Goals: What do you WANT?

Do you ever feel overwhelmed at even the thought of "loosing weight" or "putting on some size"? Even if you have a specific number of pounds you would like to loose or add to you physique exactly HOW to go about it seems confusing or boring? Well, you not alone. Read on to find out the key to making things easy...

"Well, I just want to loose some weight"

This is the statement I've been hearing from a lot of people lately. I get it. I used to use that phrase myself. Until I became more knowledgeable about how our bodies burn food and respond to exercise. I then rephrased my statement in terms of either "Fat Loss" or "Muscle Building". This basic shift did so much for me I can't even tell you. But before I get into the craziness that is the mental aspect of changing your body lets talk about these goals.

Why Fat Loss OR Muscle Building and not both at the same time?

• Basic Math: 1 pound is equal to 3500 calories. [If you want to loose 5 pounds you need to create a calorie defect of 17,500 calories, by eating less and burning more through exercise, than you consume.]
• Basic Math: to GAIN 1 pound you must consume 3500 calories more than you burn. [If you want to gain 5 pounds you need to create a calorie surplus of 17,500 calories, by eating more than you burn through life and exercise, than you consume.]
• Your body, when faced with an imbalance in the amount of fuel (calories) consumed each day, will either burn or add to BOTH FAT & MUSCLE.

:Since your body will burn muscle as well as fat during a calorie deficit, and gain fat as well as muscle during a calorie surplus you must CHOOSE which one is you current primary goal.

There are many things you can do to maintain muscle mass during fat loss (and NEED to do). And there are ways to minimize the fat gain during muscle building. How? Read Fat Loss: A Guide to Maintaining Muscle & Muscle Building: A Guide to Minimizing Fat.

Once I changed the way I was thinking from "I need to loose a few pounds" to "I am going to burn 10 pounds of fat while maintaining as muscle as possible" I got clear on what I wanted and was able to do the specific things required to accomplish that goal. The key here was getting clear on what I wanted. And getting out of the sea of ambiguity that surrounds a lack luster statement like "I just want to loose a few pounds".

From there I write down what I want. What I want changes. I reached my last big goal right before I went home to Arizona in June [yea, Ireland to Phoenix in mid summer - can anyone say SIZZLE?! :)] Once there my new goal was to be active and eat whatever I wanted if I truly wanted it (read: Do I Really Want This?). No big time restrictions or eating plan. I skydived, shopped like a mad woman, and ate Mexican food like it was going out of style. What's funny is I get full much quicker than I did even a couple of years ago. I noticed this after I first started to eat 5-6 smaller meals a everyday. My body says "when" much quicker. So now my overeating is much less "over" than it used to be. The result was an overall gain of 4 lbs (1.8kg) in 4 weeks. This doesn't sound like much but on this very petite 5'4" frame it's more noticeable. The major issue was the depletion of muscle tissue. I went from 16% body fat back up to18% (I have been at this a while so my highs are still pretty low). I'm not worried. This is how life flows. I love life and food.

Now it's time to restate my goals. How about you?

Atkins Review

Atkins and other low carb diets, well, they work. Sorta....

Yep, you heard the budding nutritionist right. If you are going for plan & simple weight loss low carb diets work - at LEAST as well as every other diet out there. Let's try to understand why low carb diets contribute to weight loss and what their shortcomings are so we can use them to our body's best advantage. Sound good?

So here are the bullet points:

1. Low carb = fewer calories. This is a two fold point, but the most important so stick with me. A) Now I know the book says you can "eat all you want!" which sounds great at first but have you ever tried stuffing yourself, repeatedly, with meat? It's a lot harder to do than with pasta, or pizza, or any other carb-o-licious food. So you eat less. B) the fact that volume-wise there are fewer calories in protein than in most carbohydrates keeps you eating less. Ultimately, our stomachs reach volume capacity (even when we stretch it like a balloon) and our brains reach satiety (the feeling of being full) much quicker than when we eat carbs. Also remember that the Atkins people tell you to stop eating when you are full. This is just another reminder that for most of us our main problem is not what we're eating, but how much of it we're eating (oh, yes, I am guilty as charged)


2. Protein helps build muscle ... More muscle = more calories burned doing nothing but admiring our sleek, toned bodies! It's another indisputable fact that muscle tissue will burn far more calories day-in and day-out than fat. Plus, it looks soooo much better. Girls, this one is for you, because the boys already know why they want more muscle (to look like the guy on the cover of Men's Health of course), but most women STILL associate muscle with bulk instead of a sleek, sexy, svelte body. Please read my personal story here for the full disclosure on this issue.


3. Protein keeps insulin levels even. Diets like the Zone, South Beach, and many others make use of eating protein with carbs to slow digestion and the release of glucose into the blood stream which in turn slows the release of insulin by the body. Read the full story on how and why keeping insulin stable is a great idea here, but to summarize: When insulin is high in the blood stream the body will not burn fat. If insulin is high in the blood stream it will eventually crash and take every ounce of energy you have with it. Until you spike it again that is. See a pattern?


4. Low carb is great for burning off that last bit of body fat. If you only have 3-5 pounds (1-2kg) of fat you want to burn going low carb for a while (ie less than 2 weeks) will help you shave that last bit of stubborn fat off. Your brain function, or lack there of, will be the major issue here. Our brains are the only part of our bodies that function on a 100% carbohydrate diet. So if you have to be productive at work, or at least act like it, I recommend you taper your carbs each day and focus on low GI sources. Read here for full info on Carb tapering.


5. Low carb doesn't have to mean ridiculously high fat. With Atkins the amount of fat you eat is unlimited. But there is no research or theory explaining how on earth the body might clean out the excessive amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol consumed by many on this diet (even through ketosis). Fat is not bad. Actually, some fats are good, really good. So choose your protein wisely. Try to keep the cuts of meat leaner, and throw some fish into the mix too. Click here for some great recipes.


6. Vegetables. Atkins wants you to eat your vegetables. They are low in carbs and high in fiber and vitamins. Vegetables are key to getting vitamins and minerals in their most absorbable form. Vitamins and minerals are required to help the body burn fat and build muscle. So why do we still grown at the thought of adding more veg to our meal plan? I think it must have something to do with latent childhood memories. Click here for some fabulous ways to add more veg with taste. Like my Stage 1 Chili, Veggie Chili, Spinach and Mushroom Frittata, or my personal favorite Shrimp Fried "Rice".


7. Bad Breath. YO! major negative in my book. Once the body hits "ketosis" (a complicated process that has mucho conflicting research on its effect on the body) the liver will secrete high levels of ketones. Your breath will stink so bad that you'll be constantly popping industrial sized mints to cover it up! (low carb ones of course).
   

Summary: Should you go all out Atkins? I think not. Including LEAN Protein with each meal will help you feel full faster and stay full longer; thereby, eating less. Protein will help build muscle which looks better and allows us to eat more because it burns more calories per pound than fat. Protein + good carbohydrates keeps insulin levels even, hunger at bay, moods steady, and a Fit Foodie happy!

Veggie Chili

My flatmate, Beke, is a budding vegetarian. She's been trying on and off for years to cut out the meat, but now has totally committed herself to going sans-meat. While I personally do not prescribe to the veggie lifestyle I am her decision to do so (and any of you out there!).


I know it's hard for veggies to get protein into their diet (protein of the complete variety that is) so I am going to be making a huge effort to come up with some truly fabulous recipes for the Veggie [Fit] Foodies out there. (And you can all rest assured that they will be of the highest caliber because my flatmate is a picky little thing - and Spanish too, so she'll definitely tell me what she does and doesn't like!)


Right, so here's the first Veggie Recipe. Beke and I ate this for dinner tonight. Yum!!


Makes 2 Servings.


Ingredients:

• 1 TBL oil (of the low saturated fat variety, olive, rapeseed, etc)
• 1 tsp italian-type spices (oregano, thyme, parsley, or a blend)
• 1/2 -1 TBL paprika, chili powder, or chipotle chili powder (your choice)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 2 red bell peppers (or 1 red + 1 yellow or orange for color), chopped finely
• 1 small onion, chopped finely
• 2 stalks celery, chopped finely
• 1 package tempeh (220g)
• 1 can tomatoes (or if your tummy can't take the acid like my roomie's use 125ml red wine)
• 200ml vegetable stock
• 1 TBL worcestershire sauce
• dash hot sauce (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. heat the oil in a non-stick pan on medium heat


2. add the spices to the oil to infuse the oil with flavor, stir for 30 seconds


3. add the peppers, onion, and celery, saute until soft (about 5 minutes)


4. add the tempeh, breaking it into chunks that resemble minced meat as you stir it into the vegetables


5. add the tomatoes or wine, 100ml of stock, and salt & pepper, simmer for minimum 30 minutes


6. add more stock if the chili gets too thick

You can let the dish simmer on med-low heat for a couple hours if you have the time. The flavors will become more blended and develop over time. I actually double the recipe at the weekend and save portions for lunches or dinner during the week.

Serve over Cauliflower Rice, Quinoa, or with Corn Crackers for a light but crispy bite.

Shrimp Fried "Rice"

This is my favorite dinner! (Or lunch for that matter) It has topped the list over Stage 1 Chili - a very difficult thing indeed. This version has chicken instead of the shrimp (because it's what I had) but the profile barely changes. It's supper easy to prepare and he list of ingredients can be shortened to include just whatever you have on hand.

Left overs taste even better than the original dish (the mark of a truly fantastic dish in my opinion) Supper filling, low carb, low fat, high protein and delicious! What more could a Fit Foodie ask for?!

Makes 3 portions (and boy are they big!)

Ingredients:

• 1Tablespoon Canola Oil
• dash of Sesame or Chili Oil
• 2 teaspoons turmeric, curry powder, or cumin (your choice)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder, chipotle chili powder, or paprika (once again your choice)
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped finely or pressed (I loooove garlic, good thing all my friends do too!)
• Combination of veggies: 1-2 bell peppers, cored & sliced thin; 1-2 carrots cut into matchsticks; 1 zucchini (courgette) cut into matchsticks; 1 yellow (summer) squash cut into matchsticks, handful of corn, spring onions (scallions)
• 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• 500g shrimp or 400g chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 whole eggs
• 4 egg whites
• dash of chili sauce or soy sauce (my favorite is Louisiana Hot Sauce)
• Spelt-Sunflower Tofu patty, broken into ground-meat-like pieces (optional, this is available here in Dublin but I don't know about the US)

Directions:

1. Process the cauliflower through the coarse grading plate of a food processor, or grade by hand to create the "rice"
2. Heat the oils over a med-high heat
3. Add spices and garlic to infuse the oil with flavor, stir-fry for 30 seconds or so
4. Add shrimp or chicken and stir-fry until just cooked through
5. Add vegetables (except spring onions), stir-fry until crisp tender, about 5 min
6. Make a well in the middle of the vegetables and add the eggs & egg whites to the pan, scramble them into the mix
7. Add the cauliflower rice, toss thoroughly with the mixture
8. Add the chili sauce &/or soy sauce, toss
9. Add the spring onions just before serving

Eat HOT!! Left overs can be heated in the microwave but if the dish is a little bit wet drain off liquid before heating.

Chocolate Brownies

These Chocolaty-Goodness Brownies are Reduced-Fat, Reduced-Sugar, & Packed with Protein for a satisfying snack that will keep your insulin levels even and your belly full. Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients, they really are a snap to put together and they are BIG!!

Dry Ingredients:
½ cup unbleached white flour
¼ cup vanilla protein powder
¼ cup soy flour (if you don’t have this whole wheat flour is fine)
1/6 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/6 cup chocolate protein powder

1 teaspoon baking powder
½ tsp baking soda (bread soda for all those in the UK & Ireland)

¼ teaspoon xanthan gum

¼ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:
1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate
¼ cup canola oil (or other vegetable oil)
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
¾ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup splenda
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg white

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C, 170Fan). Prepare baking pan or casserole dish that is 8x11 inches with a light coating of oil or cooking spray.

Melt the chocolate in the oil in a microwave safe bowl on med-low. Checking every 30seconds or so to insure the chocolate doesn’t burn.

Meanwhile, sift together the flours, protein powders, cocoa, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and xanthan gum in a bowl and set aside.

Stir in the applesauce and corn syrup into the melted chocolate.

Add the sugars, molasses and vanilla and beat with a mixer or by hand for 2 minutes until creamy.

Add the egg and egg white and beat for another minute.

Fold dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just mixed.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. (if the top browns too quickly, just place some aluminum foil over the top. Soy flour & protein powder brown quicker than conventional flower.

These are best right out of the oven or about 12-24 hours later when wrapped in plastic wrap. Makes 12!

THE GOLDEN RULE

THE GOLDEN RULE: Weight Loss (ie muscle management & fat loss) is a numbers game.

Eat too much of ANYTHING, even the "good" stuff and you will gain weight. Now you CAN tweak this rule!! You can eat more calories if you pay attention to your macro-nutrient ratios (carbohydrate, protein, fat ratios) BUT that total still needs to be LESS than you are burning in a day to loose weight. It's the Second Law of Thermodynamics, baby. (trust your Rocket Scientist here)

Right, so how does this law fit in with my "I love food"mentality?? The TWEAKS... which are a list of everything one could possibly do to burn fat, feed muscle, and loooove food at the same time. (Or if you're like my boyfriend, build lots o' muscle, keep fat at bay, and loooove food). I have written the Tweak List below with links to posts with more information on each.

Note: the tweaks are listed in order of easiest to implement to more challenging (that is if you are starting from absolute scratch on your nutrition & fitness journey. And if you're reading this you are probably much more tuned in and turned on to the power of a fit body and mind and are ready to make it taste gooood)

TWEAK LIST:

1. Eat fewer calories: plan and simple. We need to create a calorie deficit to loose weight (or a calorie surplus to gain) Now this can ultimately backfire if you go too low (see caloric cycling), so do not cut calories 500-1000 below your BMI.
2. Protein: there is a reason Atkins works - at least for a while - protein fills you up faster and keeps you full longer. And what does that mean class? You EAT LESS! Protein also helps you build muscle. More muscle means a higher metabolism. Higher metabolism means you can eat more and be slimmer. Add a small amount of protein to every meal for these benefits. This is why I add protein to all of my baked goods. Try my amazing Chocolate Brownies. How much Protein? Read here. Also, read my full review of Atkins and other low carb plans here.
3. Fiber: found in complex "good" carbohydrates, vegetables, and fruits (to varying degrees). Fiber will help slow down the digestion process once again keeping us full longer as well as evening out insulin levels. Here are just a few great Recipes and a tasty way to get fiber into your daily menu. Almond Oat Pancakes, Blueberry Muffins, Easy Oatmeal. Supplements are also useful to increase fiber intake.
4. Macro-nutrient Ratios: the ratio of calories from Carbohydrate to Protein to Fat in any one meal. This is a complex and powerful concept that can be tweaked, and then tweaked again. Any of you who have used this principle know what I mean. If you've ever been on the Zone Diet or South Beach or even Atkins you have used Macro-nutrients. Please read here for a more thorough discussion of Macro-nutrient Ratio Tweaking. As well as Macro-nutrient Specific Recipes.
5. Marco-nutrient Tapering: The benefits of low carb fat reduction with the metal acuity of complex carbohydrates. The SIMPLE way to apply this to your menu for fat loss is to: A) eat more Carbohydrate at breakfast & morning snack(50-70% of your calories coming from a carbohydrate - think whole grain bread, fiber rich apples, or creamy oatmeal) with some Protein and a bit of Fat (think 1whole egg and 3egg whites scrambled with some lean turkey bacon, or a slice of Spinach and Mushroom Frittata) B) Eat fewer Carbohydrates and slightly more Protein at lunch (40-50% of calories from Carbs, 30-40% from Protein, and 10-30% from Fat, think Low Carb Spinach and Mozzarella Quesadilla) C) Eat much more Protein at night (50-70% of your calories from Protein) with Carbohydrates from vegetables only (think Shrimp Fried "Rice" or Stage 1 Chilli) D) have a protein shake for dessert/ nighttime snack. ***This process will be slightly different if you are trying to bulk up (hello boys!). Please read Cian's Program for the ABC's of muscle building.
6. Caloric Cycling: This is my favorite and BEST Tip!!! To avoid the dreaded "starvation response" rotate calorie defects with higher calorie days. A body's "starvation response" and resulting lowered metabolism is triggered when fewer calories are consumed over a period of time (as little as 4 days can be a trigger) For example, say you are an average woman with a BMI of 2000. You eat around 1500 calories a day for fat loss. If you cycled your calories to avoid a metabolic slow down you would eat 1500 cals for 3 days then 2000 for 1 day, then repeat. There is still a calorie deficit of 1500 calories over the 4 days but now you have NO metabolic slow down and your BMI will remain at 2000 instead of dropping to 1900 or even lower. AND you get to keep your sanity while reducing calories. This is an advanced concept and is incredibly powerful. Please read my full post on Caloric Cycling for the complete low down!

Right, so there is my list of tweaks to date. If you have any questions please write in a comment. I will respond to all who are looking to travel the Fit Foodie path!

Almond Oat Pancakes

These pancakes are HUGE! And this is only one one portion :)

Don't you love, fast, easy and (in my boyfriends opinion) yummy pancakes!? I had these for breakfast this morning. After my a.m. run I was looking for something that would fill me up, support my workouts (2 mile run and upper body weight routine) and, as always, TASTE GOOD! Here's the low down...

Dry Ingredients:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (or sub gluten free baking mix if you want)

1/2 cup vanilla protein powder (whey is best but other types work too)
1/2 cup soy flour
3/4 cup oat bran (or just rolled oats blended in a food processor until fine)

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp xanthan gum (or gar gar gum)
pinch of salt
1/8 tsp stevia (optional, but I think it adds just a touch of nice sweetness)

Wet Ingredients:
200 ml low fat natural yogurt
250 ml Almond Milk (or soy milk, or low fat regular milk)
1 egg (or 2 eggs whites)

Directions:

1. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl with a fork
2. Mix wet ingredients separately
3. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients
4. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes (if you can wait that is!!)
5. Spoon out onto medium-hot non-stick pan (you'll have to shape these with the spoon or rubber spatula because they're lovely and thick)

EAT & ENJOY!! I usually serve them with Agave Syrup (low GI syrup), sugar free maple syrup, or just spread Almond Butter over the top.

Makes 3 ~300 calorie servings. Left over batter keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days.

The Love of Food, 10k’s, Skydiving & Designer Duds

Do you love food? I love food. I mean I REALLY LOVE food. I also love to run a 40min 10K, climb mountains, fly like a bird when I skydive, and fit into my favorite pair of skinny jeans. None of which I can do if I eat junk.

This blog is not about being a size zero - I don’t want to cut diamonds with my shoulder blades – and neither does my boyfriend, he wants to be a Men’s Health cover boy AND drink beer. This journal is about eating great food, a lot of great food, all of the time. I've created so many special recipes and I feel I should share them with like minded individuals. Because nothing is better than sharing your Reduced-Fat, Reduced-Sugar, Protein-Plus Chocolate Brownies with friends and have them ask for seconds!