Tag Archives: protein

The Paleo Diaries: Week One

Posted in Food & Diet, Motivation & Happiness, Simply Paleo, Year of Challenges (2013) by

By Allie DeLay

Will power. That was my number one word going into this first week. Will power, which was something I usually equated with a sprint during the last 400 meters of a timed mile or an extra push up to finish up a plyo workout, took on a whole new meaning this week. Learning to say no to some of the staples in my diet was a real challenge this week.

As a self proclaimed Carb Fanatic, I knew it wasn’t going to be a cake walk giving up my morning bowl of cereal, afternoon sandwich, or as I like to refer to it my “night cap,” a piece of toast with Nutella and fluff (which I would like to point out to my roommates I have successfully done away with). But, I didn’t anticipate how often I was going to have to decline food and avoid giving in to temptation.

450px-Paleo_foodWhen I decided to start eating Paleo, I told my family and although I don’t think they fully understand it, they’ve been extremely supportive. Since I’m still home on winter break, I managed to stock the fridge with plenty of fruits and vegetables but that didn’t mean there wasn’t going to be bread, cereal, and other tempting foods that were a definite no-no in the Paleo Diet, sitting on the shelves in the kitchen just mocking me. (Okay, maybe they weren’t mocking me but, when your mom comes home with four boxes of Special K Chocolatey Delight the week you decide to go Paleo, you may feel a little resentment towards that cereal.)

Thankfully, fruits, vegetables, and eggs become my saving grace. I have managed to stir-fry pretty much anything and everything this week, relying albeit maybe a little too heavily on chicken. I have learned to appreciate more natural flavoring from my vegetables and I have definitely been experimenting a lot in the kitchen.

I have noticed more changes in my energy level and I’ve been feeling full a lot faster, without having the whole “I have a food baby, pull the car over so I can puke” kind of feeling. I just have to remember how great I’ve been feeling and I’m sure if I set my mind to it, my will-power will help me keep this inner cave-woman alive!

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Order like an expert: Meat

Posted in Eating Out, Food & Diet by

By Lauren Duffy

Chicken Parm

When I worked as a waitress, I, like most servers, was trained to ask customers certain questions as I took orders. Some of these questions included “What kind of dressing would you like?” and “What kind of bread would you like?”. But one of the most important questions a server will as you is: “How would you like your meat cooked?”. When ordering red meat at a restaurant, you can choose to have your meat cooked in 1 of 5 ways: rare (red), medium rare (red/pink), medium (pink), medium well (pink/brown), and well done (brown or fully cooked). While many believe that these 5 choices are completely based on the colors of the cooked meat, the choices are actually based partially on the temperature of the meat. Well done is piping hot while rare actually has a somewhat cool and uncooked center. After seeing the preparation of meat in several different restaurant kitchens, I’ve come to the conclusion that I will never ever order a meat cooked medium or less.. EVER! Here’s why…

For one, since the meats are more on the pink/red side, they are not fully cooked and are more prone to disease and bacteria. Gross. But what is even more nasty is a secret of the kitchen: chefs and cooks do not wear gloves when cooking (as far as I have seen). So when a cook touches fish then vegetables then meat then sauce then raw eggs, all of it stays on his hand; frankly, their hands get pretty darn raunchy by the end of the dinner rush. As I said before, they judge how cooked a meat is by its temperature in the center of the cut. But when orders are flying in and the chefs are rushed, there’s no time to grab a thermometer to test the meat, so instead they start touching it to feel if its cool or lukewarm. Yes, their dirty hands touch the meat, and if it feels like its the right temperature, they serve it to you. They serve it to you covered in god knows what from their fingers from earlier food preparation. You could get any kind of germ or illness from this handling, so I suggest you avoid ordering the meat on the reddish side; the more cooked the meat is, the less they handle it and the better off you are.

Plan easy, healthy breakfast meals

Posted in Food & Diet, Motivation & Happiness, Recipes by

By Emily McLaughlin

Plan your breakfast tonight — maybe even make your breakfast tonight! This will ensure that you are not tempted by that sugar Pop Tart hiding in your cabinet tomorrow morning. It will also help you keep from splurging on that coffee-house muffin when you grab your cup-of-jo. A healthier, happier you starts with breakfast!

Eating a nutritious breakfast will help set the tone for the rest of the day. Choosing hearty, whole grains for carbohydrates, non-fat Greek yogurt for protein and fruits and berries for sweetness will ensure that you choose healthier options through the day.

If you know me, you know that my favorite option for breakfast is warm, filling oatmeal. Not only is oatmeal inexpensive, but it is versatile too. Here are my two favorite oatmeal breakfasts, one sweet and one savory:

Chocolate, Strawberry and Protein-Packed

1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal

1 scoop of Muscle Milk Light (Chocolate Flavor)

1 cup water

1/4 – 1/2 milk of your choice (I love almond milk)

Sliced strawberries

Mix oatmeal, protein and water together — microwave for 2-3 minutes (or as instructed by package). Remove from microwave, stir in milk. Top with strawberries. Yields one serving. ~300 calories.

Eggs Over Oatmeal

1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal

1 cup water

1 whole egg (add 1 egg white if you think that this will not fill you up)

1/4 sliced avocado

2 tbsp salsa

Dollop of Greek yogurt

Mix oatmeal and water together — microwave for 2-3 minutes. In a frying pan, cook eggs as desired (I like to cook them on the ‘well’ side of over-easy). Top oatmeal with egg, avocado, salsa and Greek yogurt. Yields one serving. ~350 calories.

Protein is a dieter’s friend

By Emily McLaughlin

Protein is one of the most valuable nutrients in your diet. It is responsible for building the framework of your body, including muscles, organs, bones and connective tissues. In the form of enzymes, protein helps your body digest food and preserve lean muscles. If these facts are not enough to convince you to increase your protein-intake, how about this? …Protein is the key to losing weight.

Your body spends more energy processing protein than carbs, so reaching for something protein-rich will keep you full longer and your body will be working to burn it.

When should you eat protein? With every meal! Protein is found in meats, poultry, fish, soy products, cheese, milk, nuts, legumes, and even in smaller starchy foods and vegetables. Make sure you are incorporating some kind of protein-rich food into each meal, especially post-workout. Eating a protein-rich snack instead of a carb-rich snack right after a workout will burn more fat and replenish those sore muscles.

How much protein is enough? The Mayo Clinic suggests that 10 to 35 percent of an adult’s total daily calories should come from protein. Protein has 4 calories a gram. Based on the average 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, this amounts to about 200 to 700 calories a day, or about 50 to 175 grams a day.

But TAKE NOTE: Too much protein could be a bad thing. The American Heart Association explains that eating too much protein can increase health risks. High-protein animal foods are usually also high in saturated fat. The AHA urges adults, especially those trying to lose weight and keep it off, to eat “no more than 35 percent of total daily calories from fat and less than 7 percent of total daily calories from saturated fat and less than 1 percent of total daily calories from trans fat.” Make sure you are eating lean meats (chicken, turkey, meat substitutes, fish) to keep bad fat consumption in check.

Switch it up. Don’t stick to tuna, chicken and hamburgers as your main sources of protein. Expand your palate by trying soy products (tofu, edamame, tempeh), fresh fish and beans.

Here is a slide-show of some meals that have some oh-so-valuable protein — Happy eating!

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http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/High-Protein-Diets_UCM_305989_Article.jsp#.T1VsNXKXRis

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-diet/NU00200