Tag food

Maintaining a Healthy Perspective With Contest Prep Meal Plans

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Those of us who compete are well aware of the critical importance of following specific meal plans which are designed to optimize lean muscle mass and promote fat loss.  However, these meal plans, especially during cutting phases, can be extremely restrictive.  In our quest for attaining the ideal physique for whatever division we compete in, we may find ourselves in a spiral of obsessive nose-to-the-grindstone adherence to foods we may have grown to abhor, intertwined with strong temptation to deviate from the plan and indulge in forbidden foods, only to berate ourselves afterwards for doing so.  After all, we are only human, and after weeks or months of eating clean, we may be so exasperated with daily servings of asparagus, tilapia, chicken breast, and sweet potatoes that our emotional food triggers may kick in and undermine our contest prep efforts.

With orthorexia, there is an unhealthy fixation on clean foods and one’s moods are dictated by how rigidly a clean diet is maintained.  So how is this different from what competitors do in the weeks leading up to a competition?  The mentally healthy approach is to regard food simply as fuel and to dismiss any emotional association with particular items.  I have been witness to and a participant in the fantasizing of forbidden foods in a manner akin to lustful, sexual craving.  I have heard competitors talk backstage at length about all the foods they were planning to indulge in immediately following their final visit onstage for the night.

What I find interesting about such food fixations is how they are distinguishable from anorexic behavior.  When I was 19, I battled anorexia, dropping to 85 pounds on a 5’5’’ at my lightest.  With anorexics, they have a clear and complete aversion to calorie-rich foods and have successfully turned off any interest or cravings for such items, whereas with bulimics, orthorexics and many healthy competitors in contest prep mode, coveting indulgent foods is rather commonplace.  Among all these groups, there is a propensity for obsessive and compulsive behaviors.  One may argue that such obsessions and compulsions are a vital component of contest prep and that without such tendencies a competitor will lack the focus necessary to succeed.

It seems apparent that competitors as a general rule are dangerously close to that fine line which separates a healthy relationship with food from orthorexia.  I remember quite  well how rigid I was about the food I ate when I was anorexic and even kept a daily food journal in which I wrote down the calories and fat grams of every food substance ingested.  I also recall how horrified and ashamed I was of myself when I would reluctantly consume a food I regarded as fattening.

Over 20 years later, I have a healthy relationship with food and for the most part regard it as fuel.  Yet I am immersed in the world of contest prep and like many other competitors will balk and grumble about the clean foods I must eat.  There are times when the mere thought of eating another spear of asparagus seems like the most disgusting activity in the world.  On the rare occasion that I find myself in a restaurant, I find it an alien concept to peruse a menu and actually be able to order whatever I want from any part of the menu.  There are also times during which my metabolism is in hyperdrive and I could eat almost nonstop for the duration of the day.

Here’s the thing: if I indulge in something that is not part of a contest prep meal plan, I don’t flog myself. Rather, I allow myself to enjoy the rare treat and move on.  If you find yourself wallowing in extreme anxiety and prolonged guilt over ingesting a food item which is on the banned list, beware.  This could signify the beginning of a food-related psychopathology.

Tips on Healthy Grocery Shopping

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Grocery stores are designed to tempt shoppers to make impulse purchases.  Such impulse buys can be especially tempting if you are ravenous with hunger when you shop.  Here are some guidelines which will help you to make healthy food choices when perusing a traditional grocery store.

1.    Shop around the perimeter of the store – Most processed foods are found in the aisles of a regular grocery store, while whole foods like fresh produce and meats are found around the perimeter.

2.    Read food labels – Be aware of hidden sugar, sodium, artificial flavors and colors, and preservatives.

3.    Keep purchases of packaged foods to a minimum – Beware of foods which are packaged in boxes, bags, or cans, as these foods tend to be filled with preservatives.

4.    Prepare a shopping list and stick to it – Making a list will ensure that you do not forget any necessary items and will also help prevent impulse purchases if you adhere strictly to the items which are on your list.

5.    Eat a meal before you shop – If you shop for groceries when you are satiated, you will be less likely to make impulsive purchases or buy more than what you need.

6.    Fill your cart with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, fish, poultry, nuts and beans. 

7.    Try a new fruit or vegetable each week – This will add variety to your meal plan.

8.    Spend the most time during your shopping trip in the produce section.

9.    When choosing whole grain cereals, aim for at least 4 grams of fiber per serving – Make sure the sugar content is minimal.

10.  Choose lean cuts of meat – Good beef cuts are round, top sirloin and tenderloin.  When buying poultry, purchase the skinless variety.

11.  Choose frozen fruits and vegetables over the canned variety.

12.  Avoid food items that contain more than five ingredients, artificial ingredients, or ingredients you can’t pronounce. 

13.  Be careful when choosing bread – Many refined breads are dark from added molasses, caramel or other coloring.   Look for breads which contain 100% whole wheat or other grain as their first ingredient.  Try to avoid enriched wheat flour as it is actually made with processed white flour.  Make sure the bread you select has at least 2 grams of fiber per slice.

14.  Select fish which is high in omega-3 fatty acids – Best selections are salmon, rainbow trout, lake trout, and tuna.

LOWEST MERCURY:

  • Anchovies
  • Catfish
  • Clam
  • Crab
  • Crawfish
  • Flounder
  • Haddock
  • Herring
  • Mackerel
  • Mullet
  • Oyster
  • Perch
  • Pollock
  • Salmon
  • Sardine
  • Scallop
  • Shrimp
  • Sole
  • Squid
  • Tilapia
  • Trout
  • Whitefish

15.  Choose strong-flavor chesses – Sharp cheddar, feta and Parmesan have strong flavors which means you will need to use less to flavor your foods.

16.  Purchase Greek yogurt – Greek yogurt is thicker and creamier than other varieties, and the protein content is much higher.  My favorite is Fage Total 0-Percent Greek Yogurt.

17.  If you must buy frozen entrees, make sure they contain less than 400 calories, 4 grams of saturated fat, and 600 milligrams of sodium, with at least 14 grams of protein and 2 grams of carbohydrate.

18.  Add vegetables and/or cooked brown rice or quinoa to your frozen entrée to increase the size and nutrition level of the meal.

19.  Add frozen fruit to cooked oatmeal to provide sweetness without added sugar.

20.  Eat oatmeal – Make sure to buy regular oatmeal, not the instant variety.

‘Tis The Season – How To Stay Lean During The Holidays

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Last year I posted a little blurb about off-season maintenance which I think deserves a re-post.  This is especially appropriate since I recently made homemade (unclean) fudge and plan to make it again.  Keep in mind that you can still indulge in these little cheats as long as you keep the rest of your meals clean.  If you do this, you can absolutely maintain a good degree of leanness throughout the holiday season.

There are a few tricks to minimize the amount of bad foods which you may be tempted to devour.  You can consume a small amount of lean protein right before you have a carb cheat.  This will slow down digestion so that the carbs aren’t stored as readily.  Another trick is to drink a glass of water before you indulge in a decadent treat.  This will help to fill you up so you consume less food afterward.  When you are aware that you will be at a function in which tempting foods will be around, make sure your meals beforehand are kept clean and that you you eat every 2-1/2 to 3 hours to ensure that you won’t be ravenous come party time.  One of the worst things you can do is skip meals beforehand in hopes that the caloric deficit will balance out the overindulgence later.  All this does is squash your metabolism and increase your chance of overeating.

As long as you eat clean the remainder of the time, you should be able to stay within a few pounds of your maintenance weight if you do not compete, or within a few pounds of competition weight if you do compete.  Case in point:  I have been eating clean the vast majority of the time, with rare cheats here and there.  Though I was not in contest prep mode for NPC Nationals on November 9th and 10th, I weighed in that week at 117 pounds which is one pound over my competition weight, and had a waist measurement of 22.75 inches.  Last week, I had pizza twice but kept all other meals clean, and was able to maintain my weight at 117 lbs. with a 23 inch waist measurement.  The last thing I want to do is to unravel the results of all the hard work I have invested and continue to invest into my physique.  I did not skip any meals when I had these fun foods but just continued on my usual clean food path.

Some of you may be wondering what the cleanest choices are when you are at the holiday banquet.  Though this reflects the common holiday foods which are rather calorie dense, here are some of the better choices out of the bunch:

  • Roast turkey breast
  • Green beans without butter
  • Mashed potatoes made with whipped butter and Greek yogurt instead of milk and regular butter
  • Pumpkin Pie

Some of you may also be wondering what I am planning on cooking and eating, so here is my Thanksgiving menu:

  •  16 pound turkey
  • my secret stuffing recipe which has lots of goodies in it but is relatively low in fat and calories compared to other exotic stuffing recipes
  • mashed potatoes made with light butter and Greek yogurt
  • creamed spinach
  • my homemade fudge
  • whole cranberry-mandarin orange relish
  • turkey gravy
  • rolls
  • wine
  • store-bought chocolate pecan pie (which I probably won’t eat)

Obviously there are some items on my menu that fall outside of my “clean food guidelines”, but since the holidays only come once a year, and since I am only cooking one holiday feast which will be served on one day, I have no qualms about it.   This is the time during which we should count our blessings and spend quality time with the people we love without getting anxious about what we are eating.  However, this does not mean you have free license to go nuts on bad foods for the next month!  If you end up indulging in other foods, don’t beat yourself up.  Instead, enjoy the feast and resume healthy eating the next day.  Happy holidays!

My Favorite Clean Snacks

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I will start out by saying that I rarely allow myself to snack on foods that are not on my meal plan.  However, every once in a while I will get a hankering for something different, and will allow myself to indulge in small yet healthy food items.

Here are some of my favorite snacks:

  • 1 cup of Fage nonfat Greek yogurt with 1 tablespoon agave nectar, 1/4 cup fresh blueberries or dried cranberries, and 1/4 cup high protein granola
  • Lundberg Sesame Tamari rice cake with 1 tablespoon of spicy hummus
  • low carb wrap (if I use the P28 wrap I will use 1/2 wrap) with 1 tablespoon of spicy hummus, 3 ounces of shredded chicken, dash of hot sauce and 1/2 cup mixed greens
  • low carb wrap with 1-1/2 tablespoons of raw almond butter and 1/2 sliced banana
  • 1/2 apple and 1/4 cup raw almonds or raw walnuts
  • 1 slice of toasted P28 Bread with 1 tablespoon of raw almond butter
  • 1 slice of toasted P28 bread with 1/2 sliced avocado, hot sauce, garlic powder and fresh black pepper
  • 1 sliced tomato with several slices of buffalo mozarella and a drizzle of olive oil with fresh black pepper
  • Quest Bar
  • Protein shake made with unsweetened almond milk and 3-4 ice cubes (EvoPro Chocolate is my favorite)
  • pancake made with 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1/4 cup dry rolled oats, dash unsweetened almond milk and 3 egg whites
  • 4 ounces Hinoichi Firm Tofu scrambled with 3 egg whites, 1/2 cup brown rice, dash of low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 inch slice of vegan banana bread (one of these days I will share my secret recipe which I developed and which is moist and DELICIOUS!

 

 

The general guideline I use, besides selecting foods I truly love, is to make sure I get a decent amount of protein in each snack.  I also make sure that the fat in my meal comes from a healthy source.

I hope this dispels the rumor that snacks cannot be healthy, nutritious or filling.

What’s In My Kitchen?

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When I first began competing in 2009, I decided to rid my pantry of food items which contained unhealthy ingredients.  Things like bleached flour, granulated sugar, canned soups, dry soups, crackers and breads were cleared off the shelves.  Frozen dinners were tossed out, as were cheeses, cold cuts, cow’s milk, and juices.  I replaced those items with whole foods which I continue to stock on a regular basis.

 

Here is a list of items which I have on hand at least 95% of the time, if not constantly.  I also eat these items on a daily basis:

  • eggs
  • boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • ground turkey
  • ground beef
  • orange roughy or tilapia
  • old fashioned oats
  • brown rice
  • rice cakes
  • whole wheat pasta
  • marinara sauce
  • whey protein isolate
  • P28 Bread Products
  • spinach leaves
  • asparagus
  • romaine lettuce
  • cucumber
  • green peas
  • green beans
  • yams
  • apples
  • prunes
  • bananas
  • almond butter
  • raw almonds
  • raw walnuts
  • olive oil
  • balsamic vinegar
  • almond milk

 

With respect to pantry items, I always have:

  • green tea bags
  • ground coffee
  • tomato salsa
  • hot sauce
  • oat flour
  • couscous
  • cream of wheat
  • a LARGE variety of all types of spices

 

Occasionally, I will purchase:

  • firm Japanese tofu
  • fresh salmon filet
  • flank steak
  • Fage Nonfat Unflavored Greek Yogurt
  • Nonfat feta cheese
  • Spicy Hummus

 

I make sure to avoid stocking forbidden foods for the most part, though I do admit that there are a couple of gluten free cracker brands which I will purchase from time to time, as well as chocolate peanut butter, 70% cacao bars and a high protein granola.  Keep in mind that these items are RARE treats and for whatever reason I have enough willpower to let these items sit on the shelf for the vast majority of the time.

The key to shopping in a healthy fashion is to purchase whole foods and also be prepared to purchase these items at least once weekly for maximum freshness.

 

 

Stay tuned for segments on how to cook for a whole week so that you have all your food ready to go for a busy work schedule!

The Beginner’s Guide to a Flat Belly!

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Many years ago I earned the nickname “Ab Queen” due to my naturally defined midsection (thanks Mom and Dad!) and  my penchant for working my abs consistently.  I realize that I am very blessed to have the genetic predisposition to defined abs but I do not take it for granted.  I also realize that for many people the abdominal region is the most problematic area from which to eradicate excess fat.  This is due in part to genetics, lack of exercise, excess cortisol release, and improper diet.   In an effort to aid those who may believe that attaining defined abs is a pipe dream, I am posting some general guidelines.

BEGINNER’S AB REGIMEN:

Diet: 

The most important thing you can do is to completely eliminate processed foods, including sugar, white flour, carbonated sodas and luncheon meats from your regular daily intake.  This alone will aid tremendously in carving up your abs and slimming down your waistline.  Try to eat 5 or 6 small meals consisting of the following in each meal:

  • Lean protein (3 to 5 ounces) – Good examples are skinless chicken breast, tuna, tilapia, salmon, orange roughy, eggs, and ground turkey breast.
  • Vegetables (1 to 2 cups) – Spinach, Romaine lettuce, kale, zucchini, red bell peppers, green beans, green peas and eggplant are excellent choices.
  • Grains (1/3 to 2/3 cup) – old fashioned oats, brown rice, quinoa, couscous, sweet potatoes and new potatoes are excellent choices.

Make sure to get adequate hydration!  This means that you should take in at least two liters of WATER (that’s right, coffee, sodas and alcohol do NOT count).

Exercises:


Perform the following exercises in order, completing the number of repetitions indicated.  You can perform 3 to 4 sets for each exercise, then move to the next exercise.

Crunches – Lie on your back on a mat with feet on floor and knees bent.  Cross your arms on your chest.  Raise your head and shoulders off floor a few inches by contracting your abdominals, then return to start.

Reverse Crunches – Lie on your back with knees bent and feet a few inches off floor.  Slowly contract abdominals while rotating pelvis up and bringing knees towards your chest.  Hold, then return to start.

Bicycle – Lie on your back hands behind head and knees lifted to a 45-degree angle.  Move legs as if pedaling on a bicycle while touching your elbow to the opposite knee as you twist back and forth.

Stability Ball Crunches – Lie on a stability ball with it positioned under your lower back.  Place hands behind head.  Contract your abdominals and lift your torso off the ball while keeping the ball stable.  Lower back down to start position.

Plank – Lie on your belly on the floor, then raise body up by resting on your forearms with shoulders directly above your elbows while also coming up on your toes (more challenging) or knees (less challenging).  Hold this position for three deep breaths and return to start.

Tricks To Add Flavor To Your Food

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If you have only used salt to flavor your food in the past and now gaze upon the salt shaker with trepidation because of all you have heard about high sodium diets and heart disease, your world is about to open up dramatically.  I know of a lot of people who are downright paranoid about the smallest extra sprinkle of salt and wish I could tell them that a certain amount of sodium is actually vital to good health.  Nevertheless, this discussion will center mostly around favorite salt-free seasonings and herbs, with the occasional mention of a couple of low sodium flavorings.  In addition, I will share which spices can cut a craving for something sweet pretty effectively.

Garlic is an excellent flavoring for food, as is onion powder, both of which impart a liveliness to foods.  Fresh or powdered ginger is also an excellent flavoring and can be used in savory or sweet dishes.  Mrs. Dash is a well-known salt-free seasoning which consists of a plethora of herbs and spices.  My personal favorites for punching up the flavor of poultry and fish are cayenne pepper, white pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon pepper (both with salt and salt-free), oregano, basil, and lemon juice.  I especially love cayenne pepper when it is mixed into ground bison with garlic since it seems to tone down the gaminess of this meat.  When I make sweet potatoes, the seasonings I turn to are cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cloves.  These spices in combination are so delectable you won’t miss the sugar.  Look for “apple pie spice” and “pumpkin pie spice” to get these spices already pre-mixed.

Cinnamon is also a fantastic spice to use on oatmeal and cream of wheat and will help to regulate blood sugar levels.  If you want even more of a treat in your oatmeal, you can use almond milk in place of water, then add slivered almonds or chopped nuts and fresh or dried berries to the mix while it is simmering on the stove.

Every once in a while when I am not prepping for a contest I will make brown rice with low-sodium chicken broth mixed in.  I usually use equal parts broth and water to keep the sodium content low.  The flavor which results is truly amazing!  A salt-free alternative to this is to sprinkle Mrs. Dash into the cooker and mix it in before you start it.

Happy eating!