Clean-Eating

Since I found out I had mono, I've drastically changed my nutrition (on doctor's orders) to help with the tiredness, along with a couple of other tweaks. I'm about 10 days in and I already feel more energetic, like my old self, though I still have tired spells here and there. Today has been pretty rough, for example. And yesterday afternoon I crashed on the couch after work and woke up 2 hours later with a peacefully purring cat on my head.

A bunch of people have asked me what I'm eating. I suppose it comes as a shock in today's society when a doctor tells you to clean up your diet in order to combat an illness instead of prescribing medication. And she really drilled it into me... I mean, something actually clicked in my brain this time and I took her very seriously.

I don't really put this nutrition plan into any specific classification such as vegan, vegetarian or paleo... it's sort of a mixture of all of these, I guess. I've made my own tweaks according to what works for my body, personally. There has been some trial and error. When you plan your own nutrition, keep in mind that it's about a lifestyle, not a temporary "diet", and listen to your body's signals because your body knows what it needs and it will tell you.

I've had 2 epiphanies during this whole nutrition make-over thang:

1. There's a difference between feeling hungry and the feeling of your body digesting. Sometimes it can feel the same. I put myself on a schedule where I'm eating a few hundred calories every 2 - 2.5 hours, so I rarely feel hungry, but I can definitley feel my guts working to digest whatever I just ate. I used to think I was still hungry so I'd eat a little more. That was incorrect.

2. Shifting the way you think about food really helps! I've started planning my meals based on their nutrient value and what those nutrients can offer. I started researching how each macro (protein, carbs, fats) effects the body's processes. It's fuel to a machine. It's not something from which to draw comfort. It's not something to fend off boredom. It's not something you do because its a social convention (like popcorn and soda at the movies, or cookies and ice cream at a family gathering). You are in control of what goes into your body. Food is fuel, NOTHING MORE. This doesn't mean you can't enjoy it. Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I love food and I love to eat. There are clean versions of your favorite things. It's also perfectly okay to treat yourself once in a while. But if you give it a chance, clean eating will convert you because it makes you feel so good, and that makes it worth skipping the cake!

Okay, the suspense is over! Here is the sh*t I eat! (Please keep in mind that some of these things that I avoid are because I'm avoiding gluten for my stomach, or because I'm avoiding them specifically related to contest prep)

- Lots and lots of vegetables. Mostly dark green leafies (spinach, kale, broccoli), limit sugary veggies like carrots and snap peas.
- Limit carbs to whole grain, slow-digesting carbs (sweet potatoes, whole grain english muffins)
- Stay away from refined/ processed/added sugar at all costs!! CUT THESE OUT (most cereals, white bread, white potatoes, white rice, white pasta, white flour tortillas, bagels, candy, pastries... I can't think of any more specifics at the moment, but you get the idea. If you question whether something falls into this catagory, ask me in the comments!)
- The previous were pretty obvious I think, but these are less obvious, contest specific: limit the following: ("wheat" sandwich bread, whole grain bagels and other breads, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, CORN... again, ask me your questions in the comments.)
- Limit dairy: (NO dairy milk, sour cream, most cheeses.) The only dairy I feed myself is plain greek yogurt and cottage cheese, and sparingly feta or mozzerella.
- No soy. (tofu, edamame, soy milk, soy yogurt) This one is specific to fertility and contest prep. Two birds with one stone. But kind of sad because I liked soy milk and edamame. Oh well.
- "So what do you have then??" Sugar-free, plain Almond Milk!!! and lots and lots of water! (90-100 oz/day)
- Healthy fats sparingly: avocados, fish, almond milk, nuts, real butter (gasp! yep, you read that right.)
- PROTEIN!!!!!!! (low-sugar protein powder, tuna, white fish like tilapia and cod, salmon, lean chicken and turkey, eggs - I am an advocate of eating the whole egg, although 'egg whites only' are great too.)
- Limit simple sugars from naturally occurring sources. i.e. fruit. I only eat fruit as a pre/post workout fuel/recovery. Here's why... Preworkout: Simple sugars digest very quickly and provide an energy spike which wakes up the body and jump-starts the metabolism. Post workout...simple sugars feed torn muscles, restoring muscle glycogen, which prevents muscle loss and encourages the body to burn excess fat as fuel, rather than muscle.

So there you have it. Protein, carbs and fats. To end, here are some fun facts that might surprise you.

1. Skim milk has AS MUCH SUGAR (lactose) AS WHOLE MILK. WTH?? Yep.
2. Carbohydrates are sugar. Sugar is a carb. They are the same thing. However, not all carbs are created equal, some are much more substantial  and hard-working than others.
3. 1 gram of protein = 4 calories
    1 gram of carbohydrate = 4 calories
    1 gram of fat = 9 calories
    1 gram of alcohol = 7 calories
*Alcohol is another one of sugar's clever disguises.*

Eat clean. Do it. Your bod will thank you.

Until next time.

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