Besides the training question "what can I do for a better bum", the second most common question I get is, "what is your daily diet like", so here it is.
A day in the life of yours truly;
I learned from some experts a very long time ago that insulin resistance is highest in the morning. Now what does that mean? Well it means that your body has a harder time burning sugar in the first part of the day and it prefers to burn protein and fat. If you give it some sugar, it will store the sugar as fat and struggle to acquire energy elsewhere. This leaves us craving a boost in the morning like a big cup of coffee, add to that some simple carbs like toast and jam and that leaves you a zombie by mid-day.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE toast and tea and croissants and coffee, but once again Mum is always right, moderation moderation!
So for optimum energy and optimum fat burning (because I really don't have time to be tired) I follow the bell curve of the body's energy burning process.
Between 6am and 9am 3 x per week
Upon waking 1 quart of lemon water.
1 cup of coffee w/1 Tablespoon of grass-fed butter plus 1 tablespoon of grass-fed Whey. Commonly known as "The Bullet Proof Coffee.
Deliciously fulfilling and delicious again.
By 10.30am I am craving something sweet, but instead I will have 2 soft scrambled eggs in coconut oil and perhaps half an avocado with pink salt and lemon juice.
By 1.30pm I am ready for my first "sugar" not to be mistaken for a donut or a biscuit kind of sugar (I know, bummer) but something like a sweet potato and a small piece of salmon maybe a small salad with it, my basic salad dressing is freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil and pink salt.
Around 6pm it's time for a big bowl of homemade vegetable soup with brown rice noodles or steamed veggies and rice, roast veggies and quinoa (you see the pattern here).
Snacking is limited during my "good girl" days, but if I must, it'll be a half an avocado with some pink salt and cultured vegetables or a handful of raw nuts like cashews or almonds.
I drink at least 1/2 my weight in ounces in water daily, at least! If I am exerting myself more than usual then you can almost double that.
The other 3 days are quite similar except I hold off on the "Bullet Proof" coffee and the high amounts of fat and go for regular black coffee instead. I take it easy and eat lighter foods, still keeping the carbs and sugars until 1.30pm or so.
I will also skip animal protein and keep my meals to vegetarian and soups.
If I find myself really hungry, there is always time for grass-fed protein shakes with delicious filling additives like raw cacao and raw honey, nuts, nut milks and nut butters.
What is that you say??? That was only 6 days? Very observant of you!
DAY 7!!
Well this is my "bad girl" day, where I feed my soul and enjoy every moment of it, (well all within reason of course) but I do enjoy food and it does feed my soul!
My favorite indulgences; drinks with friends, dessert with my meals, chocolate of course, a good old American Burger, snacking on salty crispy things! And of course that croissant I mentioned earlier. Because after all, Mother is ALWAYS right. ;-)
A tip to leave you with: We are all so programmed to be satiated from eating and to feel comfort and satisfied, this is from the moment we were born, we cry, we are fed, we are happy. Reprogramming ourselves is no easy task, but if we could only treat food and drink as medicine and sustenance, fuel if you will for 6 days and on that 7th day, enjoy the comforts and satiation it brings when you have something indulgent. Not only will you do your body a world of good, but you will enjoy that treat more than you ever could if you were having it everyday.
Happy eating!
Sam x