Tag protein

What’s In My Kitchen?

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

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!

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

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.

Off-Season Maintenance

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

I know it can be difficult to maintain clean eating during the holidays, especially with no upcoming bodybuilding shows to prep for.  I am a big believer in truly enjoying the holidays guilt-free, which means having a couple of pieces of fudge if you are so inclined, or having champagne to ring in the new year.  However, if the rest of your meals are kept clean, you should be able to survive this time of year without experiencing a catastrophic spread of the waistline.

One trick which helps is to consume a small amount of lean protein when you have a carb cheat, and eat it before the 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.

On the other side of the coin I have seen competitors rein it in so tightly that they make themselves miserable by avoiding holiday treats of any kind.  This can be psychologically very dangerous because they manage to punish themselves, thus solidifying an emotional relationship with food.  I have actually seen people cry after eating something because they felt so guilty about ingesting it.  This is fodder for eating disorders.  The holidays come but once a year, so it is far better to enjoy a few little holiday treats and balance it out with healthy eating.  Happy Holidays and Happy Eating!