I get a lot of questions in person, by email, or by Facebook messages. One gal said recently, "Please keep posting info about diet. That's where I really struggle and I want to learn more!" I agree and it seems that's a common statement from many men and women that cross my path. In my opinion and from what I've learned to this point in my journey, it's really mostly about the diet. We've been programmed that it's all about what we do in the gym, how often we go, how long we work out, and the level of intensity (More is more, right? Ummmm, NO!). However, while all that's an important factor and on average that's roughly one to two hours of your day, the other 22 to 23 hours are what REALLY make the difference in your physique.
So, if you're just starting out or maybe you're looking for a change, here's how I would guide you. I'm not a personal trainer or a nutritionist, but I do have a degree from Indiana University in Physical Education and I've sat my booty in a lot of Weight Watchers meetings and tried and learned from several popular programs along the way. So, if I would have the chance to sit down and chat with you in a coffee shop and help get you on a new track, from one gal to another, this is what I would tell you! Man, I wish someone would have told me this a lot sooner when I was just starting out! Just another reason I created the Fit Gal Club....so I could pass on what I've learned!!
Fit Gal's Top 10 Diet and Wellness Tips
1. Know Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate...the minimum your body needs if it just sat at rest all day) and How Much You Need To Eat In A Day:
Nothing will slow your metabolism down faster than if you're not eating enough to lose weight or build muscle, depending on your goals. Know what you need calorie wise on a daily basis and then EAT {well}! I send people to this website to get a baseline: Calculate your BMR HERE!
2. Clean It Up:
I'd always aim to combine a lean protein, a complex carb, and essential fat for each meal. That combo in general will promote satiety, keeping you full and satisfied. Cut out the processed foods, period. Go for the basics like lean meats and proteins like eggs and egg whites. Cut back (or cut out) the dairy. Eliminate snacky, cookie, cracker, cakey foods from your diet. Of course stop eating fried, greasy, and fast foods. Do I really need to explain why?! In addition to lean protein, choose vegetables, nuts, and an occasional fruit as your main fuel. Eating a diet higher in low sugar veggies can act as your form of carb supply. Lower and eliminate the sugar....it's addictive! Keep track of what you drink, sugary, pop and alcoholic drinks. Beverage calories DO count and they add up fast! Wanting to cut the sugar habit? Take my 21-Day FREE "Shake the Sugar" Challenge HERE!
3. Eat Breakfast:
Rise and shine to a solid meal to start your day. What do I eat? I call it my Power Breakfast: 1c oat bran, 1c egg whites, and 3T of flax meal. That's 663 solid fiber, carb, protein, and healthy fat calories combining to rev my metabolism. Guess what...I'm hungry a few short hours later!
What other options are good? I don't do dairy and I do very little fruit, but some people eat: berries (bananas are super high in sugar, so eat in small amounts), whole grain toast, eggs, egg whites, oat meal, oat bran (NEVER with the added sweeteners/flavors in the packet) and Greek yogurt. Warning on yogurt: watch all the flavors and fruit in the mix. Bottom line...it's just sugar!
4. Eat Often:
It took me almost 18 months into my journey to learn this and when I started it, it really broke through a 7-month plateau I had hit. Aim to eat every two to three hours. Until your body gets used to eating so often, I coach people to put reminders in the phone or on their to-do lists to remember to eat. I also teach people to take their day's calories and divide it by the total number of meals per day. So if you're supposed to eat say 1600 calories in a day on your plan, divide that by 6 meals and get your calories per meal to aim towards eating (1600/6=267 calories per meal as a goal). Consider it like a food budget and create your meals with that powerful lean protein, complex carb, veggie and healthy fat super combo.
5. Eat Post and Pre Workouts:
This concept was one I missed for a very long time. In order to get the most out of your workouts, make sure to have a complex carb and protein before you hit the gym. Post workouts should be a simple, fast-digesting carb and a protein. Keep all fats and more complex, fibrous carbs out of your diet for at least 90 minutes post workout so the fast carbs can be absorbed to replenish the depleted glycogen stores in your muscles and the protein can be absorbed to help with muscle repair and to prevent further breakdown. Some experts recommend you intake .25 x your body weight in grams of carbs. So a 150 person would need roughly 37.5 grams of fast digesting carbs, give or take some depending on the intensity of your workout. For me, I put more in on leg day since it's the biggest muscle group in the body.
Some quick sugar examples for post workouts (NO to low fats, just fast sugars): 1 serving of Marshmallows (4 large or 2/3 c small), 1 serving of Mike & Ike's, a Candy Cane, 6 Rice Cakes OR even a Pop Tart....yes, you read that correctly! Read this great article on the why and how and science of it from a gal named Roxie HERE!
6. Track Your Eats and Keep a Food Journal for Food Intolerances:
I was eating "healthy" foods at one time, but was still very bloated and not losing weight. I started to not only Track my food using Weight Watchers Points at the time, but I also started to keep a food journal to write down what I ate and then record how I felt and how it impacted my digestion. I came to find out that dairy, red meat, and processed foods just did not sit well with me. I saw a common pattern in my journal, cut those foods out, and the weight came off! Keeping a food journal is extremely eye opening to how certain foods (even "healthy" ones) really impact your body.
If you don't track your food, I suggest starting up. You can't possibly know what you're eating calorically in a day just going off memory. No Way! After doing #1 above, you know what amount of calories to eat on a daily basis for your goals, so keep track of it daily. I use the My Fitness Pal website and app and you can friend me by searching for Mindy Irish on there. Remember, you snack it, you track it! Hit your daily calorie goal each day with clean eats and watch your body respond in a good way!
7. Drink Water:
Yes, you've heard this before, but are you drinking your water? It's a natural, daily detox to your system. Add a little lemon into your water or decaf flavored tea bags to spice it up. My tip: get a HUGE water bottle with a handle and straw and down it thru the day. I drink about a gallon and a half a day. Generally speaking, you can count decaf coffee and tea WITHOUT added sugars or creams towards your water count.
How much water daily? I get roughly 1-2 gallons a day and that's what I feel best on, but the rule of thumb is upwards of half your body weight in ounces of water, and more so in hot weather and if you're doing a lot of cardio and need to replenish the fluids. So a 150 pound person should aim for AT LEAST 75 ounces of water a day. In all honesty, when it becomes a habit to drink water, that's not hard to do at all and you'll likely drink way more than that! Be careful not to drink too much (say over 2 gallons daily) in caution of flushing the much-needed electrolytes from your system. Find your balance and stick with it!
8. Have Cheat Treats or Meals or Refeeds:
When you eat well day in and day out, your body will figure you out. Throw it a shock every once in a while with a special treat drink, dessert, or cheat meal. It keeps your body from thinking it's starving and revs up the metabolism. I've done entire"Cheat Days" in the past, but I was throwing SO much junk into my system in one day, that it was just too much for the results I desired. Find your balance and enjoy some of your fun foods within reason.
A Refeed is a high carb, no or low fat meal or snack or daily process. If you eat clean and eat very few carbs over the course of a few days, then you can replenish your glycogen stores by eating high grains, oats, rice, pop corn, and simple sugars for a day to shock your system in a different way. Add it alongside lean proteins and you've got a great, healthy shock for your system to "refeed" the carb-starved muscles.
9. Sleep:
If you don't get enough sleep, you won't lose weight and you won't build muscle like you're wanting. When you sleep your body repairs and rebuilds. God had a purpose and plan when he created us and sleep is a BIG part of that equation! Shut it down early each night and jump in the sack. It's the icing on your cake to all the hard work you're doing! Sometimes, after a few days of clean eating and hard workouts, I can see noticeable changes in the AM after a good night's sleep. It's what your body needs, so make it a priority!
10. Speak Up and Know What You're Eating Before You Eat It:
You HAVE to advocate for your health or who else will? You have to know what you're eating BEFORE you eat it. I've done it time and again and still do it occasionally where I eat something and look it up on the car ride home only to realize it had how many calories and how many fat grams in it???!! Who knew?! With apps, smart phones, websites, we have such a technological advantage these days to know all about what we're eating. Some joints don't publish their nutritionals, so you might want to think long and hard if that's somewhere you should keep eating.
Regardless, I empower you to speak up and rework the menu no matter where you are. You can customize basically anything and make it your own. Never eat a meal just because that's the way they serve it off the menu. If you want it prepared differently or with less items, then you speak up and order it that way....(and tell them I said you could!)
For more in-depth info, I've written a 60-Day Coaching and Accountability Plan entitled "Living the Fit Life" for developing healthy lifestyle habits. I'm currently coaching three gals behind the scenes through a pilot of this program. I plan to launch and sell it from the Fit Gal Club Website as an e-book and entrance to a private accountability group in late Winter/Spring of 2013. If you might be interested in joining the wait list for purchasing this plan, please email Mindy Here!
Plans I endorse and that worked or are working for me:
Click below for links:
Got questions?
No comments:
Post a Comment