First off, I just want to thank you for considering my advice and encouraging me. I’m so happy I could be assistance and I would be honored to help with anything else, such as exercises for specific areas and endurance drills! Also if you have a question on what supplements to take, I’m not an expert, but what I’ve been using and doing has helped me tremendously!
My philosophy is simple, most women aren’t eating enough.. I know it sounds strange but the more you eat the more energy and focus your body will have. I always thought the more I worked out and the less food I took in, would trim my waist and hips. In fact, that’s the exact opposite. Even the other day when I was working out with a trainer I just met, whom is giving me sessions in Clermont informed me I still need to eat more. I’m the gym rat you’ll find in the gym for 3 hours. Not that I am consistently pumping and pulling, but I enjoy my 20 minutes of cardio, then an hour and a half focused on the muscle group of that day, followed by 30 minutes of abs and finished with 30 minutes of stretching. He noticed I was full of energy and could sustain the cardiovascular endurance, although with how hard I push myself, I need to eat more to refuel! I informed him my eating schedule was:
3 egg whites and an apple.
Then for lunch I would eat 8oz of chicken and a cup of steamed broccoli. Or a salad with mixed greens and chicken.
An orange as a snack and a preworkout supplement drink (a protein shake or Assault Performance Drink by MusclePharm ).
Followed by Dinner, (after the gym around 7:30pm) 10 oz. of chicken, a sweet potato and a steamed vegetable.
I would be hungry around 9:30pm and have a scoop of peanut butter or a glass of almond milk.
I haven’t changed what im eating but just added more, such as different food groups as well. He was surprised that I wasn’t eating fats which supply energy. When he said that, my response right away was, “no way, you are what you eat!” By fats, what he meant, (and I swear I knew this, but hearing it from someone else was what I needed I guess) he meant NUTS! Almonds, Avocados, Cashews, coconut oils, avocado oils, soy milk, peanut butter, whole eggs, almond butter and olives. Very important – STAY AWAY from anything over 20g of sugar! That includes soda, candy, chocolate. etc! If you have a sweet tooth, eat a scoop of peanut butter! And Dairy- don’t do it! You certainly do not need it and it’s only fat! So no butter, milk.. Buy Smart Balance ‘butter’ and Almond Milk/ Soy milk. If you’ve never had it, don’t be afraid of it, its SOOO good! Also I was told to stay away from grains.. So you really don’t need wheat. You can get the fiber from any skin on a vegetable and carbs from ‘good fats’ and fruits. Also try to put less and less salt on your food. Salt is only going to retain water! I know it makes everything tastier, but most foods already have the daily amount of sodium we need. Trust me, once you get used to not using it and tasting it, you’ll be just fine!
So now what I do is 2 whole eggs in the morning, an apple (which everyone should eat an apple EVERY MORNING! (The skin is very high in fiber, it’ll ‘lighten your load’ also It’s a carb and will curb any snacking before lunch. ) And about 10 almonds.
Lunch, id do the same thing, Chicken, a veggie and almonds or an avocado.
An orange for a snack and some kind of supplement drink.
((Usually for me, its 5:00pm and im headed for the gym. I understand we’re going to have completely different schedules and that’s fine. Just try to make time to exercise.. Whether its walking for 30 minutes before you shower in the morning/ night.. SOMETHING! You could do an ab workout every day lying on your floor! There’s really no excuse!))
Then dinner would be either fish or chicken. A steamed or baked veggie, and always a sweet potato.
(Sweet potatoes are great because their high potassium content can alleviate muscle cramps which are often related to potassium deficiency. During times of stress, the body uses more potassium, so eating sweet potatoes can help protect you from the negative health effects of tension. The antioxidants play a role in the recovery process after a strenuous workout, promoting rebuilding of muscle tissue. They also may ward off decreased onset muscle soreness, which can develop 24 to 48 hours after heavy lifting.)
Before bed, around 10:00pm I feel hungry.. for women you really don’t want a ‘heavy’ stomach before you go to sleep but you DO NOT want to go to bed hungry! So annoyed by everyone screaming, "DO NOT EAT BEFORE BED". So if you would like the honest low down of when you should eat... eat when you're stomach is hungry. If you drink enough water throughout the day (which should be a gallon, no matter what) your body will be able to properly identify when it needs nourishment. The longest gap of time we go without eating is throughout the night, and yes, our body needs nourishment while we sleep to repair and refuel. I tend to get hungry at night and usually have a nice protein shake about 30 minutes before bed. I think the saying "Do not overload on carbs before bed" somehow metamorphed into people thinking "Do not eat before bed". So in closing, if you're body is hungry before you go to bed, have a nice balanced snack.
Just a little more about water consumption.. it’s so vital! You’ll see and feel a huge difference in your energy, focus, your skin and appetite when you drink a gallon a day! I just started, a little over a month ago caring around a gallon of water. People sometimes looked at me funny, but now I don’t even realize it. Now it’s just another limb! It makes it easier to see how much water I’ve drank and how much I need to consume. It’s equal to drinking 8, 16 oz. bottled waters, but way cheaper to buy it by the gallon. Just try it; it’ll get easier as you make it a priority!
So… It’s recommended to eat as hard as you play. For example, my goals are to gain muscle mass and lose fat mass. I need to eat as many calories (GOOD CALORIES) as I burned, to recover and rebuild my muscles. Truthfully consider everything I’ve said and keep in mind, you can eat as much as you want as long as it’s benefitting you. If you eat like shit, you’re going to feel like shit. Plain and simple.
The sooner your life carries fewer burdens and is more driven by an internal desire to be happy, you'll find that your motivation--and your life--will improve in more ways than you ever imagined.
Another Food Tip: Spinach should always be cooked because raw has oxalic acid that binds with iron and calcium and forms stones that can cause arthritis or kidney stones? Cooking removes the oxalic acid.. Also when you eat it raw you don’t get your calcium because it becomes impossible to absorb.
..If you have tons of questions, please don’t hesitate! If you want a grocery list.. I suggest shopping ONLY on the outer perimeter of the store! I don’t mind getting more into detail and writing up exercises and schedules.. just let me know what you each would like! J
Sleep tight and keep in touch!!
Manda Olsen
