Author: thenewsuperyou

I believe continuous learning and self-improvement can make life better and more energetic. I like to share what I've learned with others.

The “Candy Bar” Coffee: How to Bridge Your Fast Without the Bitter Aftertaste

Candy Bar Coffee

Black coffee is gross… I said it…

I absolutely cannot stand black coffee. If “brown bitter water” is your jam, then read no further… but to all my kindred spirits who think a creamy, decadent cup of joe is the only way to kick off a 10k-step day, I have something special for you.

This recipe is the ultimate “metabolic bridge.” It is low enough in net carbs to keep your insulin levels stable and keep you in ketosis, unless you follow the strictest “water-only” fasting rules. It also provides the healthy fats needed for brain fuel and thermogenesis.

It’s not just coffee; it’s a metabolic tool and a strategic deposit into your nutritional bank account.

The Candy Bar

  • 3 cups of high-quality Coffee
  • 35 ml Unsweetened Almond Milk (High-Calcium)
  • 1/2 TBS Stevia (or to taste)
  • 1 TBS Coconut Powder
  • 1.5 tsp Cocoa Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Ceylon Cinnamon
IngredientThe “Super You” Benefit
Coconut PowderHigh in MCTs for immediate energy and thermogenesis.
Cocoa PowderPacked with Polyphenols for heart health and mood.
Ceylon CinnamonHelps regulate Blood Sugar and insulin sensitivity.
Almond MilkProvides a Calcium Deposit for bone density.

Why These Ingredients Matter

1. Coconut Powder (The Metabolic Engine)

Coconut is rich in Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCTs). Unlike long-chain fats, MCTs are sent directly to your liver to be used for immediate energy. This promotes thermogenesis—essentially turning up your body’s internal furnace to burn fat while you’re still in your fasting window, and providing immediate brain fuel [1].

2. Cocoa Powder (The Vascular Flush)

Beyond the rich flavor, cocoa is packed with flavanols that improve Flow-Mediated Dilation (FMD). This helps relax your blood vessels and improves circulation, which is critical for heart health and muscle recovery. It’s a a great pre-workout “deposit” if you’re headed to the gym [2].

3. Ceylon Cinnamon (The Blood Sugar Guard)

Not all cinnamon is created equal. I use Ceylon (the “true” cinnamon) because it is a powerhouse for insulin sensitivity. It keeps your blood sugar from spiking by helping your body process glucose more efficiently. This ensures your morning cup supports stable blood sugar levels throughout the day and doesn’t kick you out of your fat-burning state. [3].

4. High-Calcium Almond Milk (The Bone Deposit)

By choosing an unsweetened almond milk fortified with calcium (look for ~450mg per cup), you are making a literal “Bone Deposit.” High-intensity training can cause the body to “rob” calcium from your bones if blood levels drop; this pre-exercise calcium feeding protects your skeletal density for the long haul [4].

The “Super You” Final Proof

By the time I finish this cup, I’ve fueled my brain, protected my bones, and primed my metabolism—all before my first solid meal. It’s about re-engineering the frame from the inside out.

Sources

[1] Weight-loss diet with MCTs leads to greater energy expenditure – PubMed

[2] Cocoa Flavanol Cardiovascular Effects Beyond Blood Pressure Reduction – PMC

[3] Cinnamon: Potential Role in the Management of Insulin Resistance – PMC

[4] Nutrition and Athlete Bone Health – PMC

The Root of Resilience: Why Ginger is a High-Performance Staple

The Science of Ginger: A Natural Powerhouse for Modern Wellness

Ginger has been a cornerstone of traditional medicine for centuries, but modern science is finally catching up to why this root is so effective. It isn’t just a flavor enhancer; it is a bioactive tool that addresses several of the most common health challenges we face today—from chronic inflammation to digestive distress.

1. Cooling Chronic Inflammation

Inflammation is the body’s natural defense against injury or infection. However, when it becomes chronic, it acts as a silent driver for serious conditions like arthritis and heart disease. Ginger contains potent compounds called gingerols and shogaols. These act as internal “coolants” by inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, helping to keep the body’s immune response in a healthy balance [1].

2. Natural Relief for Nausea and Pain

One of ginger’s most celebrated benefits is its ability to soothe the digestive system. It effectively blocks the chemical signals in the brain that trigger nausea, making it a reliable remedy for motion sickness and post-treatment recovery [2].

Beyond digestion, those same gingerols offer analgesic (pain-relieving) effects. Studies show that regular ginger consumption can be effective for managing exercise-induced muscle soreness and joint pain [3].

3. Strengthening the Foundations: Immunity and Brain Health

Ginger supports the body’s long-term resilience through:

  • Immune Support: Rich in sesquiterpenes, ginger provides antimicrobial properties that help the body fend off common viruses [4].
  • Cardiovascular Care: By assisting the liver in regulating cholesterol production, ginger helps maintain clearer pathways for heart health [5].
  • Cognitive Protection: Its neuroprotective properties help shield brain cells from oxidative stress, a key factor in maintaining memory and focus as we age [6].

4. Maximizing Your Digestion

Effective digestion is the bedrock of energy. Ginger stimulates the production of vital digestive enzymes, which ensures that the food you eat is broken down and absorbed efficiently. This reduces the likelihood of uncomfortable bloating, gas, and sluggishness after meals [2].

Integration and Safety

Whether used fresh in a smoothie, steeped as a potent tea, or taken in a concentrated supplement, ginger is highly adaptable.

A note of caution: because ginger can have natural blood-thinning properties, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional if you are currently taking anticoagulants or other specific medications.

References

[1] Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Activities of Ginger – IntechOpen

[2] The Effectiveness of Ginger in the Prevention of Nausea and Vomiting – PMC

[3] Clinical Trials on Pain Lowering Effect of Ginger: A Narrative Review – PMC

[4] Ginger for Colds: How to Use Ginger for a Sore Throat – Medical News Today

[5] Plasma Cholesterol-Lowering Activity of Gingerol- and Shogaol-Enriched Extract – ACS Publications

[6] Zingiber officinale Improves Cognitive Function of Healthy Women – PMC

The Myth of “Like Cures Like”: Why Cottage Cheese Actually Fights Cottage Cheese Thighs

We’ve all heard the health “wisdom” that sounds catchy but makes zero sense. “Drink more water to lose water weight!” (True). “Eat fat to burn fat!” (Also true, within reason).

But then, a question popped up in my feed: “If water helps flush out water, and fat helps flush out fat, does cottage cheese help get rid of cottage cheese thighs?”

It sounds like a joke. But biologically speaking, the answer is a resounding YES. Just not because of the name. Let’s look at the “Master Ledger” of why these strategies actually work.

1. Water to Water: The “Flush” is Real

When you’re dehydrated, your body enters “famine mode,” secreting Vasopressin (Antidiuretic Hormone) to cling to every ounce of fluid [1]. This causes the scale to spike and your joints to feel stiff.

  • The Science: Drinking water suppresses Vasopressin and signals the kidneys to excrete excess sodium. Since sodium “pulls” water into the extracellular space, flushing the salt flushes the bloat [2].
  • The Case Study: After a high-sodium Saturday, my scale hit 158.4 lbs. I didn’t gain 2 lbs of fat overnight; I gained a “Sodium Debt.” Sunday is for 100oz of water to “dilute the vault.”

2. Fat to Fat: The Metabolic Key

We were told for decades that fat makes you fat. The data says otherwise.

  • The Science: Healthy fats—like the MCTs in my “Candy Bar” coffee—promote satiety and thermogenesis. Specifically, Medium-Chain Triglycerides are sent straight to the liver for energy rather than being stored as adipose tissue [3].
  • The “Super You” Move: I use coconut powder to bridge my morning fast. It keeps my insulin low and my brain fueled, allowing my body to continue burning its own stored fat for energy.

3. Cottage Cheese to “Cottage Cheese” Thighs: The Recomposition Revelation

Cellulite (the “cottage cheese” look) isn’t just fat; it’s a structural failure. It happens when fat cells push through a weakened dermal matrix—the “netting” of your skin.

  • Casein Protein: Cottage cheese is 80% Casein, a slow-digesting protein that provides a 6–8 hour “drip” of amino acids to repair muscle and skin [4].
  • The Leucine Trigger: It’s loaded with Leucine, the specific amino acid that triggers Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS). Clinical trials show that Leucine-rich diets help maintain lean mass while targeting fat loss [5].
  • The Result: Today, my thighs are symmetrical at 24.5″. By building the muscle density underneath and using the amino acids to strengthen the skin “netting,” the surface naturally smooths out.

🛡️ Science vs. Superstition: The “Super You” Sidebar

On social media, people often fall for the Doctrine of Signatures—the ancient belief that foods that look like body parts are meant to heal them (e.g., “Walnuts look like brains”).

The Distinction:

  • The Superstition: Eating cottage cheese because it “looks like” the problem.
  • The Science: Eating it because its Casein and Leucine content are the exact raw materials required to rebuild the dermal matrix and muscle density.

The Final Proof: The Belt Doesn’t Lie

While the scale was “heavy” today at 158.4, I officially hit the 3rd hole on my favorite belt. On January 1st, I could barely fasten the 1st hole. That is 2 inches of real estate gone from my waist while my legs got stronger. That’s not a “diet”—that’s re-engineering the frame.

Stop chasing the number. Start feeding the density.

Sources

[1] Physiology, Vasopressin – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf

[2] Vasopressin regulation of renal sodium excretion – James D. Stockand

[3] Weight-loss diet with MCTs leads to greater energy expenditure – PubMed

[4] The Role of Casein Protein in Muscle Protein Synthesis – PMC

[5] Leucine may help to burn fat but spare muscle wastage: Pilot study – Nathan Gray

Hurting, Uncertainty, Grateful

I’ve been scared a lot. Scared of the uncertainty of the future. I know it’s always uncertain but before the pandemic I at least had a general idea of how things would go. I could plan. Plan for the future.

We’re all in this together they say… but not really. Rich people are only inconvenienced. They aren’t hurting. They aren’t worried.

Gratitude running out. Talking/working with others helps.

Hopelessness. When will this end? It’s not forever, they say. It is for those who died. Will I make it through to the other side?

Appreciation not Expectation

I’ve learned that when I lower my expectations and appreciate what I do have, I keep my sanity and serenity intact.

I used to expect a lot from people, especially at work. I thought if I knew how to do  something, they should too. AND, they should do it the same way I do. Then, I would get angry if they didn’t. It was a recipe for a stressful day and a stressful way of life. I now view people who annoy me, or are just plain mean, as spiritual growth providers.

Now I try to find ways to be appreciative even when things aren’t going the way I think they should. I try to see things from other people’s points of view and try to discover alternative ways of doing things.

I love learning new ideas.

I’ve discovered when I practice appreciation instead of expectation I don’t feel anger or disappointment. When I appreciate, I feel satisfied with what I’ve got and can then have a clear mind to work out whatever changes might need to be made for the future, as opposed to dwelling on the negative and how I wish I could change the past.

I can’t change the past. So I might as well focus on the future.

A wise woman once told me (today, actually), if I’m going to fall, fall forward, not backward.

I’m also learning (it takes practice, I’m still working on it..) to stop projecting my knowledge and fear on other people. I can’t reasonably expect people to know what I know unless I tell them.

And I can’t know for sure what they think of me unless they tell me.

 

~Thanks for reading
LC

Avocado

The avocado is one of the most nutrient dense foods. They are high in fiber, and are the top of their class for folate, vitamin E, and lutein. They are rich in magnesium, an essential nutrient for healthy bones and cardiovascular health, and in potassium which helps prevent circulatory diseases, regulates blood pressure, and protects against heart disease and stroke.

Avocados are also powerful nutrient boosters! They improve the ability of our bodies to absorb nutrients from other foods This food synergy maximizes absorption so we get the full benefit of what we consume.

  • Add it to a spinach salad with carrots to maximize absorption of beta-carotene and lutein!
  • Add it to salsa and increase the absorption of lycopene and carotenoid phytonutrients!

Even though avocados are high in fat, it’s the good kind, monounsaturated. This kind of fat burns more quickly than saturated fat. It also helps fight obesity by helping you feel full.

And… they’re delicious! A little EVOO a touch of salt, and a little sprinkle of Aleppo or crushed red pepper flakes is all you need for a quick snack, or, try this guacamole recipe..

Here’s a couple other avocado recipes:

~Thanks for reading
LC

“I’m Not Negative, I’m Realistic!”

I used to think, “I’m not negative, I ‘m just realistic.”

What a bunch of B.S.

The reality was, I was a negative person. I told myself this lie so much I actually believed it.

All being negative ever got me was a host of stress and resentments, and lost hours of my life dwelling on how things should be. Pointing out how things should be, and not offering any solutions or help with how things really were just pushed people away. Or they felt sorry for me, and that was even worse because I can’t stand it when people pity me.

Negativity is a vicious cycle I wouldn’t wish on anyone, that’s why it’s been so vital to my recovery to be positive. I no longer believe people who are positive are ignorant and unrealistic. They seem to have found a way to deal with living in the world the way the world really is, and have found a way to be happy about it.

Happy , joyous, and free…

Since I wanted what they had, I decided to emulate what they do. Positive people seem much more open-minded and have the ability to view things from several different viewpoints allowing them to see what’s going on in a much broader sense.

  • They don’t worry as much.
  • They possess empathy.
  • They are helpful.
  • People like them.
  • They are grateful, not resentful.

Since I’ve started trying to be more positive, not only has my overall mood improved, but my health has too! I have more energy and don’t have the weight of the world on my shoulders anymore.

That’s the power of positive thinking!

If anything, I’ve realized positivity allows me to be more realistic. There is more than one way to skin a cat, so to speak, so in reality it’s the negative thinking that is unrealistic.

 

~Thanks for reading,

LC

 

Don’t Dwell on Negative Thoughts – Replace Them

It’s insanely easy for me to get so wrapped up in my own head that I become paralyzed in thoughts of worry, remorse, and regret. I’ve lost hours at a time by simply sitting at my kitchen table thinking, dreading, dreaming, becoming angry or resentful about things that have never happened. I get lost in “What if” scenarios that play over and over in my mind. I never know how long one of these trips down the rabbit hole will last, but I’m learning to recognize when it’s happening and when I do, I take action.

As soon as I realize I’m entering “The Vortex” I know I need to snap out of it. Some sort of physical action is required. Sometimes I’ll shake my head a few times. I’ll stand up and roll my head around in both directions, stretch a bit, and go splash some cold water on my face. Sometimes I’ll call another person and ask how they’re doing. This helps to get me out of my own head. I just need to take some sort of action to reverse the motion and get the ball rolling in another direction.

This takes a lot of practice… Lucky for me, I get lots of opportunities to practice getting out of my own head!

That’s one way I turn a negative into a positive. I change my perspective. Another way is to recognize that once I’m in a calm thinking state, why not concentrate on deep breathing and meditation? Sometimes it’s difficult for me to calm down enough in order to be able to meditate and actually sit still, but through practice I’ve gotten pretty good at realizing when I am still, I can redirect my thoughts. Then I can…

Swap negative thoughts for positive thoughts.

  • Am I upset about being down?
  • What’s the opposite of that?
  • Being happy about things that make me happy?
  • What makes me happy?
  • Who are some people I really like?

This is what I ask myself when I catch myself dwelling on people I don’t like, who have pissed me off, who are living rent free in my head. What makes me even angrier is realizing I think more about people who have pissed me off than of people I love.

I know those people I’m mad at aren’t thinking about me, so why do I dwell on  it?

I don’t know, but what I can do is shift my focus and thinking when I recognize it.

Where is my happy place?

Somewhere between arrogance and self-hatred. Somewhere balanced. In the middle of the heap. Calmness and serenity. If I swing too far in one direction or another, it won’t be long until I become disturbed.

A safe place where I can let grace in.

Nature.

Service.

Out of my own head.

A place of love.

 

~Thanks for reading
LC

 

 

Chunky Guacamole

Serves ~12

Ingredients: 

  • 6 large avocados
  • 1 tsp EVOO
  • 2 limes, juice and zest
  •  1/2 tsp your favorite hot sauce
  • 2 TBS minced red onon
  • 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 Roma tomatoes, diced

Method:

  • Halve the avocados and de-seed
  • Score the avocado halves in a cross hatch pattern, then remove from skin with a spoon into a mixing bowl
  • All  the rest of the ingredients, one at a time, until fully mixed
  • Taste, and adjust seasoning
  • Enjoy!

 

~Thanks for reading
LC

Not All Decisions Have to Be Black & White, Good or Bad

I recently got passed up for a promotion. The boss told everyone through an email that another guy had been promoted and that we should all give him the respect he deserves and that he has a lot of experience. Well, I have a lot of experience as well. And where’s my respect? Why didn’t I even get a chance to apply for this new position? I’ve been there longer than anyone. Even the boss.

After utilizing “The Pause“, and taking a few deep breaths, I realized that just because the boss says this other guy has a lot of experience doesn’t mean that I don’t. My boss is a good guy, and I trust him. I also recognize this is his decision, not mine. Maybe the other guy is a better fit. They have worked together in the past. He has never specifically told me I’m not good enough so I shouldn’t put words in his mouth he never said, and I shouldn’t think I know what he’s thinking. I’ve made this mistake more than once in the past and all it did was make me miserable.

After taking offense at first, I decided to turn it over to my higher power and to not worry about it anymore. I decided not to make this a “black or white” situation. It’s not good or bad. It just is. All I can do is just continue to try and do the next right thing, and being angry and resentful about something I have no control over is a useless waste of time.

I still have my same role in a job I am very grateful to have. I don’t have to worry about where I fit in.

Now the boss is going on vacation and I have a chance to be helpful to the new second in command while he’s away. I’m glad I didn’t react the way my old self would have. A positive mindset is a powerful thing, indeed.

 

~Thanks for reading
LC