May 2017 – Cape Coral-Fort Myers Personal Training & Nutrition Coaching

May 27, 2017

How To Starve Fat Cells- Part 2

In my last article How to Starve Fat Cells I gave you a simple way to roughly calculate your carbohydrate needs based on calorie intake and activity level. To take it a step further, you should now make sure you’re choosing the appropriate types of carbohydrates for the time of day.

Check out the picture above- all are example sources of carbohydrates, but they differ greatly. The further right you go in the picture the more likely you’re feeding fat cells if you’re eating these carbohydrate items at the wrong times. Why is that? It’s because of the insulin response that happens when carbohydrates enter the bloodstream.

How quickly and how much insulin that is released into the bloodstream will be based on the type of carbohydrates eaten. Insulin is released into the bloodstream when you eat any carbohydrate whether it be a fibrous whole grain or straight table sugar. In general, you want to stick with low-moderate glycemic carbohydrates (<65GI) when trying to reduce body fat. You can see examples of low glycemic carbohydrates on the left side of the picture leading to more moderate glycemic carbohydrates in the center and then high glycemic carbohydrates (>65GI) on the right side.

We’re going to use the glycemic index (which rates various sources of carbohydrates based on how quickly they raise blood sugar levels) to properly time various carbohydrates in your diet. This will help to ensure you’re not sending any blood sugar to fat cells…remember- sugar and flour are the enemy when trying to reduce body fat.

Here’s a simple example of how to use the glycemic index to make good carbohydrate choices for reducing body fat (Remember that portion sizes will vary person to person based on calorie/carbohydrate needs):

Breakfast: A blend of low-moderate glycemic carbohydrates (30-65GI) to give some immediate energy and some sustained energy. (e.g Flour-less bread (Ezekiel bread) topped with low-sugar jam or oatmeal with coconut sugar and berries.

Post-workout: Moderate-high glycemic carbohydrates (65-90GI) to quickly replenish glycogen stores and expedite the healing/recovery process. (e.g. Banana, dried fruit, long-grain white rice, cereal, white pasta, or white potato)

Mid-day Meal(s): Low-moderate glycemic carbohydrates (30-65GI) to keep blood sugar levels steady for sustained energy without any significant raises in blood sugar. (e.g. sweet potato, long-grain brown rice, quinoa, vegetables, or apple)

Dinner Meal: Low glycemic carbohydrates (<45GI) to minimize any significant raise in blood sugar and keep glycogen stores the same. (e.g. green vegetables, leafy greens, barley, bran, and beans)

As you can see, you want to keep the moderate-higher glycemic carbohydrates around times when you’re the most active/exercising or when you’re somewhat fasted like at breakfast. Then, switch to low-moderate glycemic carbohydrates as you become less active and/or as it gets later in the day when you’ve already eaten numerous meals. This will ensure you’re not over loading your glycogen (carbohydrate) stores which will result in blood sugar being sent to fat cells.

Another quick tip is to make sure you’re having some kind of a plant-based fat with your meals (nuts/seeds, nut-butters, avocado, olive/coconut oil, etc…) This will help to slow down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, but remember to properly portion all your food items so that you’re staying in your calorie allotment for the day…none of this will do you any good of you’re eating too many calories!

Have a question or comment about this article or need help with custom meal planning? Email me at justin@check-yourself.com for more answers or to request a meal plan questionnaire to start eating towards your ideal physique!

Justin Check, NSCA-CPT, NESTA-FNC

justin@check-yourself.com

www.check-yourself.com

May 20, 2017

How To Starve Your Fat Cells!

Image result for body fat

You are born with all the fat cells you will ever have your entire life. When you “lose” fat you’re not actually losing the number of fat cells you have, but rather just making them smaller. This is because fat cells act as the body’s energy reserves, so when you consume too much energy (calories) the excess is sent to fat cells making them larger. Conversely, when you consume too little of calories the body will draw upon its reserves (fat cells) for fuel making them smaller. Seems pretty simple right? Of course it’s not that simple though! There are many ways you can reduce body fat; however, I am going to share with you the BEST way to do it!

Two key principles you must follow to be successful at reducing body fat the BEST WAY without also starving muscle cells or compromising the nervous system:

You must be in a slight calorie deficit every day- To set a slight calorie deficit you obviously need to have an idea of your calorie needs (basal metabolic rate + activity level.) You can calculate your calorie needs for free by inputting your information at https://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm. Once you roughly know your calorie needs, set a slight daily deficit of 350-500Kcals to make sure you can adequately sustain muscle mass and nervous system needs. Then you’ll need to track your caloric intake to make sure you stay around your deficit every day. You can use an electronic food diary app, such as https://www.myfitnesspal.com/…my personal favorite.
You must control your carbohydrate intake- The body is programmed to use carbohydrates first for fuel, so if the body is always saturated with carbohydrates it will never resort to fat cells for fuel! Once you know your calorie needs, you can now set a carbohydrate ratio (the amount of carbohydrates eaten out of your total calories.) The idea is to consume just enough carbohydrates to fuel your activity level and muscle mass while staying in a slight calorie deficit.

An example of these principles using my very own carbohydrate ratio: I need to consume roughly 3,750-4,000 calories/day to be in a 500Kcal deficit….I know lucky me! I’m very active and exercise quite a lot, so I set my carbohydrate ratio to 40-45% of my total calories. There’s 4 calories in a gram of carbohydrates, so 45% of 4,000 calories is 1,800,which means 1,800 of my total calories will come from carbohydrates. Divide 1,800 by 4 calories to get 450g of carbohydrates/day.

Now many people are not very active or exercising regularly like me, so here’s some examples of how to set a carbohydrate ratio using the same method above based on your activity level (remember- the body uses carbohydrates for fuel, so the more you exercise/stay active the more carbohydrates you can consume without feeding fat cells.)

Inactive to moderately active person- carbohydrate ratio of 25-30% of total calories

Moderately active person to very active- carbohydrate ratio of 30-35% of total calories

Very active person to athlete- carbohydrate ratio of 35-40% of total calories

Athlete to person not looking to reduce body fat- carbohydrate ratio of 45-50% of total calories

Just remember every one is different, which means there body’s needs are different. The amount of muscle mass you have, your activity level, genetic predispositions, and fitness/physique goals all factor in when figuring out your ideal carbohydrate intake for body fat reduction. Once you calculate your calorie needs, make sure stay in a slight deficit of 350-500Kcals/day and stay consistent with your carbohydrate intake making adjustments based on results. When no results are made, cut your calories down slightly and drop your carbohydrate ratio down to the next lowest tier…or exercise more!

Need help putting together a meal plan that is tailored to your macro needs? We can help! We offer custom meal planning based specifically on your body’s needs and your physique goals. Revisions are made to your plan based on results until your custom plan gets you to where you want to be!

Contact Justin Check at justin@check-yourself.com for more information or to request a meal planning questionnaire to get the process started.

Justin Check, NSCA-CPT,  NESTA-FNC

justin@check-yourself.com

www.check-yourself.com

May 9, 2017

Healthy Eats: Tuna Sandwich

Let me start by saying, this is not your dad’s tuna fish sandwich…this is kicked up a few notches! The entire meal was made in the NuWave oven. It’s fast, easy, and keeps food moist and delicious. So let’s delve into how to make this incredible weekender lunch: The Tuna Sandwich with baby broccoli fries!

It’s more an effort of assembly, not so much cooking, but never the less the end result will seem like you expended both time and culinary skills! First, pat your defrosted or fresh tuna steaks dry. Place them on tinfoil on the high rack of the NuWave. Sprinkle with ground ginger and garlic powder and drizzle 1 tsp of soy sauce on each steak. Cook on high heat for 7-8 minutes for a warm pink center.

While the tuna is cooking, pull out your Ezekiel bread and prep the sandwich accoutrements. Thinly slice red onion, tomatoes and an avocado. When the tuna finishes, place the bread and baby broccoli, sprinkled lightly with sea salt, in the NuWave for a quick toasting. The bread should be done in 5 minutes on high and the broccoli will need an additional 5 minutes. When you pull the bread out, assemble as follows. Place the thin slices of avocado on the bread, top with red onion. Add slices or the whole tuna steak (make sure you are measuring your tuna for appropriate portion). The Tuna Sandwich (open face) is ready for a few drizzles of hot sauce and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Top with tomato slices and serve with the baby broccoli fries.

This lunch takes less than 20 minutes to put together, tastes seriously gourmet, and is Meal Plan Approved!

We can jump-start your healthy cooking with these recipes.

*The exact portions will vary per person. Contact us for more details on your portions and macronutrient breakdown per meal/per day! There is no need to guess at how you should eat – let us help you eat right for your body type and goals!

May 2, 2017April 26, 2025

Healthy Eats: Protein Truffles

Do you have a sweet tooth that keeps getting in the way of successful healthy eating? I’ve got the antidote…protein truffles! Yes, you can have your cake and eat it too! These protein truffles require no baking and no cooking. Just combine all ingredients and form balls – it’s that easy. You can have one after dinner if you need that little something sweet or have a couple and treat them as a low-carb meal replacement, great for later in the day if you’re following a meal plan!

This post contains affiliate link(s). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Any products I link to are tried and true and I highly recommend them!

Here’s how to put the protein truffles together:

Combine the following ingredients in a medium size bowl with a spatula protein truffles

3 scoops ISO-100 Gourmet Vanilla (whey isolate powder)
6 TBSP peanut butter powder (such as PBFit or PB2) https://amzn.to/3EH9RZ1
2 TBSP natural creamy peanut butter
4-6 TBSP Unsweetened Cashew, Almond or Coconut Milk
2 TBSP mini chocolate chips
2 TBSP chopped or crushed nuts (almonds or walnuts)

The amount of milk needed will vary from batch to batch. You want a large ball of dough to form and be somewhat dry but sticking together well. Then add in mini chocolate chips and crushed nuts. Spray your hands generously with non-stick cooking spray and use a heaping TBSP to form 10 equal balls. Roll each ball in coconut (optional) or cocoa powder (optional). Place on wax paper or cupcake papers. Refrigerate for optimal freshness!

Each truffle has the following macronutrients:

110 calories ~ 5 g fat ~ 6 g carbs ~ 10 g protein

Don’t let your sweet tooth destroy your health and fitness efforts. Try these protein truffles and our other healthy recipes to keep your clean eating interesting. Check back often for new inspiration!