My Daily Food Log

I was going to call this "What I Ate Wednesday", but today's my birthday (oot oot!), so you KNOW there will be some indulging happening.  [wink wink]

Sooo I thought it'd be better to share a more "normal" day of eating with you all.  That is, meals that are made with prepped foods and eaten at my usual times.  

I typically eat 4-5 times a day, depending on if I'm working or not.  I wake up at 4:30am on work days, and eat breakfast by 5:30.  So I usually have to have something to tide my over till my lunch break - or things are gonna get UGLY. 

Now, let me preface this by saying a few things: 

1. I do not always track my food intake.  I definitely do when I'm trying to actively build lean muscle ("bulking"), because I want to make sure that I'm keeping my macros high enough to promote those muscle (read BOOTY) gains.  Currently, I am at more of a "maintenance" intake level, but I'm slowly increasing it to get back to muscle-building mode.  I've also found tracking beneficial during stressful times, when I feel those binge tendencies or negative feelings towards food creeping back up.  Keeping a food log keeps me from grabbing food to deal with emotional issues, and it also ensures that I'm eating enough, which has been an issue for me, too.  
2. This is what works for me.  I'm not a doctor, nutritionist, or registered dietician.  I'm not telling you that you have to track your macros, or that you have to eat exactly what I eat.  Do what works for YOUR body, babes!  My goal with this post is to show you how I plan out my day and make my meals fit the current macros I have set for myself.  
3. I still listen to my body.  You'll notice I exceeded my "goal" for this particular day, and this happens maybe a few times a week.  Some days when I train a lot harder (read: leg + booty days), I am STARVING.  So I usually eat a few more carbs and/or have a little more nut butter or avocado.  I don't beat myself up over this, because I'm not mindlessly eating junk food - I'm giving my body the fuel it needs to be able to train properly and keep me strong and healthy.  

[Side note: You'll notice that I almost always measure my food in grams.  This is what I've found to be the most accurate method.  For instance, a serving of Publix rolled oats is 39g.  If I measure out "half a cup" and actually measure them, it might actually be more like 50g.  This may not seem like a lot, but those little differences can add up over the day, which add up over the week, which...oh, you get the point.  Haha.  If you're serious about tracking your food intake, buy yourself a cheap - but reliable - food scale that measures in grams.]

Ok, now that we've gotten THAT out of the way, let's get to the fun part...the FOOD!

• BREAKFAST: My usual bowl of "proats" with berries and PB + a "matcha-collagen latte"

• MID-MORNING SNACK: Plain rice cakes (I'm always in a hurry to scarf something down) + an iced almond milk latte (no sweetener) from the Starbucks downstairs at the hospital) + my Natural Calm magnesium powder (which I always put in my Healthy Human Life water bottle)

• LUNCH: A hodge podge of goods - baked sweet potato fries, low-sodium/all natural deli turkey, veggies, hummus, + some GF pretzels (because I always need a good CRUNCH factor)

• AFTERNOON SNACK: Rice cakes + PB Fit (I'm obsessed with this stuff!).  I didn't workout this day, but if I did, I would've added a simple protein shake (water + Pretty Fit protein) and adjusted my protein from some of the other meals (such as cut out the protein added to my morning oats or reduce the amount of shrimp I have at dinner).

• DINNER: sautéed shrimp + bell peppers, quinoa + rice (mixed), lots of lettuce (for my greens!), salsa, avocado (for healthy fats), + a glass of kombucha (I love drinking this at night to give me calm vibes AND keep my gut health on point)

That's it, you guys!  That doesn't look so complicated, right?  

It's all about PLANNING AHEAD.  (Cause, yes, in case you didn't read my last post, I'm a planner.) I like to roughly plan out what I'm having the night before and then adjust it during the day if I need to (like I mentioned with the afternoon snack).  If I need a few more carbs, add 25-50g of brown rice.  Need more protein?  Add in some extra chicken or another 1/2 scoop of protein into my oats.  Low on fats?  Well, you know what I'm gonna say about that...WHIP OUT THAT NUT BUTTER, BABY!  Just remember to measure things out so that you don't go overboard - which I am TOTALLY likely to do.  (Oops...haha!)

Have questions?  Feel free to email me or leave a comment below.  I love hearing from you guys! Also, if you'd like more help learning about macros (or having yours calculated to help meet your own fitness goals), I offer that as a service, too (under "Train With Me")!  

Blessings,

Sugar Detox Summary

I've done it, you guys.  

I've finished another round of the 7-day Sugar Detox.  [pats self on back]  This definitely wasn't my easiest challenge ever (as you'll see in my day-by-day summary), but it was effective!  I can honestly say I feel I have 100% "detoxed" from sugar - and I couldn't be happier.  

So I'm sure you're all wondering how my week really went.  Let me lay it out for you day by day - the good, the bad, and the just downright miserable parts.  Because, hey - I've always been honest with you guys, so why stop now?  Amiright?!

• Day 1 (Monday): Cravings were minimal, but I was definitely sluggish.  This could be due to the fact that it was Monday though - and my SUPER slow digestive tract.  I was definitely bloated and my stomach just felt heavy.

• Day 2 (Tuesday): I worked that day and was NOT feelin' it that day.  I was moody, exhausted, my workout stunk to high heavens, and wanted to munch on EVERYTHING - salty or sweet.  I didn't care.  I would've thought I was going to start my cycle if I didn't know better (TMI, I know - haha).  I got through the day by grubbing on some plain rice cakes with PB powder (Crazy Richards' Pure PB, not PB Fit since it has a little added sugar) + cinnamon.  And as far as the moodiness goes...I just tried to stay away from people as much as possible.  HA!

• Day 3 (Wednesday): This day was a bit better as far as moodiness and binge tendancies go, but I was definitely still sluggish.  Unfortunately, I tried to compensate with more coffee, which definitely didn't help my digestive tract situation.  Ugh.  I'm not even kidding - all of the extra sugar/fat had really done a number on me.  I tried all sorts of natural remedies, but nothing seemed to be helping.  Oh well, on to day 4!

• Day 4 (Thursday): My cravings had completely resolved, my blemishes on my face were gone, and my mood was on the mend.  However, the OTHER issue was still hanging around.  Meh.  The bloating hadn't gone away yet and I felt like I had a brick in my belly (not fun).  I tried more remedies (extra magnesium, extra probiotics, some senna at night time)...nada.  **This is one of the reasons why you've got to listen to your body - it's telling you loud and clear when it doesn't like something!  Some people can eat 100+ grams of sugar a day and not have any effects, but then others (like myself) can only eat small amount without having allllll these issues.  So just because you see someone eating something on the regular on social media doesn't mean YOUR body will like it.  YOU DO YOU and find out what your body DOES like.  Ok, rant over.  On to the next day!

• Day 5 (Friday): I worked again and it was a DOOZY.  I had a headache most of the day, and was completely drained by the end of the day and didn't have an ounce of energy left to even attempt a workout.  But I listened to my body, ate lots of good, nutrient-dense foods (didn't even crave sugar again - woohoo!), and RESTED once I got home.  My stomach problems weren't any better - AGAIN.

• Day 6 (Saturday):  My energy levels/mood were better throughout the day, and I was even able to get in a good leg/glute workout. WHOOP!  The binge tendencies were still gone, buuuuut still having tummy problems.  

• Day 7 (Sunday): Eureka!  The last day of the challenge!  I was a little sluggish in the beginning of the day, but I knew that was due to the digestive issues and not withdrawing from sugar.  But PRAISE BABY JESUS - the issue FINALLY "resolved"!  I felt like a brand new person.  [cue happy dance and simultaneous jazz hands]

I know, that was quite a lot of potty talk (HAHA!).  But I wanted to be totally honest with you guys, and that's the issue I dealt with the most!  And trust me, your colon is seriously what keeps the rest of your body running well.  If you don't have a clean colon, then it affects everything - your mood, mental clarity, energy levels, nervous system, and skin.  So again, listen to your body, friends!  If you can tell you've overdone it or that your body just doesn't like something (even in small amounts), then DO SOMETHING about it!  

Ok, so in continuing with my full disclosure, here are some before/after pics for you guys.  Now don't get me wrong.  I'm NOT saying there's anything wrong with my body in the first pictures, so please don't think I'm saying that!  I just wanted to show the difference (even if it's subtle to some of you) in my bloating/belly distention compared to now.  

Well, how did YOU do?!  Who finished with me and who is still trucking along?!  I want to hear about your own challenges, so please share!  (You can always email me if you don't wish to share your stories in the comments.)  I hope that at least some of you joined in and feel the same relief I do.  Sugar cravings, BE GONE! 

Have a great week, babes!

Blessings!

How To Fit In A Quickie

Sometimes, your busy day just gets the best of you.  

Errands take longer than expected, someone is teething and cranky, or the dog ate a quarter and needs to go to the vet. When all is said and done, you just don't have time to pack the kiddo(s) up and go to the gym.  

Trust me---I get it.  Things happen!

So, what do you do when this happens, but you know you reeeeeeally need to workout and relieve some of that stress?  You MAKE time!  Whether if it's during nap time, play time, or bedtime, you can bust out a quickie and feel amazing and accomplished! You don't even have to do all of your workout at the same time, either.  Five minutes here and there can add up to a great workout! 

Here are some of my fave exercises for those hectic days:

-Pushups: whether it's on the floor, modified (on your knees), or on an incline (such as the fireplace), these puppies will work your chest, shoulders, back, and core like no other exercise!

-Squats: pick up something heavy and squat!  It can be a gallon of milk, a bag of potatoes, or hand weights (if you have them).  Heck, I've even used my munchkin as a "weight" before, and she thought it was hilarious!  Tighten your core, sit back on your heels, and really squeeze that booty!

-Skater Lunges: set two paper plates (or something else that slides easily) on the floor, assume a lunge position, and alternate legs, really squeezing your glutes and quads to help you slide the plates across the floor.  Just be careful--ain't nobody got time to go to no hospital! 

-Plank Sliders: using those same paper plates under your feet, assume a plank position.  Slide one leg out to the side, and then back in.  Alternate legs, keeping your core tight and your back flat.  

-Mountain Climbers: when you're done with the above planks, start sliding your feet (one at a time) in towards your chest.  Quickly alternate your legs, almost like you're climbing a mountain.  I bet you'll feel these in those lower abs!

-Bicep Curl to Shoulder Press:  grab two cans, jugs of water, or something moderately heavy and do a bicep curl with them.  Once you bring the weight up to your collar bone, rotate your wrists and then press the weights up over your head.  Slowly lower them back down to your collar bone, rotate your wrists again, and straighten your arms all the way back out by your sides (keeping your elbows in).  

*Try to perform 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions of each exercise, taking very little rest in between each set (less than 30 seconds).  

There you have it, guys.  A super quick workout that will get that heart rate up, muscles burning, and endorphins flowing!