CrossFit Multiply: Week 1: Individual Challenge:

You're individual challenge for this week has 2 parts.

 

Part 1: Keep a Daily Food Journal.

 

Studies show that keeping track of your food may help you lose up to 50 percent more weight than you would if you didn't record your daily diet.  For those of you who may or may not have weight to lose, journaling your meals can do more than just track your intake and output; it can help you discover hidden eating triggers, undo bad habits, and learn how to energize your body by eating and staying active.
 

 

 

 

You may use whatever method works best for you.  It can be as fancy as downloading an app on your phone to as simple as just writing it down with paper and pen.  Other options include keeping a daily note in your phone if that is most convenient or use your daily food tracker if you have a meal plan from me.  Any method counts.

 

The Details:

You must have 6 days of tracking your food, so please start tomorrow.  Whatever method you choose, I would like you to include three things:

 

1.  Time of Day

2.  Food Item

3.  Amount of Food Item

The amount can be measured or your best guess. 

 

If you complete 6 days of food records this week, then you may award yourself 15 points.  If you only do a couple of days, then you get 0 points...all or nothing.

 

 

 

 

Part 2:  Include protein each time you eat.

 

 

You want your blood sugar to stay stable. If your blood sugar stays stable, your body will use the carbohydrate to accelerate your fat burn.  If your blood sugar is like a roller coaster, all over the place, then you will more than likely store fat. There are a couple of things you can do to keep it stable. 

 

The first thing is a part of your daily points, eating every 3-4 hours (or earlier). 

The second thing is to include protein each time you eat. 

 

Why?

 

The blue line is what happens to your blood sugar when you either (1) go long periods of time without eating and/or (2) eat only carbohydrate without protein.  I call this blue line "roller coaster" blood sugar. 

 

What's the problem with roller coaster blood sugar?

 

 

When you eat just carbohydrate, whether it's starch or fruit or soda or treats, without protein, it causes a sharp rise in your blood sugar.  This signals the pancreas to release a large amount of insulin as a means to help your blood sugar return to a normal level.  Because of that large rush of insulin, your blood sugar can drop too fast causing you to be hungry again much faster. 

 

 

But what's even worse is that large rush of insulin actually helps your body store more fat.  Who wants that?!?  You have to stop the roller coaster blood sugar.  We just want that nice orange line of small peaks and valleys that happen consistently throughout the day.  When you include protein each time you eat, protein slows that rise in your blood sugar preventing that large rush of insulin and releasing a smaller amount over a longer period which will help you stay full longer and stop the rush for fat storage. 

 

So, while an apple is a healthy snack, it is only carbohydrate.  Instead of eating it alone, pair it with a protein:  a cheese stick, a small handful of nuts, a yogurt, or a couple tablespoons of peanut butter.

 

Other examples of protein include:

 

any kind of meat, chicken, turkey, or fish

protein powder

eggs

nuts or nut butter

milk

cottage cheese

hummus

yogurt

cheese (in moderation)

protein bar

 

 

To receive your 10 points for this individual challenge, starting tomorrow you will need to include a source of protein each time you eat.  Feel free to leave a comment on this post with some of your favorite snack combinations. Here are a few of mine:

 

berries & yogurt

carrots/celery/peppers & hummus

apple & peanut butter

tomatoes & cottage cheese