This week begins the 8th week of my Precision Nutrtion Lean Eating Coaching plan. I really am enjoying the focus that it is bringing to my training and diet. So far here are the habits that I have been focusing on for the last 2 months:
1. Fish oil and multi-vitamin daily…of course, I use the Essentials from Usana (best multi I can get my hands on) and for the fish oil, I have been using a combo of Usana’s Biomega and Carlson’s very finest liquid fish oil. Recommendations for fish oil is 1 gram of fish oil/ % body fat for the first 4-6 weeks and then cut dose in half.
2. Carb timing. This second habit focuses on earning your starchy carbs. Basically your body is more inclined to use these sugars to replenish your muscle glycogen stores than to store these sugars as fat. So the 3 hours window post workout is the best time to eat carbohydrates when fat loss or improved body composition is your main goal.
3. Protein with every meal. This one is easy for me. I start every day with a Usana chocolate Nutrimeal shake (protein/low glycemic carbs) and usually eat some type of lean meat or fish with evey meal. The goal here is to get 1 gram of protein/ 1 lb of body weight or lean body weight (depending on your goal).
4. Eat every 3-4 hours. This one is easy for me too since I have been on this schedule for several years now. Research is clear that 5-8 small meals a day is superior to eating 3 large meals. It keeps the metabolism running at high speed!
5. Eat until you are 80% full. This is a tough one for me since I tend to inhale my food versus slowly chewing every bite and enjoying the taste and textures. I’ve learned that a little hunger is a good thing, it reminds me that I am in a caloried deficit and that I need that deficit to trigger some fat loss. I’ve gotta slow down and eat with purpose!
6. Eat at least 6 servings of fruits and vegetables. This one is easy! I’m eating 5-6 meals a day and ech one has at least 1 vegtable serving or 1 fruit serving. Some people might find this challenging because they eat so much boxed and canned processed food. Fruits and vegetables have tons of fiber and healthy sugars that our bodies need. An increase in these foods have been shown to decrease cholesterol and blood pressure, it also lowers your risk for stroke, lung cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, eye disease and obesity!
7. Keep a journal. Keeping an accurate log of your intake is important for your own accountability. Research shows that the best predictor of weight loss throughout the first year is the number of food records kept per week. It’s a great eye opener for most dieters who claim to “not eat that much”. Keep a record and you might be suprised!
If your goal is fat loss, try implementing some of those habits into your day and see your energy increase and your fat decrease.
