Trouble with Acne and Breakouts? (The Importance of EFAs)

An update going into week 8, getting back into consistent cardio, and doing it before breakfast has definitely made a visible difference this past week. A new idea that I've also been incorporating into my regimen is, in addition to eating consistently every three hours, to eat until I'm satisfied but never full. In other words, if full is 100%, then you're always aiming to eat to around 70-75%. Your goal is to never let yourself get hungry, but also to never let yourself get too full. I think this has also contributed significantly to my changes this week since I used to always eat until I was full.

An example of my diet regimen on a cardio day would be:

7:30am: cardio for 30 mins - hour

9am: breakfast

12pm: lunch

3pm: snack/protein bar/protein shake

6pm: dinner

9pm: protein shake with zero carbs

Updated pictures to come.

A new 24 Hour Fitness Super Sport opened up today and I went there to check out their pool first thing upon awakening, which was at 10:30am. Don't laugh because I can't wake up. This place was utterly packed on their grand opening day. I ended up having to park what felt like a mile away in a separate parking lot. Needless to say a ton of people were there. Hopped into the pool and did just 10 laps back and forth. Felt really good. Taking spin class tomorrow morning as well!

With that said, one of the things I've wanted to talk about since I started my diet regimen is acne. The first 3-4 weeks into it, I noticed my skin tone becoming uneven and red bumps becoming more prevalent. I noticed some other people struggling with breaking out too, albeit for different reasons, which led me to do some research on the internet about how to properly diet to reduce this issue. Along the way I found this great resource from an individual who manages his own website dedicated strictly to clear skin:

http://howtoclearyouracne.com/main/

One important aspect that I strongly agree with is the balance of our body's Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs: Omega 3s, omega 6s, omega 9s) and breaking out. The two are closely correlated. It is postulated that the balance of EFAs in our bodies should be a ratio close to 1:1 or 2:1 of omega 6s vs. omega 3s. These days with our foods heavy in omega 6s (eggs, cheese, meat etc.) the balance has skewed closer to 20:1. Long story short, omega 6s increase your body's inflammation response while omega 3s help lower them. Usually, inflammation is a good thing for your immune system because it helps your body fight off infection and disease. But of course with the levels of omega 6s that are prevalent now, our bodies overreact which lead to a whole host of conditions; one of which is breaking out! So in summary, you're most likely deficient in omega 3s. If you break out a lot, one of the things you can do is to start taking supplements or incorporating a large amount of fish into your diet.

Check out that website!