FUEL NOT FOOD

I hate the word “diet”.  As soon as my mind hears it all I want is a big tray of brownies.  It’s a mind fuck and I try to stay away from using it.  I look at what I eat as fuel and I know that the fuel I put in will directly result in what my body gives me back.

That said, I love to change my nutritional intake and see what happens.  I watch my skin, note how my stomach feels, pay close attention to my energy level through my workout and log how I feel throughout the day.   I am sure that this is why I was excited when Jake asked if I wanted to experiment with our nutritional intake for a couple of months.  

We decided to try three basic approaches and see how each one impacted us.  Each plan was carefully thought out and we both made sure that we were getting enough calories each day to prevent muscle loss.  This was not a “diet” it was a plan for nutrition.  

High Carb, High Protein, Low Fat

This was a big change for me.  I had a hard time even consuming the large amount of sweet potatoes, oatmeal and whole grain bread that this plan consisted of.  To be honest, it was too much food.  I did notice some fat loss on my stomach and legs – which was great, but overall this diet made me feel heavy.   I also did not like that it did not have any fruit.  I love my fruit and know that I could not do any type of nutrition plan long term that did not include fruit.  I do know that the women with super lean bodies have cut out sugar, but it’s not worth it to me to give up fruits and veggies.  Jake also noticed fat loss all over his body.  He is not a big fruit guy and this diet seemed to agree with him better.  The 100lbs that separates us probably had something to do with him being able to utilize the increase in carbs more efficiently.  

Moderate Carbs, High Protein, Moderate Fat

This was easier for me.  The decrease in carbs made me feel better – even though I did not notice any big changes in my body.  This closely followed what I eat naturally and it felt more natural to my body.  I still missed fruit, but I did include apples and that helped a lot.  Jake also felt like this was more natural for him.  The carb level was plenty to complete our workouts and maintain our energy level throughout the day.  The fat we consumed was through nuts, eggs and avocados.  

Basically Vegetarian (we are almost done with our 2^nd week of this plan)

This was a big change for us.  We bought a Vitamixer to make sure that we could get in the amount of veggies that we needed to meet our nutritional needs.  I filled the fridge at the farmers market and we drank vegetable juice cut with apples, lemons and ginger.   Both of us felt incredible after only 24 hours.  It was almost a feeling of being high – lower anxiety, calmer, more energy.  We are impressed that spinach, beets, carrots and kale can do that.  We also eat a lot of eggs, quinoa, brown rice, tofu, nuts and beans.  Our workouts feel strong, our bodies feel pumped and our energy levels are high.  We both are starting to realize that there is something to Popeye.  

Conclusion

I am still and always will be a firm believer in a well-rounded, whole food nutrition plan.  You need to listen to your body and experiment to find what works best for you.  You also need to be open to the idea that your ideal nutrition plan may change over time.  Perhaps most important, you need to cut yourself some slack.  If you want to treat yourself, then do it.  When you indulge, do it with real food, thoughtfully prepared and shared with people you enjoy.  We enjoy wine, dinners out and homemade brownies.  When we eat out, we find quality restaurants that care about quality ingredients and work to bring out the flavor of the food rather than cover it up.  We don’t make special request or order it without oil or butter.  We enjoy the experience, we take the time to savor the food and we toast the fact that we work our butts off and deserve to enjoy it.  

Our philosophy is that nutrition is the base for everything else in your life.  It dictates everything from your daily energy to your sleep patterns.  It is worth taking the time and investing the energy to find the best nutrition plan for you.  Please note that nowhere in here do I advise going on a diet.  You should never “diet”.  Set a goal to find your optimum nutrition and then experiment with good food until you find that happy place with your body.  You will never regret finding your happy place with your nutrition plan.  We promise!