIS). People who start their day with a Soy Latte are no better off than people that start their day with Mountain Dew Code Red.
Both are equally bad moves, if you goal is better health, performance, and appearance.
There are 3 big reasons why consuming soy protein is a health risk;
trypsin inhibitors, phytic acid, and phytoestrogens (isoflavones). In short, trypsin inhibitors inhibit digestion and absorption of nutrients, phytic acid is irritating to the digestive tract, and phytoestrogens disrupt the hormonal system (study). There are some that will argue against these FACTS , and even cite recent research. Bear in mind, that I am no stranger to the latest research being published on these topics concerning soy. I tell you without hesitation that drinking Soy Milk, eating soybeans, soy protein, soybean oil, soy, and/or soy products is 100%, a huge ERROR. The problem with discussing this topic is the amount of money and financial interest in soy.
You must consider that research studies can be funded by companies that have a financial interest in the results. Do not mistake the “data” presented in the latest multi-million dollar marketing campaign for actual real truth and fact(s). Those campaigns have ONE objective – to get you to buy more product. Be smart – question where your information comes from and understand that sometimes you are reading pure propaganda.
It may help you to know that the United States leads the world (reference) in soybean production, producing up to 108 million metric tons annually, which accounts for 34 percent of the world’s soybean production. Soybeans are the dominant oil seed in the US, and account for 90 percent of the nation’s oil seed production. In other words, there is A LOT of money at stake. Do you think that it is a coincidence that soy and soybean oil is in practically EVERYTHING you eat? Isn’t it convenient that so many people have been convinced that soy is good for you? And that the general population is most convinced that soy is a “health food” in the marketing and advertising capitals of the world (New York City* and Los Angeles**)? When you realize that most of your “knowledge” is nothing more than the regurgitation of the latest marketing campaign, suddenly it all becomes very disturbing, doesn’t it? Bottom line: AVOID ALL THINGS SOY.
- New York City spent $19.7 billion on “entertainment & media” in 2014 (includes consumer spending on internet access, entertainment & media as well as advertising spending)
- Los Angeles spent $8.3b in 2014
Coconut Milk,
although I do not generally approve of food products like this, holds special status with me because of how coconut milk can be extracted by hand, and how some cultures have been making use of coconut milk for over 1000 years.
It just makes more sense to me that coconut milk could actually be a healthy substitute for cow’s milk, especially considering the type of fats found in coconut (see Part 1 of this post). The trouble is finding an unadulterated source of coconut milk to add to your daily coffee. If you find one you love, please comment at the end of this post. The primitive process of extracting coconut milk is unlikely to be practical for you, as seen in this video:
So, if you are adding coconut milk, instead of cow’s milk, you are not doing too bad.
Now that you have made it through all that, let’s talk about one of the best parts of coffee… caffeine.
I get a lot of questions about pre-workout supplements. My answer is pretty much the same as what I advise about protein powders… throw that crap in the garbage can, where it belongs. The best pre-workout is simple. A well-made cup of coffee. That’s what we have been talking about here – a well-made cup of coffee. NOT a coffee ordered in the drive-up and prepared by some annoyed teenager who doesn’t care about much, and definitely doesn’t care about you getting a perfect cup of the best pre-workout drink there is. NOT a coffee with tons of cream and tons of sugar – that’s a frappe – save that for your cheat meal on Sunday. And don’t get me started on you types that start your day with “coffee” in the form of a Pumpkin Spice Latte:
So, the BEST pre-workout is caffeine that using a well-made coffee as the delivery vehicle. The research proving caffeine as a performance enhancer is overwhelming positive (study, study, study, study, study, study, study). All the way back in the nineties, when I was attending international conferences on strength and performance, I remember initially hearing about the well researched benefits of caffeine. Even though at that point I had about 10 years experience with using caffeine as a PED, I was still impressed by the data: a dose of 4-6 mg per kg of body weight led to increases of up to 10% maximal strength performance (e.g. 400-600mg acute dose for a 220 pound male). The same dose also led to increases in cognitive performance.
If a pre-workout boost is what you are after, coffee can certainly deliver a significant effect. There are a couple other items you could add to your pre-workout strategy for increased effect. I outlined those items HERE and HERE.
But, back to coffee. How much caffeine in 1 cup of coffee? Generally, I would say 70-100mg per cup (8oz) depending on the brand and type of the coffee beans/grounds used, and how you grind and/or brew the coffee. Here is a super handy chart that outlines the amount caffeine in each of many well known coffee foods and beverages.
Although that chart is handy for tweaking your caffeine intake based on where you are getting your daily coffee, I still insist you will be best served when you take the time to make your coffee at home. If you are making your coffee at home, also consider that picking your whole coffee beans, or coffee grounds should be done with the same care you exercise when picking out fresh produce. When you go to the supermarket to select fresh produce such as bananas, apples, potatoes, or avocado, you tend to carefully examine and select these items by hand, correct? Coffee beans
Drinking coffee may be the cornerstone of an effective, daily morning ritual.
Ensuring that every piece of this process is constructive, rather than destructive, will help decide your level of success, or demise. Don’t underestimate the value of something you do every single day, no matter how small you may perceive that detail to be.
Thank you for reading.
Paul Newt has a passion for learning in all its forms, and finds great enjoyment in conceptualizing, creating, and improving systems that lead to success. Paul spends his time training, coaching clients, being a great husband and father, consuming non-fiction books, tinkering with new technology, researching investments, and building on old, refining current, and discovering new successful methods to improve human health, performance, and appearance. Paul’s lifelong goal is to become the best version of himself, and add value to the world by assisting others in doing the same.