The First 80% - Nutrition

Prior to Farrell’s, I  had the pleasure to work with a personal trainer, Marnie. Her gym was the first place where I learned about true proper nutrition. With her help, I also fell in love with weight lifting (but more on that another day).

One of the first lessons Marnie taught was, “You cannot outrun your foods.” Most of our society believes that you can eat whatever you want as long as you burn enough calories to offset your food choices. Yes, if your calories burned exceed your caloric intake, you will lose weight – but your weight is only one factor in your overall health. What I want for myself and for YOU is a healthy body composition and that is 80% dependant on what goes in your mouth.

Before I learned about proper nutrition, I was ALWAYS hungry. I never seemed satisfied, and often craved fatty, sugary foods. I was thrilled when I was first introduced to the idea of eating several smalls meals a day and quickly found my solution to uncontrollable cravings. I always eat within 15-30 minutes of waking (unless I am going to the gym immediately). If you workout first thing in the morning, you may or may not want to eat beforehand. My stomach doesn’t handle food well so I wait, but you may need the fuel to get through your workout at a Level 10. I eat once I return home, and follow with 4-5 more meals every 3 hours or so.

Each meal should combine lean protein and healthy carbs . You will also want to incorporate healthy fats a few times a day such as nuts, natural peanut butter, olive oil or avocados.

Portion Tips:- Protein – approximate size of your palm (for most this is 4-6oz)
- Fruit/Veggie Carbs – approximately two loose fists (avoid white potatoes, corn and starchy veggies)
- Grain Carbs – one clenched fist for brown rice or whole wheat pasta; ½ slice of  whole wheat bread

Below are some of my favorite products/items to have on hand:

-          All Whites – I love these because they are so easy. You can find them next to the eggs/egg beaters. I suggest mixing in fresh spinach, red bell pepper or using a flavored olive oil to add flavor. If you are easing into the idea of egg whites, scramble 1 whole egg with 2-3 egg whites.

-          Arnold Buns – Make sure your breads are 100% whole wheat. Not all wheat breads are 100% and some have high fructose corn syrup so read labels and find your favorite. These buns have a great flavor and give you two pieces to actually sandwich.

-          Chobani/Fage Greek Yogurts – It is best to stick with the plain options as the flavored ones can have a bit of sugar. You can flavor them yourself with extracts, small berries or diced fruit, and stevia if you need a sweetener. I prefer raspberries with mine and don’t need an additional sweetener. Try to keep these to one a day.

-          CytoSport Complete Whey Protein in Vanilla – (www.cytomax.com) Great with frozen fruit and a little skim or even water as a shake, or added into oatmeal or made into a protein pancake, this protein powder is known for blending well. Some powders can get clumpy and have an unappetizing texture, but this one mixes like a pro. They have many flavors, but I prefer to buy vanilla so that it mixes well with most foods. *This brand also makes a great fruit protein performance drink that is lactose free, aspartame/sugar free, only 1g of carbs and a nice alternative to traditional protein shakes. I like them because they are easy to toss in your bag for the day or keep in your car for food “emergencies.”

-          Other foods I like to have on hand include, whole fruits like clementines, apples and pears, other fruits like grapes and berries (keep frozen on hand for protein shakes), lowfat cottage cheese and lowfat skim string cheese, canned tuna (cheap and healthy), sliced almonds (great as a topping or to add texture to your favorite meals) and whole almonds (10 of these make a great fat serving or 20 if you’re in a bind and have nothing else to eat)

 If you want more information on meal planning, meal recommendations or how to incorporate this type of nutrition plan into your life, feel free to email me at jessicazobac@hotmail.com

 Thanks for reading! Off to make my meal plan for the week. I am doing this and SO CAN YOU! Make it a Level 10 Day!