Carbohydrate rich foods are wonderful sources of fiber, energy and micronutrients.
We should get at least 10g of fiber per 1,000 calories we eat. Keeping these high fiber low calorie carbohydrate food sources on hand will make your meals more filling and satiating.
Next are my top 5 carbohydrate sources and portions that are also high in fiber.
Apples– 200g 115 calories 5g fiber
Rolled Oats-40g 155 calories 4g fiber
Canned Beans-130g 120 calories 4g fiber
Frozen Berries-200g 110 calories 8g fiber
Broccoli-200g 80 calories 5g fiber
Carbohydrate rich foods should not be confused with ultra processed highly palatable foods such as ice cream, cake, candy, cookies, chips, etc…
These foods often contain just as much fat as they do carbohydrates. They are usually low in fiber and protein and should be enjoyed in moderation.
Looking for ways to make these whole ingredient high fiber carbohydrate staples a delicious addition to your meals? My E Cookbooks are loaded with recipes and meal ideas to put these ingredients to good use. Click here to learn more about me E Cookbooks “The Art Of Meal Prep For Sustainable Living Volumes 1 and 2” dedicated to meal prep and to eating well without sacrificing enjoyment or flavor.
Start your new meal prep routine with these 3 easy steps.
1. Freeze ripe bananas for easy and quick protein smoothies.
2. Make a big soup with plenty of lean protein and veggies over the weekend for easy weekday lunches or dinners.
3. Make overnight oats daily for a grab and go breakfast or snack the following day.
Making many different items in bulk can be overwhelming.
Prep simple things like freezing ripe bananas for smoothies, or chop fresh veggies for salads.
Pick one thing to make in bulk to get you going.
Prep other single serve meals and snacks throughout the week as you go.
Then add more bulk prep as you gain more confidence.
Want to learn way more about meal prep? Want loads of delicious meal prep friendly recipes? My e cookbooks dedicated to helping you master the art of meal prep are available now. Click here to find out more. Subscribe to my newsletter for a discount.
As long as you are creating an energy deficit via diet and/or exercise you will lose fat.
Do you like shorter more intense intervals via HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) or do you like longer less intense sessions via LISS (Low Intensity Steady State)?
The type of cardio you choose does not change your ability to lose fat.
Which type of cardio you choose depends on your preferences.
You can also do both which is my preference for general health and because I enjoy it.
Consistency is key to having a Sustainable Fitness Journey.
Your preferences matter.
Consistency is only possible when you enjoy the journey.
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If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
We should get at least 30g of high quality protein in each of our meals. Next are my top 5 lean protein sources and their portions in grams. Each portion contains 30 grams of protein.
Whey protein: 35g = 124 calories
Raw Boneless skinless Chicken breast: 130g = 134 calories
Raw Tail On Shrimp: 155g = 127 calories
Egg whites: 275g = 133 calories
Nonfat Greek Yogurt: 285g = 168 calories
Having these lean and high protein foods in stock will make it easier to hit your meal and overall daily protein goals.
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If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
As long as you are in a calorie deficit and eating sufficient protein, either can work!
(About 1g per pound of your ideal bodyweight is a good place to aim for.)
You can lose fat on high carb, high fat, or balanced diets. Macronutrient distribution does not change your ability to lose fat.
This is great news!
Choose whatever makes you feel and perform your best.
Consistency is key to having a Sustainable Fitness Journey.
Your preferences matter. Consistency is only possible when you enjoy the journey.
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If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
These simple and effective tips are the ones I follow 365. If a day doesn’t go as well as I hoped, I start fresh the next day.
1.
MAKE SURE EACH MEAL CONTAINS AT LEAST 30G OF PROTEIN.
2.
INCLUDE FRUITS AND/OR VEGGIES WITH EACH MEAL.
3.
EAT REGULARLY AND DON’T ALLOW YOURSELF TO GET TOO HUNGRY.
4.
DON’T SNACK OR NIBBLE BETWEEN MEALS.
5.
DON’T RESTRICT FOODS OR FOOD GROUPS AND YOU CAN INCLUDE FUN FOODS IN MODERATION.
Stay Consistent.
Treat yourself with kindness.
And the results will follow.
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If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
Fat loss has only been one facet and not the entire story of my transformation.
Eating, building muscle, and getting stronger has been my primary focus and where I have devoted most of my time and focus.
Not on dieting.
Here are 3 tips for those of you nervous about getting out of a deficit for a reverse diet, maintenance phase, or build.
1. Focus on how you feel each day. Not on how much you weigh. Before you weigh yourself, write down on a scale of 1-10 how your energy is that day. 10 being fantastic. This alternate scale number is an amazing indicator of your progress.
2. Create a performance goal for yourself and create a plan to work towards it. Use your added calories to help you get better at something you find enjoyable.
3. Remember that when it comes down to it, in life, our goals are to feel good, and to feel good, longterm. We want to be able to live a life we love and be there for the people who need us. I also plan to be a jacked and badass grandma one day. That will only happen if I keep working to make it happen NOW.
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If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
Guess what!? They are the same tips I recommend all year around no matter where you find yourself in the world. We bring ourselves anywhere we go and these basics will always help us reach, maintain, and level up our fitness. Even while traveling.
Stay proactive with these habits so you can feel good wherever life takes you.
1. Cook and prepare your own meals most of the time. Choose accommodations that have at least a mini fridge and microwave and you can make all kinds of delicious and healthy meals.
2. Grocery shop: upon arrival get to a local store. Grab some easy lean proteins, fruits, veggies, plus some healthy snacks.
3. Walk: Stay active by exploring new places on foot.
4. Don’t snack: Mindless snacking makes it so easy to overeat. Have a well rounded breakfast, lunch, and dinner centered around a lean protein plus a fruit and/or veggie.
5. Exercise: Don’t let the excuse of not having equipment or gym access stop you from training! A solid session of weight training is great, but you can do a lot with bodyweight only exercises. When my fitness coaching clients are traveling I always make sure to provide them with a fun and quick full body- bodyweight workout.
If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
Over the course of losing and keeping off 145lbs I have learned quite a bit about what it takes to make weight loss not only possible, but also sustainable.
Here are a few proactive habits you can begin doing now to help you get and stay fit long term.
1. Cook: make most of your meals at home.
2. Grocery shop: do this weekly to make sure you always have fresh fruits and vegetables and lean proteins available.
3. Walk: Move more often throughout the day. Bonus points if you can do it outside.
4. Don’t snack: Mindless snacking makes it so easy to overeat. Aim for 3-5 meals each containing at least 25g lean protein and a fruit and/or veg at consistent meal times.
5. Found Moment Exercise: Don’t let the excuse of not having enough time stop you from doing something! A solid session of resistance training is great. But if time is limited a set of push ups or bodyweight squats sprinkled throughout the day really add up!
If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
Even though I am at a point on my own fitness journey where maintaining my weight and physique has become my normal I still have areas of my overall health and fitness that I am aiming to improve and even optimize.
Since last summer, prioritizing my SLEEP has been at the top of my list to improve and optimize. Sleep is one of the key foundations of great health and fitness and having good quality sleep was something that I lacked for years.
The responsibilities of motherhood (breastfeeding, teething, potty training) all made it difficult to sleep well most nights. Then, even after those things settled and my daughter got older, I found sleep was also made difficult as a result of the years I spent in a calorie deficit. There were many points along my journey that I would wake up hungry and unable to fall back to sleep without a small snack.
Last year, after a long and dedicated build phase, something shifted. I was well fed enough that I knew that even though I was waking up from hunger cues, it was not because I needed to eat. It was because somewhere along the line my circadian clock was misaligned regarding when it was cueing me to eat.
This discovery was a game changer. It only took a week or so of dedicated practice to reset my circadian rhythm around my new optimized meal times and with that my internal hunger cues regulated. Now, in a calorie deficit, at maintenance, or a small surplus I am able to sleep consistently well.
Meal timing was not the only thing I adjusted to improve my sleep. Every day is a new opportunity to optimize for a better nights sleep. It’s all included in my personal daily action steps for optimizing sleep.
This is by no means the only things that we can adjust to improve our sleep quality.
These are the 6 things I do day in and day out to help set myself up for success for a better nights sleep.
And it all starts right when I was up:
1. Regular wake up, get out of bed time. Even on weekends/vacations/ holidays.
2. No caffeine after 12pm.
3. Outdoor daylight 20 min a day minimum.
4. Hot shower before bed.
5. Dark, cool room. No screens. However, I do listen to movies, stand up comedy, or podcasts through headphones to get my mind on something happy and lighthearted and not on the events of the day, tomorrow’s to do list, or whatever other thoughts might try and creep in! Lol!
6. Try and tire the f*%! out of myself. Workouts, daily walks, etc…
The good news about all of this is to know that I still got amazing results even with less than ideal sleep. However, now that my sleep is consistently better I am loving the benefits. Increased daily energy, better strength and stamina in the gym, better mood and less anxiety, and improved hunger and satiety regulation.
If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
