More Of What I Eat

I know I get stuck in a rut sometimes and can’t think of things to eat. Getting ideas is always helpful and then you can put your own twist on them. Remember to make things work for you. I wrote a blog in the past called What the TrainerEats. Which has some great ideas.

I am not a real fancy eater by any means and so I stick with easy foods. I cook in bulk and am fine with eating the same thing a few days in a row. This might not work for everyone.

Breakfast:

o   1 serving of Spiced Apple and Rice Cereal (see recipe below) with 1 cup Fage 2% plain yogurt

o   Smoothie (2 scoops Arbonne Chocolate Protein Powder, 1 cup whole Organic Sassy Cow milk, ½ banana, 1 tbs natural peanut butter)

     Lunch

o   2 cups Aunt Annie’s Tomato and Basil Soup with 1 cup Daisy 2% Cottage Cheese

o   Home made egg salad on Ezekiel bread with an orange

    Snack

o   1 cup Fage 2% plain yogurt with ½ cup frozen wild blue berries (love Costco) and a few walnuts

o    2 Babybel original cheeses and a pear

 

     Dinner

o   Taco Salad (no Shell) Organic Lean ground beef with taco seasoning over lettuce, tomatoes and black olives. Add ¼ salsa and ¼ shredded mozzarella cheese

o   Sweet potato fries (slice in wedges and coated in olive oil, sea salt, and garlic powder. Bake at 400 for about 25-30 minutes) with a side salad and steak or other protein source

o   Baked Whole Chicken with steamed broccoli or green beans and avocado slices 

 

Spiced Apple and Rice Cereal

From: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook
Serves 3-4

1 cup brown basmatic rice, ground

1 cup milk
2 to 3 cups water

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

pinch of sea salt

Apple Topping:

2 teaspoons coconut oil

2-3 tart apples, cored and thinly sliced

¼ cup currants or raisins

2-3 tablespoons maple syrup or whole cane sugar

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ cup water

Directions:

1. Grind rice in a coffee grinder (I used my food processor and it works fine) Place into a 2 quart pot with the milk, water, cinnamon, cardamom, and sea salt.
2. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to a low simmer and stir frequently until cooked, about 15 minutes. Add more water as needed for a thinner consistency. Remove from heat when cooked.
3. In a medium skillet, heat coconut oil; add the apples, currants or raisins, maple syrup or sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sauté for about 2 minutes then add the water and simmer for about 5 minutes, uncovered, stirring frequently.
4. Place rice cereal into individual serving bowls and spoon apple mixture over each.

Grocery Shopping

I attending a grocery shopping tour by Tracie Hittman last week. It was interesting to have someone actually take you through the store and show you things that they suggest you buy. I learned a lot and was so glad I was able to attend.  Tracie has many other classes and a great blog that encourage you to check out: http://www.itsyourplate.com/blog/.

One of the things that I said though afterward the tour is that now we have to put it into practice. It is one thing to be given a plan and the reason behind the plan, but putting it into practice is most of the time the hardest part. I know I am a creature of habit when it comes to grocery shopping. I do not like to spend a lot of time in there and many times with my son I do not have a lot of time. This is good if you continually buy the best foods. I have made many tweaks over the years to what I put in my cart and after the tour I will do some more tweaking.

Here are some of those changes:

• I will go back to drinking real cows milk : Organic Sassy Cow is what I buy my son and know that is a great choice for him. I on the other hand have been drinking Almond Milk for about 3 years. I started drinking this because I thought is was healthier for you. Come to find out that is not the case. According to Tracie Hittman's rules it was not around 100 years ago and therefor I should not be drinking it.
• Yogurt: I will now look at the label of my yogurt. Yogurt should not contain Pectin. Pectin is a thickening ingredient which is natural to find in jams, jellies, etc, but not in yogurt. One yogurt that was suggested was Fage. I have made this switch and like it.
• I will stick with white cheese: Milk is white so cheese should be as well. It is so simple, but I never really thought about it before. Also making sure to look at the labels for RBGH Free on them or buy cheese from other countries which all are RBGH Free.
• Know that it is a transition: Tracie reiterated that there are some great transitional foods that may not be A+ foods, but maybe B-. This is going to be important with transitions from things we currently eat now and for those times we just want something specific. My husband is very happy with this point:)

Keep making those small changes, because they do add up.

Carbohydrates

It is interesting that in the past I have never really paid that much attention to carbohydrates. I never questioned the recommendation of 6-11 servings of grains and 50% of your diet coming from carbohydrates from the American Dietetic Society as being wrong. I am currently reading The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson. It is about the Paleo diet. Eating what our hunter and gather ancestors ate to survive. He does a great job explaining how our body utilizes the carbohydrates and fats at different levels. He breaks down why low fat diets are making everyone fatter and what the real culprit is for the conditions included in the metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity): carbohydrates.  

At 50-100 grams of carbohydrates (200-400 calories) our body is a fat burning machine and one can achieve effortless weight loss. At 100-150 grams (400-600 calories) our body is at a weight maintenance range. At 150-300 grams (600-1200 calories) we start finding it a huge challenge with weight gain.

After looking at my food logs from the past I have averaged around 200-300 grams of carbohydrates. Granted many of the things I have been eating are lots of fruit, whole grains, vegetables, etc. I exercise at least 45 minutes everyday of the week in order to keep my weight in check. What would it be like to workout a lot less, yet have the body of your dreams?

I know of a few other trainers who believe in the Primal Blueprint and have seen great results. I am using myself as a guinea pig. I have never cut something out of my diet completely, my philosophy has always been everything in moderation, and so this will be a huge challenge for me. I actually love whole grains (rice, barley, oatmeal)

Here is what my eating plan will consist of:  1600-2100 calories

No Grains
100-150 grams of carbohydrates a day (my goal is not weight loss)
70-100 grams of protein  (based on .7-1 gram per pound of lean weight from body fat calculations)
100-125 grams of fat (healthy fats)
I will eat when hungry and till I am full/satisfied

This challenge will start on August 21^st. I have a half marathon on the 18^th and I know that going lower carbohydrate will mess with my energy levels. In order to PR, to prep with my meal plans, clean out the cupboards, and mentally get my self ready I have decided to push it back. To keep myself honest and accountable I am going to blog my experience at www.paleotransition.blogspot.com. Please follow me. In the past I have told myself that I was going to go gluten free or vegetarian and always caved. This is my way of sticking to my guns.

I suggest you pick up a copy of the Primal Blueprint or do some research on your own by googling the Paleo Diet.

Another Take on Food Logging

I was listening to Dr John Berardi’s interview with Ann Wixon for the Future of Health Now 2012 series on Fat Loss Secrets For Successful Body Transformation and his take on logging food intrigued me.  He said that by counting calories you are looking for math to tell you when you are full or what you should eat. You forget or loose track of using your sensors.

I am a big advocate of logging and find numerous benefits in utilizing this as a tool for improving your health and losing weight. I can personally relate to what Dr John Berardi is saying though. I have caught myself after logging my food and being low on calories for the day eating more even when I wasn’t necessarily hungry. I have also noticed after measuring out my food I have a tendency to eat it all no matter if I’m hungry or not because that was the serving/meal. Personally I know that slowing down my eating and being more aware will make a huge difference in my eating habits.

The message to take away from this statement is not to stop logging, but that first and foremost we need to listen to the body. Dr John Berardi said the first step to success is paying attention to “The Process “ of your eating (how, what, why, etc).

 Here are some strategies to start paying attention:

• Slow down eating giving yourself at least 15 minutes to eat a meal and 5 minutes for a snack.
• Make sure you are sitting at the table to eat. Create a relaxed atmosphere. Try to refrain from eating in your car or on the go.
• Before, throughout the whole meal, and once finished eating evaluate your hunger cues. Never allow yourself to get too hungry and eat till you are about 80% full.
• Working on leaving a little food on your plate at each meal to break the clean the plate club.
• Ask yourself the following questions:
• I’m I relaxed and enjoying my food?
• Are my choices mentally and physically satisfying?
• Do I feel energized after I eat or do I want to take a nap?

These questions are a great start in working with “The Process” of your eating. If you are looking for more suggestions check out The Rules of "Normal" Eating: A Commonsense Approach for Dieters, Overeaters, Undereaters, Emotional Eaters, and Everyone in Between! by Karen Koenig.

Enjoy exploring your Process of eating!

The Look Of Health

What triggers in your mind how healthy a person is? Some might say their weight. But what about their skin? No matter if a person is thin or overweight, clear glowing skin radiates a sense of health. What does your skin say about you?

Healthy skin starts with good eating habits, exercise and a skincare regimen that includes exfoliation, cleansing, moisturizing and using sunscreen.

Your great summer skin prescription:

• Water is vital for flushing waste products out.
• Fish, especially salmon, is full of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Shellfish are a good source of zinc to heal wounds.
• Aerobic exercise increases facial viscularization and oxygenation, creating that rosy luminance.
• Whole Grain products such as wheat, wheat germ, barley, and rye are excellent sources of vitamin E to strengthen and protect our subcutaneous layer of fat against free radicals. They are also high in B vitamins, which are essential for making new skin cells.
• Beef and dark-green leafy vegetables are a great source of iron which helps our oxygen-carrying red blood cells.
• Vitamin C is important for collagen synthesis. Load up on citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, bell peppers, and baked potatoes.
• Add spices to your diet. Basil, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, ginger, red chili, turmeric and curry have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Here are my Top Skin Care Products:
Arbonne’s  Sunscreen
Arbonne’s RE9 Skin Care Set
Arbonne’s Sea Salt Scrub

 Show off a little skin…..

Is Fruit Good Or Bad When Trying to Lose Weight

Is fruit good or bad when trying to lose weight? This is a question people ask often. My response is everything in moderation. Fruit is a carbohydrate and it contains calories like everything else. It is recommended that you get about 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit a day based on your calorie needs.

Fruit has many vitamins, minerals and fiber yet fairly low in calories compared to other things. Fruit is a great alternative to other calorie dense sweets and if that is an issue, replacing the sweets with fruit can help a person lose weight. Fruit contains water and fiber which helps with a person feel full longer. Cutting fruit out means losing out on so many benefits.

Raw sugars from fruits are slowly digested and burned at a steady rate. Thus, while fruit is high in sugar, such natural sugar should not be avoided. Some fruit is lower in sugars than others. Here is list to help you decipher.

Berries - Berries are, in general, the fruits lowest in sugar -- and also among the highest in antioxidants and other nutrients.
Summer Fruits - Melons, peaches, nectarines, and apricots are next in sugar-order.
Winter Fruits - Apples, pears, and citrus fruit are moderate in sugars.
Tropical Fruits - Pineapple, pomegranates, mangoes, bananas, and fresh figs are high in sugar (guava and papaya are lower than the others).
Dried Fruit - Dates, raisins, apricots, prunes, figs, and most other dried fruits are extremely high in sugar. Dried cranberries and blueberries would be lower, except that a lot of sugar is usually added to combat the tartness. Choose varieties that sugar is not added as well as sun-dried when possible.

I recommend a variety of fruit, but sticking with those that are lower in sugar can help you lose weight. Consuming fruit before workouts and for breakfast is another little trick.

Fruit can easily fit into a well balanced diet to promote weight loss. Pay attention to servings sizes, sugar content, and your diet as a whole.

For information on what counts as a cup of fruit check out: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/what/examples.html

What the Trainer Eats

One of my clients thought is would be helpful to share the top three things I eat for breakfast, snacks, lunch, and dinner. So here they are:

 My schedule is a little different in that I eat a lighter breakfast before I go and train my morning clients around 5:00 AM and then I eat a more heartier breakfast at around 8:00.

Breakfast #1:

• Smoothie (2 scoops Arbonne Protein Powder, 1 cup almond milk, ¾ cup frozen fruit)
• 1 cup Dannon plain Greek yogurt, 2 T wheat germ, ¾ cup fruit (cherries, berries, peaches, ect)
• 1 piece Ezekial Bread, 2 tb peanut butter, drizzled with honey and a banana  (this is for when I am running late)

 Breakfast #2:

• 1 cup Tosca Reno’s Hot Morning Cereal
• 3 egg omelet made with mushrooms, peppers, onions and low fat mozzarella cheese
• 2 hardboiled eggs, 2 tbs salsa, sautéed mushrooms, onions, and spinach

Lunch

• Spinach Salad with pecans and dried cherries with balsamic vinaigrette dressing
• 2 cups butternut Squash, ½ cup black beans, ¼ mozzarella cheese
• Home made tuna salad on Ezekiel bread with an orange

Snack

• ½ cup low fat Cottage Cheese with ¼ of avocado
•  Homemade protein bar (contact me for the recipe) and apple, pear, or orange  (this is perfect for when I am on the go)
• 5 dates and a handful of dry roasted almonds

Dinner

• Baked cod (garlic, olive oil, lemon) with sautéed broccoli and mushrooms
• Roasted vegetables (carrots, parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes with olive oil and rosemary) either cottage cheese or Grilled salmon
• Homemade Turkey burgers (see recipe) with steamed carrots or green beans

Homemade Turkey Burgers Recipe

Serves 12  (great for freezing)

3 lb lean ground turkey

¼ cup oatmeal

¼ cup fresh basil, minced

2 egg whites, beaten

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

cooking spray

1 cup low- calorie marinara sauce

2 tbs. parmesan cheese, grated

In large bowl, combine turkey, oatmeal, basil, onion, egg whites, garlic, salt and pepper until well mixed. Form 12 patties. Freeze what you will not use right away. After you grill the burgers top with a few spoonfuls of marinara sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Nutrition:

206 calories, 31 g protein, 3g fat, 15 g carbs, 3 g fiber,  557 mg sodium

Nutrition Rules to Follow

Dustin Maher has put out a new book called Fit Moms for Life: How to Have Endless Energy to Outplay Your Kids. The book is a great motivator and provides a well laid out plan to follow in order to achieve the body of your dreams. There is a nutrition component where he talks about sixteen “Rules to Eat By” in order to see great results.

All of the rules are great, but I want to touch on two of them, because if you do nothing else I feel they are the best to start with. They focus on the start of your day and the end of your day. The first one is breakfast. First of all make sure you are eating breakfast and then be sure to include protein. Protein is going to satisfy you and keep your blood sugars in check. Dustin suggests two eggs, sprouted grain toast and a quarter to half of an avocado. Some other good choices would be an omelet with loads of vegetables and shredded cheese, yogurt with fruit, 2 hard boiled eggs with fruit, or a smoothie made with protein powder.
 
The other rule is for the later part of your day and it states not to eat grains or starchy carbs after 4:00 PM. The reason for this is that your body doesn’t need that type of fuel for the level of activity most people will be doing in the evening. The extra carbs will be stored as fat if not burned. Dinners should consist of lean protein, a little fat, and lots of non-starchy vegetables (leafy greens, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, ect.)

I feel both of these rules are great. I have followed the first rule for many years, but am working on being more diligent with the second rule.
 
For more tips from Dustin or to check out his book go to: http://dustinmaherfitness.com

Clean Eating

Do you pay attention to how many ingredients are listed on the label of the foods that you are eating? A great way to know that you are eating the right foods is to stick with foods that do not even have a label. Have you heard of shopping the perimeter of the grocery store? This is where the REAL food is (Nuts, meats, fruit, vegetables, dairy, grains, ect)

The philosophy of eating real food is also known as Clean Eating or staying away from foods that are prepackaged with lots of added dyes, chemicals, and fillers. I love Tosca Reno. She is a big advocate of clean eating and has any tools out to get you on the right track. For more information on her and what she offers check out:
http://eatcleandiet.com/

There is also a Clean Eating Magazine out, which contains menus using foods in season along with grocery lists. Past editions are posted online along with tips and recipes at:
http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/
 
To revamp your whole diet to clean eating might be challenging at first, but find ways to make small strides in that direction.

Healthy Lunch and Snack Ideas

One of my clients asked what things could she pack in lunches that are portable yet healthy going beyond just the basic sandwich, piece of fruit, and chips. There are many health and economic reason’s to take your lunch and own snacks to work, yet being sure you are not getting bored and knowing what to pack can keep you consistently grabbing that bag instead of heading out to grab a bite or to the vending machine.

Prepackaged:
Nature’s Touch, KIND, or Kashi Granola Bars
String Cheese
TLC crackers  (all varieties)
Yogurt (plain and add your own fruit, honey, maple syrup, or spices)
Raisins, Craisins, or dried apricots
Apple Sauce
Sun Chips French Onion
Vitalicious 100-Calorie VitaBrownie
Low sodium v-8 juice
 
Things to Bag up or divide in containers Yourself:
Kangaroo Pita chips with Sea salt
Sweet Potato Chips
Sunflower Seeds
Dry Roasted or Plain Almonds, Peanuts, Cashews, Walnuts, ect
Hard Boiled Eggs
Low Fat Cottage Cheese (Organic Valley Low Fat Cottage Cheese)
Yogurt Covered Raisins or Almonds
Vegetables cut up (carrots, Peppers, Cucumbers, Celery, Broccoli, Cauliflower, whole cherry tomatoes, kohlrabi, radishes) 
Milk
Salads (put all vegetables in large container and add your dressing and protein right before eating and shake well to coat)

Beyond a sandwich:

Pita bread, Wraps, Arnold Rolls, Lettuce Wraps
Add Hummus, bean sprouts, avocado, or bean spread for variety

If you have a microwave:
Cook meals in bulk and take leftovers to work

Make a big pot of homemade soup

Jolly Time 100-Calorie Mini Bags, Healthy Pop Butter Flavor
Green Giant Vegetable Steamers  (non seasoned or flavored)