Quick and Healthy Snack and Meal Options

I've been trying to trim down a bit. It got to the point where I felt uncomfortable in most of my clothes and I finally saw a number on the scale that "forced" me to buckle down. I'm one of the fortunate CF patients who doesn't struggle to gain weight (or lose). I have the opposite problem (even though I am pancreatic insufficient...maybe my enzymes work too well. Ha!) I lost about 20 lbs during my last hospital stay, as I wasn't eating much and when I did, I was choking things down because I knew I had to. When I got out, I was battling nausea and knew that I needed calories to regain strength, so I was eating anything I could stomach. Well my nausea subsided and my appetite came back, and I continued to eat anything I wanted, packed those 20 lbs back on, and then some. About two months ago I decided to go on a diet, or maybe more accurately, a responsible eating plan :) Here are my go-to healthy snacks and meals:

Sandwiches - There are endless sandwich options. My usual sandwich of choice is a turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato and yellow mustard. But I do like to sneak in a grilled cheese with turkey and tomato, or a tuna melt, from time to time.

Egg white scrambles - I throw some egg whites into a pan with any veggie I can find in my fridge. This helps me hit my protein quota for the day.

Hardboiled eggs - Quick, easy, and another good protein source.

Protein bars - We started ordering Pure Protein protein bars off of Amazon. They have some really good flavors. I eat them as a quick snack, or as my fatty snack with my nightly dose of Orkambi.

Soups - Another quick option I gravitate to are canned soups. I sometimes leave them as they are, while other times I add hot sauce or extra ingredients to beef them up as they are usually of the "light" variety.

Turkey Burgers - We buy frozen turkey burgers from Costco. I bake 4-6 in the oven at a time, and then reheat them for the next few days. I eat my burgers bun-less, usually topped with some kind of sauce.

Beefy Jerky - I could snack on beef jerky multiple times a day. Not only does it taste good, but it's full of protein, so it keeps me feeling full for awhile.

I started two months ago at 196 lbs and even after multiple work trips (where the streams of food were endless) I'm down to about 176 lbs. I'll probably continue until I'm in the 160's and then start adding back muscle in a more healthy way.

5 Clean Foods I Couldn't Live Without

For the most part, I try to eat clean. There are some deviations here and there, but when I'm trying to put myself in the best position to succeed with either my health, muscle building, fat loss or performance, I've found that eating as clean as possible really helps. With that said, I love to eat!  I'm pretty disciplined by nature, but overeating and eating stuff that may be good for weight gain but not for the rest of my body systems in general, has been something engrained in me since birth. (The idea of calories at all costs is another blog for another day!) Many of the things that I like to eat are far from clean (think candy, birthday cake, sugary cereals, taquitos from Costco, pizza pockets, and the list could go on and on) and the only way to keep myself on the up and up with a "clean lifestyle" is to find clean foods that satiate me in the same ways as stuff on the not-to-eat list.

1. Eggs

5 fun facts about eggs (www.incredibleegg.org):

• The incredible edible egg™ has a high nutrient density because it provides a wide range of nutrients in proportion to its calorie count (about 70 calories per Large egg). Nutrient-dense foods help you get the nutrients you need without excess calories.
• A Large-sized egg supplies 12.6% of the Daily Reference Value (DRV) for protein. A little over half of the egg’s protein is in the white and the rest is in the yolk. The egg’s protein is the highest quality protein of any food. One egg of any size equals one ounce of lean meat, poultry, fish or seafood in the food groups.
• Egg protein is both high in quality and low in cost. It’s easy to compare the price of eggs to the price of other protein foods. A dozen Large eggs weigh 1 1/2 pounds, so the price per pound of Large eggs is two-thirds of the price per dozen. For example, if Large eggs cost 90¢ per dozen, they cost 60¢ per pound. At $1.20 per dozen, Large eggs are only 80¢ per pound.
• To tell if an egg is raw or hard-boiled, spin it. Because the liquids have set into a solid, a hard-boiled egg will easily spin. The moving liquids in a raw egg will cause it to wobble. 
• Each of the roughly 280 million laying birds in the U.S. produces from 250 to 300 eggs a year. In total, the U.S. produces about 75 billion eggs a year, about 10% of the world supply.

How much I eat: 

At a minimum, I eat 2 eggs over-easy or over-medium with 1 cup of egg whites to start off every day. Then, it's not uncommon for me to eat 2 hard-boiled eggs for a snack at some point during the day and I often have a 1-cup egg white omelet or scramble for dinner. Thank goodness that Costco sells all of the above in bulk!

Why I like them:

I love how versatile eggs are! You can prepare them a variety of ways and they seem to be a great base for so many different meals. I also like the fact that they are mostly made up of a slow-release protein that fuels muscle repair throughout the day or night.  

2. Roasted Vegetables

Fun facts about vegetables:

• Asparagus - Everyone makes "asparagus pee," but not everyone can smell it. (http://modernfarmer.com)
• Cauliflower - Cauliflower contains a wealth of anti-inflammatory nutrients to help keep inflammation in check, including indole-3-carbinol or I3C, an anti-inflammatory compound that may operate at the genetic level to help prevent the inflammatory responses at its foundational level. (http://www.whfoods.com)
• Bell Peppers - Traditional Chinise Medicine (TCM) uses bell peppers as a natural treatment for certain medical conditions relating to digestive issues and blood circulation such as indigestion, loss of appetite, swelling frostbite(Injury or destruction of skin and underlying tissue) and stagnation. (http://durablehealth.net)
• Broccoli - Broccoli is high in fiber. Not only in soluble fiber but insoluble as well. Since your body needs both types, it's great to know that broccoli is can fulfill both your needs. (http://www.mindbodygreen.com)
• Corn - An ear or cob of corn is actually part of the flower and an individual kernel is a seed.

How much I eat:

I highlighted the five vegetables (well, bell peppers are actually fruits) above because those are what I eat most often. In fact, they are listed in probably the quantity in which I consume them. It's common for me to have at least 10 stalks of asparagus and 1 cup of cauliflower with both lunch and dinner. Lately, I've been adding a cup of bell peppers to lunch and dinner as well. I used to eat more broccoli, but I've been on a cauliflower kick lately and I buy a 8-pack of corn every two weeks or so.

Why I like them:

I like that I can load up on vegetables to feel full, but not over do it on calories. I also like the texture of most roasted vegetables and love experimenting with different hebs, marinades, etc to roast them with.

3. Cholula

Fun facts about Cholula (www.cholula.com):

• It is named after "Cholula", the oldest inhabited city in Central America. It is a 2,500 year old city in Mexico and famous for its 365 churches. The term Cholula is derived from the pre-Hispanic word "Chollollan" meaning "the place of retreat".
• Cholula delivers a palatable 1,000 Scoville units 
• Cholula Hot Sauce is made in Chapala, which is a one hour drive from the city of Guadalajara, a five hour drive from Mexico City, a four hour flight from Los Angeles, 1,000 miles from Dallas, TX and a long way from New York City.
• Cholula has been in existence for at least three generations; it has been commercially available in the United States for over 20 years.

How much I eat:

I am very generous with my Cholula because I like "heat" and it is zero calories. I add it to my eggs most mornings, cauliflower or broccoli, chicken or turkey and sometimes, my salads.

Why I like them:

I like spicy food, but not spicy to the point that it's not enjoyable to eat. Cholula for me is the perfect balance of heat and flavor. It makes bland things better and flavorful things even more flavorful.

4. Frozen Fruit

Fun facts about (frozen) fruit (http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/20-incredible-facts-about-eating-fruits-and-vegetables-that-you-probably-didnt-know.html):

• Pineapples can destroy your taste buds.
• Apples can give you more energy than coffee.
• Grapefruits are a horrible idea if you take certain medications (list here).
• Bananas are technically herbs.
• Studies by the FDA have confirmed that any decrease in nutrition from freezing fruits is negligible at best.

How much I eat:

How much eat depends on whether it's a high carb day or a low carb day. I've been doing more and more low carb days lately, so my fruit intake has been less. With that said, when I do eat fruit, I do it right! For dessert on my high carb days I make "ice cream" out of only frozen fruit in my Vitamix. I have a concoction, made of frozen pineapple, mango and cherries, that tastes a lot like my favorite ice cream, Rainbow Sherbet!! I also drizzle (or pour) some honey on it to bring out the sweetness.

Why I like it:

I have a sweet tooth and this not only helps with that, but it does wonders for my post-dinner before bed snacking habit. I use a small spoon to eat it so I can enjoy for as long as possible, and I'm positive that eating it on some nights has kept me away from snacking on dry sugary cereal (another favorite of mine!).

5. Honey

Fun facts about honey (http://honeything.com http://honey.glorybee.com):

• Honey stored in air tight containers never spoils. Sealed honey vats found in King Tut's tomb still contained edible honey, despite over 2,000 years beneath the sands. 
• Two tablespoons of honey would fuel a honey bee flying once around the world.
• German peasants were required to give their feudal lords a payment of honey and beeswax
• Honey is the ONLY food source produced by an insect that humans eat
• Honey is much more than just a simple sugar. Rich in minerals and nutrients, honey also has some antibiotic properties that may aid in the healing process.

How much I eat:

As mentioned above, I often (and by often I mean always) put honey all over my frozen fruit ice cream. This could be anywhere from 2 tablespoons to a 1/4 cup! I get raw honey from my mom (who works at a farm) or the purest form of honey at stores. I probably shouldn't eat as much as I do, but it keeps my away from refined sugars.

Why I like it:

I love how the honey gets hardened by the frozen fruit ice cream and as mentioned above, I love its sweetness!! I could actually eat spoonfuls of just honey and I have been known to stick a spoon full of peanut butter into a raw honey jar and eat it as a snack.
Honorable mention

Any kind of dehydrated meat!! Such a great source of protein that is easy to grab and go!

I know, I know, to come clean eating enthusiasts out there this list may not fall under 100% clean eating, but I decided that if I was going to eat healthy, it would have to be a lifestyle and not a fad. I show myself grace daily by choosing to eat healthy food that is satisfying, but not necessarily "by-the-book clean". I also show myself grace on special occasions like camping (s'mores!) and occasionally, birthdays or other events (cake!).

NOTE: I realize that for some who read this blog, every calorie counts. If you'd like ideas on some high calorie, "clean eating" foods or recipes, please let me know!

My Nutrition Plan

Many people have e-mailed and asked about my nutrition plan and what exactly it is that I eat, so I thought it would be a good idea to write it out in a blog so others could take a look. I just finished this new nutrition plan (since I'm now focusing on lean muscle building) so I'll have to let you guys know what I think about it in a month or so!

You'll see that it is split up into two different plans - weight lifting days and cardio days. I will have 4 weight lifting days a week, 2 cardio days a week and one rest day. They don't have to be the same day every week, but whichever day I'm on (weight, cardio or rest) will dictate what I'm eating that day.

Note: This is not intended to replace any nutrition plan that your CF dietician has prescribed to you. I've never had an issue with weight gain, and therefore, can adjust my diet based on how I feel/look/trying to accomplish. For peeps with CF that need to gain weight, these plans will not be the best, especially the cardio days. However, you can modify these plans to work for you, and if you'd like some help in doing so, please let me know!

If you have any questions, please let me know!

_____

Cardio Days

Breakfast 1 @6:15am

1/2 cup Quaker Natural Granola
1 Yoplait Light Yogurt
1 Whole Egg
2 Egg Whites
2 Flaxseed Oil Pills

Total Calories: 437
Total Grams of Protein: 23
Total Grams of Carbohydrates: 55
Total Grams of Fat: 12

Breakfast 2 @9:00am

1 cup Skim Milk

1 Yoplait Light Yogurt

1 Medium Banana

3/4 cup of Blueberries

2 tbs Dextrose

1/2 tsp Beta-Alanine

Total Calories: 450

Total Grams of Protein: 15

Total Grams of Carbohydrates: 94

Total Grams of Fat: 0

Lunch 1 @11:30am

4oz 93/7 Ground Turkey

1 Multigrain Tortilla

2/3 cup Sante Fe Veggies

4 tbs Salsa

1 scoop CytoSport Whey Protein

2 tbs Dextrose

1/2 tsp Beta-Alanine

Total Calories: 580

Total Grams of Protein: 57

Total Grams of Carbohydrates: 59

Total Grams of Fat: 14

Lunch 2 @2:30pm

4 oz Mahi Mahi

3/4 cup Steamed Broccoli

1/2 cup Cooked Brown Rice

Total Calories: 220

Total Grams of Protein: 23

Total Grams of Carbohydrates: 25

Total Grams of Fat: 2

Dinner @6:00pm

4 oz Chicken Breast

3/4 cup Steamed Broccoli

2 oz Cooked Yam/Sweet Potato 

Total Calories: 214

Total Grams of Protein: 23

Total Grams of Carbohydrates: 23

Total Grams of Fat: 2

Grand Totals for Day

Total Calories: 1901

Total Grams of Protein: 142

Total Grams of Carbohydrates: 257

Total Grams of Fat: 30

Weight Lifting Days

Breakfast 1 @6:15am

1/2 cup Quaker Natural Granola

1 Yoplait Light Yogurt

1 Whole Egg

2 Egg Whites

2 Flaxseed Oil Pills

1 cup Skim Milk

Total Calories: 527

Total Grams of Protein: 31

Total Grams of Carbohydrates: 67

Total Grams of Fat: 12

Breakfast 2 @9:00am

1/3 cup Coach's Oatmeal

3/4 cup of Blueberries

6 tbs Egg Whites

2 scoops Monster Milk

1/2 tsp Beta-Alanine

Total Calories: 640

Total Grams of Protein: 67

Total Grams of Carbohydrates: 64

Total Grams of Fat: 12

Lunch 1 @11:30am

4oz 93/7 Ground Turkey

1 Multigrain Tortilla

4 tbs Salsa

2 scoops Monster Milk

2 tbs Dextrose

1/2 tsp Beta-Alanine

Total Calories: 700

Total Grams of Protein: 75

Total Grams of Carbohydrates: 59

Total Grams of Fat: 20

Lunch 2 @2:30pm

4 oz Mahi Mahi

3/4 cup Steamed Broccoli

1/2 cup Cooked Brown Rice

Total Calories: 220

Total Grams of Protein: 23

Total Grams of Carbohydrates: 25

Total Grams of Fat: 2

Dinner @6:00pm

4 oz Chicken Breast

3/4 cup Steamed Broccoli

2 oz Cooked Yam/Sweet Potato 

Total Calories: 214

Total Grams of Protein: 23

Total Grams of Carbohydrates: 23

Total Grams of Fat: 2

Snack Before Bed

1 cup Skim Milk

1 rounded scoop of Casein Protein

1/2 tsp Beta-Alanine

Total Calories: 220

Total Grams of Protein: 32

Total Grams of Carbohydrates: 19

Total Grams of Fat: 1

Grand Totals for Day

Total Calories: 2606

Total Grams of Protein: 253

Total Grams of Carbohydrates: 278

Total Grams of Fat: 49

**On weight lifting days I will also give myself some cheat calories (up to 400 or so) to indulge on some candy, desserts, etc

Rest Day

My rest day will consist of a mix and match of the two nutrition plan. If I'm happy with my weight gain, I'll eat lighter, if I'm not, I'll eat more

______

So, there you have it! Like I said, I'm just starting this, so we will see how it works out. My goal is to build lean muscle and not pack on fat. I used a similar nutrition plan as the cardio days every day for the past 12 weeks and lost 20 pounds and 8% body fat! Proper nutrition and exercise can work wonders my friends.

Top Ten Tuesday: Foods I've Come to Crave

Mandi touched a bit on it yesterday, but I changed up ("changed up" see: actually developed one) my nutrition plan about 8 weeks ago and so far, I'm seeing great results!! I started at 182 lbs (in the morning) and have seen the scale get to 163 lbs. For those who are worried, my CF team has been kept in the loop and everything is looking good from their perspective. They asked that I don't get much below 160 lbs, which, has never been the plan so I'm good with that! I committed to 3 months of this new plan, and then I will slightly modify to start building muscle (aka up the calories by over 1000).

There was a big adjustment at first, but I know come to crave the foods I can eat. Sure, there are times I wish I could have some candy or a freshly baked oatmeal raisin cookie, but in times like those, I simply repeat this phrase, " That _________ doesn't taste as good as being fit feels".

Here are the top ten foods that I've come to crave (in no particular order):

I would pick the one on your right every time!!

1.    Turkey Taco - I start out with lean ground turkey on a whole grain/blue corn tortilla and top it with a "Santa Fe" mix of veggies (corn, black beans, red and green peppers and onions) and then of course top that off with some salsa.

2.    Grapes - Grapes have basically replaced candy for me. It's amazing how sweet they taste when I have not consumed sugar for 8 weeks.

3.    Broccoli - I try to eat the mini-trees at least every other day. I've always been a fan, I've just gotten away from eating steamed veggies over the years. I'm glad they're back - especially broccoli.

4.    Quinoa - Quinoa is such a great substitution for white rice (among many other things) and a great change-up from brown rice. I usually put some type of hot sauce on it to give it a kick, but even by itself, it has a great taste.

5.    Oatmeal - I start out each day with a bowl full of steel-cut oats with 1 tbs of natural peanut butter and a cup full of blueberries. That meal gives me a ton of great energy in the morning and it tastes superb!!

6.    Smoothie - For my "second breakfast" of the day, I generally have a shake/smoothie. The one that I've been making lately has really satisfied my "shake tooth". I have 10 ounces of water, a scoop of chocolate whey protein, a medium banana and a cup of strawberries. Gives my body some good carbs and protein before my workout.

7.    Mahi Mahi - I generally have fish for lunch after I get home from the gym and Mahi Mahi has become my favorite. I love how thick and almost steak-like that it is. I don't think it is "too fishy", but I also like that I can still tell that I'm eating fish :) Grilled or baked, either way, it's good!

8.    Sweet Potato Fries - Even before this new nutrition plan, Mandi and I had a lot of sweet potatoes. We love them in any form, any fashion, anywhere. We especially love baked sweet potato fries! We usually season them with some sort of steak seasoning and them bake em up. I actually made a "clean" ketchup to go with them :)

9.    Pasta - During my "re-feed" day, I get to eat a lot of pasta. And I mean, a lot. It gives my body the boost I need after being in a caloric deficit and tells my brain that I'm not starving :) I actually have pasta with veggies and pasta sauce for 3 out of my 5 meals on my re-feed day.

10.   Gum - Zero calorie or sugar-free gum surely isn't the healthiest thing around, but it has kept my sane at times. I have a sweet-tooth and gum has been able to satisfy it for the most part. I chew it when I'm working out...and when I'm not!

Well, that's it. Any of those foods look good to you? Any foods that you would recommend that you think would fit my nutrition plan? Let me know!!!