According to a USA today article January is the month for fast food bargins. But don't be fooled, here are some tips to help you stay away from the quick fix trap.
1. keep snacks on hand or know where you can go to get that quick fix if you feel starved (I like clif bar's "builder" bar it has more protein than its carb ritch sister the clif bar)
2. Eat every 3-4 hours. If you are keeping an eating schedule you can plan for your next hunger strike.
3. Cut the sodas yep...even the diet sodas. Research has shown that even the artifically flavored sodas may spike your insulin levels. This will then cause a drop in insulin, causing you to feel hungry. These sodas are also empty calories (or non calories) and will not fill you up. Try water or green or flavored tea instead.
4. Pack some fiber and protein in that lunch box. Snacks including nuts, and fruits or vegetables work great for energy on the go and will keep you fuller than a carb ritch snack (which is what you would get in the drive through)
5. quick tip: some days I grab an empty shaker cup or water bottle and drop a scoop of protein in it... then when the hunger arrives, just add water! BOOM! quick protein packed snack to get you through until food can be consumed.
-- Good luck this week!
I hate the word diet don't you. It seems so...girl-ish. "I'll have a salad and a diet water please" ha! At the start of the new year everybody is looking for the fastest way to weight loss. (I hear that Wal-Mart has a special on the HCG diet...DON'T YOU DARE...step away from the artificial hormones. ugh honestly.)
Here is the Iron Lily fit way to eat and get fit for the new year start with the good stuff and the stuff that you love!
1) Make a list of your favorite vegetables (more later on how to change your mind if you don't like fruits and veggies), your favorite fruits and your favorite meats.
2) Now... take out the junk that is clogging your arteries, your GI tract and your LIFE! That means out with the refined sugar, out with the high fructose corn syrup, and out with the packaged and highly processed foods in your diet. Processed is bread, pasta, sugar, and packaged goods. My favorite thing to do is pick up a box or package and try to pronounce the ingredients. Ha!! If you don't know what it is... odds are your GI doesn't either, and it's only going to cause extra calories and a tax on your stomach to get that junk outta there! Our bodies are designed for fresh ingredients, but our mouths are spoiled to the taste of refined and processed foods. Do your best to just be aware for now of what you are eating from the ground, or from a package, and start to phase it out!
3) What about dairy? Milk has so many natural benefits. It's a great source of vitamins and protein! Have a glass of milk with breakfast or lunch, keep the portions in check though. My suggestion is no more than 16 oz of your favorite kind of milk, skim, whole or 2% drink up baby! Yogurt can also give you a little protein and an energizing snack. careful though, lots of brands pack in the sugar to draw you to the flavor. Try the natural greek yogurts and take a little look at the back to be sure there is no more than 10 or 15g of sugar per serving. On to one of my favorites, cheese! Allow yourself a little, but measure it out and allow yourself no more than a couple of ounces a day until you start hitting your goals.
4) eat every 3-4 hours something lean and something mean. That simply means keeping your metabolism fueled with a lean protein and a vegetable every 3 to 4 hours. 4-6 ounces of chicken breast and 1cup of spinach with an olive oil based dressing, some sliced cherry tomatoes, 1/4 avocado and a few sprinkles of mozzarella cheese is a great lunch. And because you know you're gonna eat again in just a few hours, you know that there is no need to stuff yourself. Next try a greek yogurt, and an apple (your yogurt contains that protein you need (lean) and your apple contains a jolt of carbs and fiber (mean) to keep that metabolism pumping.
-Ooops that's it!
Okay, easier said than done right? I know you have a schedule, you have cravings, and you have attachments to that food that you love so dearly! Here are some tips, keep in mind; this may be a slow process for some of you, and it may be a dive in head first and hold your nose attempt for the rest. Either way you approach it... remember this needs to be a change you can get used to, not something that will drop the weight followed by a binge beyond all binges.
-Eat food that is as close to the ground as you can get FIRST. Your vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and so fourth. Load up on vegetables that are dark and leafy. Kale, spinach, colorful peppers, asparagus, squash, tomatoes. Getting the picture? Try to buy them fresh and incorporate them into everything you eat. This ensures that you are getting all the natural nutrients that God intended for our bodies. Not the canned and preserved versions that can be packed with preservatives that can effect your waistline.
-Next try lean meats- I know you've heard it before, but TRY it! Turkey instead of beef and pork, chicken, (eggs included-whole egg) fish, (like salmon, tilapia, and orange roughy). Don't worry those of you who have a meat eater at home, serve up that beef twice a week in lean cuts.
-Use a food journal or an app like lose it (free app for your smart phone) or calorie counter.com. look at how much you are intaking a day and try to drop out to between 1200 and 1800 a day! ** don't drop below 1200 for any reason. This will cause a slow in your metabolism and make it even harder to lose weight eventually. Trust me. ;)
- Send me your questions or photos of before and lets work to an after! I'm here for you!
**** Most importantly**** Stop eating out! you heard me! Plan ahead- get some snacks like nuts and celery with peanut butter, fresh strawberries and yogurts(greek preferably and less than 10g of sugar per serving) to snack on so that you don't get STARVED! I keep a tiny lunch box cooler around that I pack if I'm out running errands or at school all day with my meals for the day, and snacks also an emergency stash if I get caught off my own schedule.
This is my snack box that I use for most days... most days I need a bigger one!!
Send me your goals and questions!!!
