If something doesn't seem to be working for you, it never hurts to ask for another option. I don't think anything is ever set in stone. If you can identify your specific goal, chances there's more than one pathway to getting there. For example, when a meal plan calls for protein, there are so many ways to get that protein into your diet. If you don't like one type of protein, see if there's another one that you do like and see what the equivalent serving size would be. Here are a few different "lean protein" options:
Egg whites are the standard for protein. If I remember correctly, I think most other proteins are evaluated in relation to egg whites because they're considered to be the most straight-forward form of getting protein into your diet. They're quick and easy to cook up and can be seasoned with just about anything. I typically cook them up in a skillet with a sprinkling of Mrs. Dash.
My go-to is chicken breast because it's easy to prepare, easy to store, and easy to mix in with other foods. I like to keep some chicken marinating in the fridge during the week. That way, I'll pull out a few breasts and cook them up for that evening and the next day. When I know I'll have a busier week, I'll cook up an entire pack of chicken (8 breasts) at the start of the week so I can have them on hand when needed.
Ground turkey, provided it's lean (sometimes it can be pretty high in fat, relatively speaking), can be a great alternative to chicken and can be used in recipes that would typically call for ground beef. My husband loves "turkey tacos" for one of his proteins. I tend to not get the ground chicken because it's not just chicken breast and, consequently, can be much higher in fat. And I don't go for ground beef because of the higher fat content. I haven't tried bison yet, but it has about half the fat of beef.
A couple of options which I don't go for are the ones that come from the sea. I don't eat fish, but white fish (tilapia and mahi-mahi) are great lean protein options. My trainer's wife also suggested salmon, tuna, orange roughy, and cod. My husband likes his fish, so I'm learning to cook it for him.
Then there's the protein powders. I like how portable they are. When I won't be near a fridge or a microwave, it can be reassuring to know that I can pull out a tupperware of protein powder and my shaker to whip up a quick shake. Right now, I don't have protein shakes in my diet just because I'm able to get my nutritional needs without them. If I was having a higher protein diet, I'd probably have a shake or two in there just to help increase my intake. One of the reasons why I like protein powder is because it can work like a dessert, especially when it's chocolate!
Being able to successfully follow a plan starts with finding a plan where you can be successful. If I had a plan that said I had to fish and broccoli, I would run screaming in the opposite direction. Well, maybe not screaming, but I would not sign-up for that plan. Instead, I'd ask for options and alternatives. I wouldn't expect to have a meal plan with pizza and ice cream, but I'd want to find a plan that I can stomach while helping me reach my goals.
MONDAY
Food Log:
- Meal 1
- 3 egg whites
- 50g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
- Meal 2
- 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- Meal 3
- 3 oz ground turkey
- Green beans
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- Meal 4
- 3 oz chicken
- Peppers and onions
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- Meal 5
- 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- Time: 80 minutes on the elliptical
- Level: Level 1 the entire time
- Average Speed: 4mph
- Distance: 5+ miles
- Calories: 700
TUESDAY
Food Log:
- Meal 1
- 3 egg whites
- 50g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
- Meal 2
- 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- Meal 3
- 3 oz chicken
- Peppers and onions
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- Meal 4
- 3 oz chicken
- Green beans
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- Meal 5
- 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt (8oz instead of the usual 6oz as an extra treat)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Weigh-In: 146.4 / 145.8
No comments:
Post a Comment