Posts Tagged ‘Weght Control’

Remember that there is a difference between a snack and a meal.  A meal is fully BALANCED meaning that it contains all three macro-nutrient ratio’s (Carbs, protein, fat) in the correct ratio.  For example putting together a snack would mean nothing more than slamming a few crackers and calling it good, whereas if you want to make it a meal you would have to put some protein in there as well such as a protein shake, yogurt, cottage cheese…you get the point.  You may be asking yourself, “well what about the fat?”  Remember a simple little saying, “the fat will follow”.  What this means is that if you are actively trying to get a low glycemic carbohydrate and a quality low-fat protein, then you DON’T have to worry about adding the fat in…it will naturally occur in about a 20% ratio if you are choosing healthy choices.

 Below are some simple suggestions to spark your mind.  Following the food list, you will find suggestions for quick, balanced, on the run suggestions.

Quick-On-The-Go-Meals

The only thing that you may need with these meals is a mini cooler with ice or a micro-wave oven.  These meals are designed to be quick and easy and worker friendly.

          1- Sandwiches:  Just remember to limit the condiments, dressing and cheese.  These items add fat calories galore!  Egg salad sandwiches work great as well!  Just remember to limit the egg yolks in the mixture and you should be great! 

2-Whole Grain pasta’s:  You may be saying “what, pasta?  That is not quick!”  Hear me out…This can actually be one of the quickest ways to have a pre-made meal.  All you do if make a big serving of whole grain pasta that will last for 2-4 servings and pre-dress it with a healthy sauce (low sugar/fat) and then you have a quick meal ready to be eating at any time.  The only drawback to this is that you may need  microwave to warm it up.

3-Protein Bars balanced with fiber:  It is not enough to just have a protein bar and call it good.  You need to balance that bar with adequate fiber.  So be sure to take along a baggie of pre-cut veggies and fruit to go along with your bar and you will be set for the next three hours. 

4-RTD’s (Ready-To-Drink Meals):  These have become popular in the last decade due to their extreme convenience.  To give you an example of what I am talking about just think of EAS’s Myo-Plex Shakes.  They are pre-packaged shakes that need to be refrigerated and that is just about it.  Just as the protein bars you need to balance this meal with a serving of veggies and/or a serving of fruit.

5-Left-Overs:  This is something that can make your life a whole lot more enjoyable!  If you have more of a formal dinner with healthy recipes (such as in this book) you can intentionally make more servings and package up the rest for later…all you need is a microwave!

6-Pre-made protein shakes:  This is an economical choice because all you have to do is buy a big 5lb jug of Whey Protein and then make 5-6 pre-made shakes and keep them in your fridge.

7-Whole Grain Crackers and a Protein source:  Triscuits, wheat thins, or any other low-sugar/fat cracker combined with a protein source such as tuna fish, yogurt, cottage cheese, lean deli-meat, or any other protein source such as a pre-made shake.

8-Salads:  If you can grab an extra ten minutes the night before and prepare a salad, they make great convienance meals.  You may need a fridge or you can keep it in your cooler if you are on the road.  Just be sure to spice up your salad with adequate protein such as shredded chicken or turkey to keep the protein high.

9-Whole Grain Cereals:  Yes you can have breakfast for your meals if you need to!  Just be sure that it is whole grain and low-sugar/fat…sound familiar?

 Well there you have it my friends!  Some of the fastest meals available for all of you busy people out there!  Remember life is good and I will see you next week!

Oh carbohydrates!  We hear about them all of the time!  Carbs are bad, carbs make you gain weight!  Heck, this is the only macro nutrient (carbohydrate, protein, fat) that goes by a nickname!  Having served in the health and fitness industry for more than 8 years I have found this single macro nutrient to be the most misunderstood with no exception.  Granted it is the most complicated macro nutrient but it CAN be simple if we understand the basics.

Basic Principles:

1-The Glycemic index is a rating system ranging from 1-100

2-This scale pertains to carbohydrates ONLY.

3-The higher the rating, the faster that particular carbohydrate breaks down into  blood sugar (your immediate and ultimate source of energy)

4-Every time a carbohydrate is broken down into blood sugar you have a corresponding rise in the hormone insulin

5-Insulin acts as a transport hormone that shuttles the blood sugar into one of three containers in your body (blood sugar, glycogen, and fat)

6-High insulin levels are equated with fat storage and other hormonal shifts that cause hunger pangs and satiety issues.

Summary:  Each carbohydrate source that you ingest has a glycemic index attached to it.  The higher it is, the faster that carbohydrate breaks down into blood sugar which is your immediate source of energy.  The faster it breaks down the more insulin is required.   Chronically high insulin levels are associated with a plethora health disorders such as insulin resistance, hyper-glycemia, metabolic syndrome and ultimately Type II Diabetes.

SO…Who should care about the glycemic index?

As we all know, nutrition is the most vital part of any fitness program.  It can make or break our goals and ambitions.  Furthermore, when it comes to nutrition there is little discussion that carbohydrate seems to be the most confusing macro-nutrient (out of carbs, protein, and fat).  Why is this?  Let us think about a few reasons.

1.  Carbohydrates are all listed on the glycemic index, while protein and fat are not.  This means that we need to educate ourselves as to what carbohydrates are good and which ones are bad.  This can be tedious at first, but will eventually become second nature to us as we form a new lifestyle. 

2.  Carbohydrates are shrouded with myth.  What have we been told by popular diets such as Atkins®?  We have been told that carbohydrates are the culprit for mass weight gain.  Is this true?  Stay tuned.

3.  Carbohydrates come in all shapes and sizes.  Carbohydrates range from simple carbohydrates to complex carbohydrates and everything in between.  What further complicates the scenario is that some complex carbohydrates are high on the glycemic index and some simple carbohydrates are low.  However some general rules can be established.  Remember that complex carbohydrates are generally lower on the glycemic index and simple carbohydrates are generally higher.

In my next post I will delve into some common myths that surround carbohydrates and I will give you some ammo as to how you can dispell them and make the right carbohydrate selections.  Please stay tuned!