Skyler Meine

Tweak, Tweak, Tweak until you find the solutions that will help you achieve your IdealShape. That’s why we are taking 31 Days to reveal all the things you should be doing to get to your IdealShape.

Today is the third day since I discussed tracking your nutrition. These days should have been revealing in regards to what you are eating and in what quantities.

Are you eating the right things in the right quantities to get to your IdealShape?

Starting with the basics, I want you to look at the percentages of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats you are eating each day. Most people will find that their carbohydrate and fat levels are high. We live in a carbohydrate heavy society. Almost anything quick and easy to eat has high amounts of carbs and very little protein. Tracking is going to provide you with good feedback on what is in the foods you eat, and it will direct you in your meal choices.

Our recommendation is that you decrease your intake of carbohydrates and increase your intake of lean proteins and healthy fats. 40% Carbohydrates, 30% Protein, and 30% Fats is my recommendation for my introductory clients. Make sure that each meal you eat is balanced and that your total for the day is close to these percentages.

In future posts I will discuss what foods will not only get you the right macro-nutrients but also the micro-nutrients that determine long-term health.

carbohydrates, fats, IdealShape, proteins, track your nutrition

It has been a long day. You haven’t eaten since breakfast. You don’t want to have to make something when you are this hungry. A burger and fries suddenly sounds so good, but you are trying to lose weight. You remember that the “experts” say weight loss is all about calories in and calories out. You think I definitely haven’t eaten more calories than I burned today. I only had 300 calories for breakfast. You decide to be conservative and just get the medium sized value meal. It only has 1,000 calories. There’s protein in the burger, right? And you decide to make the purchase and eliminate your insatiable hunger.

You were under your calorie limit for the day. So why doesn’t this result in weight loss?

Because our bodies respond to when, what, and how much we eat.

We are genetically trained to be fat-storing machines. You can thank our ancestors for that because their fat-storing skills are what got them through droughts and famines, so they could thrive and be able to reproduce. Food sources haven’t always been as reliable as they are now.

Once you eat, you have about three hours where your body either uses or stores the food you ate. The average person usually only needs 200-300 calories during those three hours, so anything above these levels is stored. In the example above, over 700 calories is going to be stored as fat. Your body is going to tap these 700 calories after three hours but by then they will be stored as fat and your body would prefer to keep them stored as fat, so your metabolism slows down.  Remember, your metabolism is going to slow every time you have to utilize fat and protein as your primary energy sources. Which is going to divert protein from what it is supposed to do, which is build and repair your entire body.

Problems

1. How can you control hunger so you don’t binge?

2. How can you keep metabolism up as high as possible to burn the calories you are taking in, plus additional fat?

Solution

1. Plan what and when you are going to eat everyday.

2. Eat 5 to 6 times a day.

By eating more often, your hunger will have little to no control over your eating decisions.  Your metabolism will stay high throughout the day because it is constantly being fueled by a balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates.  And because you are trying to lose weight the right way, eating more often will allow your body to use fat and carbohydrates as your major energy sources and eliminate any dependence on protein (muscle). Muscle is what really drives your metabolism. Up to 50 calories are burned per pound of muscle on your body per day.

Hang in there and I will give you tips on what you should be eating and in what amounts to take you to your IdealShape.

Goal for the Day: Eat 5 to 6 Small Meals

carbohydrates, eat more often, fats, IdealShape, metabolism, proteins, value meals, Weight Loss