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What's in store for today:
- My Favorite Summer Mocktail Recipe
- Why You're Never Fully Satisfied When Eating Healthy
- What To Look For In A Protein Bar
Hey friend,
This last weekend I experienced one of the proudest moments of my life...and that was getting to see my 8 year old daughter Lochlyn and her team place 3rd out of 76 teams at the All Star Worlds Cheer Competition in Orlando Florida.
No one prepares you as a dad when you go to events like this and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't an emotional mess at many points during this trip 😂
Heck, I remember a younger version of my daughter just 2-3 years ago struggling to learn how to do a cartwheel — and then next thing I know she's on one of the top teams in the entire nation.
When I see Lochlyn and how far she has come in the last 2-3 years I am reminded that ALL of us have the potential to do the same.
When we put our minds to something and pursue it meaningfully and put in the work...amazing things are possible.
I hope this inspires you like it does me.
With that said, let's move on to this week's Feel Good Friday Edition of The Practical Health Journal.
My Favorite Summer Mocktail Recipe
As the weather warms up, I can't help but find myself longing for a nice cold margarita some evenings after a long day of work.
But sometimes, depending on my fitness goals at the time, I might find myself needing to avoid alcohol to priorize progress and recovery.
That's where this "Mockarita" recipe comes in very handy! It's my go to non-alcoholic beverage when I want the taste and feel and ritual of mixing up a drink in the summer, but without the caloric and other impacts of drinking real alcohol.
Here’s how to make it:
Matt’s Strawberry Mockarita (Ingredients from Walmart):
Directions (using a whiskey glass as pictured):
The proportions are simple and can be scaled to whatever sized glass you are using. But I'll give you my exact recipe using a whiskey glass like the one you see here.
Directions:
- Fill the glass half full with ice.
- Add 1 packet of stevia powder for sweetness and 1/2 packet of strawberry water flavoring (I use Crystal Light)
- Pour in diet tonic water until the glass is 3/4 full with tonic water
- Fill the remaining 1/4 of the glass with Skinny Margarita Mix.
- Stir and enjoy.
It's the perfect blend of sweet, tart, and a little bite that gives you that margarita experience without the downside.
Why You're Never Fully Satisfied
When Eating Healthy
Have you ever struggled to feel truly full and satisfied when you're trying to "eat healthy"?
According to just about every "expert" on the internet, if you eat whole foods with plenty of protein and fiber, hunger won't be an issue...
But in my personal experience — and in my experience as a coach in the real world — that rarely turns out to be the case.
What I've observed is that when I would "clean up my diet" and restrict myself to only the cleanest, most whole-foods-based eating — cutting out many of my favorite indulgences — I actually found myself eating more food and feeling less satisfied.
In the early days of my coaching career, when I encouraged a whole-foods-focused approach, I saw the same struggle with about 9 out of 10 clients. Not exactly a winning strategy for weight loss or client satisfaction. 😂
So...what gives?
Here's what I learned — and how I was able to overcome this for myself and with our clients at Healthy & Whole.
Satiation and Satisfaction are two very different things, and we actually need BOTH to control our appetite and cravings.
What happens to most people when they start "cleaning up their diet" is that they remove the foods they truly enjoy and restrict themselves to foods they might like — but that aren't exactly satisfying. This creates a slowly growing tension and food fatigue, with a stronger and stronger drive to seek out the satisfaction that's missing.
This is why so many people eat a "healthy" dinner and find themselves back in the kitchen rummaging through the pantry just minutes later. They were satiated — full from their meal — but never satisfied from an enjoyment standpoint. So they go back to check that satisfaction box with some kind of treat.
This is exactly why when I developed my cookbook and redesigned our entire weight loss program, I built it around enjoyment AND calorie/protein control at the same time. Because unless you can feel both satiated and satisfied, managing your food intake will always feel like a constant uphill battle.
So here's the simple takeaway:
Don't settle for healthy food you don't thoroughly enjoy.
Push yourself to find meals and snacks that meet your calorie and protein needs and meet your standards for taste and satisfaction. Until you can feel both satiated AND satisfied, you'll be stuck fighting a constant and growing tension with your appetite and cravings.
This one principle is exactly why you see me eating healthy smash burgers, pizza, and tacos — rather than just salads, grilled chicken, and broccoli. I eat those things too, but I work hard to make sure my overall eating menu is full of foods I actually look forward to. And that's the same strategy we use with all of our successful clients at Healthy & Whole.
What To Look For In A Protein Bar
One of the most common questions I get is "Is this a good protein bar?" usually accompanied by someone sending me a picture of a protein bar at the store.
So I thought it would be a great opportunity to answer once and for all what I look for in a "good" protein bar.
I look for 3 things in a good protein bar...
- Great taste
- Calories ideally under 200 per bar
- At least 40% protein
If a bar hits those marks...it's in my rotation or my pantry.
The easiest way to tell right off the bat if a bar is at least 40% protein is to use the 40% rule...which goes as follows...
If the grams of protein per bar is at LEAST 10% of the total calories per bar...then it is at least 40%.
So for instance if a protein bar is 150 calories per bar...it needs to have at least 15 grams of protein in it (which is 10% of 150) to be 40% protein.
Right now my 4 favorite protein bar products are:
All of these options are under 200 calories per bar / pastry, and at least 40%.
- Matt
Win Of The Week:
Susie Hits Her 100 Pounds Lost Milestone 🥳
She'd already lost 90 pounds. But she still wasn't free.
Samantha arrived nine months ago having done something most people never do — she lost 90 pounds on her own.
By any measure, that's remarkable.
But she was exhausted.
She tracked every calorie obsessively.
Anxiety crept in before every meal.
She avoided restaurants that didn't post nutrition facts online.
Food had become a source of dread instead of fuel, and the mental weight of it all was just as heavy as anything she'd lost.
What Samantha wanted wasn't another number on the scale. She wanted peace. The ability to sit down at any restaurant without spiraling. To exercise because she wanted to, not because she feared what would happen if she didn't. To go on vacation and actually enjoy it.
So we didn't give her another plan to follow. We gave her a completely new way to think about food, movement, and her own body.
And now, nine months later...
→37 more pounds lost — and kept off
→ She has new found love for running and set a new 5K PR
→ She walks into restaurants with confidence instead of anxiety
→ She's made peace with the scale — no more frustration, just understanding
→ She has completed every lesson in our course months ahead of schedule
→ She shows up to weekly coaching calls consistently
She's not just lighter physically. She's lighter mentally, too.
The version of herself she used to dream about — calm, confident, energized — she's living it now. That's what this work is really about.
Ready to start your journey?
Here's how I can help...
If you're feeling overwhelmed and frustrated with your body and health, I know how you feel. Apply for coaching here with Healthy & Whole, I'll work with you to find the perfect support level for you in our program that fits your needs and your budget. We have options starting as low as $39.99 per month 💪🏻
Disclaimer: This email is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.
