NUTRITION: WEEK 1

 

Even when your body physically isn’t ready to handle the strain of exercise, it can always handle good nutrition.  I call nutrition "The Powerhouse".  I’m not pitching a “diet”…I’m talking about the foundations of good nutrition.  I’ve provided two days of my eating below as an example so that you can see in action what I’m explaining. 

 

Balanced Eating

Balanced eating means eating a sufficient amount of the macronutrients your body needs to thrive.  These are proteins, carbohydrates, fats and fiber.  This article in GORGO Magazine by Dr. Layne Norton does an excellent job explaining the need for all these macronutrients.  If you don’t have a subscription for this online magazine, “splurge” the $2 a month and get a subscription to GORGO.  I'll be referencing articles each week that are written by experts for women just like you & me.

 

The Protein Plight

In working with many women on their nutrition, I've found that most do not eat enough protein.  They are calorie counters by nature and they gravitate to “healthy food” packaging that touts health benefits such as “low fat”, “only 35 calories!”, “light” etc.  This packaging is food marketers bull sh*t.  Ignore it.  The problem with calorie counting, is that it doesn’t acknowledge that the calorie source matters.

 

Both macronutrients, Protein and Carbohydrates, have 4 calories per gram.  This means you could eat 20g of protein (2.5oz chicken breast) or you could eat 20g of carbs (½ cup of cooked oatmeal, 1 apple, 1 slice of bread) and these have approximately the same 100-calorie count.  However, your body needs a balance of protein and carbs (or slightly more of one or other depending on your body type and performance goals…more to come on that in a future blog).

 

So what?  Spin the label around on your food and compare the grams of protein and carbs.  You’ll likely find protein to be scarce compared to the carbs.  Look up the protein & carbs of your fruits, veggies, meats, dairy etc. to become generally familiar with how many carbs versus proteins you are eating.  This research is not done with the aim for you to count every gram, but to have a better sense if you are eating enough protein and which foods you like are good sources of protein.

 

I aim for around 130-180 grams of protein a day.  I keep reading online how 40-50 grams is what is recommended for women daily.  That’s a joke to me.  It simply is not enough for a healthy and active woman.  I’ll do the math for you -> 40 grams of protein x 4 calories per gram = 160 calories a day from protein.  A healthy woman typically will eat between 1700-2000 calories a day.  The “recommended” 40 grams is just 8% to 9% of your daily calories.  That’s FAR from the balance you need.  If you’re only eating the “recommended” 40 grams of protein, the rest of your calories are coming from carbohydrates & fats.   It’s simply waaaay too many carbohydrates for a healthy & fit woman.

 

My Go-To Protein Sources:

• Grilled chicken (3 oz = 27g of protein)

• Ground turkey (3 oz = 24 g of protein)

• Eggs & egg whites, scrambled (1 whole egg + ½ cup egg whites = 13 g of protein)

• Whey concentrate protein powder* (1 package IsaLean Pro Vanilla* = 36 g of protein)

• Vegetarian protein powder* (1 package IsaLean Berry Shake* = 22 g of protein)

• Low-fat, low calorie greek yogurt (1 serving = 12 g of protein).  Beware of flavoured Greek yogurt...check the sugar content.  Should have 4g of sugar or less!

*If you'd like to discuss including Isagenix products in your lifestyle diet, I'd love to chat with you about that - contact me at erica@sisinshape.com to set up a call.  I can't share these products enough!*