Carb Cycling - A nutrition plan for December!

Carb Cycling is a nutrition strategy that I have "sort of" used over the past few years, but just recently I did some specific research & reading about it.  I discovered that it really is a great plan for anyone, allowing for flexibility in food choices, nutrients and recipes.

 

What is Carb Cycling?

Carb cycling is an eating plan with alternating high-carb and low-carb days. It’s that simple. It also has built-in reward days or reward meals (depending on the plan you’re following), so you can still eat your favorite foods on a regular basis. Sounds pretty much perfect, right? You can eat healthy foods, enjoy foods you love, and still lose weight.

 

Each plan has a different mix of high-carb and low-carb days, but the concept each day is basically the same:

• Eat at least 5 times a day, with one last optional snack, depending on your goals.
• Each day eat a high-carb breakfast that includes both protein and carbs.
• Eat your remaining meals—either high-carb or low-carb, depending on the plan you’re following—every 2-3 hours.
• Choose approved foods.
• Drink 80oz. of water.

How does it work?

In order to lose weight, our bodies need the right combination of proteins, carbs, and healthy fats. Many people leave out the fats, thinking they are "bad".  Well, there are some fats that do not make the "approved" list on a regular basis!  But good fats are SO ESSENTIAL to your overall nutrition.

 

Here’s why:

• Protein builds and maintains muscles and these muscles burn calories like an inferno. Protein also breaks down more slowly than carbs and fat, which burns even more calories and helps you feel fuller longer.

• Carbs are the preferred fuel source for your muscles and organs, and they come in healthy versions (vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes), and not-so-healthy versions (cakes, cookies, soda, doughnuts, candy, and many processed foods).  Healthy carbs are also crucial for burning calories, and since they break down more slowly than those not-so-healthy carbs, they keep your blood sugar and energy levels steady, and they also keep your calorie-burning furnace hot so it burns more calories!

• Healthy fats (unsaturated fats) eaten in moderation help the development and function of your eyes and brain and help prevent heart disease, stroke, depression, and arthritis. Healthy fats like avocadoes, coconut, grapeseed & olive oils, nuts and seeds also help keep your energy levels steady and keep you from feeling hungry.

So why do we alternate high-carb and low-carb days in carb cycling? On high-carb days you’re stocking your calorie-burning furnace so that on low-carb days your furnace burns fat, and lots of it! This pattern tricks your metabolism into burning a lot of calories, even on those low-carb days. It’s an amazing and well-proven process.

 

What are the benefits?

Carb cycling has many benefits:

• It fits any lifestyle.
• You’ll learn how to shed weight and body fat, and how to make smart lifestyle choices for the rest of your life. This puts YOU in control.
• You’ll feel better and have more energy.
• You’ll eat the foods you love.
• You’ll build lean, strong muscles.
• You’ll be empowered physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

 

Some more Whole30 recipes to choose from this week!

A couple of these are re-posts from last week but I wanted to plug them in again and give you some tips on them!  I made the Balsamic roasted sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts and it was THE BOMB!  We  had guests the night I made it, and everyone love it - even the Brussels sprouts!!  Don't let the "balsamic reduction" scare you - you just pour your balsamic vinegar in a saucepan and let it simmer until is it reduced by about half.  That's it!  It make the vinegar a lot thicker and gooey-er.

 

 

This Chicken Hash dish would also be good for breakfast. You could make it for supper and make extra to have leftover the next morning.  

 

 

I also made the Roasted Beet salad.  Roasting Beets sounded a lot harder than it was - super simple!  Cut off the tops, put them in a foil pack and roast for 45 min-1 hour.  The specific directions are in the recipe below.  I made this salad and served it over a mixture of spinach and romaine lettuce. The dressing was super simple and awesome.

 

Some Whole30 Websites to check out!

 

What's going on after 4 days of 21-Way and 21-Day Fix?

Over 4 days down on our 21-Days...how are you feeling?

So according to the Whole30 book, you may be feeling a little like you want to Eat All The Things you see.  Your body may be demanding the sugar you are used to, and your brain may really be desiring the sweet and salty foods you ate more of last week.  Do you need some mini-meals to help offset the hunger?  And are you really hungry or is your body just throwing a temper tantrum? 

If you are hungry enough to eat some broccoli or hard boiled eggs, then yes you are hungry.  So grab a snack to tide you over until your next full meal.  If the answer is no, then you are having a craving.  But don't panic!  Cravings really only last 3-5 minutes, so distract yourself!  Go for a walk, call a friend (call me anytime!!), go do some laundry (there's ALWAYS that to do) or whatever it takes to get you through.  Every time you resist a craving your Sugar Dragon gets defeated!

If you need a "sweet treat" after meal, try a bowl of blueberries in Unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk, or try some tea. Start training your brain and body with some new habits.

For those of you on the 21-Day Fix, you may be feeling some of these same things.  Fill your containers, look up some new recipes and schedule your workouts.  The trainer, Autumn, is a great motivator!  Don't miss a day of her workouts - she gives you great tips, ideas and keeps you on track.

You may also find that your patience level with people is low.  It's normal!  And this too shall pass. So hang in there, post on our Facebook page because it helps everyone when we do!!

What's going on after 2 days of 21-Way & 21-Day Fix?

Well we are almost 2 days down in what may be a very new way of eating for you, and you may be feeling some of the effects. The author of Whole30 calls this "The Hangover"! If your normal diet includes breads, chips, muffins, cookies, pop or a significant amount of sugar (including yogurts & "good" sugars), you may have a bit of a headache and even be feeling a little bit foggy. You may be eating some new foods that you haven't had before, or that you haven't paired together before, and your body is adjusting to that. 

This is exactly one reason we have our Facebook group!  If you were doing this alone you might say "this is crazy - I don't need this".  When you have a good support group you stay strong and committed.  It's only 19 more days...if you were in Hawaii on an extended vacation, 19 days wouldn't be long enough :).

So drink a lot of water, have some relaxing tea & keep making good food choices. You CAN do this.  Keep in mind your goal.  Speaking of goals, what is your goal for 21-Way or 21-Day Fix? Write down what you want to accomplish and post it on your mirror or your fridge or wherever you will see if often.  You can do this!

My 21-Way Meal Plan for the Week!

Well I went through all the recipes and decided on the meal plan for our family this week.  The breakfasts and lunches are mainly for John and me; the kids will have modified versions of them based on their schedules.  The dinners are for all of us, although I may add or modify as needed for our kids.

What are you going to make each day?  Have a plan!!

Tuesday
Kitchen Sink Scrambled Eggs
Sauteed Kale with grilled chicken
Pork Carnitas & cauliflower rice

So based on this, tonight I'm going to go ahead and grill or bake the chicken along with what I am doing for our supper.  I'll also get the pork out of the freezer to thaw and see what else I need to prep!

Wednesday
Southwest Scrambled Eggs
Mexican tuna boats with Gazpacho
Chicken Primavera with spaghetti squash

Thursday
Spinach Frittata (I'm going to make a double amount for Friday morning leftovers)
Burgers with mushroom buns (making extra of these for leftovers)
Stuffed Peppers with ratatouille (I'm going to make extra of these for lunch Friday)

Friday
Leftover Frittata
Leftover stuffed peppers
Leftover burgers

Saturday
Diner Breakfast
Whatever leftovers there may be
Grilled Steak with Beet Salad and baked Sweet Potatoes

Sunday
Diner breakfast
Leftover steak and vegetables
Leftovers of whatever; or deli meat, raw veggies & fruit

I'm going to have a lot of fresh veggies and fruit on hand to have with meals and for snacks, as well as some Larabars & almonds for snacking on when needed.  I am also going to be flexible with this schedule and "roll with it" a bit in case I need to modify as the week goes on! 

After you get your plan in place, share it here in comments!

Here's a Basic Shopping List for the 21-Way Plan

 

 This is a list of the basics for the meals you will be preparing for 21-Way.  If you are like me and have growing boys in the house, you'll obviously need to double or triple the recipes that I posted yesterday.  I am also planning to include rice, pasta or other grain for them as they need more carbs since they are in sports and very active.  You may want to do the same!  I am going to be more flexible with the kids' meals.  I am not planning to fix something completely different for them and be a short-order cook!  But I will bulk up their meals a bit more and allow more snacking for sure.

 

 

 

21-Way Details and Some Week One Recipes!

Well it's almost kickoff time! 

 

So you are probably wondering what exactly we are going to eat...beef, poultry, seafood, pork, bacon, sausage, eggs (we'll be eating a LOT of these), any vegetable - including ALL potatoes & squashes, all fruits (even canned & frozen), avocadoes, oils, nuts, seeds, coffee, almond milk, coconut water, mineral & sparkling water, tea & vegetable juice.  You can also have Larabars or other fruit/seed/nut bars but since one of our biggest goals is to avoid all added sugar & preservative, read your labels carefully!

 

Our goal with this 21-Days is to eliminate the foods that cause unhealthy cravings & habits, disrupt our metabolism, damage our digestive tract and burden our immune system.  After this 21-Days we will all pay more attention to what impacts our cravings, moods, energy levels, sleep, digestion, etc.

 

We are going to make a lot more of our foods...such as mayonnaise, salad dressings, BBQ sauce, ketchup, ranch dressing, tomato sauce and more.  We are also going to learn some awesome cooking tips and ways to prepare food with a lot of flavor! 

 

Breakfasts have the least variety, at least if you are a traditional breakfast eater.  The Whole30 book recommends trying non-traditional foods for breakfasts like protein salads, leftover meatballs & mashed cauliflower or leftover BBQ ribs.  I for one am a more traditional breakfast kind of gal, so if that means more eggs, then I think I can handle that for 21 days.  There are worse things, right?!

 

Attached are recipes and food photos for Week One.  There are 5 breakfast options so you can have one per day, or make extra one day and have it the next.  For lunches and dinners I am including a few more of each so you can choose what is best for you and your family.  Yes, everyone can eat the same thing - this plan is designed for anyone and is not intended for you to prepare something different for yourself than the rest of the family!

 

Breakfasts (add some fruit to all if you want!):

Kitchen Sink Scrambled Eggs

Southwest Scrambled Eggs

Spinach Frittata

Diner Breakfast: eggs, sausage & home fries

Seared Salmon Benedict

 

Lunches & Dinners

Mexican Tuna Boats & Gazpacho

Roasted beet, orange & avocado salad with grilled shrimp or chicken

Sauteed Kale with almonds and grilled chicken or salmon

Burgers

Chicken Primavera with spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles

Romesco Shrimp with zucchini noodles

Pulled Pork Carnitas with Cauliflower Rice

Stuffed Peppers with Ratatouille

Braised Beef Brisket with pan roasted brussel sprouts and squash

 

One thing to keep in mind with this program is you can also create your own recipes.  You are basically pairing 8-10 ounces of protein with vegetables, fruits (2-4 per day) and a fat (oil, avocado, nuts except peanuts, olives, coconut milk).  So just make your own meal out of what you have on hand if you need to.  The key is to avoid additives, preservatives and go fresh when you can.  These recipes offer you some different ideas than what you may have had before. 

 

If there is a recipe you have a question about, or you need more detail, let me know!  Post on our Facebook page or send me a message.  You can text me at 316-371-9020 as well!