After a weekend of traveling and eating junk I decided to step on the scale and check up on my body fat percentage. To my dismay, I had gained 3.96 lbs. of fat and gained only .5 lbs. of muscle since the last time I checked a month and a half ago. Was the 1/2 pound of muscle gain worth almost 4 lbs. of fat gain? No way.
So, I made two major changes to my meal plan. First, I lowered my carbohydrate intake by about 45 grams which lowered my caloric intake to about 3200 calories. Second, I decided I wanted to get "cleaner" sources of carbohydrates. I already have cut out sugary foods (see my next article in Spartan Nutrition Systems E-Mag to see what I consider "sugary foods") by about 98%. I decided to step it up a notch and ONLY source my carbohydrates from these threes categories of carbs:
1) WHOLE GRAINS - This means nothing with flour in it. Rice, Quinoa, and Whole Oats are my main choices. Whole grains have gotten a bad rap with the whole "paleo diet" fad, but I have had nothing but great results with grains in my diet.
2) VEGETABLES - as much as I can get in throughout the day
3) FRUIT - In the past, I only ate fruit in the morning, but now I am including fruit throughout the day to curb my sweet tooth, especially post workout. Oranges, strawberries, and blueberries are my top choices.
Honestly, it has been 2 days and it has been an extremely easy transition. It feels good to feel hunger again. Eating cleaner carbs can be difficult when sugar cravings arise, but I find the positive reinforcement of high energy levels and noticeable leanness is well worth it!
While I eat in precise ratios of carbs/protein/fat at each meal, you can reap the same rewards now by simply eating better sources of carbohydrates throughout the day. Make sure you eat "enough" protein and carbs with each meal. Many cravings can be eliminated simply by eating enough of the right foods. Give it a try and let me know about your successes and difficulties!
I will post my results this weekend.
-Danny
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