So I’m in the home stretch, and now I’m down to one “carb-up” day, that’s my Metabolic Workout Day, which won’t be until Friday. That means all my carbohydrate choices throughout the week will be low caloric density carbs…that means carbs that are below 10 grams per 100 grams…things like cabbage, cauliflower, mushrooms, broccoli, tomato, carrots, green beans, peppers, eggplant, etc. On my carb-up day, I want to stimulate my body to absorb carbohydrates efficiently, and so avoid suppressing my metabolism as much as possible. That’s always the negative effect of chronic dieting. By “carb-cycling” you’re shocking the body into high-gear so that your fat-burning capabilities are as high as you can get them…it’s why you couple your carb-loading day with a high intensity day so that your muscles are primed to suck up all that sugar and you stay efficient in terms of metabolism and hormone regulation. Your muscles fill up with glycogen and you don’t get “flat” and scrawny looking. Scrawny = baaaaddd…..! 😉
I’m also cutting back on fat, which is probably the hardest part for me. I am still consuming some cheese, (just a few shavings here and there, always less than 1 oz/serving), a little bit of whole milk, (about 1/4 c per serving at most), and whole eggs, ground lamb and salmon. For added fat I’m dropping down from 1 T of oil per serving to 1 tsp of oil per serving. This is an experiment, so I’m monitering my energy levels and how I look in the morning and how I’m sleeping at night, so see how this might work as a conditioning tool.
I’m also not adding any salt to my food, just a few condiments like a small amount of pesto, or curry, or tamari here and there, and I’m using things like capers and olives, vinegars and lime juice to brighten up dishes….
Last week, here we go!
Breakfast: 2 egg omelette stuffed with about 1/4 c mushrooms, roasted red peppers and capers. I used about 1 tsp maximum, down from 1 T cheese and 2 tsp + of butter…no salt!
Pre-workout meal: Some of my pan-fried fish from last night. About 3.5 oz, with 3/4 c cauliflower and roasted red pepper, and 1 tsp olive oil.
Post-work out meal: I hit my back/shoulders hard today, finishing off my workout with 48 kipping pull-ups. This was what I was craving afterwards. I had about 5 oz salmon in the fridge left over from yesterday, marinating in some really great sundried tomato pesto, about 1 tsp. I cut up an olive, and added a few roasted red peppers, and it was sooo good. The salmon was full of natural fats, and it’s sweetness pairs perfectly with the saltiness of the olives and smokiness of the peppers. I will be having this in my real dial in for sure!
I only had 1/2 hour before my evening Bikram class, so I went for a simple dish that I can digest easily, but that would last til class was finished. This is about 3/4 c of whole milk yogurt topped with 1 tsp honey, 10 almonds and a sprinkling of sunflower seeds, (very rich in B-Vitamins). I also added a small teaspoon of tahini, and it was a perfect choice. Class was great, and I was starving afterwards, in time for my 4th meal…
Post yoga meal: The last of my fish, maybe 2.5 oz, shredded and seasoned with a small drizzle of olive oil and cream, (2 tsp total), and 1/2 c pickled onions/cauliflower…Perfect! I really crave pickled flavors, mustards, ginger and horseradish when I am upping my proteins and cutting out fat and salt. It’s just the way my palate is..
Last meal of the day: 3/4 c oatmeal cooked in milk with a tiny teaspoon of tahini and honey, a small dab of butter and a few walnut pieces…
