How To Cut Carbs Without Cutting Your Sanity

Let me start by saying that I love carbohydrates. It's my favorite macronutrient. Our bodies need carbs, especially if we are athletes. Who am I to deny my body something it needs. Amiright? 

Food is not just about nutrients and fuel, it is also about enjoyment. We need to find the balance of what we enjoy eating and what is good for our bodies. Let's find the sweet spot of sanity and sustainability. What healthy eating habits can we sustain for the rest of our lives?

If you tell me I can never have a carb again, then we are not friends. That is simply not sustainable for my lifestyle. I want to be healthy, but I also want to enjoy my life. Finding that balance is key. 

How I cut carbs tonight pic.twitter.com/vkpBR7nasF

— Circuit Static (@circuitstatic) April 11, 2017

Cutting carbs is popular on the diet circuit because when we cut carbs we lose water right away and the number goes down on the scale. It isn't magic. In the beginning it is likely water weight. It's great. You look a little leaner, the scale shows a lower number and the button isn't popping off your pants anymore. You probably didn't lose fat, but you lost weight. I get it. It feels good. 

When we cut carbs we also cut calories. If you order a hamburger without the bun, you just cut 150-300 calories from your meal. The calorie deficit is also contributing to your weight loss.

I don't have any issues with limiting carb intake to reach body composition goals, the problem arises when we ignore our bodies feedback and take it too far. Our bodies have a way of telling us what it needs. We just need to get in tune with our bodies to hear these messages. 

Carbohydrates aren't bad. When we demonize foods we end up unbalanced and risk nutrient deficiencies. Our ultimate goal should always be health and balance. That includes a healthy body and mind. We shouldn't stress about any foods.

Our bodies are all different and we have different tolerances to carbohydrates. While some people may thrive on a low carbohydrate diet all the time, others will be grumpy, low energy and...did I mention grumpy? (Raises hand.) It's all about experimenting with carb intake and honestly assessing how you look, feel and perform. If you look, feel and perform your best on a low carb diet, then go for it. If you feel like $hit after day three and your workout sucks, maybe it's time to eat some oatmeal.

We are all individuals and have individual nutrient needs. Just because your friend claims to to have lost 20 pounds and feels great on a low carb diet, doesn't mean your body will react the same way. In turn just because I feel like crap on a low carb diet doesn't mean all my clients will too. As a nutrition coach, it is not about pushing my personal diet strategies on my clients, it is about working with them to establish a protocol that works best for their body. 

The key to achieving all the benefits of a low carb diet without going crazy is in carb quality and carb timing. 

FOCUS ON CARB QUALITY

The first way to cut carbs without cutting sanity is to simply cut out processed carbs. If we limit our carb intake to whole foods we eliminate most of the problems with carbs. Carbs aren't bad in themselves, it just so happens that most processed foods are carbs.

If you first work to eliminate or reduce the white flour, added sugar, salty snacks, most packaged foods, cereal, beer and soda you cut out the carbs that are less than ideal. What's left? Fruit, oatmeal, potatoes, whole grains, vegetables, quinoa and rice as some examples. If you limit processed foods and added sugars, that is probably all the carbs that most people need to cut. Especially athletes.

I am also not saying never to eat a potato chip or slice of pizza again, just that these things should be the exception, not the rule. What you do daily matters more than what you do once in awhile.

CARB TIMING

Once you have already reduced processed carbs from your diet you can take it to the next level with carb timing by consuming most your carbs for the day right before and after your workouts and reducing carb intake on your rest days. This is an effective way to ensure your body gets the carbs it needs to perform well, while reducing the chances that there will be excess calories that lead to fat storage. 

Remember that carbs don't make you fat. Fat doesn't make you fat. Calorie surplus over energy needs is a major factor in fat storage. It's about balance. 

Focus on eating whole nutrient-dense foods in proper portions from a variety of food sources for happy healthy body and mind. 

HOW'S THAT WORKING FOR YOU?

There is a lot of controversy surrounding nutrition and people can have very strong beliefs about their diet approach, the best way to eat healthfully and lose weight. The truth is there is no one best diet. Each of our bodies are different and only we know how our bodies respond to different diet philosophies. The problem only arises when we ignore our body's natural feedback in order to stick to a diet that clearly isn't working for us. The bottom line is that if you can honestly say that you LOOK, FEEL and PERFORM your best, then I'd say keep doing whatever you are doing. 

Me? I'm sticking with healthy carbs. Need help with your nutrition strategy? Tired of dieting? Want help making healthy choices while staying sane and balanced? Join my nutrition and lifestyle coaching program for long term sustainable results.

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52 Healthy Habits: 10 Easy Ways To Eat More Vegetables

Welcome to the latest edition of 52 healthy habits, when each week I tackle a new healthy habit. Healthy habits are the building blocks of a healthy lifestyle. In this series we look for ways to take small steps forward towards a healthier body and mind. It's not about overhauling our whole lives, it's about tackling one small lifestyle change at a time.

No matter where you are in your fitness journey, from beginner to elite athlete, there is always room for incremental improvements. It's the small things that snowball into big changes. Consistently improving your lifestyle will yield lasting results.

As much controversy that exists around diet and nutrition, one thing that is almost universally agreed upon is that most of us need to eat more vegetables. If you shudder at the thought of choking down soggy steamed squash, I have some better ideas. Vegetables are healthy, convenient and delicious!

This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I make a small percentage of the sale with no extra cost to you. No one is getting rich here it just helps with the running (pun intended) of this blog. 

WHY VEGGIES?

Vegetables are high in nutrients and fiber and generally low in calories. They help you feel fuller, longer with less calories. They help fill you up and keep your digestive system healthy. For best results try a variety of multi-colored veggies. Look to add a variety of green, red, orange, purple and yellow vegetables to your diet. It's nearly impossible to overeat vegetables, so next time you're looking for a side dish, a meal or a snack, a vegetable is always a great choice.

10 EASY WAYS EAT MORE VEGETABLES

Add veggies to your eggs

Cut up some peppers, onions, mushrooms and spinach to scramble into your morning eggs. I often prep the vegetables by cutting them up on Sunday for the week, then in the morning, I can just grab a handful and toss into the pan with my eggs. 

Add spinach to your protein shake

An easy, sneaky way to get in a serving of greens is to add a handful of spinach or other leafy greens to your protein shake. When you mix it up with fruit and protein powder you won't even taste it. Think about what other veggies can you add for an anti-oxidant boost. Carrots, celery, cucumbers and beets are all good choices. 

Eat a small spinach salad with every meal

Instead of a side of processed carbs, order or make a salad as a side to your main dish or eat a salad with a lean protein as your meal. You can choose the convenience of pre-washed salad or choose raw spinach that needs washed and cut for a much lower cost. 

Snack on raw veggies

Raw veggies make a great snack. You can chop and wash them yourself to save money or buy them already cut and prepped for convenience. Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers and celery are all great choices. 

Buy frozen veggies

Frozen vegetables have nearly the same nutrient profile as fresh vegetables. Even if we lose a little in the process, frozen vegetables are still better than not consuming vegetables at all, or say, ordering a pizza. In other words, we do the best we can with what we have. When in a pinch, steamed frozen veggies can be a great option for a quick healthy serving of vegetables.

Add double veggies to a casserole

Casserole dishes are an easy way to sneak in some extra veggies. Just chop and add, or use frozen, you really can't go wrong. Shredded vegetables, like zucchini or summer squash, can be added to your favorite casserole dish without affecting taste or texture.

Dip and spice up

Vegetables don't have to be boring. Uses spices to flavor cooked vegetables. Melt cheese over your broccoli, dip those raw vegetables into a guacamole mixture or make your own Greek yogurt-based dip. 

Make veggie noodles or spaghetti squash

I love spaghetti squash. It is easy to prepare and when you top with pasta sauce and parmesan cheese you may not even realize you're eating a vegetable.

I also love those veggie spiralizers that turn your zucchini, carrots or summer squash into pasta-like noodles.

Join a vegetable co-op

Join a local vegetable co-op to try a variety of fruits and vegetables. You support local farmers while getting an opportunity to try different types of vegetables you normally wouldn't buy. Variety is a huge factor to ensure we are getting all of our vitamin and mineral needs. 

Supplement with powdered greens

Once you added all the whole foods you can in your meals, it may be time to supplement if you still are not meeting your requirements. Whole foods are always better, but a powdered greens supplement can help fill in the nutritional gaps. 

Just try one or two of these suggestions this week to add more vegetables in your diet. I always like to look at a diet as what we can add, rather than what we will take away. If we add vegetables first, we may be less likely to fill up on less-healthy alternatives. 

Are you with me? 

Need to catch up on the 52 healthy habits series? 

52 HEALTHY HABITS SERIES

week 1: Early to Rise
week 2: Track calories
week 3: Macro cycling
week 4: Morning pages (journaling)
week 5: Stop the scrolling (reading instead of social media)
week 6: Be a good student (take time for learning) 
week 7: Strength Training 15 minutes per day   
week 8: Eat more protein
week 9: Take a coffee break (break from caffeine)
week 10: Mindful eating
week 11: Create and follow a sleep ritual

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52 Healthy Habits: 4 Tips for Mindful Eating

Last week was rough. You may recall I gave up coffee as my weekly healthy habit in order to reset my caffeine tolerance. It is something that I do occasionally when my caffeine intake increases a lot and I realize that my morning cup (errr...I mean pot) of coffee just makes me feel normal rather than giving me an energy boost. It's an simple fix, give up caffeine for about a week to reset, then slowly introduce caffeine back into your diet. I said simple, not easy. 

I felt like crap all week. I was fine Monday morning, but by Monday evening the headaches started. I was cranky, irritable, unfocused and wasn't managing stress well (and it turned out to be an unusually stressful week). It took five solid days to feel normal, but once I got over the withdrawal symptoms, I felt clearer and better than ever. I think I am going to stay off coffee for one more week before I reintroduce it.

I was surprised to find that I enjoyed drinking my mint, caffeine-free tea in the morning as much as my coffee. I'm sure I will introduce coffee back into my diet eventually, but for now I am going to stay off caffeine.

WHAT IS MINDFUL EATING?

I may have mentioned that I am studying sports and exercise nutrition with Precision Nutrition. It is an amazing course and I am learning so much about the science of nutrition and lifestyle coaching. I should be able pass my exam by the end of April and I am introducing my nutrition and healthy lifestyle coaching services starting in June. 

In lifestyle coaching one of the key principles is to start with basics. It sounds like common sense (or un-common sense as hubs likes to say), but so many people are worried about supplements, meal timing and macro splits but don't have basic nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits in check. It sounds more exciting to try intermittent fasting or the ketogenic diet, and there is nothing wrong with those things in theory (possibly under the supervision of a Registered Dietitian), but if you are sleeping five hours a night and binge eating or drinking on the weekends, there are more important things to tackle first. 

Mindful (or intuitive) eating is one of the easiest ways to regulate intake and calorie balance because our bodies tells us what it needs. But because of our busy, technology-driven lifestyles, most of us (including me) have lost touch with the signals our body sends to tell us when we're full or hungry. We eat based on the time of day or our emotions and we clean our plates regardless of fullness signals.

A lot of us were brought up to clean our plates at dinner. My dad used to joke that I had to finish dinner or send the leftovers to a starving kid in Africa. (That's probably politically-incorrect to say now, but it was the 80s) We were taught not to be wasteful, but perhaps we should have been taught to listen to our body's signaling cues of hunger and fullness. 

Enter modern day technology and our hectic lifestyles and it got worse for all of us. Not only were we not listening to our bodies natural cues, but we were scarfing down food in the car on the way to work, or in front of the computer or TV. We lost our ability to sense hunger cues and we stopped enjoying our food. Yes, food is fuel, but food is meant to be savored and enjoyed. It's hard to do that while you're scrolling your Facebook feed over breakfast (I am as guilty as anyone).

Our bodies have built in signally cues to tell us what it needs. If we eat when we are not hungry and don't stop eating when we are physically satisfied, we can end up with a less than ideal body composition and overall health. 

5 TIPS FOR MINDFUL EATING

1. EAT SLOWLY

If you eat too quickly, your body doesn't have time to send the fullness signals to your brain and you may end up overeating or feeling stuffed 10-20 minutes later. There are several ways to tackle slowing down. One way is to time how long it usually takes you eat your meal, then try to add five minutes next time. Another way is to chew your food 20-30 times before swallowing. Try setting down your fork or taking a sip of water between bites. Choose the strategy that works best for you.

2. APPETITE AWARENESS

Hunger is a normal and healthy biological response. Fullness and satiation tells us when we've had enough. If we eat because it's a certain time of day, we are bored, upset or because of a habit (like always eating popcorn when we watch a movie on Friday night) then we might not be paying enough attention to our body's signaling cues. 

When you sit down to eat a meal, before you take the first bite, ask yourself how hungry you feel. Just be aware of your appetite. When you are eating slowly try to notice when you start to feel full or satisfied. Stop eating once you've had enough. Notice how you feel after each meal. Just taking the time to think about it can help you get back in tune with your appetite.

3. AVOID DISTRACTIONS

Turn off the TV, put away the cell phone at the table and don't try to eat while working at your desk. If you are a distracted eater then it's harder to pay attention to your body's cues. Have you ever scarfed down a meal in front of the computer and didn't even notice or taste it? I have. 

In our busy lifestyles it can be hard to do, but it is worth it to take the time to walk away from the technology and enjoy a meal. It's not to say you can never enjoy a meal while watching TV but it should be a conscious choice that is an exception, not a normal behavior. 

4. SAVOR FOOD

Pay attention to the food you are eating. Smell it. Look it at. Examine the texture. Think about the ingredients in it. Take note of what you observe. Even if you are enjoying an indulgent meal, take it slow. Sometimes when we slow down and think about the food we are eating, we discover that we really don't even enjoy some of those unhealthy foods, we eat them because they are cheap and/or convenient. Enjoy your food, no matter what you are eating, healthy or not. Take the time to savor your food and relish every bite. 

I am going to apply all these strategies this week. It will be a change for me to put away my phone and eat slowly. Will you also give it a try and let me know how it goes? If you are interested in nutrition and lifestyle coaching starting in June get your name on the pre-sale list for a reduced introductory price. 

Playing catch up? Follow along with the 52 Healthy Habits series:

52 HEALTHY HABITS SERIES

week 1: Early to Rise
week 2: Track calories
week 3: Macro cycling
week 4: Morning pages (journaling)
week 5: Stop the scrolling (reading instead of social media)
week 6: Be a good student (take time for learning) 
week 7: Strength Training 15 minutes per day   
week 8: Eat more protein
week 9: Take a coffee break (break from caffeine)
 

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52 Healthy Habits: Eat More Protein

Welcome to the latest edition of 52 healthy habits when each week I work to establish a new healthy habit, because healthy habits are the building blocks of a healthy lifestyle.

You don't have to overhaul your whole life at once. Choose one small change and take the time to establish a new habit, building one small step at a time. Even if you already live a healthy lifestyle, there is always room for improvement and to take it to the next level. No matter where you are in your healthy living journey, establishing healthy habits can snowball into massive results. 

I saw this painted in the floor at the Rock 'n' Roll marathon health & fitness expo in Dallas on Saturday and I thought it summed up my healthy lifestyle philosophy perfectly.

(p.s. I am a rock 'n' blogger for the rock 'n' roll marathon races, so if you want to run a half or full marathon in 2017, you can use discount code RNB15 to save $15 off most of the races in the series.)

Last week I confessed that even though I am a personal trainer and huge proponent of strength training for runners, I have let my own strength training slide a bit. I have an injured shoulder and I am limited in what I am able to do. Instead of focusing on what I can't do, I decided to focus on what I can do (take my own advice, right?). I committed to just 15 minutes of strength training a day to get back on the wagon. Obviously, this will be largely lower body and core based as I can't put any pressure on my shoulder. 

I am happy to report that I did it three days last week, which is a great start! Sometimes we want to go from 0-6 days but it is not always realistic. I am happy with my start and I have plenty of room to grow and build on the three days from last week. This week I'll shoot for 4. 

EAT MORE PROTEIN

I may have mentioned that I am studying sports and exercise nutrition with Precision Nutrition. I have been studying hard and you can expect a lot more nutrition-based content coming in the future, plus nutrition coaching services coming soon.

My habit goal for next week is to increase my protein intake. I wasn't tracking my intake and when I started to track in My Fitness Pal I realized that my protein intake was lower than I thought. I generally eat a healthy diet and I assumed that since I eat a protein-centric meal at every meal (eggs, chicken, fish, etc.) that I was getting enough. But what is enough? Why do I need protein? What types of proteins should I be consuming? How much is too much? Let's dive in. 

WHY PROTEIN?

Protein or amino acids are the building blocks of our body. We use protein to break down and build up muscle and structure. Protein intake helps us preserve our lean muscle as we lose weight. (Remember our focus should always be on losing fat, not losing weight.) Protein helps us feel full longer and it has a higher thermodynamic effect, which means it take more energy for our bodies to process protein. We actually burn more calories just processing protein than we do processing carbohydrates or fats. 

HOW MUCH PROTEIN?

The National Academy of Sports Medicine recommends is 0.4 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight (or .8 per kg) for the average sedentary person. But we're not sedentary (or average!), right? For athletes (yes, you are an athlete if you run or workout) protein requirements go up.

There are recommendations that are higher, but there is an upper limit of protein that our liver and kidneys can handle. If you are training hard or frequently increasing protein intake higher than these recommendations is probably safe for most healthy people, but consuming protein amounts double the recommendation on a regular basis is unnecessary (no added benefit) and possibly unsafe. As always, talk to your doctor or registered dietitian regarding any health concerns or when experimenting with a new diet or going outside general recommendations. 

WHAT TYPES OF PROTEIN?

OK, you know as an active person you need more protein than the average bear, but what foods are best? It is always ideal when making any nutritional choices to choose diverse, whole, less-processed foods. For protein this includes foods like lean meats including beef and pork, poultry like chicken and turkey, fish and seafood, dairy like cottage cheese and plain Greek yogurt, beans and tofu. 

SUPPLEMENTS

Once you get most of your protein from whole food sources, you may find you need to supplement protein in order to meet your daily requirements. I always suggest whole foods first, then supplement to fill in the gaps as it fits into your lifestyle. No time for breakfast? Then a morning shake with fruit, spinach and protein powder can be a great way to get in your nutrition as your run out the door. I use whey protein powders to supplement, but a vegetarian eater may prefer a plant-based protein like pea or hemp. Make the best choice possible for your own lifestyle and preferences.

ACTION PLAN

What's the plan? I always enter the foods I am going to eat for the day in the morning before I eat anything. Why? For one, it helps me plan ahead. What's that saying about failing to plan is planning to fail? Yeah, that one. In order to enter in my food for the day, I need to have a pretty good idea of what I am going to eat. I always end up editing as the day goes along, but it gives me an idea where I stand and if I need to make any adjustments to my day. You don't want to be looking at My Fitness Pal at 8PM and realizing you didn't get your protein for the day. (Actually, it's not the end of the world, you can just try again tomorrow.)

My protein intake plan looks a little like this (left out the non-protein items in my day, this is not everything I plan to eat):

Breakfast: 3 eggs

Snack: 1/2 cup of cottage cheese

Lunch: Grilled chicken

Afternoon snack: 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt mixed with a spoonful of chocolate protein powder

Dinner: Fish or Turkey

A word of warning on tracking if you're anything like me. I tend to have an all-or-nothing personality and I work really hard on balance. It's something I have to be aware of or else I can easily slip out of a healthy-balanced mindset. I track for a week or so to get an idea of where I stand, but I am careful not to let tracking take over my thoughts or actions. It's a good idea to see where you stand, it's a terrible idea to get obsessed with every morsel that goes into your mouth. Some people have no trouble with tracking, others can take it too far if they are not careful. Remember that our ultimate goal is a healthy life which includes a healthy body and mind. 

You can track by using an app like My Fitness Pal or you can just increase, if needed, by including more protein in your diet. It not so much about hitting the exact number of grams but finding the correct amount of protein to optimize your body. It just might take experimenting to find it. 

Let me know how it goes!

Playing catch up? Follow along with the 52 Healthy Habits series:

52 HEALTHY HABITS SERIES

week 1: Early to Rise
week 2: Track calories
week 3: Macro cycling
week 4: Morning pages (journaling)
week 5: Stop the scrolling (reading instead of social media)
week 6: Be a good student (take time for learning) 
week 7: Strength Training 15 minutes per day   

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Coach Lea

Delicious Turkey & Spinach Portobello Mushroom Caps Recipe

Happy Friday, Friends! I was going to call this post Foodie Friday because it has a nice ring, but this is not a food blog and I am not a foodie. I wasn't blessed with domestic gifts; my husband jokes that he was short changed by marrying an Italian who can’t cook. Ha. 

I believe that healthy eating is the most important part of a healthy lifestyle, so even though I am not domestically-inclined, over the years I learned how to prepare some simple, healthy, quick and delicious meals. Since complicated recipes, hard-to-find ingredients and long cooking times aren't my thing, you won't find any of that here. 

I realized that the recipe section of my blog archive was lacking, so I am going to add some new recipes over the next few months. These are some of the meals that are on regular rotation in my home.

If you are just starting out and you only have the time, energy or motivation to focus on one thing, focus on healthy eating first. Working out is important too, but you can layer that on later. Get your nutrition on track. What does healthy eating mean to me? I define it as eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods mostly from nature that make you look, feel and perform your best, while still maintaining balance and enjoyment. 

Let’s get started with one of my favorites, delicious turkey & spinach Portobello mushroom caps.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound of 100% natural lean ground turkey
2 large Portobello mushroom caps
5 oz. of frozen chopped spinach (steamed) 
1/2 cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 chopped red pepper
1/2 chopped green pepper
1 fresh jalapeno pepper (optional)
1/2 small onion
Grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350

Bake the mushroom caps on a cookie sheet stem side down for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, cook the turkey meat in a skillet over medium heat and steam the frozen spinach in a separate pot.

Once the meat is no longer pink, drain the grease and add the steamed spinach, chopped peppers, onions, salt and pepper.

Continue stirring on the stove top until all is combined and heated through. Remove from heat, add the Greek yogurt and stir it up!

Once the mushroom caps come out of the oven, flip them over, cut off the stem (you can cut it up and add to your mixture) and scoop out the gills to make room for your toppings.

Spoon the turkey and spinach mixture into the mushroom caps and bake for an additional 10 minutes. I build mine up high and top with a little Parmesan cheese and Sriracha.

There you have it!  An easy, healthy dinner for two!  I'd love to hear what you think!

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Coach Lea