How to Beat the Munchies

Out in the real world, a lot of people ask me questions about how to lose weight and various other ideas.  One I seem to be fielding the most lately is, "How do you deal with snacking?"

So, let me ask you...

Do you find that you eat well all day, only to come home and want to eat everything in sight?

Do you go searching for anything you can have to satisfy that need to munch?

Is night time or after work the hardest time for you?  

Or is it resisting the goodies everyone brings into the office to "share"?

I'll be honest, I love to eat and the more I think I've got snacking figured out, the harder it is to control.

There are a few tips or strategies you can follow to help with the munchies, but they require a little forethought.  Failure to anticipate your needs will lead you to self-sabotage, so the trick is to know what will satisfy your cravings, while simultaneously satisfying your needs.

The first trick is to plan healthy snacks.  Think about it, if you eat breakfast at 6, lunch at about noon and dinner at 6, or so, that's a long time between meals.  So, to keep yourself satisfied, you really should have mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks.  Nothing crazy, but a couple healthy snacks on hand. Planning basically means you have the food accessible.  Most of my snacks don't require any prep, just making sure the fridge / shelves are stocked.

Here are some suggestions:

Almonds (1 oz. = 160 calories, 6 g carbs, 14 g fat, 6 g protein)

A protein bar (depending on the brand = 200 calories, 16-23 g carbs, 6-7 g fat, 20-21 g protein

An apple with peanut butter (270 calories, 29 carb, 16 g fat, 8 g protein)

Greek yogurt with 1/2 serving granola (I use Bear Naked granola)  (195 calories, 22 g carbs, 4 g fat, 18 g protein)

A protein shake with a frozen banana (235 calories, 30 g carb, 2 g fat, 28 g protein)  I use left over cold coffee for my liquid and it makes a great pre / post-workout snack! (Not pictured)  Leave it in the blender a little longer than normal and viola!

Note one common thread: these just about ALL have a decent amount of protein AND healthy fats.

Things to avoid:

• Trigger foods (for me, that's raisins, chocolate, cookies). What do you eat that makes you want more and more?  You may want to keep these kinds of things OUT of the house completely.
• High carb foods with little to no protein or fat - while an orange or baked potato chips may taste good, they may not sustain you.  Try some fruit with cottage cheese or nut butter instead. (That's why I'll have an apple with peanut butter.)

If you are truly hungry, make sure you are eating enough for breakfast and lunch.  Skipping meals, or not eating enough, lends to hunger.  If you find that nothing satisfies you, binging is a potential hazard, which is an entirely different problem in and of itself.

When you feel hungry, but you know you shouldn't be hungry, ask yourself if you really are thirsty.  Chances are a glass of water will take care of your need to munch.  I just had a handful of almonds and two glasses of water and I feel much better.

I keep water in the fridge all the time, with sliced lemon.  It taste much better than straight from the tap and is a lot less expensive than drinking bottled water all the time.

When all else fails, try gum.  Yep, sugarless gum might just satisfy your need to chew and your need for something sweet.  One slice of Extra gum is only five calories.

If it's ice cream you love, try Skinny Cows.  I recommend you keep them out of reach, so one is enough. I keep these in the freezer in the basement and save them for my night time snack.  It satisfies my need for ice cream without a ton of bed time calories.

160 calories:  28 g. carbs, 3.5 g fat, 4 g protein

Thought I'd start sharing my favorite workout tunes with you.  Share yours in the comment section.  Here is my absolute new favorite workout song:

Chained to the Rhythm by Katy Perry, feat. Skip Marley

Questions for you: (answer in the comment section below)

How do you beat the munchies?  Do you prefer sweet treats of salty treats?  What's your one major trigger food?

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Breakfast 101

Throughout  my entire life I heard, "Breakfast is the most important meal."  When I was on one diet or another, I often skipped breakfast to save calories or points.  When I was fat, I hardly ever ate breakfast, except maybe donuts here or there and on weekends when I made pancakes for the kids.

So, why breakfast?  What's so important about it?  What about bacon?  What about eggs?  And is cereal any good?

I am three years into this fitness journey.  I eat breakfast every day.  I'll explain why later in the post.  During the week, what I eat is pretty standard.  I'll go through phases when I eat the same one or two things every day.  But this is pretty much it:

Breakfast Option 1

2 eggs (either soft boiled or over easy)  Use cooking spray to save on the fat from oiling your pan.

1 slice Arnold Double Protein bread, toasted

Coffee with half & half

Breakfast Option 2

Egg Fritata

Coffee with half & half

Breakfast Option 3

Protein Smoothie made with peanut butter

Coffee with half & half

Breakfast Option 4

1/2 Cup Oatmeal

1 serving fruit (mashed banana, fresh sliced berries, or a peeled, chopped apple)

1 Scoop Protein

Coffee with half & half

Yep, that's it.  Every once in a while, if I'm not feeling well or am super tired, I'll eat a bowl of Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal with almond milk and call it a day.  (Don't forget the coffee!)

On the weekends, if I am motivated, I might make protein pancakes.  My cousin Jamie introduced me to Kodiak Cakes, with which I am just experimenting.  I'll let you know what I think of them later on.

So, why breakfast?

There is definitely science to the importance of breakfast.  You may or may not have heard the specifics, here they are in a nutshell:  

•   A healthy breakfast helps to improve concentration and performance throughout the day, 
•   Provides you with energy, which prevents fatigue.
•   Promotes overall healthier eating.

If I miss breakfast, I am off for the rest of the day.  Recently I went home sick because I suddenly felt sick and thought I was going to pass out.  What I didn't realize is that my blood sugar crashed.  I was busy and skipped breakfast, had a protein shake mid-morning, which was low in carbohydrates.  (I need carbs!)  After I had it, I became ill.  This doesn't happen every time I skip a meal, but having been obese for so long, I am still prone to pre-diabetic symptoms (hypoglycemia) I had pretty regularly three years ago (like blood sugar dips and spikes).  Lesson for me?  Keep peanut butter crackers in my desk.

I know most people who don't eat breakfast say they don't have the time to fix  or eat breakfast, or they don't want the calories.

A healthy breakfast is worth the calories.  You don't have to have an outrageous breakfast every day.  Two eggs and a slice of whole grain toast is about 260 calories.  In the overall picture of your day, that's a small percent.  As far as the time it takes to make breakfast?  Either make it the night before or have everything ready to make while you are getting ready in the morning.  

When I have a protein shake, I put everything into the cup the night before and throw it on the blender when I am ready to eat it.  It takes seconds.  When fresh berries are out of season, I will throw frozen ones in at the last minute so the shake is frosty.   I make my fritatas the night before.  Even if I have oatmeal, I will put the dry oatmeal into the bowl before I go to bed.  In the morning, I add water, microwave the oatmeal, add fruit and protein powder after cooking the oatmeal.  Done.  I have tried overnight oatmeal, but I don't like it.

Healthy Breakfast Options

What about bacon?  What about eggs?  And is cereal any good?

If you grew up in the 80s, you were told to stay away from eggs.  Eggs are high in cholesterol.  Don't eat eggs.  Well, scientists have revealed that the cholesterol in eggs is not bad for you.  So go ahead and eat your eggs.  My fritatas (a fancy way of saying omelet) are made of egg whites and one egg.  I like the yolk and I need my eggs to be somewhat yellow / orange.

Bacon, on the other hand is a processed meat.  The fat and nitrates are something you should steer away from.  However, a treat once in a while is not a bad thing.  I have turkey bacon on hand, but I hardly ever eat it.  Nitrates are nitrates whether it's pork or turkey.

Cereal is awesome.  I love cereal.  You want to choose cereals that are low in sugar and high in fiber.  My absolutely favorite cereal is Kashi Go Lean Crunch.  I don't tend to eat kids' cereal, although I do love Honey Nut Cheerios.  Just make sure to read the labels.  A bowl of Kashi is higher in calories than a bowl of Cocoa Puffs, but the former is higher in protein and fiber, making it a much better option.

Kashi Go Lean Crunch with 1/2 cup almond milk will satisfy me until my mid-morning yogurt.  It might be higher in calories than Cocoa Puffs, but the protein and fiber are well worth it.

One of the reasons I don't eat cereal every day is I am conscious of my macros and I really need to eat protein at every meal.  Cereal is lower in protein than what I normally eat for breakfast.  This is why I usually add protein powder to my oatmeal.  

Here are a couple good reads about breakfast:

3 Ways Your Breakfast Is Sabotaging Your Weight Loss

So You Want to Start Eating Breakfast

Read more from my series on wellness

Radio Silence

The Empty Fridge Syndrome

Put a Little Love in Your Step

On Friendship

Questions for you...
What did you eat for breakfast today?  
Do you have a favorite breakfast recipe you will share with me?  Email it to me today.
Post your comments below.

Subscribe to new posts!  When a new post is added, you will receive an email notice so you can check it out.  I promise:  no SPAM and I won't share your email address with anyone.  Look at the top right side of the page to subscribe.  

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How many calories do you burn when you have hypothermia?

Brrrrrrr!  It's May 1, 45-50 degrees and raining. Know what I did today? Hold onto your seat.  I got up before 3:00 a.m. to be on the road to New York City for 3:30 a.m.... To ride a 40 mile bike ride through the five boroughs. Yep. That's what I did.

I'm crazy, right? You can tell me the truth. I can handle it.

The other day I was thinking about how much my life has changed.  When I started on this journey towards fitness, I never could have imagined.  It's been a 180 degree turn around.

There's more...

Last night I went to a cotillion (a fancy way of saying a ball for young adults who are being presented to the public). It was a black tie event, meaning I had to get a new dress, matching shoes and jewelry. (Darn, another shopping trip!)    Two years ago, even though I had already started to lose weight, I would have dreaded going. A black tie event ... a real reason to dread getting dressed up, exposing my fat body for the world to see. 

This year, my attitude was totally different. I actually looked forward to the cotillion. I was super happy to go. I curled my hair, wore makeup and even went for a manicure and pedicure on Thursday.  It was a real treat.

And today...I went for a 40 mile bike ride in the pouring rain.  We had to leave at 3:30 a.m. to get there.  It was freezing.  I got soaked, and a little hypothermia.  But you know what?  Even knowing how the day went, I would do it again.  The rain and cold were miserable, don't misunderstand.  But I spent the day with friends, doing something I never imagined I would even be able to do.  I finished the ride and did well.  It was a good day!  What is there to complain about?

Waiting to ride to the starting line.  32,000 people out there today.

Let me ask you, in your wildest dreams... Can you imagine accomplishing your dreams?  Can you even picture what your dreams might actually be?  Two years ago, I would have laughed if you told me I would have had a good time riding my bike in 47 degree rainy weather! I would have said, "No way!"

Imagine. Do it now. 

Are you happy with your health and fitness level?  

When you look in the mirror, are you satisfied with what you see?  (I'll admit that there are some bumps and lines on my belly from child bearing, but overall I am satisfied with my appearance.) 

What would the wildest, craziest or seemingly impossible goal be, that you can't imagine you would ever be able to do?

Did you do it?  Okay.  

Now, what will it take to make it happen?  Start at the beginning, think through a plan, and make it happen.  Believe it can happen. Have faith in yourself.  Need help?  Email me.  I'll help you get started.

Question for you:  (Answer in the comments below.)

What amazing or fun thing did you do this weekend?

Now:  Subscribe to new posts!  When a new post is added, you will receive an email notice so you can check it out.  I promise:  no SPAM and I won't share your email address with anyone.  Look at the top right side of the page to subscribe.  

Follow me...

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TraceyGettingFit

Twitter:  @TraceyFit99

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Email:  tracoleman99   @  gmail.com   (you'll have to type it in ...  trying to avoid SPAM in my box.

How do you like your eggs?

What did you have for breakfast today?  I had an egg white frittata with spinach and tomatoes and some Kashi oatmeal with almond milk.  It was delicious and satisfying!  I love eggs!

This morning's frittata was spinach and tomato.  This is one has steamed broccoli.

When I first started dieting in the 1980s, I remember eggs were "bad for you." They are high in fat and cholesterol.  I liked them well enough, all kinds of ways: egg salad, hard-boiled eggs, scrambled, soft boiled, poached, fried, deviled eggs, and omelettes.  Whether I was trying to lose weight, I've always thought of them as fattening, so I avoided them.

Since I've been on this journey, I realize that they are actually quite healthy:  full of nutrients and protein. Contrary to what we once believed, the cholesterol in eggs does not affect the blood cholesterol of most people*.  Eating two-three eggs a few times a week is definitely reasonable. 

So, how do you like your eggs? Me? I like them over easy and I don't really mind if the yolks crack. I kinda even like them broken sometimes.  If I want to be truthful, it doesn't even bother me if they're a little overcooked.

Anything at all but sunny side up.

Look at sunny side up eggs, they are too pretty to eat.   I know people like them, but they are too neat and clean for me.

You probably are thinking that this post is all about eggs, don't you?

The truth is, it's more about being real. It's hard to trust people who always serve their eggs sunny side up. I want someone who's going to be honest, who will serve things the hard way sometimes (albeit with love).   Over-easy or over-medium...sometimes they come out perfectly and sometimes they're messy.

I really have a hard time with people who always serve their eggs sunny side up.

If we are really friends, then you're going to be honest with me.

From time to time we might even hurt each other's feelings, but we always makeup and share the love after.  We don't just mask over things and pretend nothing ever happened.

I'm going to share your hardships and you're going to share mine.

That's what friendship really is.

Thanks for being my friend...no matter how you serve your eggs, especially if they come out messy sometimes.

*Studies are not conclusive about how eggs effect the cholesterol levels of diabetics.  It's the yolk that contains the cholesterol, so whites are fine.

Questions for you:  (Answer in the comments below.)
What did you have for breakfast today? How do you like your eggs?  

Now:  Subscribe to new posts!  When a new post is added, you will receive an email notice so you can check it out.  I promise:  no SPAM and I won't share your email address with anyone.  Look at the top right side of the page to subscribe.  

Follow me

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TraceyGettingFit

Twitter:  @TraceyFit99

Instagram:  @tracoleman99

Secret to Success

Our weight loss challenge at work is under way.  It's been a nice way to promote team work and collegiality.  I have been doing what I can to support my colleagues with information about nutrition and sharing my “secrets to success.”

People always ask me "What did you do?"  "Can you help me?"

The most important thing you can do to lose weight is to track your food.  I can’t begin to tell you the difference this has made for me.  If you are not currently tracking your food – through calories or Weight Watchers or another system, I strongly recommend you do that.  It’s the best way to see your eating trends and probably the only way someone can help you if you need it.  I track calories using MyFitnessPal.  I wrote about how to use MyFitnessPal here:   Flexible Dieting Basics and Tracking Calories with MFP.  

I know, however that not everyone is ready to track calories and can’t be bothered with Weight Watchers points.  Even if you are tracking calories, this post is for you!!!

The two most important things I have learned about nutrition:

ONE:  You MUST read nutrition labels! Look specifically at the following: calories, protein grams, fat grams and carbohydrates. (Fiber is good to look at too, but if you're just getting started, don't think too much about that just yet.)

When looking at the nutrition facts, consider if the food is worth the calories? Is it worth the fat grams? Is it worth the carbs?

For example, look at these two granola products:

Each one’s serving size contains 10 grams of protein, 3 grams fiber and a minor difference in fat grams (4.5 vs. 5).  However, the serving size of the Nature Valley granola is ½ cup, containing 210 calories and 32 grams of carbohydrates.  The serving size of Bear Naked granola is ¼ cup, with only 130 calories and 13 grams of carbohydrates.  Even if you double the serving size of the Bear Naked granola to make it equal, that doubles the fiber and protein, making it a Win / Win product.  I put granola in my yogurt, so ¼ cup is more than enough for me.

TWO:  PROTEIN!!!  You want to make sure you have enough protein in your diet.  Unless you have a kidney problem you should aim for at least 100 grams of protein per day.  I don’t eat a snack or a meal unless it has at least 15 grams of protein in it.  If it doesn't, think to yourself, "How can I get more protein into this meal (snack)?"   Protein helps to stabilize your blood sugar, promotes muscle growth, it helps to sustain your appetite longer.

My go-to sources of protein are:

Chicken, chicken, chicken, chicken

Ground turkey

Protein Powder (I use whey protein.  I buy it at Costco.)

Cottage cheese

Egg whites
Eggs

Feta cheese (I add ½ oz. to a salad or to an egg frittata)

Fish – salmon, haddock, tuna

Lean ground beef

Did I say chicken?

I buy 10 lbs. of chicken breasts from the local meat market.  I rinse and cut the chicken into portions, then marinade it in Italian dressing for 1 - 2 hours.  I cook all of the chicken on the grill (even in January).  When the chicken is thoroughly cooked, I take it inside, and wrap the chicken and then put it in a ziplock freezer bag.  I store the cooked chicken in my freezer.  I use it for lunches and dinner throughout the month.  It's a life saver!

Other protein sources include nuts, seeds and beans (legumes), but these also include a significant amount of fats (nuts) and Carbs (legumes), so you have to be mindful of those in consideration for the amount of protein these contain.

I wrote about protein on my blog here: Protein

There are several products which are supplemented with protein:  cereals, oatmeal, granola, and bread.  Anything that has 10 or more grams of protein in it is worth looking at.  Pay attention to the labels.  You want to be careful of anything that seems high in calories.   

Final thoughts:  

If you are trying to lose weight, start reading about nutrition, educate yourself. Many people have been overly and mis-educated about food from different nutritional programs they have followed.

We are told that certain foods are bad, or that you should only eat some foods in combination with other foods.  In my humble opinion, the only “bad” foods are white bread and things which are high in refined sugar.  White bread really has no nutritional value whatsoever, although I do eat garlic bread when we eat Italian.  During cycling season, I will eat a PB and Jelly Sandwich on white bread right before a long bike ride.  As far as sugar goes, it's in everything, so you need to read your labels and be aware of how much sugar you are consuming!

I recommend that you disregard what you think you know and start to read and learn more from reliable nutrition sources.  To further educate myself about nutrition, I subscribe to both BodyBuilding.com and MyFitnessPal for their weekly articles. They include helpful information about both exercise and nutrition. I've also picked up several recipe ideas from MyFitnessPal. 

If you hear or read something telling you to not eat an entire food group ... that you must buy their product for guaranteed weight loss .. if you have to write lengthy notes to remember what you're supposed to do ... or refer to a book to follow it, it’s probably not for you.  The reason I follow flexible dieting is because you really can eat what you want, as long as you stick to your calories and try to stay within your daily macros (carbohydrates, protein and fat).

It's practice. As you read labels and start thinking about how to get more protein into your diet, you will get better and better at it. You will start to become smart about what you eat and you will understand how your nutritional choices affect you.   Some foods affect me differently at different times of the day. For example, I can't eat a bagel for breakfast. It carb loads me too early and sets me into a tail spin of hunger that lasts all day.  But if I am out on the run, need lunch and don’t have time to sit down for a salad, I will grab a multi-grain bagel at Dunkin Donuts for lunch and eat a protein bar from my emergency stash.  In the late morning or afternoon, a bagel doesn’t disrupt my blood sugar the same way as in the morning,

So, read your labels and make sure you are getting enough protein!

Here are links to other posts where I have discussed nutrition.  They are worth a second view if you are serious about flexible dieting as an option.

Carbs:   The first in a two-part series dedicated to carbs.  What are they?  Why do we need them?

Carbs 2:  Part two.  WHY are carbs such a struggle?  What's good?  What's better?  What's best when consumed sparingly?

Nutrition 101:   I talk about meal prep and give examples of the food I eat on a daily basis.

Wonder Woman:  I explain how I got the nickname "Wonder Woman" by tracking all my calories and macronutrients.  I give a brief explanation of macros here.

A Calorie is Not a Calorie:  This post talks about the different effect foods have on you.

Question for you: 

(Answer in the comment section below.)

What's on the menu for today?  Anything good?

Now:  Subscribe to new posts!  When a new post is added, you will receive an email notice so you can check it out.  I promise:  no SPAM and I won't share your email address with anyone.  Look at the top right side of the page to subscribe.  

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"A Calorie is Not a Calorie"

While I use my gym's food journal, I do subscribe to MyFitness Pal.  They send some great recipes and articles about weight loss and some great exercises for people at both beginning and intermediate levels of fitness.  Today's email said, "What are the two diet factors that cause weight gain?"  Since I still feel like I am new to this whole fitness journey (exercise and nutrition as a lifestyle), I always read those kind of eye catchers.

Essentially, the article, "2 Science-Backed Strategies to Avoid Long-Term Weight Gain" talks about the value of protein and how glycemic index (GI) affects your blood sugar.  I haven't talked about glycemic index here, but I did write a blog about protein and I felt it was worth revisiting.  You can read it here:  "Protein."

What I like about this article is that is summarizes the results of a longitudinal study, so it is science based. (It's not, "This is what I think, try it.")  What did they find?  They found two things:  

1)  Protein: nuts and nut butters, fish, yogurt and low-fat cheese result in weight loss, while consumption of red meats and processed meats result in weight gain.
2)  Refined Carbohydrates: white bread, sugar, soda (and even potatoes) have a high GI and result in weight gain. 

So, my friends, PLEASE NOTE:  they did NOT find that fat results in weight gain.  Essentially, a calorie is not a calorie.

Forgive me while I rant for a moment.  This is why I hate Weight Watchers so much.  Count your points, eat what you want as long as your points equal out in the end.  You don't have to learn to eat healthy, just count your points, lose your weight, reach your goal and then "have at it."  I know there are people out there who love Weight Watchers.  How many of you have gone on Weight Watchers and had success?  After you went off Weight Watchers, how did that turn out for you?  My point, exactly.  I used to say, with pride, "I am a lifetime member of Weight Watchers, I know how to eat."  Yeah, wrong.  Just like a calorie is not a calorie.  A point is not a point.  You need to learn how to eat, how what you eat affects your overall nutrition and adjust it accordingly.  It takes TIME.  It is a learning process.  

On that note, I want to challenge you to a couple of things.  

ONE:  please DON'T set a goal weight as your magic number to work towards.  This may seem contra-intuitive, but I think it can be destructive to do so.  Think more about how you feel physically and how you feel about the way you look.  Do you like the way you look naked in the mirror?  Do you have more energy?  Are you aching and in pain?  Can you honestly say you feel as good as you can?  Don't stop because you've lost 10, 20, or 30 lbs.  It's not a finish line.  It's a lifestyle.

Recently, several people have thanked me for helping to motivate them in their weight loss.  One said she lost 8 lbs.  Another had lost 50 lbs. and was able to thoroughly enjoy her summer.  "I've gained some of the weight back, but I'm not worried about it.  I'll get back on it."  This troubles me.  Fitness - exercise and nutrition should NOT be a goal to reach, only for you to turn around and go back to your old way of eating and living.

TWO:  Find someone to help you be accountable.  If I have a bad day nutritionally (which I do sometimes), I don't take a week off my nutrition plan and then say, "Oh, I gained 5 lbs., it's okay."  No, I say, "Come on, kid, you got this.  Back to the grind.  You are NOT going back to the way things were."  This is why I like having a personal trainer.  I see him every week and he asks me how I am doing.  While we only have weigh-ins once / month, I weigh myself at least every week (usually every day), so I tell him, "Dmitriy, I'm having a bad week.  This is what's going on."  And he helps me to adjust what I'm doing, to get back on program.  He keeps me accountable.  (Read about Dmitriy here:  Dmitriy Made It Happen.)  I'm not suggesting you hire a personal trainer.  (If you are interested in this, message me in the comment section below and I'll give you information about how to go about it.)  What I am suggesting is that you find someone to help you be accountable.  Use MyFitnessPal and connect with your friends on the app so you can cheer each other on with your progress.  

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:  If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up."
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

If there are enough people interested, I will start a Fitness group on Facebook and we can use this to help each other on the journey.  The group will be strictly for fitness - tips and strategies for nutrition and exercise.  Message me if this is something you'd like to do and I'll set it up.

Finally, I've written about this before, but exercise and nutrition is all about Commitment.  If you want to make a change in your life, ask yourself if you are committed to whatever it takes to be successful.  What's worse?  Sitting back, doing nothing, waiting for something to change, letting life go by and your existence to continue?  OR  Stepping out, taking steps to change, taking risks an seeing what happens.  Commitment means finding a way around your obstacles.  It means being determined to learn and improve, to be resilient.  

Follow me on Instagram @tracoleman99 

Questions for you:
Are you interested in more information about personal training?
Would you be interested in joining a private Facebook Group about fitness (nutrition & exercise)?
Answer in the comments below.

No Sweating Today

I don't want to mess up my hair!

I really like when I do my hair and it comes out kinky like this.

This week!!!  Let me tell you, I thought last week was stressful.  This week has been a whole lot of crazy.  

 

Sunday's ride photo:  the farm with the beautiful horses.  I just love to stop and admire them when I ride.

Sunday I went out for a ride on my bike and had a crash (completely my fault).  Fell on my head and my bum, so my tail bone has been sore all week.

I could barely move Sunday night.  The cat had to lie right next to me to make me feel better.

Tuesday night I got together with one of my former students.  Had her over for dinner and took her and her baby out for ice cream.  Her baby is so sweet and so well behaved.  I am so proud of her, she is such a good mom!

Lauren is such a good baby!  Her mom is an amazing mom!

Wednesday morning I woke up at 2:30 a.m. with excruciating stomach pains, my stomach the size of a small basketball.  I think I'm reacting to either the re-introduction of gluten to my diet or a change in the brand of protein powder.  I did some research and it could be either.  So not only did my bum hurt from the accident on Sunday, but I wanted to throw up all day. 

Can't decide if it's the gluten or the protein powder leaving me feeling like my stomach is a basketball. It's so very uncomfortable and downright painful!

I had a session with Dmitriy on Wednesday afternoon.  I sent him a text message, "I have graduation tonight, so no sweating today."  He responded, "Ok, good luck with the no sweating part.  It's really humid and I'm guessing we're gonna be working out.  Hah!"  My response, "Seriously, no sweating.  I have to do my hair before I come in because I'm going straight to graduation."  When I saw him, he was like, "What does that mean?  What am I supposed to do about that?  That's like going swimming and saying you don't want to get wet."  Ok, I get it.  But seriously, I have bone straight hair and when it gets damp, it falls and is ruined.  I did sweat, my hair did fall, I had to suck it up.

So...graduation.  I was the coordinator for one of the district's summer programs.  Have I ever told you how much I absolutely LOVE my job?  I think it's because I love to see the change in my students, how they grow up and mature.  My students know I care about them, I never give up on them.  The tougher the case, the more connected I feel to them.  One of my students gave the graduation speech on Wednesday night.  In 2013, she dropped out of high school, and came back to school in September of last year.  Between her regular day classes, Night School, Credit Recovery and Summer School, she managed to make it across the stage in one year.  I convinced her to give the speech because I believe she is an inspiration.  Her determination inspires me and I knew the other students would be able to relate to her.  She hit a home run and the students cheered for her.  She nailed it.  I was / am so proud of her.

This is Ashley.  She is truly an inspiration!  I am so proud of her accomplishments and I know she will go far in the future.  (And by the way, my hair was a lot fluffier before I sweat at the gym and it flopped!)

Today (Thursday), all the teachers came back to school for professional development.  I didn't get much done all day.  "Can I talk to you about my schedule?"  "Oh my God, look at you!  What did you do to lose all that weight?"  (I haven't really lost any weight since June.)  "Tracey, you really don't need to lose any more weight.  Stop now."  I do enjoy seeing the teachers after a few months of not seeing them, but I can't get anything done if I can't work on my students' schedules and address the issues that have arisen since we locked in the master schedule.  Sigh.

After school I went for a quick ride on my bike. little did I know how quick it would be.  About four miles in, I popped another spoke and my rear wheel would not move at all.  I pulled over to look at it, I needed to at least get back home. Some other riders stopped to help, but we couldn't fix it.  I had to get a ride from a friend.  Thank God for friends!!!  

When I brought my bike in on Monday for them to look it over after my accident, I had them re-strap the handlebars.  My favorite color!!!  But today's ride was a complete fail, as the broken spoke made it impossible to ride. 

Tomorrow is Friday! I have so much work to do to prepare for school opening.  After work, bring on the sweat! I plan to ride my bike (I got a new wheel already), followed by a workout at the gym.  I don't care if I mess up my hair!

My working station while my bum is sore.  I can stand up or lean on the stool.

So, in spite of two rough weeks, I am even more determined.  The Ride to Remember is in less than one month.  I count every challenge as a learning experience to better prepare me for the big day.  Figuring out how to get in enough riding now that I'm back to work full time and the sun is setting earlier is another challenge I get to figure out.

Brothers and sisters I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do:  Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14

Follow me on Instagram @tracoleman99

Questions for you:
How has your week been?
What interesting things happened to you this week?
Any suggestions for dealing with the bloating?

Leave your answers in the comment section below.  

Protein

Protein: such an amazing thing!  It takes longer to digest, so you are satisfied for a longer period of time and helps to stave off cravings.  Furthermore, protein is essential for muscle repair and growth.

In my last post, Wonder Woman, I gave a basic explanation of macros (macro-nutrients).  Getting enough protein has proven to be the biggest challenge on my nutritional plan.  As promised, here are my tricks for getting in protein.  Every meal or snack must have a minimum of 15 grams of protein (unless I grab a handful of almonds).  To start, if you don’t have a scale, get one.  I measure everything.

These are my "go to" sources of protein:

Whey Protein Powder

Serving Size = 1 scoop

Calories = 110

Fat = 1 g 

Carbohydrates = 2 g

Fiber = 0 g

Protein = 24 g                                   

I have a protein shake every day for breakfast (sometimes for lunch).  But sometimes I just mix it with water and drink it down (when I need that extra push).  It's not the tastiest way to consume it, but it works.

Peanut Butter
*Serving Size = 2 tbsp 
Calories = 190
Fat = 16 g
Carbohydrates = 6 g
Fiber = 2 g
Protein = 7 g                         

All in all, Peanut Butter is calorie dense, but it fills you up and leaves you feeling more satisfied.  It helps me deal with cravings like NOTHING else.  Don’t bother with low-fat peanut butter, it’s a waste of money.  *I put 1 tbsp. in my protein shake every day for breakfast.

Cottage Cheese
Low Fat vs “Regular” with Chives (my favorite)
Serving Size = ½ cup  (one cup is what I typically have, which doubles the protein!)

Calories = 90 vs 120

Fat = 1 g vs 4.5 g
Carbohydrates = 5 g
Fiber = 0 g
Protein = 14 g

I prefer the 4% milkfat cottage cheese over the low fat.  I refuse to eat the fat-free.  To me, it has to taste good or I won't eat it, so why bother.

Greek Yogurt with Granola (see below)

My FAVORITE is Dannon’s OIKOS Triple Zero.
Serving Size = 1 container
Calories = 120
Fat = 0 g
Carbohydrates = 16 g
Fiber = 6 g
Protein = 15 g

Bear Naked Granola PLUS protein
Serving Size = ¼ cupCalories = 130*
Fat = 5 g
Carbohydrates = 13 g*
Fiber = 3 g
Protein = 10 g

*NOTE the calories and carbs in this!!!  Other protein enriched granolas have over 200 calories per serving.  Not worth it.

Almonds
Serving Size = 1 oz
Calories = 170 
Fat = 15 g 
Carbohydrates = 5 g 
Fiber = 3 g 
Protein = 8 g

Almonds are truly satisfying.  Study after study indicates that almonds are a healthy source of fat.  Limit your intake to the serving size.

Protein Bars

Pure Protein Bars  (Chocolate Deluxe) vs Quest Double Chunk Protein Bar

Serving Size = 1 bar

Calories = 180

Fat = 4.5 g vs 8 g                     

Carbohydrates = 17 g vs 23 g

Fiber = 2 g vs 13 g    

Protein = 21 g vs 20 g                                   

So, at first look, the Pure Protein Bar looks better nutritionally.  HOWEVER, the higher fiber count in Quest bars makes the net carb count much lower, all in all, much better for you.  The trouble is cost.  The Pure Protein Bars range in price from about $0.75 (on sale) to $1 +/- each.  I keep these in the house at all times.  My family eats them between meals.  Quest Bars run a little more than $2 per bar.  I JUST bought a box for myself and keep them hidden away.  I treat myself to ONE per week.  They are a little chewier than the Pure Protein bars.

Poultry, meat and fish

Always opt for lean cuts of meat.  Try to limit your red meats to one serving per week.  While red meat is an excellent source of iron, it is somewhat high in saturated fat. 

Chicken Breasts

You really cannot get enough boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  Buy them in bulk, cook them up and store them for a couple days.  You can even freeze them once you cook them, pull them out as you need them and they are all ready once they defrost.

One ounce of chicken has only 30 calories, 6.5 grams of protein and less than 1 gram of fat.  So, I typically eat 5 – 6 oz. of chicken at a time. 

BUT … You do not have to eat only chicken!  Add variety!

Salmon

Salmon is rich in Omega-3’s, which have amazing health benefits

4 oz. of salmon has about 200 calories, 12 g fat, and 22.5 g protein

(I typically eat 6 oz. because I need the protein!!)

To cook it, I drizzle a little bit of coconut oil over the top and add some spices.

Ground Turkey

I often substitute ground turkey in recipes that call for ground beef.

Taco Salad, Turkey Meatballs (with no breadcrumbs), and Meat Sauce (with spaghetti squash)

4 oz. of ground turkey has 170 calories, 9 g fat, and 20 g protein

In comparison…4 oz. of ground beef (75%) has 328 calories, 28 g fat, and 16 g protein.

Don’t be afraid to eat eggs or lean cuts of pork and beef (steak).  You want to learn how to eat for your life, not to eat soooo much chicken, tuna and protein powder that you get bored and can’t follow this way of eating.  

Protein enriched foods

I don’t eat much of these, but when I buy bread or cereal, I always look at the protein count.  When you purchase these kinds of foods, look carefully at the total calories before purchasing.

Arnold’s Whole Grain, Double Protein bread

100 calories and 7 g protein per slice

Kashi Go Lean Crisp Cinnamon Crumble cereal

180 calories and 11 g protein per serving

Kashi 7 grain waffles, with two eggs

150 calories and 4 g protein (for the waffle), plus 140 calories and 10 g protein (for two eggs)

So, let me ask you this:
What protein sources am I missing?  
Do you have an amazing recipe that is high in protein you wish to share?  
Leave a message here and I will check it out.

Follow me on Instagram @tracoleman99.

I will be on hiatus until at least Friday.  My son's best friend is getting married at MY house on Thursday, so I will be super busy getting ready for the rest of the week.