EXPLANATION OF THE BIG 5
If you EAT more than you BURN, you will gain weight. IF you BURN more than you EAT, you will lose weight. Considering that 66% of Americans are overweight, odds are you may be eating more than you burn. Finding that perfect amount to do what you want your body to do takes some practice. If you have fallen ‘off the wagon’, write in DETAIL what you ate today (or yesterday) and using your BIGGEST LOSER CALORIE COUNTER or www.calorie-count.com site, write out EACH number of the BIG 5 in your day. You’ll find conflicting advice as to how MANY calories you should eat. Most ‘experts’ agree that adult females need 1000-1800, depending. There is increasing evidence that ‘reduced calorie’ diets are beneficial. I happen to feel better and sleep better on a somewhat reduced calorie nutrition plan.
CALORIES
GOOD fat burns FAT! Study after study reveals the importance of ‘good fat’ in your daily nutrition. Best sources of fat are olive oil (extra virgin for drizzle, dressings and just ‘olive’ for cooking or EVOO), coconut oil (can be purchased in Vitamin Shoppes or Organic sections of your grocery). Fat from Almonds, Walnuts, Pecans, Pistachios {when selecting nuts, be CERTAIN that no additional fats have been added. Nuts should have Nuts and light salt (if that) } Flax seeds, Flax oil. Organic Peanut Butter (no added oils) and FLAX butter (my FAV from V. Shoppe— has more protein and less fat per Tablespoon.) My dietary fat (Pam) in a ‘normal’ day comes from organic egg(s), whole grain organic wrap, avocado, ground turkey, flax oil (in my shake), peanut butter or flax butter and the incidental fat that may come in whole organic foods.
FATS
PROTEIN
Protein is the BUILDING block of Muscle. The more muscle you have, the more fat you can burn because muscle burns fat. My lifetime chiropractor has stayed on me most of my life to ‘get my protein up’. When Angie and I first started tracking, I had a hard time getting my protein above 65g. Now, it is rarely below 100g. Again different schools of thought here. Some experts say you need to eat 1g for every lb you weigh. If you’re overweight, I think that seems very unrealistic. Some say that you should eat the # of grams you WANT to weigh. As a medium size female, I feel really good at 100+g. Protein comes in many forms. Choose CLEAN Protein sources (clean means it comes from the ground or it has a Mother) vs. processed foods. IN a crunch, I will eat a Protein bar {Jordon Rubin’s fucoprotein only— most others are glamorized candy bars) while traveling or on a hectic scheduled day. I also use whey Protein (JAY ROBB) for my shakes to get an easy 25g high quality protein in my diet daily. Choose lean meats—turkey and chicken, salmon and other clean fishes, nuts, eggs (a PERFECT food) Tofu (in stir fry it takes on the FLAVOR of whatever you are making) and Beans. In my ‘early’ pre workout breakfast I often eat 1/8 c. oatmeal (dry before cooked in h20) I added stevia (sweetener) 1T flax seeds ground 1T wheat germ, cinnamon, 1Ž4 c organic raspberries and blueberries and a slosh of soy milk. These numbers gave me 170 cal 4 fat 6 protein 24 carbs and 7.5 fiber. Then my BREAKFAST post workout, I made a 1 organic egg+ 2 more egg whites omelet with 1 slice low fat turkey bacon and wrapped it in my new favorite wrap that has 12g fiber (www.locarbu.com) and THAT meal was 243 calories 11 fat 26 protein 19 carb 12 fiber (7 raw carbs after subtracting the fiber!)
Your body will burn available carbs or stored fat. Refined carbs (meaning they have been processed, tampered, messed with, messed UP) such as enriched flours, sugary foods such as cereals, cakes, chips, buns, breads, ‘health bars’ will act as SUGAR in your body and send your insulin surging WHICH STORES FAT! Your carbs should come from COMPLEX CARBS! Oatmeal, quinoa, barley, brown rice, organic vegetables and fruits. I like to eat my ‘higher’ carbs before 3 p.m.
CARBOHYDRATES
You can’t get enough! And most likely you don’t! The average American gets 8-12g (and that’s Americans who pay attention! If you eat the average American diet, you get less!). You need bare minimum of 25g daily to be healthy! Now… look at my oatmeal and fiber wrap! 19.5 just in those two items!! For lunch today, I had 4 cups of organic greens, 1Ž2 c black beans, 1Ž4 c. homemade guaq, and for dinner I’ll add 3-4 c veggies with my turkey burger and my Fiber for today will be 41g!! That is higher than I usually get, but I rarely get below 20-25g. Think green, raw, original form.
FIBER
If you do just TWO THINGS, you’ll be moving on the right path:
1. RAISE YOUR PROTEIN! It will raise your energy. It will fill you up. It will set you up to increase your muscle mass. (We assume you are exercising!)
2. LOWER your CARBS—And get them from WHOLE sources. Really, STOP eating junk. STOP eating processed. STOP eating ‘enriched flour’ products (bread, wraps, over-processed rice).
So what do you need to do first?
How can you remember all of this?
WHEN you do just these two things, you’ll see a difference in your body and your energy, and then you’ll be ready to get more ‘into’ the detail of it. Only recently after a year and a half of TRACKING and WORKING at the right combinations, did I work to refine what % of my calories need to come from Protein/fat/carbs to get my best consistent energy and weight loss/muscle increase results. It will vary for each person, but until you get your protein up and carbs down, it will be challenging to gauge and refine.