"Clean Eating" vs. "If It Fits Your Macros"

I’ve decided to make it a point to start blogging more often. I’m still going to continue posting recipes, but I’m probably going to start doing a bit of rambling. Some health, nutrition, fitness-related things, but not all. I want to share what I’ve learned, as well as my experiences and opinions. These days it’s hard to distinguish between facts and the truth, and myths and lies (i.e. a gluten-free diet will make you lose weight, or eating food at night will make you gain weight….both not true by the way). I also tend to think a lot (don’t we all?) and it’s not always good to keep what you’re thinking bottled up inside, especially because there are always others out there who are thinking the same things you are. So I decided I’m going to share some of these things. Sometimes when I’m blogging it feels too personal-- like how people post statuses on Facebook that really belong in a diary rather than being announced to the world…but I’m hoping what I’ll be posting won’t be completely pointless and will actually be helpful to some.

I don't really use Facebook or Instagram that much anymore, but I've noticed that there's sort of a debate between "clean eating" and "if it fits your macros." Before I start talking about this, a little disclaimer: I do have a background in nutrition-- I have my Bachelor's degree and I'm going for my Master's right now. However, I know that everyone is entitled to their own opinions and beliefs...just know I'm not in anyway trying to bash anyone's choices regarding the way they eat!

So what is "clean eating" and what is "if it fits your macros?" "Clean eating" can mean something different to everyone. There's really not a set definition for it. Basically, it's consistently eating whole foods that are minimally processed. There are foods that are "good" and there are foods that are "bad." To vegetarians it could mean animal meat is bad, to people who follow the Paleo diet it could mean no grains, legumes, dairy, refined oils, added salt, sugar, or alcohol-- it's different for everyone. IIFYM, or flexible dieting, is the idea that your ideal body composition can be achieved with a disregard for whether you are eating "clean food" or "junk food," as long as you are hitting a set caloric and macronutrient intake everyday. Basically, you can eat whatever you want, as long as it fits into your macros (fat, protein, carbohydrates-- and fiber too).

The good thing about "clean eating" is the fact the generally speaking, the focus is put on eating whole foods that are high in nutrients. The problem is that clean eaters typically distinguish some foods as "good" and some foods as "bad," and there is no such thing as "good" and "bad" foods. No matter what kind of food your eating, if you're eating it in excess, you can still gain weight... which can lead to negative health consequences. The mindset that there are "good" and "bad" foods can lead to unhealthy eating behaviors as well. A lot of "clean eaters" eliminate foods from their diet based on things that they hear or read, but a lot of times this is based on poor evidence. Regardless, they continue to eliminate foods they think are "bad," and they can be left with limited foods to choose from. Some people who do this have a "cheat day" or "cheat meal" where they allow themselves to eat whatever they want, which is essentially binge-eating. As I talked about in my post on IIFYM from a while ago (found here), this is what happened to me when I was strictly "eating clean." You crave foods that you love, like pizza and ice cream, and then you end up binging on them. "Clean eating" also doesn't take into account that everyone is different. People have different food intolerances and/or allergies, they have different activity levels, goals, preferences, and lifestyles. The same "clean diet" isn't going to be apply to apply to everyone. The idea of focusing on eating nutrient-dense foods is on point, but a lot of times it's taken to such an extreme level.

Then there's IIFYM. I've also followed this approach and I saw great results from it. If you want to read more about my experience with it, click the link in the previous paragraph. I still ate nutrient-dense foods, but I also got to eat foods that weren't exactly high in nutrients. The problem with IIFYM, at least what I found, is you can become obsessed with hitting your macros and calorie intake. You spend so much time planning what you're going to eat, measuring food, and inputting everything into a food tracker like MyFitnessPal. I also found that sometimes I'd eat when I wasn't even hungry because I was short a few grams of protein or something. I also think that if you're eating fast-food and goodies all the time, down the road this will negatively affect your health. However, following IIFYM is a good way to learn about proper portion sizes, because you become aware of how much you're eating. It's also a fast and effective way of achieving a goal, whether it's fat loss or muscle gain, while still getting to enjoy whatever foods you'd like.

That being said, there's no one diet that fits all. Below I've posted a definition of normal eating that one of my professors shared with our class, and I think this really hits the nail on the head. I've also read the book Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole, which I highly recommend. It describes the nutrition philosophy of intuitive eating, which is based on the idea that becoming more attuned to the body's hunger signals is a more effective way to attain a healthy weight, rather than keeping track of calories and macronutrients. Overall, it's best to focus on the quality of food that you are putting into your body, and the quantity by being aware of your portion sizes. There's no reason to be following food rules and associating certain foods with being "bad" or with guilt. Listen to your body's hunger and satiety cues, listen to what your body is asking for, and trust that it will all balance out.

Thanksgiving Recap

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving and ate a ton of delicious food! I was extremely thankful that my family was able to celebrate Thanksgiving back in our house because we were unsure if we were going to be able to. Long story short, we had a house fire back in March and had been living in a trailer for over 8 months while our house was being redone. The date for us to move back in kept getting pushed back so I had my doubts that we'd be celebrating Thanksgiving in the house. By some miracle, we were able to move back in about a week before! I was most excited about our new kitchen. I'd say my sister and I broke it in quite well--we literally spent all day preparing healthy variations of your typical Thanksgiving dishes. They came out amazing so I wanted to share some pictures!

One of my favorite things that we made was a healthy stuffing that had brussel sprouts, butternut squash, apples, pecans, and dried cranberries.

My absolute favorite dish that we made was a sweet potato casserole. I can't even describe how amazing it tasted! It had a sweet maple flavor and it was topped with a cinnamon oat crumble. I'm so upset that we ate it all already!

Finally, we made a healthy vegan apple pie. It only had a few ingredients: whole wheat pastry flour, coconut oil, apples, cinnamon, and stevia. It was a bit of a challenge to make this, but it ended up tasting great!

I didn't get pictures but my sister made honey and roasted garlic baked brie. I'm not a big cheese person so I didn't think I was going to like it, but it actually was delicious!

My thanksgiving plate! Normally I don't really like Thanksgiving food, but after getting into cooking a lot more this past year I finally was able to make some dishes that I really enjoyed. I'm pretty sure I ate my weight in food that day, but indulging every once in a while is actually a healthy thing to do! I overheard some girls in the gym locker room talking about how they were going to have to do excessive amounts of cardio after Thanksgiving was over. I laughed to myself because that's ridiculous. One day of unhealthy eating is not going to make you gain 5 pounds or hurt your fitness goals. And depriving yourself of food that you love ultimately leads to unhealthy eating behaviors. It's all about having a healthy balance. I struggled with this for a while but I finally found it. I'm eating whatever I want, working hard and lifting heavy in the gym, and I'm healthy and happy which is all that matters. For anyone struggling with finding a balance, Jennifer Lawrence has the perfect advice:

Myths and Mistakes in Fitness

I came across this from a personal trainer/athlete and had to share it because it's spot on. There are so many myths and fads surrounding fitness and nutrition, as well as mistakes that people make that will not only affect their results, but will have a negative impact on their health as well.

1. Doing ab workouts won't give you a flat stomach or abs, they just shape your abs.  Ever heard "abs are made in the kitchen?"... that's the truth.  Only a well-balanced diet along with cardio will allow you to drop enough fat to shred the layer between your fat and hidden abs.  And keep in mind you need a pretty low body fat in order to see defined abs!

2. I've definitely mentioned this in my posts before. It doesn't matter how much weight you lift. If you don't have the proper form when performing an exercise, you're putting yourself at risk for hurting yourself and you're most likely not isolating the desired muscle & therefore not working it correctly. I see so many people in the gym doing bicep curls halfway or literally squatting down 5 inches with a heavier weight...facepalm.

3. If you eat mostly fast food or food that's highly processed all the time, when you're at the gym you are just going to be burning off this food so you're not going to make any progress. Food is fuel and the majority of it should be as healthy as possible if you want to see changes! I follow IIFYM, but I definitely support eating clean 80-90% and hitting the majority of your macronutrients with nutrient-dense foods.  For the other 10%, or my "treats" and foods I like, I fit them into my macros.  Not everyone follows this, but I do think that it's important to eat mostly healthy food so you see progress and don't stay the same.

4. Skipping meals actually slows down your metabolism and makes you hungry, so that when you do eat, you'll eat more than you planned on.  Eating every meal, starting with breakfast to jump start your metabolism, will keep you feeling fuller longer and keep your metabolism going so you burn more calories.  Don't have time to cook? Prep your meals in advance! It makes life so much easier because you have something already prepared.  I take one day out of the week to cook meat, vegetables, etc. and then I can easily throw it together and make a meal in minutes.

5. I have a whole entire post on why sleep is important-- go read it! Sleep is so important for muscle recovery.  At least 7-8 hours is best!

6. Not everyone knows how to read a nutrition label in depth or knows what each ingredient in a food is, but I think it's important to have at least a basic idea.  Look at the serving size and number of servings, and be aware of things like saturated or trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium.  Look for foods high in fiber and make sure you're getting enough protein.  Also don't be fooled by foods that say "low-fat,""half the calories," or "light," because when you take something out, you have to put more of something else in so it tastes good.  For example, for "low fat" foods they add TONS of sugar! It's better to eat the regular versions of food.

There are many other myths & mistakes that people make regarding fitness and nutrition but I think these are some of the most common! If you're someone who makes these mistakes, work on it and you'll see a difference!

Injured or Sick and Can't Exercise: Tips for Survival!

I’ve gotten a request to talk about what to do when you’re sick or injured and you can’t exercise.  When you’re used to regular exercise and are forced to stop due to an injury or sickness, it can be a horrible feeling and lead to a wide range of emotions.  You may be angry, jealous of others who are able to exercise, or even fear losing any progress you’ve made.  However, working out is only part of the lifestyle! We all know proper nutrition is a huge part of achieving our goal (whether it’s losing weight, building muscle, etc.).  So if you’re unable to exercise for anywhere from few days to a few months, don’t fret.  Think of it as an opportunity to focus the foods your putting into your body.  Nutrient-dense whole foods will help heal your body more quickly.  Healing is mainly dependent on blood supply, so a strong blood supply will help heal you faster because more oxygen and nutrients will go to the affected area.  There are actually specific foods that may have anti-inflammatory effects that may help with the healing process.  Foods high in omega-3s such as eggs, tuna, salmon, and flaxseed, as well as lean meats, fruits and veggies (especially blueberries, strawberries, grapes, kiwi, pineapple, avocados, sweet potatoes, broccoli, spinach), and herbs such as ginger, turmeric, and garlic are part of the anti-inflammatory diet.  Pro-inflammatory foods such as alcohol, anything fatty or processed, sugar, and most dairy should be avoided.  In addition, when you are sick/injured and resting a lot, you may be tempted to snack just because there may not be anything else to do.  Really listen to your hunger cues, because they will adjust to your body’s needs depending on your activity level.  Find a new hobby or activity to keep yourself occupied so you still keep busy.  Depending on what kind of injury you have, you may be able to talk to your doctor/physical therapist and find an alternative exercise. Many people who are injured are able to swim, or you can work on your abs and upper-body if you can’t do any lower-body exercises.  But most importantly, don’t beat yourself up over it.  Stay positive.  Rest is good for your body and if you don’t do so, it will only prolong your recovery!

The Importance of Rest and Sleep

One thing that's a huge problem for many people is not getting the proper amount of rest and sleep.  For me, being a college student means late nights of studying and then having to get up early the next morning to study some more or for an early class.  Rest and sleep is especially important for those who are more active.  Your body requires more oxygen, uses and requires more energy, and must use this energy for tissue repair.  If you don't get enough sleep, this can actually cause you to gain weight.  This is because ghrelin, the hunger hormone, will increase while leptin, the satiety hormone, will decrease.  This will cause you to be hungrier during the day.  Lack of sleep can also affect insulin sensitivity and cause your fat cells to be more likely to store energy as fat.  Sleep is probably the most important part of recovery for your muscles.  Your muscles are actually growing when you're sleeping--not when you're at the gym! You're tearing muscle tissue when you are working out, and proper nutrients from the food you eat repair this tissue.  However, this tissue won't start being repaired until you are resting for a long period of time.  So if you don't get enough sleep, you won't allow your muscles adequate time to repair and grow.  Human growth hormone is also produced when you sleep.  This hormone plays an important role in growth, cell reproduction, and regeneration.  High levels of this hormone play a role in increasing metabolism.  Another hormone that is affected by sleep levels is cortisol.  Sleep helps lower levels of this catabolic hormone.  High levels can decrease your metabolism and cause muscle breakdown.  For these reasons, rest days are important to incorporate into your workout schedule.  As for the amount of sleep you should get, I think everyone knows that at least 8 hours is the general rule.  It can be different for everyone though.  In my opinion, quality is better than quantity so at least make sure that when you are sleeping, make sure it is a deep sleep with no interruptions!

Workout Nutrition

In order to maximize your workouts and get the best results, it's important to get the proper nutrition.  What you should be eating before/after you workout depends on whether you are doing strength training or cardio.

Strength Training:
In order to build lean muscle, your body needs a great supply of protein for muscle tissue repair.  The greater intensity of your workout, the more protein you will need.  It is recommended to have a meal high in protein 1-2 hours before strength training for adequate stores during your workout.  30- 60 minutes before your workout, your meal should be about 75% carbohydrates, and 25% protein.  The carbohydrates are for energy and should be low glycemic (don't spike your blood sugar).  This includes whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.  So, some examples of some pre-workout meals include greek yogurt, nuts, and a banana, or an egg white omelette with spinach and whole grain toast.
There is an optimal time of 30-60 minutes after you workout for recovery. With the proper nutrition, protein synthesis can occur in your muscles, allowing for the repair of tissues, as well as the replenishing of your body's glycogen stores.  Protein and carbohydrates must be eaten during this time in order for this to occur and prevent muscle soreness.  This can include a protein shake with protein powder, bananas, strawberries, and almond milk, or a salad with vegetables and chicken.  Any kind of high-quality protein such as chicken, eggs, turkey, greek yogurt, etc., is a good choice for protein.

Cardio:
Carbohydrates are needed for energy to get through a cardio workout.  A pre-workout meal should include 75% or more carbohydrates, with a little protein and fiber, 30-60 minutes before.  Low glycemic carbohydrates (whole grains, fruits, etc.) are optimal for a pre-workout meal.  High glycemic carbohydrates such as white bread and packaged foods are just okay before a very intense cardio workout because they only provide a quick/brief energy boost.  An example of a pre-workout cardio meal includes oatmeal with almond milk and nuts, or greek yogurt with fruit.
After you workout, there is still that 30-60 minute window where you should be eating carbohydrates and electrolytes.  An example of a post-workout meal includes a banana and peanut butter, or even a protein shake with fruit.  If this was a cardio workout of long duration, coconut water is a drink that replaces electrolytes and doesn't have the large amount of sugar and calories in gatorade.

In both cases, make sure to be drinking a lot of water all day!

8 Healthy Recipe Substitutions

I'm always looking for ways to make recipes healthier.  There are a lot of substitutions out there to make a recipe lighter and more nutritious, but here are a few that I use quite a bit!

Unsweetened Applesauce
Substitute for: Sugar, Oil, or Butter
*Applesauce can provide sweetness with only 100 calories per cup, versus sugar that can have 770 calories per cup. You can use the same amount as you would sugar, but for every cup of applesauce used, reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup.
*Applesauce can also give the right consistency without the extra fat of oil or butter.  You can also use the same amount as you would oil or butter.

Mashed Ripe Banana
Substitute for: Fats
*Mashed bananas have a thick consistency that can be used to replace any fats, and adds nutrients like potassium and fiber to your recipe.  Use the same amount of mashed bananas as you would fat.

Stevia
Substitute for: Sugar
*Stevia is lower in calories and much sweeter than sugar.  Since it's sweeter, a recipe that calls for 1 cup of sugar should only get 1 tsp liquid stevia or 2 tbsp stevia powder.

Rolled Oats
Substitute for: Bread Crumbs
*Using rolled oats will add a whole grain to your recipe.  Breadcrumbs tend to have a lot of sodium.

Egg Whites
Substitute for: Whole eggs
*2 egg whites= 1 egg.  This will double the protein and cut out the cholesterol.

Whole Wheat Flour
Substitute for: All-Purpose flour
*Use whole wheat flour for half the amount of all-purpose flour in a recipe. Whole wheat flour is less dense so it's best for softer recipes like cakes and muffins.  Whole wheat flour contains more fiber and protein.

Greek Yogurt
Substitute for: Sour Cream, Eggs/Oil, Heavy Cream or Milk, and Mayo
*Sour Cream is high in fat, so use greek yogurt instead. It has less than half the calories, no fat, almost triple the protein and almost half the carbs of reduced fat sour cream.
*Instead of using eggs and oil in a baked good recipe, substitute 1 cup plain greek yogurt and 1 cup of water
*Instead of using heavy cream or milk in stove-top dishes such as soups, mashed potoatoes, pasta, etc., use greek yogurt but don't add the yogurt until the dish has been taken off the heat.
*For tuna, maccaroni salads, and potato salads, use greek yogurt instead of mayo (1:1 ratio). It honestly tastes even better!

Black Beans
Substitute for: Flour
*Use Black Bean puree instead of flour (1:1 ratio) to reduce calories and add fiber.  But use it in darker recipes like brownies and cookies because it makes the batter darker!

Overeating

I think most people know this already, but overeating has really become a problem in America, and that's one of the causes of the current obesity epidemic.  Unlike other countries, here you are taught to finish what's on your plate, and you continue eating when you see food in front of you, even if you're experiencing that you-need-to-unbutton-your-pants-like-right-now full feeling.  Eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full seems simple, but not everyone does it!  And snacking, let's be honest...we all do it.  Even if you're not hungry, when you're watching a movie or relaxing, it's common to grab a bag of chips and eat more than you realize.

Some tips to remember so you don't overeat (some of these are obvious, yet most people don't do them!):

*Eat breakfast- Breakfast literally means "break the fast." Research shows that if you eat breakfast, you're less likely to be hungry during the day, so you won't overeat at lunch or snack as much.  If you wait until the afternoon to eat, you will overeat to make up for the deficit, and you are more likely to crave simple carbs.  Eating breakfast also jumpstarts your metabolism, so your body uses fat as energy instead of holding on to it.

*Eat Slow- It takes longer than you think for your brain to realize that you're full, so if you eat slow and chew your food more, you give your brain a chance to get the message.

*Be Aware- Again, when you're distracted, like watching tv or on the computer, your brain doesn't register the food you are eating very well.  Always give your meal your full attention.

*Choose the right foods- Choose foods higher in fiber, protein, and water content because then it's more likely to be satisfying in your stomach, without going overboard on calories.

*Don't mistake thirst for hunger- Sometimes when you think you're hungry, you're actually just thirsty.  Make sure you are drinking plenty of water throughout the day so this doesn't happen.  Drinking a glass of water before a meal also helps reduce your appetite.

*Frequent, small meals- Never skip a meal!  This will lower your blood sugar and make you crave more at your next meal.  It's best to eat smaller meals every 2-3 hours.  This helps you feel full and keeps your metabolism going.

*Restaurant tips- When going to a restaurant, look at the menu online so you can review the nutrition facts.  Then you're more likely to make a better choice.  Another good thing to do at a restaurant is tell your waitress/waiter to box half of the meal before they even give it to you.  Or you can ask for a lunch portion even if you are eating dinner.

*Know your portion sizes- A lot of people don't realize how small the proper portion sizes actually are.  Here is a chart that is really helpful!