Weight Loss Facts VS Fiction

The weight loss journey can be a confusing one. Most people have a sense of what they can be doing to be healthier, but any research online can lead you down many rabbit holes and leave you feeling analysis paralysis: do you go the quick fix route because you wanted to lose the weight yesterday? There’s always new fads that seem to be promising. Or do you try to find a sustainable solution?…..but which way is the right way to do it while also enjoying balance? At Thrive Nutrition our goal is to help you find a sustainable way of eating that helps you reach your body composition goals which also nourishing and satisfying you. Below are our thoughts on the latest fads that are blowing up on the internet and social media so you can feel knowledgeable enough to decide for yourself.

  • Debunking the Most Common Nutrition Myths and Misconceptions

    The world of nutrition is filled with misinformation that can be confusing and overwhelming. As more people become health-conscious, there is a growing demand for accurate and reliable information about nutrition and wellness. Learn the truth behind common nutrition myths as we reveal evidence-based facts and debunk the misconceptions

  • Navigating Fad Diets through the Lens of Functional Nutrition

    Discover the advantages of functional nutrition over fad diets and learn how personalized health plans offer a sustainable approach to achieving and maintaining optimal health. Contact Thrive Nutrition now.

  • Is Obesity Genetic and are GLP-1 Drugs Effective for Long Term Weight Loss?

    GLP-1 drugs, most commonly associated with obesity and diabetes care, are becoming popularized for weight loss. Billionaires including Elon Musk and Michael Rubin have sung the praises of GLP-1 drugs. Does taking these drugs make sense? Are we victim to poor genetics?

  • B12 Shots for Weight Loss

    B12 Shots for Weight Loss | What to Know Before You Try

    There are several methods available for many people who want to lose weight. The most popular weight loss program is to follow a combination of a balanced diet and physical activity. At Thrive Nutrition, we have a specific philosophy about how we help our clients in their weight loss journey. Vitamin B12 is a nutrient of interest because it assists metabolism, energy production and improves mood.

  • Coffee and Lemon for Weight Loss

    Coffee and Lemon for Weight Loss: Does it Work?

    Losing weight is the goal of many, so it's easy to fall prey to shortcuts and "hacks" that promise to burn fat. As your team of expert nutrition professionals, we aim to help you discern fact from fiction on your weight loss journey. In this article, we're going to discuss an emerging TikTok trend that many users are claiming to be effective: adding lemon to coffee to help you lose weight.

  • Enzyme Coffee for Weight Loss

    Enzyme Coffee for Weight Loss: Is it Legit and Safe?

    Drinking enzyme coffee is one of the uprising trends in the weight loss community, but is it authentic? Is it safe or just another fad made by so-called "fitness gurus?" Let's uncover the truth behind this weight loss trend together.

  • Bone Broth for Weight Loss

    Bone Broth for Weight Loss | 7 Reasons Why it Might Help

    If you're looking for a weight loss aid packed with powerful health benefits, bone broth might be the answer you've been searching for. Not only can it help with losing weight, but it can also help improve gut health and reduce inflammation in the body. It also contains vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial nutrients for managing your weight.

  • Ginger Oil Weight Loss

    Trying Ginger Oil for Weight Loss? We Explore This Trend

    Have you heard the buzz surrounding ginger oil for weight loss? This trendy solution to slimming down has been popping up all over social media, with Instagram influencers touting its ability to help fight fat. But what is this mysterious stuff, and can it do as much as they say? We've taken a closer look at the health benefits and science behind ginger oil to see if it can help you reach your weight loss goals.

  • Our Weight Loss Favorites: MCT Oil and Coffee

    We think having C8 MCT oil with coffee offers a powerful combination. Find out why.

  • Our Weight Loss Favorites: Stearic Acid

    Stearic Acid is a saturated fat with novel properties. While stearic acid is not a magic pill for weight loss, it does have several properties that can help with weight loss efforts.

  • New List Item

    Our Weight Loss Favorites: Berberine COMING SOON!

We’re here when you’re ready.

Lifestyle change can seem scary and overwhelming. But we promise, we can give you meaningful direction and help you along all the ups and downs of your weight loss journey. You can select a more hands-on approach with our Clinical Nutrition Membership (bonus: you can use insurance!) or a lightly guided approach with our Health Coaching Membership.

Matt, Minneapolis MN:

Definitely would recommend Thrive Nutrition if you are looking for some direction and coaching for nutrition. I went in with a very limited knowledge of what I needed to do to improve my diet and she worked with me over the course of a few months to help build a foundation of healthy eating that I believe will change my daily well being moving forward. I had plenty of questions and confusion from hearing so many different opinions on what is healthy and feel like I now have a clear vision of what is so.

Lisa, Andover MN:

Nutrition has always been something I have struggled with...there is so much information out there that truly figuring out what good nutrition is can feel completely overwhelming. Thrive Nutrition has made understanding nutrition a lot easier. I received help creating and maintaining a low carb, well-balanced approach to nutrition. She has also helped me implement family-friendly options. There just aren’t enough words to express how much this has helped our family.

Josh, Minneapolis MN:

It was the best way for me to lose the weight I've been trying to lose for years. I'm down 45 pounds. The coaching was great and helped me stay encouraged through some tough spots. If you’re serious about losing the weight but just haven’t found the tools yet you should definitely consult the nutrition experts at Thrive Nutrition.

In the interim

Thanks to Chris Kresser for pointing that a growing body of research to live long, healthy lives relies heavily on nutrient status. We need about 40 micronutrients to function optimally. When we don’t get enough of even a few of these, our bodies break down—and our lifespan shortens. Dr. Bruce Ames, a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology professor at UC Berkeley, has developed a hypothesis for why this happens, called Triage Theory

The Triage Theory holds that a modest deficiency of even a single nutrient triggers a built-in rationing mechanism that favors the proteins needed for immediate survival and reproduction (survival proteins) while sacrificing those needed to protect against future damage (longevity proteins). This is true because survival and longevity proteins often require the same vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to function properly.

If there’s a shortage of a particular nutrient, the body will always prioritize what’s needed for short-term survival. That’s an evolutionary imperative for us to be able to pass on our genes. Evolution is nothing if not efficient. This is a DRAMATIC shift in how scientists are now thinking about the role of nutrients in human health. Historically, micronutrients were considered compounds crucial for survival or protection against severe ill health. Now, we are beginning to realize the critical but unappreciated role they play in optimal function, aging, and longevity. 

If Ames’ Triage Theory is true, it would explain why mild nutrient deficiencies that aren’t enough to cause overt clinical symptoms still contribute significantly to the aging process and the diseases of aging. This means nutrient intake that falls short of the RDA, or maybe even between the RDA and the optimal amount—which is often higher than the RDA, especially for nutrients like magnesium, which support over 700 enzymatic reactions in the body.

And this is what makes optimizing nutrient status so tricky—and so important because it’s difficult to know if you’re falling short of this optimal nutrient intake. You may not develop any symptoms in the short-term, or if you do, they’ll likely be non-specific symptoms like low energy, brain fog, poor sleep, digestive or skin issues… exactly the type of mild symptoms that almost everyone today experiences at least some of. If we want to optimize our health in the short term and live a long, disease-free life, we need to maximize our intake of the 40 micronutrients that our bodies need.

There is limited specialized micronutrient panels available: we prefer the SpectraCell Micronutrient test due to it’s large analysis of micronutrients. Yes, eating real food as much as possible is helpful since it reduces how much ultra-processed, nutrient devoid we eat. But the truth is, soils are depleted due to only fertilizing with a select few minerals and the reduction of adding compost, manure or growing diverse plant crops on the land. You can eat healthy and easily be micronutrient deficient. Further, the toxins in our environment, high stress, illness, intense exercise, etc. all demand a higher level of micronutrients. That is why we always suggest the Thrive 5 as your core supplements to ensure optimal nutrient levels: a methylated powder multivitamin, a concentrated triglyceride fish oil, magnesium glycinate, vitamin D/K2 and a high dose broad spectrum probiotic. Think of these as your safety net: you don’t want to rely on these for micronutrients, but they are available when you need them.