Coach J's Diet and Nutrition Advice

Archive for February, 2010

Most people associated fasting with religion.  Many biblical figures fasted to allow themselves to be closer to God or as a form of meditation and cleansing of the soul.  Fasting has many health benefits including:

•  lowered blood pressure
• improved insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake
• loss of body fat
• a decrease in oxidative damage
• and even a kick start for tissue repair.

Some people choose to fast only with water, some do a juice fast.

During a water fast, more fat tissue is burned, as your body must rely exclusively on fat reserves to supply its energy needs. Your body stores the bulk of incoming toxins in your fat reserves. As these reserves are burned for energy during a fast, any stored toxins will be released into your circulation, to be eliminated through various eliminative channels like your urine and respiratory tract. This mechanism of detoxification also occurs with juice fasting, but at a slower pace.

People detoxify and heal more quickly with a water fast than with a juice fast. This is because with a water fast, your digestive passageway and organs are able to rest completely, allowing for all of your energy to be used for cleansing and repair of damaged tissues. With a juice fast or a cleansing diet of fruits and vegetables, your body must use energy to digest nutrients, leaving less available energy for detoxification and healing.

I have been considering a fast for quite a while and finally decided to do it.  I think the fear of not completing it was my main reason for not giving it a try.  So when Lent started I made the committment to fast for 24hrs once a week.  This past Monday I ate dinner around 6:30pm and that was it.  The next morning was particularly difficult as the mornings are my most hungry time of the day.  I did have coffee Tuesday morning  and then water over the rest of the day.  It was definitely “mind over matter” as we practice so much in crossfit!  What I noticed was waves of hunger and waves of energy and focus.  When 7pm Tuesday arrived I expected to be starving, but I ate dinner as usual and was full.  Over the next 2 days I was not as hungry as usual, felt energetic and had a sense of “well being”. 

I encourage you to give it a try.  You don’t have to start with 24hrs.  Try first skipping a meal. The next week, skip 2 meals and then week 3 go for it!  Final reccommendation:  If you choose to fast for 24 hours make it on a non-crossfitting day.  Share your thoughts and observations with your fellow crossfitters.     -Lis

Post your daily meals, snacks, beverages, vitamins and supplements.

I love my coffee!!!!  I cannot function without it and every morning that little burst of caffeine starts off my day.  Within moderation coffee is a great beverage and can be sustained in everyone’s everyday diet. 

What you should be concerned with coffee is what you are putting in your coffee.  Sugar, crème, whipped cream and flavored syrups can make a 5 calorie drink turn into a 400 to 500 calorie drink.  Quite simply these flavored coffee drinks can drastically cut into your caloric intake and slow down your weight loss goal.

I stopped by the coffee shop at the Mall and picked up a Nutrition guide that was available for their customers and this is what I found:

Coffee ~ Black ~ Any size ~ 5 calories

Caffe Latte

Small ~ 8oz

            Non Fat ~ 70 cal

            2% ~ 100

            Soy Milk ~ 90

Large ~ 20oz

            Non Fat ~ 170

            2% ~ 150

            Soy Milk ~ 220

Vanilla Latte (without whipped cream)

Small ~ 8oz

            Non Fat ~ 100

            2% ~ 130

            Soy Milk ~ 130

Large ~ 20oz

            Non Fat ~ 250

            2% ~ 320

            Soy Milk ~ 300

White Chocolate Mocha (without whipped cream)

Small ~ 8oz

            Non Fat ~ 180

            2% ~ 200

            Soy Milk ~ 190

Large ~ 20oz

            Non Fat ~ 450

            2% ~ 510

            Soy Milk ~ 490

Sweetened Whipped Cream

Small ~ 50 calories

Large ~ 70 calories

These are just the “HOT” drinks beware of the cold/frozen coffee drinks like Frappuccino’s, Frozen Cappuccino’s and smoothies.  Some of these frozen concoctions have anywhere from 250 to over 600 calories per beverage and that does not include whipped cream.

Believe it or not but beverages do play a big role in your diet and the success or failure of your diet can be attributed to what you are drinking on a daily basis.  Does this mean not to drink your favorite coffee drink?  No, here are some helpful ideas to cut down the calories:

1. 86 the Whipped Cream.  Save up to 110 calories when you cut out whipped cream.
2. Sugar-Free Syrup.  Ask for your beverage “skinny” and they will add the sugar-free syrup, nonfat milk and no whipped cream.
3. Use calorie free sweeteners (Splenda, Equal or Sweet’N Low instead of sugar.
4. Skim Milk instead of Cream
5. Drink plain coffee with milk and sweetners.
6. Drink in moderation. 

 ~W

Post your daily meals, snacks, vitamins, supplements and beverages here!

The 15th marked my ninth month with Firebreather Fitness and within that time I have lost around a total of 95 pounds. Coach J asked me to put together a list of my diet “rules”.

1. I made a commitment to myself that this is not a diet but a lifestyle change. I have lost 100 lbs before and slowly put it back on. Now that I found Firebreather Fitness and CrossFit, I have a way to enjoy exercising and I know that Coach J and Cam is always around to hold me accountable and help me when I get fustrated.  I started out just following the rules of the Paleo Diet (with a little dairy) and intermittent fasting.   I totally cut out all sugars and complex carbs unless it fits within the Paleo diet.  I also implemented the Zone diet about three months ago.

2. Keep a journal. One of the first things Coach J told me to do. Keep track of every meal (good or bad), snack,  beverage, vitamin and supplement. Also keep track of the amount of food you are taking in e.g. Ounces, fats, carbs, proteins and your blocks.  This will help you and the nutrition team to help you to build a proper diet.

3. Do not weigh yourself, measure yourself. It’s not about weight loss but about fat loss and gaining lean muscle. There will be periods of time when you will “plateau” with weight loss and get discouraged. Get a seamstress measuring tape (Wal-Mart sells them) and measure yourself every two to three weeks. Write down your progress in your journal.

4. Overtraining does not compensate for overeating or boozing.

5. Get plenty of sleep. It affects the intensity of your WOD’s and you need sleep so your body can recover from your workouts.

6. Alcohol is BAD! Sorry, to break the news but there is no good health benefits of alcohol. I know about the study with a glass a wine and I am sure that if you look on line that there is an article on how a beer a day can help your FRAN time improve. The only thing alcohol is good for: getting drunk. I am not saying not to drink I have a glass or two of wine here and there but if you want to get buzzed? Drink alcohol. Do you want to be healthier and loose weight? Don’t drink alcohol.

7. Don’t have cheat days but cheat meals instead. You can pack down a lot of food in a 16 hour day and then the next day do a 18 to 20 hour fast so that your body can break down those unwanted calories.

8. Be prepared! Write down your weekly menu and stick to it. Purchase your groceries accordingly every week and don’t buy those trigger foods that you want to eat when you are hungry (PEANUT BUTTER!!!!). If you are on the road a lot then I suggest buying a small cooler to keep your food in.

9. Losing weight is not easy and will not happen overnight! Utilize Coach J and all of the coaches for dietary advice.  If you need someone to help you to put together a menu then feel free to talk to me and I will help you get started.

Post your daily meals, snacks, beverages, vitamins and supplements here!

3 Blocks of Fat

• 1 1/2 tsp Almond Butter
• 3 tsp Shivered Almonds
• 9 Almonds
• 3 tbsp Avocodo
• 6 Cashews
• 3 tbsp Guacamole
• 9 Olives
• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 tsp Peanut Butter
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Sour Cream

 

 

3 Blocks of Fruit

• 2 1/4 cup Cantaloupe
• 6 Dates
• 1 1/2 cup Pinapple, diced
• 1 1/2 Apple
• 1 1/2 cup Blueberries
• 24 Cherries
• 1 1/2 cup Grapes
• 3 cup Strawberries

“I studied the lives of great men and famous women, and I found that the men and women who got to the to were those who did the jobs they had in hand, with everything they had of energy, and enthusiasm and hard work.”—-Harry S. Truman