Macronutrients, IIFYM?? Fat loss

Is Flexible Dieting for YOU?

What is a "Macro" and why should I eat them?

 *scroll to the bottom for a cheat sheet!

A "macro" is a short term for Macro-nutrient.  Macro-nutrients are protein, fat and carbohydrates.  These three macro-nutrients make up the calorie content of all foods.  Any type of food will have a combo of protein, fat and/or carbs or it can be just one of these macros; oil, for example, is just fat. Peanut butter is fat, protein and carbs.  All three of these macros have a caloric value assigned to them and however many grams of each macro a food has determines the total calories in the food.  By reaching for macros during your day rather than just overall calories you will be eating for optimal fat-loss and body composition. All three are very important for overall health.  Note, ALL three, we do not cut out a nutrient (i.e. carbs- because vegetables and fruit are carbs, we need those!) for weight loss.

This way of eating and constructing your meals is not a new concept but one that is well proven by science.  It is a way to construct your daily intake of calories and nutrients that, as long as you stick to it, will give you the best results and body composition (muscle to fat ratio).  It is not "calorie counting" but rather "macro tracking."      

It is a way to eat the foods you like while still hitting the weight-loss or health goals you are shooting for.  As long as you get foods to fit into the numbers calculated for your specific body, activity and goals then you can eat it...if it fits into your calculated macros for the day, it's fine!  This is a wonderfully flexible way of eating that will make your life easier and make reaching your goals a sustainable lifestyle, because you get to eat what is enjoyable.  It is also important to reach for healthy foods but this lifestyle makes it so you get your treats every now and then and are less likely to "fall off the wagon" or binge.

How do I track them?

First you need to know what they are for you, this is done by getting them calculated for you at your current fitness state (I can do that for you!).  The best way to track is to measure what you eat, by cups, tablespoons or, ideally, grams on a kitchen food sale.  Make sure you get the right amount that you are eating then plug them into an app and start logging your food. You will eventually learn what are great choices that help you hit your daily goals.

There are many great apps out there:

MyFitnessPal.com (free- but the paid version will let you track specific macros)

Macros by calorie count (android- free)

Macros+ (Iphone)

fatSecret.com

sparkpeople.com

 **If this sounds scary or confusing and leaves you wondering how to even begin, I can help you with that.  Nutrition counseling is fast and easy and you'll get step by step help, by phone or email assistance along the way....my priority is simply to guide you to a healthier lifestyle.  You won't weigh and track forever, it's a learning tool!

So, macros are the building blocks of food, which is the building block of your body.  You eat them every single day without even thinking about it. You can choose which foods of each macro you want to eat and how to arrange them or which way of eating you prefer, I.e. vegetarian, vegan, paleo or simply "normal", it all contains macros!  If you eat them in the right proportions, right amounts of each for your fat-loss or body-reshaping journey then you will see much greater success.

Macro cheat sheet, what goes into what category?!

 

New Year, New food mmmm...

So January is over and I am now asking about the resolutions you've made for 2014....why now? Because it's about now that you are probably moving on from them :)  Resolutions, goals, personal fixes, do-overs,...whatever you call them I want you to think about them as Superbowl Sunday approaches us this weekend!

One of my many goals I set for myself was to add more recipes. I used to do it a lot so I'm going to post more recipes and workouts per blog. The recipes will be gluten free and mostly dairy free so I hope I can help those of you who are just finding out you need to be either one, or both, of those. It's rough when trying to change how you eat/cook so if I can help I will certainly try. Eating healthy is pretty much the only way we eat in our house, not because we try so hard but mostly because that's the stuff I like, and I cook so it ends up that way. We do like to splurge but our splurges tend to be Thai or sushi which are not the worst we could choose.

Here's the deal though. I'm not a chef, not even a wonderful cook. But I love to eat and I hate to shop soooo that means that I've become really good at figuring out how to put together meals with whatever is in the cabinet and they usually end up tasty, if I do say so myself.  I also have a few rules when it comes to recipes that I use. Due to my laziness most recipes will have 6 ingredients or less and about 5 steps or less (most will include one step that says "put all ingredients in a bowl and stir" :) ) So if you want easy and fast...I'm your girl...wait, I mean...you'll like my food suggestions.

Here's a great one for the Superbowl:

Peanut butter balls...

we did this regularly as a kid, it may even be the first recipe i memorized. It is great for the sweet tooth but will fill you up.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup peanut butter (an all natural PB is recommended — the only ingredient necessary is crushed peanuts)
1 cup honey
3 cups rolled oats (oatmeal)
1 cup dried fruit (we like crasins in our house but mini dark chocolate or rasins would do)
unsweetened coconut

DIRECTIONS

Mix the first four ingredients together thoroughly. Form them into balls (makes about 10-12 depending on size) then roll them in the crushed nuts, granola cereal, or unsweetened coconut. Serve or refrigerate.

Nutrition Info:

Recipe yields four dozen quarter-sized balls.

Nutritional information per serving: 100 calories; 5 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 12.2 g carbohydrates; 2.8 g protein; 4.4 mg sodium; 1.5 g fiber; 7.1 g sugar

Super Workout:
10 "field goal" Crunch- Lay on back with arms and legs stretched out and raise shoulders up while lifting legs and hold for 2 counts.
10 supermans- (reverse of elongated crunch) Lay on belly and raise legs and arms, hold for 2 count and lower
10 out and in ab crunches
20 touchdowns- stand with feet apart take left hand and as you side step to the right you touch left hand to the right foot. Then side jump/step to the left and bend to touch right hand to left foot. Alternating sides.
10 Squat sidekicks each leg - squat and then kick leg to the side kind of like a roundhouse kick.
10 Switch lunge jumps
15 Single leg squat each side
10 run-downs...20 high knee run in place and drop down for a pushup then repeat
15 tricep dips.

Repeat this 1 to 5 times before the game starts then at least once at the end....so you don't snack too much!

Pasta, Gluten and Experiments confirmed!

As most people that know my family know, or if you’ve read the blog for a while, 2 of the 3 of us are gluten and dairy free, not by choice, the third person eats that way simply because it’s easier that way than explaining to a toddler why Daddy gets to eat different stuff all the time.  You can find the background, how we found out, how long it took and all of that on the “Gluten Free” tab.  Being gluten free is not really that difficult to do, especially if eating it gives you pain, it’s pretty easy to stick to.  The thing that makes it the most difficult is dealing with outsiders, people that don’t believe in it (which is just plain annoying) or when we go out and really don’t want to be “those” customers asking for so many substitutions.

Let me explain the worst part… I am half ITALIAN!  That means that when we make our traditional homemade ravioli complete with spinach and ricotta filling, I don’t get to participate and G, for the first time that she would be able to actually appreciate it, wouldn’t get to have any!  But we found a way around it….so transpired THE GREAT GLUTEN EXPERIMENT OF 2013…and it was perfect!  Enter Italian flour.  That’s it. Italian flour.  You’re probably wondering why? How? And could it work for you too?  Well, I don’t know because it was a total experiment and every individual is different.  But you gotta be curious how we came upon this awesome discovery:

My sister and Brother-in-law spent 5 weeks over the last summer in Europe.  The whole trip was about living it up, with trips, fun…and food.  She ate everything and anything she wanted.  Pasta, pasta, pasta. Baguettes and formagio (cheese), croissants, crepes…you name it.  All the while she didn’t have any pain while noshing on all of that goodness, she noticed the lack of stomach issues but didn’t think a whole lot about it. 

Then they came back to the US, stayed with us for a couple of weeks, where she was gluten free so she didn’t really notice anything.  Then it was off to Oregon, home of her husband.  Well, there were sandwiches, toast, cereal and beer…and there was pain.  So much so her husband freaked out and tried dragging her to the ER.  That didn’t happen but she gave up gluten at that moment and never looked back (well, until the blood test that made her eat it for a few weeks). 

            They did research upon research and one of the findings was that 90% of Latin Americans are gluten intolerant.  I said I was half Italian…well my other half is Nicaraguan.  That would explain why 2 aunts and my own daughter were diagnosed within 6 months of each other.

That brings us to another connection.  A family friend who is a doctor, had been gluten free for 15 years, went to Europe for a month and said “forget it, I’m going to eat it all and just live with the pain”. (Apparently we all just need to let it all go in Europe?)  But there was no pain either.  My sister was so glad to hear that, it kind of confirmed that she wasn’t making it up!

So on to our experiment.  I was pretty bummed that I couldn’t eat the ravioli that I would spend hours upon hours pressing and filling and cutting.  My dad, wanting his first and only granddaughter to be able to eat the ravioli, had a genius idea: we can try getting the same flour they used in Europe that others had so successfully been able to eat.  So he special ordered a few pounds of flour and on Ravioli Day we got to mixing…and I got to eating, and sampling, and making, and sampling (I love dough) and finally I got to eat some cooked ones for lunch.  My reactions are usually within 45 minutes to 2 hours so we waited.  We kept cranking the pasta press, filling and pressing and cutting and every so often my dad would say “how do you feel?”  I kinda felt like a lab rat to be honest   Anyway, after a few hours and even the next day….NOTHING.  I ate a TON of pasta and didn’t hurt J   (to see pics of us making it keep scolling down)

Just to confirm it all, 2 days later I went out for Mexican food with 10 of my cousins and I decided to just go for it…and I paid for it.  So yes, I am still able to get sick off merely sauce and chips.  That was phase 2 of the Great Gluten Experiment of 2013, and it failed.  CONCLUSION: Italian flour did not hurt me!

There is a lot of research out there on gluten intolerance and why or how it occurs or why some people get it.  Some doctors are saying that even intolerance can be called Celiac because so many have it these days that they just should call it all Celiac..but that’s not the case yet.  I’m not here to go into all of that, find a great allergist or gastroenterologist to help you with that.  The research that I’m intrigued by is the research about GMO wheat and how that is what is really affecting those that are intolerant or Celiac.  Why would some people get diagnosed in their 60s or older when for the first 50 years of their lives they were eating everything and were, seemingly, without symptoms?  Or why so many young people can’t tolerate substances that once were so common? Or why the flour in Europe doesn't affect people like the flour we get here in the US?  From what I’ve read, a lot of the chemicals and GMO processes we use here are illegal in many other countries.  That may tell us something.  I don’t know.  Like I said, I’m not a scientist, doctor or researcher but I can tell you that from my, and others in my life’s, experiences, the flour here hurts and the flour from Italy doesn’t.  That’s all this is experiment was about but it sure got the questions flowing.

I like to say that if your Grandmother didn't eat it, couldn't get it or can’t pronounce it, you probably shouldn’t eat it.

The moral is, do your own research, do your own experiments if you have to and figure out what’s right for you.  Everybody is different and has different levels of tolerance to various foods or allergens.  Find doctors that support you, help you.

Just live the way that makes you happy and healthy. 

how we made it:

the filling: 

after rolling it in the press: filling it:

pressing ("forking"):Cutting:

The finished product...mmmmm:

End of the first week of 2013...*workout, snack

Did you set a resolution this year? It's that time of year again, the time when we renew our goals to ourselves, to our lives and to our family. The first week of the new year is ending and I want to make sure we all are able stay on track for the year.  Those that forget by the next Friday that their New Year resolution was to "give up sugar" may need to reevaluate their goals. Seriously, no sugar.  Ever. For a whole year. Seriously? Did you make it a week? Try again.
       Well, I have to admit, I didn't really set a lot of resolutions, no list this year....but it was intentional. I always preach that it is important to set realistic goals, and resolutions are included in that too. I always do a self-check about May and October to see if I've hit my goals or kept with my resolution I made the previous January. In 2012 it was pretty close! (hey, no one is perfect). So this year I set two goals, one that focuses on myself and one that focuses on my family.
    #1... live as healthy as possible but don't live with regrets either. This means if I want a burrito, I eat one (well, if I can find a gluten free one *sad face*) or if I want anything to splurge on, do it but don't think about it days later. Eat it, enjoy it, and live the next 6 days happy and healthy.
     #2... be happy in life, with life and with my family. We are here together and we need to be grateful for what we have, who we have and live our best life..all of the time, not just when we remember. Sometimes life gets in the way of life. I'm going to make sure that I (and in turn, my family) appreciate everything and I don't sweat the small stuff. It's a cliche but it's true, don't sweat the small stuff!

So here's a great snack that I've been eating a ton of, it's simple and fast:
Hummus and sweet peppers!
Any flavor hummus will do, Sabra is my favorite brand because it is GF and I like the spicy because it stops you from eating a ton since your mouth is on fire.

Those little bell pepper like peppers in a bag you see in the grocery store are the ones I'm talking about.
       Dip and crunch. It's a perfect snack when you need to crunch something like a potato chip or crunchy candy.Try it

At-home workout for the week:
10 Donkey jumps with a chair on each side
10 push-ups
20 high knees
10 v-ups
10 jump-squats
***repeat 3 times or more, no less!  And time yourself, do it every day for a faster time- descriptions below

Donkey jumps with a chair- stand facing a chair, the part you sit on is facing you. Bend over and put one hand on either side of the seat, so you're leaning on it. (You'll be facing down with your butt sticking out basically) Then you'll jump with both feet together from side to side lifting from your hips. Keep grabbing the seat, don't let go, but jump right and left 10 times on each side.
Push-ups-  I hope you know what a push up is.... Keep your butt down, body in line and look about a foot in front of you on the floor.
High knees- Stand up and you will run in place bringing your knees as high as possible, slow down a bit so you can get your knees even higher, 20 on each side!!
 v-ups Lay on your back stretched out with arms over head and legs out straight. You will bring your finger tips to your toes, they'll meet above you so your body makes a V. Fingers to toes, then lower legs and arms back down, wash. rinse and repeat. :)
Jump-squats stand up, lower yourself into a squat and jump with your arms reaching high, land in a squat position (this is important! it will protect your knees from damage). Squat down, jump up high and do it all over again.

Locals: take a look at m 10-day Fit program, save your spot now it'll start soon :)

Happy, healthy week :)

Results are in...and life continues

Life has finally settled down and it dawned on me that I never posted my before and after pics (ok, I was avoiding it). I'll do that, I'll also post my placing :)

I wanted to start this blog to motivate others in a real-life way and I realize that the fitness competition atmosphere is not real life, for almost ANYONE...myself included. Especially anyone who has children, a husband and a house to take cate of...successfully. I am a fitness and nutrition enthusiast/professional but I cannot sustain that contest-prep lifestyle for a long period of time without letting something else important slack. Heck, I was only 95% in for the actual prep for this contest, if I'm being honest with myself, which is not good. I enter things to win, not to just try. But it is what it is, I have school and a family that needed me more than my contest did. My husband and daugter are most important, but I did find fun and happiness...and as Steve says, Happy wife, Happy life.

What I do want to do with this post is show people that setting goals is important not only for fitness but for life, accomplishment is a wonderful feeling and something that, I feel, is important for everyone. So the results are.....

Protein powder-gluten free and yummy

       So I had an awesome, active day including our launch of BodyPump! 5 classes finished off with earning my spot in the 5 Minute Plank Club...whoop woop :) We made it a family affair with Steve doing a class and Gia cheering us on from the windows. What a great start to Labor Day weekend! I'm officially 6 weeks out from the fitness competition so it is in full swing. Nutrition is number one, workouts second. I eat cleaner than ever (hard to believe, I know.) and have increased protein and over all calories to get one more solid week of building muscle before I start to dial it all in. I have got to get that scale to budge---upward. by muscle mass. pronto. (Yes, I do know the muscle gain rules, 1 lb per month on average for average women..I know this... but I'm trying to push the limit. We'll just see how my body responds. So far, it's been one lb/ month...)

       Well I promised a review of the newest protein powder I found so here it is. It is called About Time 100% whey isolate. Now, this is important...if you are in the market for protein powder, whether it is gluten-free or not, you should look for whey isolate, as opposed to concentrate or blends. Whey isolate is the best, most readily available form of protein. This brand is not only gluten-free but sugar free, Sucralose (fake sugar sometimes included in "sugar free food"), and lactose free. So it's pretty clean and allergen free.
My review is a good one :)

Content: obviously great, no tummy aches which is common for me with some not so clean ones.. On top of that it is only 103 calories per scoop and 25 grams I protein- that is a high amount for such low calories. Look at it this way, (put on your math-caps)1 gram of protein has 4 calories, that means 100 calories come from protein and only 3 calories come from other ingredients (a marginal amount of fat). That is clean protein!
Taste: good- even sweet compared to other sugar free ones but really good vanilla flavor. Oh! And I can't forget to mention their other flavors- cake batter and chocolate and so many I haven't tried so I can't say how good they are but sound tasty.
Texture: very powdery and smooth
Mixability: I try all shakes/powders with water first and it was pretty tasty, granted the last one I had was really gross, but even comparing it to others I loved the flavor of this one. I use it mostly with unsweetened vanilla almond milk and it mixes into my almond milk very well and is more vanilla-y and smooth. I only mix with about 3/4 cup.
Price: $$- really good comparatively and when buying from www.supplementwarehouse.com you can get free stuff too so it makes it better. Just make sure you order the next tub BEFORE you run out or you'll be waiting for their slow shipping while craving the protein yumminess.

So in conclusion: Love it, go buy it!
-----SECRET SNACK-ATTACK----
I make a delicious nighttime snack with this powder and as I mentioned, here it is:
1/2 cup -3/4 cup vanilla almond milk
1 scoop About Time vanilla powder
1/2 cup frozen blackberries
Oatmeal to desired thickness-sometimes I add more if I have carbs/calories to spare by the end of the night.
Drizzle with honey.

I eat it every night as a sweet desert while my hubbs is chowing down on his nightly Magnum ice cream bar that I drool over (ooohhh when competition is over I am so having one).

Protein crisis fixed- cheap, fast meal included

So it's been too long but I wanted to post an update on my life as a mom-wife-grad student-personal trainer-fitness competitor-in-training- bodypump-memorizing-maniac of a life. Wow, I'm doing a lot but it's fun for me (probably not for the hubs but I certainly appreciate all his help). As you can see, still no pictures posted. This is for two reasons, 1) I'm embarrassed. and 2) Gia lost my camera! Ok, so I've seen progress.... 3% bodyfat gone and no pounds gone. That is my goal, I don't want to lose weight, I actually want to see it go up by 2 or stay the same. I need to loose bodyfat and gain muscle so I'm doing it right so far. I'll tweak it for the next week and keep tweaking until comp time.

Here's the crisis: I ran out of protein powder last week! Call the news station, call the National Guard- we almost had a national crisis. Well, at least that's how I felt! When I ran out of protein I was so low and my muscles just couldn't recover like I needed them to. I tell everyone that protein is important! My friends that have listened have seen results.  It is hard to get a lot of protein sometimes, especially if you are in "contest prep" mode, like myself. And honestly, it's hard even if you just want a normal amount.  I need between 115-140 grams of protein a day and for someone that doesn't like meat, that is very very hard. I was nearly crying while choking down my 2nd piece of chicken after eating 2 fish fillets and a can of tuna earlier in the day :-/

Well, I found a great shake- it's the 4th brand I've trie.... I just want a good one, that's all I ask. I have been in the market for a Gluten-free, sugar free, sucralose free, lactose free whey isolate protein powder that has BCAAs (branched chain amino acids) for recovery- and I think I finally found one. I received it Friday and will use it for one week before I review it... I'll let you know if it's a keeper!


Favorite meal of the day-Cheap, low cal, easy:
Swai fillet (fish) sprinkle with oregano, thyme, basil and chili powder all to taste- baked in the oven 15mins
peach salsa from Trader Joes 1 tablespoon
gluten-free corn tortilla - Mission Yellow corn are gluten free
Green beans or broccoli --- or awesome salad of your choice (watch the dressing, salsa is a good one for low cal and adds veggies :) )
black beans- make sure they are low sodium. Eat 1/2 cup, it's a decent amount!

aaahhhhmazing. Low carb version is no tortilla and only 1/4 cup of beans. But either way, it's a great fish taco with high protein, good fiber and great veg choices.
Follow it up with my favorite protein packed after-dinner snack that I'll post during the protein powder review. So check back in a week or so!

Here's a great pick from our active-recovery day at Ha Ha Tonka state park...400+ stairs one direction, plus a mini hike! (don't mind the post-picnic lunch food baby protruding from my midsection..mmmmm picnics)

Live Happy and Healthy!

Happy and Healthy :)..Workout included

Alright, well it has been too long...but I can say I've not gotten off track. Gia, as you know, had surgery on her kidney and she is doing great, totally recovered and running around. The only sign is the large scar on her side but that will go away in time. We'll go back in a week for the post-op and then one more time going under to get the stent out in a few more weeks. Thanks all for the calls and stuff, it made it go by faster.  But now it's hot and we are back to normal loving the heat and playing in the water every day!

On a "my thing, my time, non-mommy" topic...We, my friend and I, are about 12 weeks out from our Fitness Competition and it's SO on.... cleaner eating, more focused workouts and walking in 5 inch heels daily! I'll get some before pics up soon, I will have to have a shot of some adult beverage or some other inhibition inhibiting substance first but I'll post it in the next week or so. :)  If anyone is curious and wants to get on a schedule here's my workout plan (and plans change sometimes...)

                 Monday- cardio, either swim or bike (one hour max), lifting back and biceps and an at home HIIT workout in the evening (see below workout).

                 Tuesday- slight cardio (only because I teach my cycle/sculpt class) and lifting legs       
                 Wednesday- Lift chest and triceps (maybe back), cardio swim
                  Thursday- same as Tuesday

                  Friday- cardio, bike or swim...or both! and abs

                  Saturday- BodyPump

                  Sunday off or family hike or swim

You can join in and make it a group thing...I'd love to know people are doing it too.

 So anyways, while in the hospital Gia was pretty much knocked out so I was able to get in a workout while there....here's your Mommy's-at-home-workout- Sippy Cups and Water Bottles:

20 plie squats (legs out wide with toes pointing to out)

20 front knee raises each leg (raise knee to opposite elbow, twisting your torso)

20 tuck jumps (put your hands waist high, palms down. Jump from standing position but jump/tuck your knees up high enough hitting them on your hands)...these were interesting to do in the hospital!

20 chair dips for triceps (sit on a chair, place hands beside your hips with fingers facing the front of chair. Scoot butt off the chair holding yourself up with hands and dip up and down.)

10 push ups with hands on the chair for easy or floor for harder- push yourself- make it harder!

20 jump lunges (get into a lunge, hold one second then jump up and switch your legs, do this 20 times!)

Repeat this workout as many times as you can...after the dishes but before the kiddos wake up from naptime! ;)

And for our newest clean, gluten-free meal favorite...
Salmon with lemon zest and juice (or if you're lazy just lemon juice, ask me how I know that.) and garlic

Black beans from the crockpot seasoned with salt, pepper and chili powder

Broccoli and green bean veggie mix (um, totally from the frozen department, much easier)
Tomato Basil polenta baked! yummmmy

Secret desert: I cup of plain Greek yogurt with a cup of frozen berries on top (no sugar added fruit).

Gluten-free meals for the day

Going gluten-free has been an interesting change for us. (Please see Gluten-free living page to see why we must eat this way). I am half Italian so carbs are a MUST in my life and as a fitness professional I understand that carbs are a necessary fuel for the body. Peanut butter on whole grain toast was my go-to for a pre-workout snack, whole wheat pasta with scrambled eggs and spinach topped with balsalmic vinegar was our quick but healthy dinner. I would never advise anyone to eat gluten-free unless they are sensetive to gluten, are breastfeeding a baby that is or are living with someone who is and you are supporting them. Whole grains are integral to a healthy diet- unless it makes you unhealthy that is.
Here is what we may eat on any given day:
Breakfast:
      -oatmeal with banana or blueberries
Snack:
      -apple and peanut butter
Lunch:
      -stir fry tofu with veggies
Snack:
      -flavored rice cakes and yogurt
Dinner:
      -stuffed bell pepper (ground turkey/cheese)
      -quinoa

Our favorite after dinner snack recipe...
Greek yogurt covered blueberries!

Fresh blueberries
Honey flavored greek yogurt
toothpicks

How to:   skewer berry, roll around in yogurt, put it on wax paper and repeat for remaining berries. Place wax paper in the freezer for about an hour and enjoy