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Category Archives: LowerCarbohydrates

WIAW: During Taper

July 25, 2012 By in Breakfast, Food, LowerCarbohydrates, Resturants Tags: , , , , 24 Comments

I got a question about how I prepared for my race on Saturday.  As in taper, fueling, life…you know.   This is what works for me.  Maybe not you?  But it works for me.

First let’s go with eating.  As many of you know-I’ve been living off a high protein, low carbohydrate, high fat diet for the last 6 months.  I hesitate with diet (I’m not losing weight…nor do I care too).  But these are my lifestyle choices.  My taper eating plan started last Sunday.  I began cutting my carbohydrates lower (to roughly 80 grams).  It was a bit hard to get my runs in this way, but I wanted to fully deplete my muscles from carbohydrates (as much as possible).  I know a lot of marathoners that do this for their big races (true carb-loading versus just eating lots of carbs the night before).

So Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were very very low carbohydrate days.  (not low calorie, low carbohydrate).  I think I lived off of steak, fish, peanut butter, yogurt and some vegetables obviously.  I was eating about 2500 calories and running about 5 miles daily (for you number nosy people).

peanut flour pancakes with yogurt

Some of those miles were harder then usual because I was lacking carbohydrates.  (Which is how I was *supposed* to feel.)  I got everything done that needed too and by Thursday morning my carbohydrate gates were open and primed.  Ie: ready to accept willing carbohydrates.

And they did. 

This time, however, I built up to eating about 3000 calories.  My exercise remained the same at roughly 5 miles.  Except Thursday, when all I did was rest.  Am I worried that ate 3000 calories and just actively rested.

No. never.  Not all all.  Don’t be silly.  

During my two day carb load, I ate about 80%/10/10.  You can obviously figure out 80% carbs.

I even had pasta which is rare for me. (I’m not a big pasta fan).

buckwheat pancakes are my favorite carbloading pancake ever. Actually just favorite pancake.

 

How did it work for me?  Well, I ran my fastest 5k of my life and felt great.  I didn’t ever feel like I was dying during the race and that is obviously a plus.

Questions for you:

How do you eat during taper?

Which is your favorite: Carbohydrate, fat or protein? 

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Not Being a Pain While Eating and Traveling

June 18, 2012 By in Breakfast, Food, LowerCarbohydrates Tags: , , , , , , , , 18 Comments

As some of you (may or may not) know-I’ve been traveling a lot lately.  In this last month between coming home, going to races and visiting friends, I’ve literally been gone every weekend.  Meaning eating on the road and eating out…all the time.  Which is hard enough but having special (high protein and fat diet requests?) Pain the butt.

I try and be flexible though because all my travels have been worth it and so what if I get 100 grams of protein versus 102…who cares…no big deal.  Flexible is key.  Also-I tend to have a lot of coffee (meaning a lot of cream with a splash of coffee…when I travel).  I don’t really care about the either.

It’s not real coffee unless you take a photo with it.

Most hotels (that serve) have eggs for breakfast.  If not-they have cereal…if not they have peanut butter and if that all fails they should have milk (if a hotel doesn’t have milk for breakfast…I’m just not eating there).  When at a hotel breakfast I look for eggs, yogurt, cheese, milk, peanut butter…anything higher in protein.  It won’t be a peanut flour protein pancake but it happens.  You have to think to yourself, should I not travel because my diet will be messed up.  Will I really care in a week if I had that muffin for breakfast…no, no I won’t even remember what I had for breakfast.

Really.

I normally pack a ton of snacks too.  Those can come in handy for breakfast (if there is absolutely nothing you want…but honestly I can find things at Mcdonalds…I’ve had their oatmeal and added protein powder before).  It’s delicious and filling.  I’m not one to be a pain in the butt when traveling so I just roll with the punches.

Lunch and dinner are normally similar situations.  Hotels don’t offer lunch or dinner, so I’m normally eating these things at a restaurant (fast food or not).  I stick with things I know.  It’s easier for me to find lunch I care for (because I go out to eat on the regular when I’m home).  I love having salads with salmon, feta cheese and balsamic.  If I can find one at whatever restaurant I’m at…that’s what I’m getting.  Every time.

Dinner is the same..unless I’ve had a salad…then I try and mix things up to be different.  I don’t really care though-I could have the same meal every single meal…please feel free to judge me.

hey this salad is from Dennys and it was good.

 

Salmon and yams while on the road. So good!

So in short, foods I pack on vacations:

  1. Plenty of bars
  2. Protein powder
  3. Peanut butter

That’s all I really need to be productive.

Foods I normally gravitate towards:

  1. Gas station coffee (I guess this counts a drink)
  2. Eggs
  3. Salads with balsamic

Finally, I never really limit myself.  Though I’m traveling, I do think-hey I am on vacation, so what if everything isn’t exactly to plan.  It is okay.

Question for you:  How do you eat while traveling? 

High Protein and Weight Loss

June 14, 2012 By in LowerCarbohydrates Tags: , 9 Comments

I have been requested to do a high protein diet and weight loss.  How does it work?  Does it work?  Would I recommend it? 

*First, I’m not a doctor.  I don’t claim to be and I don’t claim to be a miracle worker either.

As far as high protein/high fat diets, I am a firm believer that you can lose weight and maintain weight.  I think it would be possible to gain weight too, but it would take a lot more work then either of those.  I also don’t think high protein/high fat diets are the “easy” way to lose weight.  (I don’t think there is any real easy way to lose weight to begin with). 

That being said, I think high protein and high fat diets keep you much more full then a carbohydrate diet and therefore when you feel full, you don’t eat as much and lose weight.  Sure there are other possible explanations but to me, that is pretty much what it all boils down too.

I think often times, people believe that a diet doesn’t work because they just stop losing weight.  People stop being as strict on their diet and therefore stop losing weight then decide a diet doesn’t work.  I think you can honestly lose weight on restricting your calories (within reason) and exercising. .

First, high protein diets have gotten a “rap” from fad diets like the Atkins diet/South Beach.  People ASSUME if you say  I eat more protein, less carbohydrates that you are trying to lose weight or that you feel sluggish.  This is far from the truth and that people (such as myself) who eat high protein and fat diets, tend to feel better. 

Second, high protein diets have a “high success rate” because your body almost immediately drops all the water it has been storing from having more carbohydrates.  Therefore, the weight you “lose” for the first few days (could be 10 pounds!) is water.  Either way, I suppose it’s comforting to see a number go down.

The bottom line is that I personally don’t believe there is a miracle diet that the weight will just magically fall off you.  High protein and fat diets keep you fuller longer and therefore you tend to eat less.   So if that is what you are looking for then yes I do believe high protein diets will work for you.  I think it takes commitment with any diet and I know that isn’t what people like to hear but it is the truth.  Right now, I wouldn’t say high protein diets are the only way to lose weight, I would more or less say it’s easier to lose weight because you constantly stay full.  

Question for you:   What do you think of high protein for weight loss? 

WIAW: More Protein

June 13, 2012 By in Breakfast, Food, LowerCarbohydrates Tags: , , , , , 23 Comments

It has been requested that I continue this What I eat while eating high protein.  I mean I can’t eat protein pancakes, eggs and giant steaks at 8:00pm every night (well-yes I can…).  Anyways-I don’t really remember what day this is from (sometime between this week and last week). 

Breakfast today, I had eggs.  I try and have at least 2-3 eggs daily.  Not because they taste awesome with ketchup, but because I just have really come to like scrambled eggs.  Today I had 3 regular eggs and 1 cup of egg whites.  I know-that is quite a lot of eggs and protein and yes, it’s very filling.  I like it.

It kept me full for a solid 5 hours.  Not that I really needed too but that is just what it did.  For lunch, I had a salmon salad with feta cheese and balsamic dressing.  I honestly don’t think you can have a bad salad that includes balsamic, salmon and feta cheese.  The salmon was delicious.

Some of the things I try and have daily are salmon, eggs, cheese, Greek yogurt and some sort of oil (balsamic).  I do have fruit, not a lot, but I do have it.  As I said, last week, I don’t really care for fruit so limiting that was not a big deal. 

Then later in the day (creature of habit) I had another quest bar.  I couldn’t get to any “real” food, (I don’t actually know what fake food is anyways) but I had a quest bar-Coconut cashew because that is my favorite.

Dinner that particular night was ham.  My mom makes a mean slow cooked ham and I was not going to pass that up.  Even if that meant eating dinner at around 8pm after getting home.  Luckily for me, she saved me a hearty helping and I was able to go back for seconds too.

Ham, apples, baked potato (with greek yogurt) and grape tomatoes.

That particular day was a lighter day of eating, but I also didn’t work out.  It was one of my off days during my rest week last week.  I don’t eat less on purpose during rest days, I just don’t tend to be as hungry.  I mostly napped the entire day and caught up on school work.

As always-if you have more questions about high protein and me email me at lolzthatswim at gmail or comment or ask anonymously here.  I really have no problems answering whatever questions you have and how it’s working for me.  I love writing blogs on it for your enjoyment.  🙂

Question for you: 

1.       What foods do you normally get daily?

2.       Do you tend to eat more/less during rest days? 

WIAW: Lowering those Carbs

June 6, 2012 By in Food, LowerCarbohydrates Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , 27 Comments

As promised for WIAW, here is a post (I believe last Thursday) of everything that I ate.  This was a pretty optimal day for me, I got in a lot of protein and fat, and minimal carbohydrates.  On this particular day, I also didn’t eat any ice-cream or sweets (which I do maybe every other day…every two days).  With that being said here is what I had that particular day. 

And to answer you r question Chuck, I do infact know how many carbohydrates I have daily.  I have an entire spreadsheet devoted to them to email back and forth to my nutritionist.

For breakfast I had peanut flour pancakes.  Peanut flour has saved me from ever having protein powder again (and for having pancakes).  I have pancakes and have my protein+fat+a few carbs.  I honestly don’t know what I would do without it…actually on days I don’t-I normally have eggs.

Who would take a guess that these had 42 grams of protein.

 

Lunch (my lunch is normally exactly at 11…I can’t wait past that..I’m starved!) was this pretend omelette I made.  Pretend because my omelette flipping stinks so it becomes scrambled eggs with vegetables and cheese in it.  I really like to have a lot of eggs daily, this post might not show it but for me eggs are like liquid gold.

Topped with some red pepper and ketchup (duh)

Snack was Chobani Greek yogurt+2 tablespoons of peanut butter.

I should have put the peanut butter at the top so you would know I wasn’t a dirty liar.

I liked it so much, I had a bonus round again 2 hours later.  (You can refer to the photo above for ease…)

For 5pm Dinner, my mom was making crock pot chicken (my absolute favorite).  I opted for the nonrice and bread version and as I explained in a previous carby post I added kale+mushrooms+garlic gloves+egg plant (why not?).

For 8pm dinner (why not?) I just found some left over steak and corn and ate it with ketchup.  Because who doesn’t love a bulging protein belly at 8:30pm?

I hope that entertained you as much as it did for me.  😉  If you have any more requests, feel free to email me at lolzthatswim at gmail

Questions for you: Do you eat at night?  What time do you eat dinner? 

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