I admit it: I suck at meal planning. Which is too bad, because it's helpful in several ways.
Helps you eat healthy foods.
Helps you eat reasonable food quantities/portions.
Saves you money.
Saves you time.
What is meal planning? For our purposes, it means planning what foods you're going to eat at some future meals. And this comes in three parts:
Deciding on menus; i.e., what you're going to eat.
Acquiring the food you'll need; i.e., shopping.
Preparing meals to eat later (optional, but handy).
Let's look at each of these in more detail.
Menus
Knowing ahead of time what we're going to be eating makes it much easier to avoid making unhealthy choices later. You want to be as detailed as possible, including all ingredients and determining portion sizes for all the meals for the time period you're planning. You might be using fancy recipes here, or very simple "recipes" (like cottage cheese with grapes). Collect the recipes (or "recipes") that work best for you so you can re-use them in future plans. The outputs from this step are the menu plan (i.e., what you'll be eating and when) and the shopping list for ingredients you don't already have.
Shopping
Once you know what you'll be eating, you can get the ingredients you need to prepare your meals using the shopping list you prepared in the previous step. This can save time and money as you get food for multiple meals all in one trip. It's also an excellent way to help avoid impulse buying of unhealthy foods since you will have a complete list of all the foods you need to buy. That won't prevent impulse buying, but it should make it harder. When this step is complete, you should have all the food you need for the meals you are planning.*
Preparation
While this step is optional, it can come in very handy. The idea is to make meals (or parts of them) to eat later. For example, you might grill a bunch of chicken to use in different ways: as a main dinner course, or in a salad, for example. Or chop up vegetables you'll be having for snacks or in meals. Preparation can be a real game-changer in your diet, making it much easier to have healthy meals especially during busy times.
Meal planning may not seem easy for some people (like me!), but it's a great way to eat healthier. It's time to try it!
* There may be times when you don't get all the ingredients in advance. You might want to get some ingredients fresh on the day you'll be eating (perhaps even from your garden). But don't use this as an excuse to skip the shopping step!
Many people believe that sticking to a nutritional plan (or "diet") is just a matter of willpower. And for a few people it is: they can give themselves strict rules and stick to them. But for most people, this is not a good long-term strategy. It's extremely difficult to keep willpower active all the time: in the face of constant advertising or peer pressure, after a poor night's sleep, during times of increased stress, etc.
What is "willpower" anyway? Ultimately, it's self-control: the ability to make ourselves do (or don't) some specific action or actions. Willpower can be called "tenacity" or "resolve." There is no standard measure for it, but we can consider two variables:
The difficulty of the action or actions to control. For example, taking at least one hundred steps per day versus running five miles per day.
The duration of the challenge. Using the previous example, consider having to run five miles per day for two consecutive days versus every day for a year.
The big problem with relying on willpower to reach your nutritional (or fat-loss) goals is that there is no fixed duration. You might try to drastically cut calories for a couple of weeks to drop some weight but once you go back to your usual diet you'll just put the weight back on (and possibly more).
Instead, we want to build good habits that we can keep up indefinitely without effort. We've already visited some of these, such as eating until 80% full, having an effective pre-sleep routine, tracking your food intake, and eating mindfully (or at least slower).
So why discuss willpower at all? Because it helps with building new habits. Every habit involves a loop of cue, routine, and reward. In order to change a habit, we need to change the routine we do when presented with a cue. At first, that will take conscious effort: willpower. If we can do it long enough, the automatic response to the cue will be the new routine and thus a habit. So while willpower isn't the long-term solution, it is a valuable tool in developing habits that will last (no pun intended).
Fortunately, there are things we can do to help develop our willpower. That's what we'll be doing in this Blitz: some exercises to develop willpower. While continuing our previous activities, of course, because they can involve willpower too.
When mingling at a party (or bash), I try to avoid talking about macronutrients. Despite my obvious passion for the subject, chances are people's eyes would glaze over (though they still would prefer it to me talking about cats). Yet you already know a fair amount about macronutrients: carbohydrates ("carbs"), protein, and fat. These help define the types of foods we eat to provide energy for the body.
There are other purposes for macronutrients, such as providing the necessary components for body growth and repair, but the primary purpose of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates (especially fats and carbs) is to provide energy. Energy for the body is measured in calories. While vitamins and minerals (micronutrients) are required in small quantities, macronutrients are needed in large supplies. Our bodies use lots of energy every day (even when we're not particularly active) and we get that energy from food.
Most foods are labeled at a minimum with this breakdown of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. The total calorie content is simply determined by the weight of each element in the food. Both one gram of protein and one gram of carbohydrates produce approximately 4 calories of energy each while 1 gram of fat produces 9 calories. So a granola bar containing 12 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of protein and 2 grams of fat would have an approximate total of 98 calories (12x4 + 8x4 + 2x9). Ain't arithmetic fun?
Since fat has more than twice the calorie content of either carbohydrates or protein, gram for gram, it may suggest the need to avoid fats. However, the balance of macronutrients play an important role in the health and the maintenance of the weight of an individual. Each macronutrient also has other purposes besides providing energy and there are optimal daily amounts of each macronutrient; hence the need for a balanced diet. These optimal daily amounts vary depending on the individual, activity levels, and goals.
Carbohydrates
In addition to providing energy to the body, there are a few specialized uses for carbohydrates. The primary source of energy for the brain comes from carbohydrates. They are used for the construction of organ tissue and nerve cells. Carbohydrates play a pivotal role in maintaining body weight and the right balance of carbs in your diet can help considerably in keeping off excess pounds. A subgroup of carbohydrates known as dietary fiber also aids in the proper functioning of the bowels.
Carbohydrates come in various forms from simple sugars to complex carbohydrates. Of the simple sugars, glucose and fructose are the most well known. These cannot be broken down into simpler sugars and both can be absorbed directly through the intestine walls. Glucose, however, is the form of carbohydrate most used in the body and maintained in the blood. Fructose although a simple sugar cannot be used directly by the body and must first be processed by the liver.
The more complex carbohydrates must be broken down. Some of the common complex carbohydrates are lactose, sucrose, maltose, maltodextrin and starch. They can quickly be broken down by enzymes into simple sugars and then converted to glucose. Compared to proteins and fats, carbohydrates are the fastest source of energy and even the complex carbohydrates can be converted to energy much faster than the two other macronutrients: fats and proteins.
In terms of food sources, carbs come in a number of forms starting with the simple, such as table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup (which seems to be in just about every processed food). Then there are the increasingly complex carbohydrates such as those found in milk, wine, beer (and alcohol in general), vegetables, cereal and grains, and the starchy roots such as potatoes.
Dietary fiber, an important form of carbohydrate, normally consists of the the cellulose of plants, which is indigestible. As mentioned earlier, dietary fiber plays a crucial role in digestion and although it adds bulk to food, it provides very few calories.
Excess carbohydrates are converted to fat and stored in the body.
Proteins
Proteins also have other functions besides providing energy to the body. Proteins are required for growth and tissue repair. This is especially crucial for pregnant women, children, and teenagers (and bodybuilders). In addition, proteins play a pivotal role in the maintenance of the immune system and is used in the production of enzymes and hormones and even hemoglobin. Likewise, proteins are required for cell production and are the major component of many of the body's features, such as nails, hair, tendons, and ligaments. Muscles also are primarily comprised of protein.
Proteins are complex molecules that are made up of smaller building blocks called amino acids. There are 20 amino acids in all. Every protein consists of amino acids that are linked together in various lengths and order. These amino acid chains that make up the protein are either created by the body or are procured from the breakdown of other proteins from the diet. It is useful to note that there are nine amino acids that cannot be synthesized by the body. These are known as the essential amino acids and must be consumed in the form of food in order to maintain health.
Some sources of protein, such as animal proteins, contain all the essential amino acids and therefore are called complete proteins. Proteins from plants, however, must be eaten in combination in order to provide all the essential amino acids. Rice by itself is incomplete. The same applies to beans. However, rice and beans eaten together produce all the essential building blocks for the production of proteins for the body, although in much lower quantity than most meat or dairy products. (Or eggs. It's funny how many people think eggs are "dairy" because they are often found near dairy products in the supermarket.)
Proteins, being complex molecules, take time to digest. As such, the energy released from eating protein takes place over a longer period of time. Foods high in protein are meat, eggs, and fish. Foods with moderate amounts of protein are milk, nuts, and quinoa.
Excess proteins are converted to fat and stored in the body.
Fats
Fats are the most dense form of the macronutrients. As stated previously, it contains more than twice the calories per gram of either proteins or carbohydrates. Fat is also used for other functions including the formation of a protective barrier for the inner organs. And it is used in the production of hormones. Fat is an important part of a balanced diet. The types and amounts of fats consumed, though, can contribute significantly to a person’s health.
Fats, also known as lipids, come in 2 main types, saturated and unsaturated. The unsaturated fats are then sub-categorized in 2 different ways, mono and polyunsaturated and trans and non-trans-fatty. Unfortunately, the people who named these types were interested in the chemical composition of fats and so we have names such as saturated and unsaturated fats, which refer to the status of the hydrogen and carbon bonds in fats. For our purpose, we need to get past the names and understand the benefits and possible harm of each type.
Saturated fats are normally of animal origin, such as butter, cheese and lard. They are solid at room temperature. These fats are used in the production of cell walls and the formation of various hormones. Eaten to excess though, saturated fats can raise the cholesterol level in the blood.
Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and come in two forms, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated and both are generally considered a better source of fats and much healthier for the heart. Examples of monounsaturated fats are olive, peanut and canola oil. Polyunsaturated examples are corn and safflower oils and are found in fatty fish, such as salmon, herring and mackerel. Polyunsaturated fat are further subdivided into the omega 3 and omega 6 families of oils.
Along a completely different line, unsaturated fats can come in two different structures, straight and bent. The bent form is known as trans fatty acids which are considered bad for the body. These forms are generally found in processed foods to give them shelf life and special characteristics and textures (such as spread ability). Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are prime examples of such processed food. The process of hydrogenation is used to make these liquid oils into solids. Margarine, commercial baked goods (donuts!), and many fried foods have been known to contain these trans fatty acids which are considered harmful and contribute to heart disease. In fact, they're so bad, they're being legislated away. Yay!
While macronutrients may not be the most exciting topic you'll read about, it may be one of the most useful to understand. But you might want to to avoid talking about them at parties.
We here in North America (and an increasing percentage of the planet) eat too fast. We eat on the run, on the road, at work, in front of the TV...anywhere we can. And we do it fast. The result? We eat more and enjoy it less. And that doesn't just sound bad, it is bad.
The Badness of Eating Quickly
There are pros and cons to eating quickly. Well, maybe "pro and cons". Pretty much the only "pro" is that it takes less time. Some of the cons include:
Eating too much. Without time for food to reach the stomach and signals to reach the brain, we tend to keep eating past the point when we should feel "full." We also tend to underestimate how much we ate, which is no surprise since we weren't really paying attention.
No enjoyment. Eating quickly doesn't allow us to fully appreciate the food. A chef may have spent hours preparing a meal; a tree months growing an apple. Without taking the time to fully experience the food, we miss out on all the enjoyment it can provide.
Indigestion. Starting with less chewing, the entire digestive process is given the short shrift (another technical term--OK, not really). Food enters the stomach too quickly for it to be properly prepared for its journey through the intestines where nutrients are absorbed. This can lead to upset stomach, acid reflux, chest pain, or worse.
The Goodness of Eating Slowly
Conversely, eating slowly has pros and con, where the "con" is that it usually takes more time. Note that it may not always be the case: you might feel full (or satisfied) just as soon, only by eating slowly, it happens with less food. Which leads us to the pros:
Eating less. A 2008 study found that eating slowly led to decreases in energy intake within meals in healthy women. That's science-speak for saying they consumed fewer calories in a meal. This shouldn't be a big surprise. For one thing, there's increased awareness of how much we're eating. For another, our bodies have time to signal the brain that it's satisfied before extra food has been stuffed in.
More enjoyment. The above-mentioned study also states, "After meal completion, pleasantness ratings tended to be higher under the slow condition..." Researchers must be so much fun at parties. But that's after the meal. During the meal, we can appreciate the tastes and textures of the food more acutely when we slow down.
Better digestion. Digestion is a long process that starts in the mouth with chewing and mixing with saliva. The stomach is the next big player, where acids help break the food down even more. Then the small and large intestines methodically process this mass (called "chyme"), extracting nutrients from it. But when we eat too fast, the mouth and stomach can't do their jobs properly and that can lead not only to discomfort but also reduced nutritional absorption.
So if you want to eat less, enjoy your food more, feel more satisfied, and get more nutritional value from eating, then slow down!
Read more about eating slowly at the Precision Nutrition page All About Slow Eating.
Most of us have eaten apples in our lives, yet how many times have we given it the attention it deserves and enjoyed the apple to the fullest? Your practice today is to eat an apple mindfully.
To start, you need to give your undivided attention to the apple. No distractions like TV, internet, text messages, phone calls (some people--including me--do still make calls on their phones), reading material, etc.
Don't do anything else while eating the apple: no driving, walking, biking, etc. Just be still and be with the apple. Try to think of nothing but the apple.
Pick up the apple and look at it closely. Take two deep breaths, taking note the type of apple, how it feels, how it smells, its texture, and so on.
Now, take a bite and chew deliberately, continuing to breathe consciously while savoring its taste and nourishment. (It's food!) Don't let your mind wander to events earlier in the day or upcoming responsibilities. Stay focused on eating the apple.
Finish chewing and swallowing the first bite, take another deep breath, then take the second bite. Savor its juiciness and flavor.
Continue eating the apple this way, being sure to finish chewing and swallowing one bite before starting the next. After every second bite, put the apple down while you chew.
If you like apples (and who doesn't?), you should find eating this one more enjoyable than any in recent--or possibly any--memory.
You can probably guess that it will take a while to finish the apple. Therefore, feel free to slice the apple first and only eat half of it. (Or you may want to slice it to make it easier to eat.) But if you do, be sure to include the slicing as part of the mindfulness practice: really focus on how it feels as the knife passes through the apple, the sounds it makes, etc. This is also a good way to protect your fingers!
Do not use a store-bought pre-sliced apple. If possible, use one you pick from a tree yourself. Failing that, an organic apple is a very good idea. (Apples top the list of dirtiest fruits.) You can choose something besides an apple, but make it as apple-like as possible so we're not talking about apples and oranges (get it?). A pear, for example, would work.
When you finish eating, pause and reflect on the experience and take one more deep breath before moving on.
This is the only intense practice session of mindful eating in this Blitz, so make the most of it. Don't check off this module until you complete the practice.
How often do you pay attention to what you eat? I mean really pay attention while you're eating? For most people, the answer is "never."
Mindless eating is the norm these days: eating while watching TV, working, reading, even driving. Mindless eating also tends to be associated with fast eating. When we're not paying attention, getting food in our faces becomes the automatic routine. This can easily lead to consuming lots of "extra" calories without wanting them or even realizing we're getting them.
So what' s the alternative? Why, mindful eating of course!
Mindfulness is a term most readily associated with meditation, yoga, and Buddhism. (It comes from Buddhist practices.) However, in experimental psychology mindfulness is considered as controlled attentiveness and keen awareness of what is happening in the present moment. Either a spiritual or clinical definition is fine; whatever works best for you.
Why do we care about mindfulness in a nutrition group? A review of mindfulness-based programs for weight loss showed a correlation between mindful eating and weight loss, although mechanisms were not clearly identified.
Mindful eating can help change your relationship with food. Do you eat before going to bed because you are tired? Do you eat additional food shortly after finishing your dinner? Are you using food as an emotional crutch? Mindful eating can help you find out. Or maybe you're eating more than you think during the day. Again, mindfulness can help.
If you'd like to learn more about mindfulness in general, The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh is a classic on the subject and a pleasant read. Hanh also co-wrote Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life which has some good material in it, but gets a little heavy with the mindfulness practices and the nutritional advice is rather suspect. For a more skeptical (and entertaining) view of mindfulness and meditation, you can read 10% Happier by ABC News anchor Dan Harris.
If the term "mindfulness" bothers you, that's OK. Call it splunge if you prefer. Whatever. Just be ready for some mindful eating coming soon to a Blitz near you!
You're already working on ensuring your sleep environment is as good as can be. Now it's time to make sure you're ready to sleep every night.
We're creatures of consistency and sleep is no different. The activities we perform pre-sleep have a direct effect on the quality of our sleep--and how long it takes to fall asleep in the first place! This is sometimes called a "bed-time ritual" but "routine" sounds less stuff. It may include some things like brushing your teeth or reading. Your objective now is to develop a routine that helps you get to sleep and sleep well.
So, what kinds of things will be in this routine?
Last time, we covered creating a good sleep environment. Some things--like having a good mattress and pillows--are fixed; i.e., you won't be getting new ones every night! But other elements may become part of your routine. For example, setting your thermostat a little lower, lowering the blind, or turning your bedside clock away to avoid the light.
But no one routine is right for everyone. So your mission is to create your own bedtime routine and write it down! You don't have to post it for the group or send it to your coach (it might contain some very personal choices), but do have it in writing for yourself to follow consistently.
Here are some things that might be in your routine:
De-clutter your sleep space. Clutter creates subconscious stress that can interfere with sleep.
Turn down your thermostat.
Close curtains/lower blinds.
Turn your clock away from you. (You don't need to see what time it is when you're sleeping...or even when you're not but should be!)
Turn off your electronic devices, especially phones.
Write down your thoughts and worries, but not too close to lights out or you might worry yourself!
Do some deep breathing and/or meditation.
Do some light stretching.
Read. But if using an electronic device, at least use something like f.lux to reduce blue light, or invert the text to white on black to drastically reduce the amount of light. A (small) study showed the light from e-readers interferes with sleep.
Feel free to add your own favorites to your bedtime routine. After all, it's yours. As we go along, you can tweak your routine to see what works best. Give any change a chance, though; don't expect it to work immediately. Your body may need to adjust to the routine to gain the full effect.
