Emotional Eating

We don’t always eat simply to satisfy hunger. We also turn to food for comfort, stress relief, or as a reward. Unfortunately, emotional eating doesn’t fix emotional problems. It usually makes you feel worse. Afterward, not only does the original emotional issue remain, but you also feel guilty for overeating. Learning to recognize your emotional eating triggers is the first step to breaking free from food cravings and compulsive overeating, and changing the habits that have sabotaged your diets in the past.

In This Blog:

• Understanding emotional eating
• Emotional hunger vs. physical hunger
• Identify your triggers
• Find other ways to feed your feelings
• Pause when cravings hit
• Support yourself with healthy lifestyle habits

Understanding emotional eating

If you’ve ever make room for dessert even though you’re already full or dove into a pint of ice cream when you’re feeling down, you’ve experienced emotional eating. Emotional eating is using food to make yourself feel better eating to fill emotional needs, rather than to fill your stomach.

Using food from time to time as a pick me up, a reward, or to celebrate isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But when eating is your primary emotional coping mechanism—when your first impulse is to open the refrigerator whenever you’re upset, angry, lonely, stressed, exhausted, or bored—you get stuck in an unhealthy cycle where the real feeling or problem is never addressed.

Emotional hunger can’t be filled with food. Eating may feel good in the moment, but the feelings that triggered the eating are still there. And you often feel worse than you did before because of the unnecessary calories you consumed. You beat yourself for messing up and not having more willpower. Compounding the problem, you stop learning healthier ways to deal with your emotions, you have a harder and harder time controlling your weight, and you feel increasingly powerless over both food and your feelings.

Are you an emotional eater?

• Do you eat more when you’re feeling stressed?
• Do you eat when you’re not hungry or when you’re full?
• Do you eat to feel better (to calm and soothe yourself when you’re sad, mad, bored, anxious, etc.)?
• Do you reward yourself with food?
• Do you regularly eat until you’ve stuffed yourself?
• Does food make you feel safe? Do you feel like food is a friend?
• Do you feel powerless or out of control around food?

The difference between emotional hunger and physical hunger

Before you can break free from the cycle of emotional eating, you first need to learn how to distinguish between emotional and physical hunger. This can be trickier than it sounds, especially if you regularly use food to deal with your feelings.

Emotional hunger can be powerful. As a result, it’s easy to mistake it for physical hunger. But there are clues you can look for that can help you tell physical and emotional hunger apart.

• Emotional hunger comes on suddenly. It hits you in an instant and feels overwhelming and urgent. Physical hunger, on the other hand, comes on more gradually. The urge to eat doesn’t feel as dire or demand instant satisfaction (unless you haven’t eaten for a very long time).
• Emotional hunger craves specific comfort foods. When you’re physically hungry, almost anything sounds good—including healthy stuff like vegetables. But emotional hunger craves fatty foods or sugary snacks that provide an instant rush. You feel like you need cheesecake or pizza, and nothing else will do.
• Emotional hunger often leads to mindless eating. Before you know it, you’ve eaten a whole bag of chips or an entire pint of ice cream without really paying attention or fully enjoying it. When you’re eating in response to physical hunger, you’re typically more aware of what you’re doing.
• Emotional hunger isn’t satisfied once you’re full. You keep wanting more and more, often eating until you’re uncomfortably stuffed. Physical hunger, on the other hand, doesn't need to be stuffed. You feel satisfied when your stomach is full.
• Emotional hunger isn’t located in the stomach. Rather than a growling belly or a pang in your stomach, you feel your hunger as a craving you can’t get out of your head. You’re focused on specific textures, tastes, and smells.

Emotional hunger often leads to regret, guilt, or shame. When you eat to satisfy physical hunger, you’re unlikely to feel guilty or ashamed because you’re simply giving your body what it needs. If you feel guilty after you eat, it's likely because you know deep down that you’re not eating for nutritional reasons.

If you have read my blog, you know already that I was a emotional and closet eater. If you are new to my blog, you can read my story here. I found my triggers and with time, I could tell the difference between actual hunger and that emotional need for comfort.

Now, I can control my cravings,emotional eating all with one shake. Shakeology. I get to pick my flavor, Chocolate, Vanilla, Greenberry, Strawberry, Tropical Strawberry or Vegan Chocolate,. Personally, I drink my Chocolate Shakeology everyday. Some times I add a banana and natural pb, soy, or just water. I get to have a "cheat treat" everyday! For Shakeology recipes ---> Shakeology Recipes

 

What is Shakeology?

Shakeology is a nutritional protein shake that provides a wide spectrum of healthy nutrients in a low-calorie formula.  Whether you use it as a meal replacement for weight loss or simply to ensure your body gets all the nutrients it needs for optimal health, Shakeology takes the guesswork out of nutrition.

What's in it?

Shakeology contains over 70 ultra high-quality ingredients conveniently located in one glass, to deliver nearly all the nutrients you need to maintain a healthy diet.  It's good for you, and good for everyone, because everyone's diet is deficient in some of the key nutrient groups packed into just one Shakeology serving.

Protein from whey, which is highly absorbable, gives you 8 essential amino acids that help you build muscle, lose weight, support brain function, and keep your skin and bones healthy.

Vitamins and minerals support optimum health.

Antioxidants boost the immune system and help reduce free radical damage that can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, blood pressure, and stroke.

Phytonutrients support immune function and have anit-inflammatory properties. 

Prebiotics support digestive and immune health.

Digestive enzymes help in the digestion of foods and increase the absorption rate of those foods for optimum health

.What can Shakeology do for you?

It is an effective way to help you lose weight, increase your energy and be the healthiest you can possibly be.  Shakeology can help you reduce cravings and promote healthy digestion and regularity. Shakeology recommends that you replace one meal per day with a shake along with regular exercise and a balanced diet, participants who did this experienced remarkable health improvements.  It can reduce your total cholesterol, reduce LDL cholesterol, reduce cardiovascular risk, and reduce oxidative damage caused by free radicals.

Why Shakeology?

• 
  I love Shakeology because I am  busy just like you and it is a quick and convenient way to get complete nutrition.  It supplies me with the energy I need to help keep up with the kids and my hectic lifestyle.  It is also easier to make and tastier than a salad, and it is an excellent way to eat healthy when eating a full meal is not possible.  If you don't like eating fruits and vegetables then this is a great way to get all the benefits of eating a full bowl of fruits and vegetables without having to actually eat them.  If you have high cholesterol then this will help you lower total and LDL as well. 
  It's very simple. 
  Mix 1 scoop of Shakeology with 8 oz. of water.  If you like, add ice.  Or if you want something more filling and maybe even more satisfying, blend your Shakeology with ice and nonfat, almond, rice, or soy milk.  Shakeology dissolves easily, but blending it will give it a thicker, creamier texture.  Honestly, when I make my shakeology I always add more than 8 ounces because I think it's too thick!  The more liquid you add the thinner it gets!! :)   

How to use it.

If you are interested in trying Shakeology message me for additonal information.

How to Determine Calories using MyFitnessPal

 So a common question that I get all the time is how to calculate the amount of calories I need to be eating each day in order to lose weight.  I also get the question how to determine how many calories to eat when you then add in exercise and the calories burned during the workout.  Do you add those calories back into your day?

When I started my health and fitness journey I did not use any type of calorie calculator or tracker.  I simply read the book, Eat Clean Recharged, By Tosca Reno and followed the principles of clean eating.  I did not track calories instead I followed her rules for proper portion sizes and the specific pairing of foods together.  I can honestly say that following that method brought me the greatest amount of success.  I am in no way a numbers girl.  I truly think that God left that part out of my brain.  The minute you tell me to sub total, add or calculate anything I immediately shut down and if I have to do it then most likely (90%) of the time my calculations are wrong!!!  So I think this is why I embraced Tosca's rules so easily.  It was a no brainer way for me to lose weight.  Although, for some people counting calories is a must.  Maybe this is you!  Maybe you are a numbers person and you need to see it with the data in order to believe that you are making progress.  If this is you then I am going to do my best to explain to you my understand of myfitnesspal and the use of determining your calories and exercise for weight loss.

So in the research that I have done a lot of people including myself use myfitnesspal to keep track of their calories in the sense that they track what they eat.  I do not use myfitnesspal to tell me accurately how many calories I should aim to eat each day.

I found a way to set up MFP so I could see my daily deficit each day, and I could maximize my calorie burn on heavy workout days, and not have to eat like a bird on my non workout days.

This is mostly appropriate for people who's maintenance calories before exercise are less than 2200. At 2200 or above, you can safely create a 1000 calorie deficit without exercise - so if you set up MFP to lose 2 pounds a week it would set your calories to 1200. You would then eat all your exercise calories and keep your 1000 calorie deficit, making noticeable progress quite achievable.

When you have less to lose, your options are to decrease your deficit by eating more, or eat less and run the danger of a weight loss plateau because your body isn't getting the nutrients it needs for basic functioning. Well we can all agree that eating less (under your BMR) is not a good way to go. We could try setting to .5 lb a week weight loss, but there's not a lot of wiggle room with 250 calories, and a few off calculations with exercise and food and you could find yourself gaining, not losing.

With this method, you can reach whatever deficit you want day by day, and you will know that you are safely keeping your deficit under 1000 (2 lbs a week loss). Rather than force feed yourself on high calorie burn workout days,, you can use those great workouts to maximize your weight loss - which, let's face it, is probably one of the main reasons why we workout to begin with.

So if you want to figure it out here is what to do.

Step 1: Figure out your BMR Basel Metabolic Rate - this is your body's calorie requirements for basic functioning. You would burn this if you just stayed in bed all day. There is a BMR calculator on this site under TOOLS. This is going to be your minimum number. You will be aiming to eat at least this much every day, if you workout you get to eat those exercise calories back!!

Step 2: Figure out your Maintenance calories before exercise. You can use MFP's calculations based on your activity level. Use this tool based on your activity level to determine this number.  This is the number you're going to set your MFP calorie goal to. You're not going to eat this number, but it will be a marker for how much of a deficit you are creating.
If you want to get all technical here is some great information on calorie calculating, macros and nutrients.

Step 3: Figure out how many exercise calories it will take to reach a 1000 calorie deficit (the maximum). Do this by adding 1000 to your BMR, and then subtract your maintenance calories (the number you found in step 2). This number will let you know how many calories you can burn through exercise without eating them back. If you burn more than this number, you will HAVE to eat the surplus calories at least to keep your safe 1000 calorie deficit.

Example for the calculations:

Step 1: BMR = 2234
Step 2: BMR x 1.3 (2234 x1.3) = 2904
Step 3: (BMR + 1000) - maintenance/ 2234 + 1000 - 2904 = 331.

So I set my MFP calorie goal to 2904.
I aim to eat at least 2234 to 2400 calories per day, regardless of exercise, but definitely no less than 2234.
If I burn more than 556 through exercise on a given day, I should eat at least the surplus calories. So if I burn 800 calories through exercise, I would want to eat at least 244 calories above my goal of 2234 - so at least 2400.

Now for the fun part. When you look at your numbers in your tracker, the green number under the word REMAINING will show your total deficit for the day. The smaller that number, the closer you are to maintaining your weight. If that number is near 500 and you kept it like that for a week you would lose 1 pound. If that number is near 1000, you would lose 2 pounds. I usually aim to keep that number between 500 - 1000. I personally LOVE being able to see my deficit for the day. It really makes me feel in control of my weight loss. I have a small deficit on my days off from working out, and I have a larger deficit on my long run days (big calorie burns).

One more thing - don't forget to readjust your numbers as you lose weight!! :)


So now the question is this.  Did I completely confuse you or do you feel confident in figuring out your nutritional intake?

If you want more guidance on clean eating and getting in your calories by consuming the most nutritionally dense foods that are going to enhance your progress and give you energy then consider joining my next challenge group.  In my challenge groups I teach you all the principles of clean eating, keep you accountable by checking in each day, require you to post your progress, give you meal plans, recipes and tips to stay on track.

I will teach you all the principles of clean eating along with some of these awesome calorie calculating tools as well.  It's amazing how MUCH food you can actually eat when you consume whole foods instead of processed pre packaged foods.  The results come in your waistline, energy level and satiety!!!

Ask me about my May Challenge Groups!

Fitness + Support + Nutrition= Success

Cait XooX

Cassie's 90 Day Turbo Fire Transformation

Another Transformation Tuesday

Here is Cassie's Story

When I started my journey in Feb 2013 I had a goal to lost 20lbs by the time my son started school! I had been overweight for far to long! I started going to the gym and I started out slowly. By the time Sept came I had reached 30lbs lost. Over the course of the fall and winter I didn't lose much more weight, I had some physical setbacks but I maintained a good diet and moderate exercise and in 3.5 months I only lost 6lbs!! 

When Cait came across my news feed in Dec 2013 just after Xmas I thought "whats this?.. coach?...god she looks great... whats this?" I sent her a quick msg "hey how are ya... whats this thing your coaching?" and the rest...is just the beginning! 

I joined her challenge group after researching the products she was talking about. I was nervous starting Turbo Fire, I wasn't sure I would enjoy working out from home or having an online group of people for support! Honestly, I figured that I would try it *the money back guarantee was nice to have if I hated it* but probably end up back at a gym before the summer. 

After just one week I knew that it was gonna be great! Chalene makes you part of the class, so many times she says exactly what I need to hear! Turbo fire challenged me!! I have lost 17lbs and just over 10inches off my body in just 90 days but that's not the best part, I have so much more energy now and I love the results that I have gotten from this.

The online group gave me the support and accountability I needed for myself and for others. I made friends, I found some that I hadn't talked to in awhile and most importantly I got great advise, wonderful motivation and weekly challenges that made it fun and interesting. 

I posted a lot :) some others did too. Some barely at all. but I read every post! I took in the information and tips from others and I used some of it for my own personal fitness goals and I used the other to help make decisions based off of personal opinions and factual information. It was the best of both worlds for me and I plan to take part in another one of Caits challenges in the near future."
 
                                       Cassie M

Wow, powerful story! What I have learned from Cassie isl, the more you participate, the more success you have. Cassie is looking into starting a new program and can't make up here mind, (I had trouble with that too, That's why I started as a discount coach).

Best of luck, Cassie, for the next program you chose and there will ALWAYS be a spot for you in any of my groups!

Cake Batter Energy Bars

• 1 cup rice crispies (brown or white, or certified gf) (30g)
• packed 1/2 cup oat flour (70g) (Or make your own by grinding rolled oats in the food
•  processor until they turn into a fine powder. Measure after blending.)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp roasted cashew butter
• 5 tbsp agave
• optional: a handful of sprinkles
• optional: replace up to half of the oat flour with your favorite protein powder

Combine all dry ingredients and stir well. In a separate (large) bowl, combine wet and stir to form a thin paste. 

(If your cashew butter is cold, warm it a little for easier mixing.) Pour dry into wet (not the other way around),

 and stir until evenly coated. Line a baking dish or tupperware container with a large piece of wax paper and 

pour the mixture into the dish. Fold the extra paper over the mixture and squish down as hard as you possibly

 can! Use a heavy object to really press it down. (The mixture will fill a 7×5, or about 2/3 of an 8×8.) Stick in

 the fridge or freezer to harden before cutting into bars. Store in the fridge or freezer. Makes 12 bars

1500-1800 calorie meal plan

Are you new to clean eating and meal planning? Do you know how many calories you should be consuming in a day?
 I have created a meal plan for the week that is based off of 1500-1800 calories to get you moving in the right
 direction. Weight loss is not impossible but, many of us have no idea where to start or what 1500 calories looks
like!!

Start here by clicking on the Calorie Calculator to figure out how many calories you should consume in a day to
 promote healthy weight loss.



Monday:
Breakfast: 4 scrambled egg whites, 1 cup cooked oatmeal, ½ grapefruit.

Snack: 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder w/water and 1 apple.

Lunch: Blue Cheese Spinach Salad: 1 cup baby spinach+ 1 cup arugala + 2tbsp blue cheese crumbles+ 2 tbsp
blueberries + 1 tbsp pecan halves + 6oz grilled chicken (save 3 oz for tomorrow’s lunch) + 1tbsp olive oil
and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar.

Snack: 1 cup plain non fat greek yogurt, 2 tbsp slivered almonds, 1 packet splenda (optional) and a dash
 of cinnamon.

Dinner: 4 oz broiled salmon with 2 cups steamed spinach and 7 oz sweet potato (save 3 oz for tomorrow’s lunch)
 plus a dash of cinnamon.

Calories: 1,571
Protein: 139 g
Carbs: 128 g
Fat: 60 g






Tuesday:

Breakfast: Egg n cheese muffin: 4 egg whites, 1 slice
cheddar cheese, 1 low calorie whole grain english
 muffin.

Snack: 1 cup plain nonfat Greek Yogurt with 1 cup
 grapes.

Lunch: 3 oz leftover grilled chicken, 3 oz leftover
sweet potato, 1 cup steamed broccoli and 1 cup
strawberries.

Snack: Chocolate Almond protein Shake: blend 1 scoop Shakeology with ⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 tsp
almond extract, ice and water, top with 2 tbsp slivered almonds and 1 tbsp carob chips.

Dinner: 3 oz grilled chicken kebabs with ¾ cup brown rice and 1 cup steamed spinach with greek yogurt and
 cucumber sauce. (sauce: combine 3 tbsp plain non fat greek yogurt, ¼ diced cucumber, ½ tbsp lemon juice,
1 tsp minced garlic, dash of dill, sea salt and pepper)
Calories: 1540
Protein: 148 g
Carbs: 156 g
Fat: 38 g

Wednesday

Breakfast: Chcolate PB Banana Shake: Blend 1 scoop Shakeology with 1 banana and 1 tbsp all natural pb with
1 tbsp carob chips and ½ cup skim milk ice and water.

Snack: 1 cup low fat cottage cheese and 1 cup sliced pineapple.

Lunch: Turkey Burger: 4 oz grilled ground turkey breast patty plus dijon mustard, grilled onions and peppers,
thin whole wheat sandwich bun, ½ cup baby carrots ½ cup celery sticks.

Snack: PB&J Yogurt: 1 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt with 1 tbsp all natural pb and ½ cup sliced strawberries.

Dinner: 7 oz broiled flank steak (save 3 oz for tomorrow) plus ½ cup sauteed mushrooms and onions plus
 2 tbsp blue cheese crumbles and ¾ c cooked brown rice and 1 cup steamed broccoli.

Calories 1,650
Protein: 159 g
Carbs: 169g
Fat: 40g

Thursday:

Breakfast: Cranberry Breakfast mug
(From Oxygen Magazine)
3 egg whites, 2 tbsp plain unsweetened almond milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp almond extract
⅓ oat flour
2 tbsp almond meal
¼ tsp baking powder
dash of sea salt
1 tbsp dried cranberries
1 tsp maple syrup
Beat egg whites in small bowl, add almond milk, vanilla,
 and almond extracts and stir.
Combine oat flour, almond meal, baking powder and salt
 in a large bowl.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and combine
 until smooth. Add in cranberries.
Pour in a large coffee mug. Microwave for 2 minutes
 and 20 seconds or until knife inserted in the center
 comes out clean. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve.

Snack: 1 can tuna plus ¼ c diced avocado and sea salt
 with pepper to taste and 2 brown rice cakes.

Lunch: 3 oz leftover flank steak plus 4 cups romaine lettuce and ¼ sliced red pepper, ½ cup shredded carrot,
 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar.

Snack: 1 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt and 1 pear.

Dinner: 6 oz grilled chicken save 3 oz for tomorrow ¾ cup brown rice and 1 cup steamed asparagus.

Calories: 1705
Protein: 145 g
Carbs: 160 g
Fat: 54 g

Friday:

Breakfast: 4 hard boiled egg whites, ¾ c dry oats cooked in water with a dash of cinnamon and seas salt
 with 1 tbsp raisins.

Snack: 1 cup plain non fat greek yogurt and 2 tbsp cashews (unsalted & raw).

Lunch: 3 oz leftover grilled chicken with 2 slices whole grain toast, 2 lettuce leaves, 3 slices yellow onion,
 1 slice tomato, 1 slice swiss cheese.
Snack: 1 cup low fat cottage cheese and 1 orange.

Dinner: 6 oz broiled tilapia save 3 oz for tomorrow, and juice of ½ lemon and ¾ cup cooked quinoa and 2
cups steamed spinach.

Calories: 1,603
Protein: 146 g
Carbs: 171 g
Fats: 39 g



Saturday

Breakfast: Veggie Omelet: 1 egg, 2 egg whites, ¼ cup
 sliced mushrooms, ¼ cup diced tomato, ½ cup
chopped yellow onion, 1 cup spinach, 1 slice whole
 grain toast.

Snack: 2 brown rice cakes 1 cup low fat cottage
cheese, 2 tbsp all natural peanut butter.

Lunch: 3 oz leftover tilapia, juice of ½ lemon,
 1 cup steamed broccoli, 1 ½ cups cooked brown
 rice and save half for dinner and 1 tbsp olive oil.

Snack: 1 scoop shakeology w/water and 1 apple.

Dinner: Chicken Stir Fry: 3 oz chicken, ½ c each
 sliced bell pepper, chopped onion, bok choy and
snap peas, 2 tbsp bragg liquid aminos, ¾ cup leftover
 brown rice ¾ tbsp rice vinegar.

Calories: 1,782
Protein: 150 g
Carbs: 178 g
Fat: 55 g

Sunday

Breakfast: Quinoa Parfait: layer ¾ c cooked quinoa, 1 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt, 2 tbsp blueberries,
 ¼ c sliced strawberries, 2 tbsp raspberries, 2 tbsp chopped walnuts.

Snack: 1 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt and 1 apple.

 Lunch: Scrambled egg white pizza
3 egg whites
1 small whole wheat tortilla
1 tsp garlic finely chopped
2 slices tomato
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
dash of sea salt and pepper
½ cup shredded skim mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees, meanwhile scramble egg whites in a small frying pan. season with salt and
 pepper. Place whole grain tortilla on a baking tray, spread with garlic evenly on top. Spoon scrambled egg
whites over garlic and distribute evenly. Top with basil, tomatoes and cheese. Bake 6 to 8 minutes until cheese
 is melted. Broil for 1 minute, remove and let stand for 1 minute before slicing!

Snack: strawberry banana shake, blend 1 scoop shakeology w/ ½ cup strawberries, ½ banana, and 1 cup
 water and ice.

Dinner: 6 oz jumbo shrimp, ½ tsp minced garlic, ¼ c yellow onions, 1 cup sliced zucchini, dash of sea salt
 and pepper, 1 cup cooked whole wheat pasta and 1 tbsp olive oil.

Grocery List

Ah the infamous grocery list... It's honestly necessary if you want to go to the store and not sabotage your diet. Even better though, a meal plan with a grocery list.

If you are looking for an easy, comprehensive, and totally doable meal plan, I seriously urge you to check out the Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno. She has so many great books on Amazon, and I follow the Eat Clean Diet Recharged! It's the back to the basics when it comes to nutrition.

Clean Eating

• Food consumed in its most natural state, or close to it--wholesome! From mother earth 
• Which means nothing processed.
• Fruits and veggies.
• Nuts, legumes, natural nut butters, nut oils. (no additives)
• Whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice. 
• Lean proteins. (chicken, ground turkey, fish, lean beef) Meats should be grass fed, free range! Free of chemicals and hormones. 
  

General rule of thumb for clean eating: If your great, great grandparents didn't eat it, you shouldn't either!

Complex Carbs

  Steel Cut Oats/Oatmeal

 Sweet Potatoes 

  Black Beans

  Kidney Beans

  Lentils

Ezekiel Bread --sprouted grain bread is always best

Ezekiel brand pasta and tortillas 

  Wild rice

  Brown rice

  Wehani rice

 Whole wheat orzo & couscous

  Quinoa

Quinoa flour

  Wheat germ

Flax seed &flax oil

Cracked wheat

  Rye flakes

Vegetables

lettuce

  Broccoli

  Asparagus

Green beans

  Spinach

Bell peppers

Brussels sprouts

  Cauliflower

  Celery

  Mushrooms (Shiitake)

  Pickles

  Cabbage

  Sprouts--MMM great on sandwiches 

  Cucumber

  Green and Red pepper

  Onions (green, red, yellow)

  Garlic

  Tomatoes

  Zucchini

  Squash

  Spaghetti Squash

  Pumpkin (fresh & canned)

  Sundried tomatoes 

  Okra

  Parnsips

  Cilantro

  Chives

  Kale

  Dried Split Peas

  Corn--organic and in moderation

  Edammame (frozen)

  Canned chickpeas

  Miso

  Leeks

Fruits

  Blueberries

  Raspberries

  Lime & lemon juice

  Apples

  Grapes

  Clementines

  Watermelon

pineapple

1/2 a banana a day

Melons 

Cantaloupe 

strawberries

frozen fruit for quick snacks 

Healthy Fats

  Natural-style Peanut butter (unsalted) or PB2

  Avocados

  Olive-oil cooking spray

  Pine nuts

  Almonds--moderation

  Walnuts

  Tahini paste

Proteins

  Boneless, skinless chicken breast

Water packed albacore 

  White meat chicken (water packed)

  Salmon

  Shrimp

  Extra lean ground round

  Buffalo steak (lean)

Filet

  Flank Steak (leanest)

  Extra lean ground turkey

  Turkey cutlets

  Bison meat

Turkey jerky

Dairy & Eggs

  Fat-free cottage cheese

  Eggs and/or Egg white Substitute

  Non-fat, plain yogurt

  Greek yogurt

  Fat-free String Cheese

  Almond Milk

  Jarlsberg Lite Swiss Cheese

 Condiments

  Braggs Liquid Amino Acid (sub for soy sauce) 

  Reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce (no corn syrup)

  Balsamic Vinegar

  Balsamic vinaigrette

  Salsa

  Chili Paste

  Tomato Paste (low sugar)

  Stewed tomatoes (low sodium)

  Mustard (yellow or Dijon)

  Vanilla extract

  Almond extract

  Low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth

  Low-sodium, fat-free vegetable broth

  Reduced-sodium tomato sauce & tomatoes

  Worcestershire

  Olive-oil cooking spray

  Sugar-free applesauce

Herbs & Spices

  Chili powder

  Mrs. Dash

  McCormicks

  Cinnamon

  Allspice

  Basil

  Bay Leaf

  Onion Powder

  Garlic Powder

  Dill

  Chicken bouillion

  Ginger

  Sage

  Rosemary

  Paprika

  Thyme

  Oregano

  Curry Powder

  Red Pepper

  Dry Mustard

  Cumin

  Saffron

  Nutmeg

When getting ready for a event Tosca Reno has a stipped meal plan that is very effective in dropping body fat and leaning out.

I have found it most effective in planning my carbohydrates around my activity for the day! Think of food as fuel! I limit my fruit intake to before noon due to the simple sugars in it and at most 20grams of sugar a day! I will have fruit post workout or bb results and recovery formula. The results and recovery is high in carbs because you need simple carbs to start the recovery/myscle growth process. Following a hard workout, your body is severely depleted of glycogen and glucose.It is critical to get the carbs (and protein) to the muscle cells as fast as possible. As well, the elevated insulin levels will help to drive nutrients into the muscle cells. And again, high-glycemic carbs are best for this purpose.

I do not eat any simple or complex carbs after 4p. My body does not need it and it will just be stored as fat. I typically eat 100grams of carbohydrates a day and aim for my protein intake to be 125-150