Meal Plan 10/9/17: Carb Cycling + Whole30 Compliant

Hi there, and happy Monday! This weekend felt RELAXING, which is just what I needed after a weekend of being sick (last) and then two weekends with company/out of town. For me, restful weekends usually include a few primary things: unscheduled time with no to-do list, time outside, and cooking something fun. Weekdays are so busy and I spend so much time inside that by the time the weekend comes around I'm just ready to PLAY. 

About this carb cycling thing:

You guys know that I've been working on strength gains lately, in particularly, building up to a handstand. I've been experimenting with different approaches to eating for a long time (LCHF, IF, paleo, HCLF, eating frequently, eating 3 meals a day, etc), and trying out different approaches is something that I enjoy. I like learning more about how I feel with each strategy, as well as how my body responds to certain foods. I ate low carb for the longest time when my gut was really out of whack, and now that it's doing so much better, I've been adding more carbs into my diet (and loving it). I also have more energy during my workouts that way, and have definitely seen some noticeable strength gains in the handstand realm of things. (Let's not get carried away...I'm still working on getting my forearm stand off the ground...) In all of my research (RDN at heart over here) I know the theory of eating higher carb and lower fat for exercise and strength as well as the benefits of eating lower carb and higher fat for overall longevity and for toning. I've dabbled with a more keto-like approach in the past and am not sure that it worked so well for my body type (ectomorph, which tends to do better on higher carb and lower fat), but I do love my fats, as evidenced by my tendency to take a spoon to the nut butter jar at any given moment. 

Enter: carb cycling. The theory here is to have both higher carb days and higher fat days, alternating through the week. This gives the body the energy to push hard during workouts as well as the opportunity to pull from stores on lower carb days. There are plenty of people out there who can give you a much more detailed explanation, but I'm going to leave it at that for now. If it works well for me, I'll do a more detailed writeup on the science later on. 

Here's what it will look like:

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are my HIIT days, so those are going to be my higher carb days. Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday are walking days, so those will be my higher fat days. Saturday will be a flex day, meaning that I'll just do what I want, within reason. 

I usually eat intuitively (aka, if I'm feeling like a higher carb day, I have it, and vice versa with fat), so being this structured will be an adjustment. I've decided to give it three weeks before evaluating. 

This week's meal plan:

...is conveniently all Whole30 compliant! I don't live in the Whole30 (obviously), but I do know that I feel best when I eat whole foods most of the time, so my meals often fall into that framework anyway.

Breakfast: Fruit and Veggie Smoothie // On higher carb days I'll make this with fruit and coconut water, and on lower carb days it will be with avocado, unsweetened almond milk, and cocoa powder. As always, I'll include some frozen veggies, such as spinach, steamed yellow squash/zucchini, and steamed cauliflower. This week I'll be using collagen and bone broth protein as my proteins! More details: I usually use about 1-1.5 cups of veggies and 1 cup of fruit, along with about 12 oz of liquid. I aim for 30 grams of protein, which is one scoop of the bone broth protein and 1 scoop of collagen. 

Lunch: No Cook // I'll be using deli turkey (which has been my super-easy go-to lately) + cucumber + carrots as the foundation, and then adding either an apple (on higher carb days) or avocado (on higher fat days). I'll also have Zupa soups stashed for a veggie boost! Don't forget that you can get 20% off your entire order PLUS free shipping with the code "wholedailylife"! More details: I leave most of these things in the fridge at my office and pull out my portions day by day! I pack the cucumbers in Stasher Bags, which are my favorite reusable option! They're an investment, but I've collected them over time and now have enough to prep a week's worth of food for both me and my husband. 

Dinner: Shredded Italian Beef + Veggies // Regardless of the day, I'll be having some shredded Italian beef and kale. For the beef, I started with some beef stew meat (it's what I had on hand) and put it in my Instant Pot (this thing is such a time saver!!) with some garlic powder, salt, oregano, thyme, and basil. I added a splash of ACV and about 1/4 cup of water, then set the IP to manual, high pressure, for 75 minutes. The beef was so tender and easy to shred! For the kale, I added about 3 tbsp of ghee to a large pot, then dumped in two heads of kale that I had pulled off the stems and torn into pieces. I also added about 1/4 cup of broth and let it all cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat with the lid on, stirring occasionally. On higher carb days I'll have some sweet potato (mix of roasted and steamed, once again cleaning out the freezer) and on higher fat days I'll have some crispy red cabbage with an extra spoonful of coconut butter. (I keep this at work.)

Snack: I'm loaded up with bars and samples from Expo (stay tuned for a huge giveaway later this week!) so I'll bring something each day from my stash. On higher fat days it will probably be a Bulletproof collagen bar and on higher carb days something like an RX bar. 

As mentioned above, I'm using this as an experiment to see what works well for MY body! Every person is unique and there's nothing wrong with trying out new things to see how YOU feel best.

Have a great week and I'll see you back here next Monday!

-Tracey

Meal Plan 10/2/17 - Whole 30 Compliant!

Boy does it feel good to get back to real food! I really feel a difference in my digestion and overall energy levels when I'm seriously packing in the veggies. Last week I was averaging about 8-10 cups of produce daily, which is where I feel best. Aka, as many veggies as I can pack onto my plate at each meal, plus some protein and healthy fats! This week I'm focusing on convenience by using some of my favorite Whole 30 approved products like Zupa Noma and Yai's Thai. Check out the meal plan below for details! 

Here's this week's meal plan: 

Breakfast: Protein Smoothies // This week I'm trying out the new mixed collagen protein by Dr. Axe. I'm intrigued by this because the different types of collagen actually affect different tissues in the body! I'll be adding a couple of scoops to my fruit and veggie smoothies (spinach, pineapple, cauliflower, zucchini). I also have some steamed and frozen sweet potato, so I'll probably mix it up through the week. 

Lunch: Nom Nom Paleo's Tuna Cakes + Zupa + Salad // Zupa Noma superfood soup is seriously the easiest way to get veggies in with zero prep involved. I'll be having a bottle with a few tuna cakes by Nom Nom Paleo (one of my favorite easy proteins to keep on hand) and some arugula salad with Primal Kitchens Caesar dressing (my favorite of all of theirs!!). I scored some cans of Safe Catch Elite tuna at Grocery Outlet for $2 each the other week; it's the only brand of tuna that I use because of their strict quality control processes. You can read my review of their products and why I love them here! Don't forget, if you want to try out Zupa Noma soups for yourself, you can order online with the code "wholedailylife" for 20% off AND free shipping! I also have an apple and either cashew butter or coconut butter by Artisana Organics. As I've mentioned before, my work schedule often means that I'm eating at odd times, so I like to keep something extra on hand just in case!

Dinner: Yai's Thai Yellow Curry // I tried out Yai's Thai curry a few weeks ago and fell in love with it. The convenience of having such a flavorful Whole 30 compliant sauce can't be beat! All I did was steam up some yellow squash, sweet potato, and carrots, added some cooked chicken breast, and topped it with fresh cilantro, green onions, and plenty of yellow curry sauce! Last time I used the green curry and this time I took it up a notch with yellow. I'm a super wimp when it comes to spice though, so I mixed the whole jar with a can of coconut milk to lighten it up a bit. So easy!! 

Prep this week took about 2 hours. Pretty much all I had to do was steam a bunch of veggies, cook the chicken, and bake the tuna cakes! 

Have a great week, and I'll see you back here next Monday!

-Tracey

Meal Plan 9/25/17 + Dreaming

We'll just jump right into the good stuff. This past Saturday I spent 2 sunny hours and 6 quick-paced miles just walking and dreaming. Tiny homes and minimalism, living abroad and traveling, food styling, being able to work remotely, adventure. It's good to dream. It's life-giving, and it makes my brain and my heart light up. It's easy to get caught up in the daily grind of corporate work, budgets, and adult responsibilities, especially because it hasn't been an easy several years.

My husband and I are celebrating our 5th anniversary this week! In that time frame we've been through several moves, several job changes, and several unfortunate car incidents, none of which were our fault. (The most recent of which was just a few weeks ago, in which my husband's car was totaled when he got rear ended on the highway.) We've also endured several scary years of health uncertainty (mine) and more budget meals that I can count (thank you, zillions of supplements). It's easy to think about all of that and feel discouraged and stuck, and in reality, sometimes I do. But the truth is, we're not.

Who knows what the future holds. (if it's anything like the past 5 years, it will change drastically every couple of months.) But I do know that I'm grateful for how far my health has come, for a steady job that I enjoy with the most amazing team, for the opportunity to work with inspiring brands and create health and wellness content online, and of course, to be sharing it all with my husband, who is constantly doing dishes and putting up with me taking food photos in the middle of our living room. (Sorry to get all gushy on you right there.) I've been listening to a podcast lately and it's been filling me with encouragement, softening my heart, and reminding me to enjoy the journey!

Why share all of this? To remind you to dream. To remind myself to dream. Part of me wants to just pack up and move abroad and travel the world and figure it out as we go. The logical part of me says that would be foolish and short-sighted, but we only get one life to live, right? So why not live out of a backpack and fill my days with adventure and experiences?? (And daily gelato, of course.) There's so much world to see!

In reality, the most probable of all the dreams right now is the tiny home. We have applied to live in a tiny home community here in southern CA and are just waiting to hear if we got in. If we did, then it's looking like we'll probably make the move in the next few months! That would have huge implications on my kitchen space and meal prep routine, for obvious reasons, but we can cross that bridge when we come to it. (I see the potential for a lot more no-cook in my future!) So stay tuned. 

Despite all this dreaming, I still managed to get some meal prep done, so let me share that with you too!

Breakfast: Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie // You know I always try to sneak some veggies into my smoothies. Okay really it's not sneaking because there's usually more veg than fruit. This week I have some steamed and frozen cauliflower, yellow squash, and sweet potato.  I'll be using my usual Equip protein powder ("wholedailylife" for 15% off!) and loading up on spices like cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, and nutmeg! 

Lunch: No-Cook Plate + Zupa // Honeycrisp apples have arrived!! Naturally I snatched up a few to have with my cucumbers, avocado, and carrots on this week's no-cook plate. (Packed in Stasher bags, as usual.) Protein will be a DNX bar, and of course, I also brought my daily Zupa soup. As always, you can get 20% off of your Zupa order + free shipping with the code "wholedailylife" at checkout!

Dinner: Meatballs + Butternut + Kale // I pretty much kept this as simple as it could be. I sautéed the kale and roasted the butternut in Fatworks ghee ("wholedailylife" for 20% off!) until tender. (Added cinnamon to the butternut too!) For the meatballs, I followed my basic meatball recipe. I used ground beef with liver mixed in, which I LOVE the flavor of and purchase pre-mixed from Da-Le Ranch here in San Diego! I've also made my own mix, but this is so much easier!

Alright folks, that's enough for this evening. I hope you enjoyed my rambles, and I'll see you back here next week!

-Tracey

Meal Plan 9/18/17 + Expo East!

Hi there! I just got home from spending 4 days last week in Baltimore for Expo East, and it was a complete blast. I attended Expo West back in March and had so much fun that I decided to book the trip to the east coast for round #2 if I could find cheap tickets, and I did! I've been looking forward to the event for months, and it was every bit as fun as I anticipated. I mean, walking around three floors filled packed with brands that I know and love, along with hundreds of new companies that are working to provide products that are natural, non-toxic, and wholesome?? Sign me up! And did I mention all the SAMPLES? Really though, it would be beyond easy to eat nothing but samples every day, and while I did sample to my heart's content, I did make sure I got some fresh foods in each day in the form of my no-cook favorites (cucumbers/radishes/carrots) or some green flatbread. I also made a point to have a Zupa soup daily! (Don't forget, you can get 20% off with the code "wholedailylife" plus free shipping! They also just launched two new flavors!!) I'm going to be sharing more about the products that I loved over the coming few days/weeks over on Instagram, so stay tuned. I also have several fun giveaways planned!

As you can imagine, the trip was jam packed, and after my 5 hour flight home on Sunday morning, I definitely needed a little extra time to rest. I had planned my meal prep out before I left and made sure to keep things simple so that I wasn't spending too much time in the kitchen! Here's the lineup:

Breakfast: Protein Shakes // I generally rotate through protein sources in my smoothies, and this week I'm using Vital Proteins for a little extra gut-love from the collagen. My other favorite is Equip, which you can get 15% off of with the code "wholedailylife." As always, I'll be adding some veggies (frozen spinach/cauliflower/squash) and some fruit. 

Lunch: No-Cook Spread // If you've been around for any length of time, you know that this is my go-to! Cucumbers, radishes, an apple, some nut butter (this week by Once Again), and some kind of protein. I'll be having sardines this week; packing in those omega-3's to make sure I don't get sick after such a busy trip!! Sardines are such a nutrient powerhouse, and though I didn't like them at first, I learned to. I used to mash them up with tuna and mayo for a "tuna salad" type dish, but now I just eat them plain. Bonus points for getting the ones with bones! I promise you don't even notice them (they're so soft!!) and they're a great source of calcium.

Dinner: Chicken Sausage with Sweet Potato, Spinach, and Zucchini // When I'm in a hurry and looking for a simple, flavorful protein, I turn to sausage. Some of my go-to's are Bilinski's, Aidels, and anything by US Wellness Meats! I had lots of leftover sweet potatoes from a couple of weeks ago that I had stashed in the freezer (simply roasted with ghee and salt), so all I did was chop up 1.5# organic zucchini and sauté until golden in some avocado oil, then take that out and use the same skillet to wilt two bags of organic baby spinach with some coconut aminos. It probably took me 30 minutes tops to put all of this meal together, and that includes the chopping!

Expo East was the last trip that I have planned for a while, and I'm looking forward to having some (hopefully) slower weekends as we get into fall. This year has been flying by as my business has picked up and this introvert needs some down time!! I'm also excited to get back to my normal routine (and normal baseline of heaps of veggies every day) after being SO off of my normal schedule for almost a week!

Have a great one, and I'll see you back here next Monday!

-Tracey 

Meal Plan 9/5/17 + An Evening with Siggi's

I've been dragging a little bit this week. My husband started taking some classes a couple of weeks ago, which means between that and the extra hours that I've been taking on at my office, we haven't had a lot of down time! I learned a while ago that if I push myself too hard, I end up either (a) getting burned out and losing all motivation to do anything productive or (b) getting sick. Well, I have company coming in town next weekend and will be at Expo East the following week, so I can't really afford either of those things! As such, this long weekend came at the perfect time, and I planned to do absolutely nothing. (Which was all well and good until we ended up dealing with insurance all weekend because my husband was rear-ended on his drive home from work on Friday.)

Part of why this past week was so busy was because I got to participate in a SUPER fun event last Monday night that Siggi's hosted at the San Diego Wine and Culinary Center. I got to connect with about 25 other local dietitians/food bloggers and together we prepared a Nordic-inspired meal that was absolutely incredible. Each part of the meal incorporated Siggi's yogurt, and I was inspired to see how creative it all was! I don't eat much dairy, but for an event like this, I will happily partake! We had pan seared salmon with a lemon chive yogurt sauce and macerated berries, roasted root veggies with an almond tarragon sauce, mashed sweet potato with coconut yogurt, roasted mushroom salad, and a warm apple and yogurt dessert. My favorite part was getting to connect with all of the other inspiring folks making waves in the real food community here in San Diego! 

Needless to say, with everything going on, I didn't have a lot of time to come up with an elaborate meal plan for this week. I've also been trying to intentionally use as much of the food that I already have at home to save money in the budget!

Here's this week's meal plan:

Breakfast: Fruit and Veggie Smoothie // As always, I like to sneak some veggies into my smoothies. This week I have some frozen zucchini leftover from last week and added some steamed cauliflower and frozen spinach to the mix! I have some berries and pineapple in the freezer that I'll be using along with my usual Equip protein powder ("wholedailylife" for 15% off!).

Lunch: No-Cook Plate // I'm back at it with the green flatbread this week! It might not have been the best time to run the dehydrator for so many hours when it's blazing hot outside, but what's done is done. You can find my base recipe here. This week I used basil, cilantro, parsley, arugula, pumpkin seeds, Sarifood nutritional yeast (I used this brand exclusively because of MTHFR), Guiltless Goodies seven seed flour, and some Nitro Beet bone broth protein by Ancient Nutrition. I've got some deli turkey, cucumbers, radishes, and strawberries to go with!

Dinner: Yai's Thai Green Curry // This meal seriously couldn't be any easier: I steamed up some zucchini, yellow squash, and sweet potato, cooked some chicken in my instant pot, and tossed it all together with a jar of Yai's Thai Whole30 compliant green curry! 

Snacks: RxBar Kids // I've been using these little cuties as my pre-workout lately, along with my favorite Rootz energizing superfood! You can get 10% off at Rootz with the code "wholedailylife." 

That's all for now! Have a great week!

-Tracey