You have to stay in shape. My grandmother, she started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 today and we don't know where the hell she is.
Ellen Degeneres
While most have you have enjoyed the Holiday Season, a number of you are most likely thinking that you need to get your fitness and nutrition routine back on track. Whether it is losing the "last 15 pounds" of fat or wanting to kick start a program to get you on your path to your ideal weight goals, The Last 15, a book by Joey Shulman (a Chiropractor and nutritionist), provides sound advice on achieving your healthy weight.
I read the book over the Holiday and I will summarize the key points in the book in this article.
If you follow these steps for the next thirty days (some of us will take longer depending upon a number of factors), you will be on your way to a healthier you! Remember nothing taste as good as lean feels!
The book identifies ten steps to resetting your metabolic code in thirty days:
- Start your day with breakfast
- Eat protein rich foods at every meal and snack
- Eat ONE serving of high fiber, whole grain per day, preferable at lunch.
- Eat colourful vegetables throughout the day.
- Eat a sprinkling of good fat at every meal and snack.
- Eat two servings of fruit each day.
- Drink 8 glasses of water.
- Do not eat past 7 PM.
- Pick two treats per week.
- Exercise!
1. Importance of Breakfast
Ms Shulman suggests several 300 calorie breakfast options:
Blueberry Yogurt Crunch
- one half C low fat yogurt + one half C berries + 2 tsp walnuts sprinkled on top
Berry Banana Smoothie
- 5 oz 1% milk + one half banana + one half frozen berries + 1 scoop whey protein isolate (vanilla) + 1tsp flaxseed oil
Cottage Cheese Fruit Crunch
- one half C 1% cottage cheese + one half C berries+ 1 small banana + 4 Tbsp bran cereal
Banana Nut Butter Spread
- 1 slice whole grain bread + 1 Tbsp nut butter (almond, peanut) + one half banana
Cheesy Eggs
- 2 eggs + 2 egg whites + chopped onion/green red pepper/zucchini and mushrooms + 2 oz grated low fat cheese
2. Eat Protein Rich Foods
At each meal and snack ask yourself: "what is my protein source?" Meals should have 30 to 50 grams of protein while snacks should have 5 to 10 grams of protein. (Smaller framed women are at one end of the quantity spectrum, while larger more muscular men are at the other end). Your lean body mass and activity level can help you fine tune the total amount of protein. Ask me for help in this area if you have not been given your protein goal.
Not only does protein support muscle growth, tissue repair, and hormonal and immune system function, 25 to 30% of the calories obtained from protein get used up in digesting it (compared to 10% in carbs). An ounce of meat or fish has approximately 7 grams of protein. Here is a list of protein sources to choose from:
Beef
- Hamburger patty, 4 oz equals 28 grams protein
- Steak, 6 oz equals 42 grams
- Most cuts of beef equates to 7 grams of protein per ounce
Chicken
- Chicken breast, 3.5 oz equals 30 grams protein
- Chicken thigh equals 10 grams (for average size)
- Drumstick equals 11 grams
- Wing equals 6 grams
- Chicken meat, cooked, 4 oz equals 35 grams
Fish
- Most fish fillets or steaks are about 22 grams of protein for 3 and one half oz (100 grams) of cooked fish, or 6 grams per ounce
- Tuna, 6 oz can equals 40 grams of protein
Pork
- Pork chop, average equals 22 grams protein
- Pork loin or tenderloin, 4 oz equals 29 grams
- Ham, 3 oz serving equals 19 grams
- Ground pork, 1 oz raw equals 5 grams; 3 oz cooked equals 22 grams
- Bacon, 1 slice equals 3 grams
- Canadian-style bacon (back bacon), slice equals 5 to 6 grams
Eggs and Dairy
- Egg, large equals 6 grams protein
- Milk, 1 cup equals 8 grams
- Cottage cheese, one half cup equals 15 grams
- Yogurt, 1 cup equals usually 8 to 12 grams, check label
- Soft cheeses (Mozzarella, Brie, Camembert) equals 6 grams per oz
- Medium cheeses (Cheddar, Swiss) equals 7 or 8 grams per oz
- Hard cheeses (Parmesan) equals 10 grams per oz
Beans and Soy
- Tofu, one half cup 20 grams protein
- Tofu, 1 oz, 2.3 grams
- Soy milk, 1 cup equals 6 to 10 grams
- Most beans (black, pinto, lentils, etc) about 7 to 10 grams protein per half cup of cooked beans
- Soy beans, one half cup cooked equals 14 grams protein
- Split peas, one half cup cooked equals 8 grams
Nuts and Seeds (these fall into the fat and protein category)
- Peanut butter, 2 Tablespoons equals 8 grams protein
- Almonds, one quarter cup equals 8 grams
- Peanuts, one quarter cup equals 9 grams
- Cashews, one quarter cup equals 5 grams
- Pecans, one quarter cup equals 2.5 grams
- Sunflower seeds, one quarter cup equals 6 grams
- Pumpkin seeds, one quarter cup equals 8 grams
- Flax seeds, one quarter cup equals 8 grams
3. Eat One Daily Serving of High Fibre
Choose one serving of grain from the following:
- three quarter C slow-cooking oatmeal (finished product, not three quarter C uncooked)
- one half C Kamut or spelt pasta
- one half C brown rice
- 1 slice whole grain bread
- 1 small wrap (whole grain or whole wheat)
4. Choose Plenty of Colourful Vegetables
Corn and white potatoes are not colourful!
5. Eat a Sprinkling of Good Fats at Each Meal and Snack
- 1 tsp olive oil, 10 nuts, one quarter avocado, flax seed oil, cold water fish oil, hemp , flax and chia seeds.
- Try to reduce saturated fats (full-fat cheeses, red meats), omega 6 vegetable oils.
6. Eat Two Servings of Fruit a Day
Choose your serving of fruit from the following:
- 1 small piece
- one half C cut /sliced fruit
- one half banana
- 2 small kiwis, apricots or plums
Best to eat rather than drink your fruit. But if you decide to drink your fruit, a 4 oz of juice is the suggested serving.
7. Drink Eight Glasses of Water per Day
Eight glasses of water or herbal tea a day will keep you well hydrated. If your body is low on water it will not use this precious resource for breaking down fat – it has more important functions to use it for.
If you have trouble drinking water try adding some fresh lemon juice to the water. Water is best consumed upon waking, and 15 to 20 minutes before each meal rather than with your meal. When you feel hungry, have a glass of water, chances are you were thirsty rather than hungry.
Alcohol and fat loss do not go together. Alcohol with a meal often encourages you to eat more, not counting the calories from the alcohol. Also, your fat metabolism rises almost 75% for several hours after you drink. There is one exception to the alcohol abstaining and that is red wine. If you desire you can choose a 4 oz. glass of wine as one of your weekly treats.
8. Do Not Eat Past 7:00 PM
Controlling your food intake up to 7 PM is relatively easy. It is the period after 7:00 PM that causes the most struggle for many of us as we frequently resort to late night snacking.
Avoid the snack after 7:00 PM - it can undo all the benefit you gained that day. If you are craving things past 7, tell yourself you can have it first thing in the morning. Chances are you won't want it eat it for breakfast but if you do it is a better time to eat.
9. Give Yourself Two Treats per Week
Pick two treats per week from the following list:
- 4 oz glass of red wine
- 3 small square of dark chocolate
- An extra serving of grains (from your list under #3)
10. Exercise
Make exercise part of your daily routine. Find a partner to work out with, set goals for yourself and do not let set backs stop you. Take each day as an opportunity to feel better about yourself. Find the best time in your schedule to make it work for you. Labels: exercise. fitness, nutrition, protein
