Here at JillFit, we get asked frequently to post “day in the life” blogs from the JillFit team. I know for me, it has always been motivational and insightful to see what others do for training or how they eat, especially women whose physiques I admire or who I am simply curious about or to get new ideas about healthy eating. Hopefully we will be able to incorporate more of these posts over the next few weeks and months, as 4 of the 6 JillFit Coaches are all in contest prep mode right now :) Hopefully you all will find them at the very least interesting.
I am the first to admit, I do not eat perfect. I mess up. I get caught without food sometimes and have to grab something “off my plan.” And sometimes I simply want to eat what I want to eat :) The key for me is consistently eating clean 90% of the time, all of the time. You all know I usually have a weekly cheat on Sundays but the rest of the week I am very consistent and mostly boring. In fact, I usually eat the exact same thing every day. For me, that kind of routine and consistency works and I don’t usually get bored. However, we have worked with many JillFit clients with whom that is not the case and whom need lots of variety to stay committed. That is why every JillFit 12 Week Fat Loss Nutrition plan that goes out the virtual door is 100% customized to the individual: their schedule, their likes/dislikes, their individual sensitivities and preferences and cost efficiency.
Remember, it is super-important to find a plan that works for you, your unique Metabolic Effect Fat Loss Formula, not everyone will respond the same way to an eating plan, so simply following this eating plan may or may not yield results. This is just an example for you curious people out there! Here is what I ate yesterday:
7am: 12 oz black coffee, 1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder mixed with 8 oz unsweetened almond milk, 5-7g L-glutamine, blended with the Magic Bullet, eaten 1 hour pre-workout
I don’t eat carbs pre-workout because they make me feel heavy and lethargic (as well as release insulin which may compromise fat burning potential during exercise), but I find that I can workout harder with amino acids and black coffee. Everyone is different here, some may do the best on a completely empty stomach and others need carbs to feel energized.
10am: 6 egg white omelet, 3-4 cups chopped spinach, 2 tbsp cup low sodium salsa (ate this out of tupperware at work, yummy!), 2g fish oil
Jade calls this my “boo boo omelet” because it is huge, but I have a huge appetite and love egg whites (I have eaten up to 2 dozen in a day before!)
1pm: Lunch out at Dioli’s restuarant: 2-3 cups mixed greens, 2 grilled chicken breasts, 1/4 cup white kidney beans, 2 tbsp balsamic viniagrette dressing (served on the side)
Dioli’s does a GREAT clean grilled chicken salad, however the seasoning can run a little high on the sodium side so I try to drink at least 1L of plain water during lunch. You can get something similar to this at pretty much any lunch spot, Panera is also a favorite.
4pm: 1 granny smith apple, handful raw almonds (at work, in between clients, I can usually eat an apple in 4-5 bites!)
7pm: My shell-less taco salad: 4 cups mixed greens chopped, 2/3 cup chopped onions and bell peppers, 1/3 lb ground bison, 2 tbsp low sodium salsa (as the dressing), 2g fish oil
I am a HUGE fan of spinach and will eat up to 12 cups a day sometimes. By using my OXO Salad Chopper I am able to get in so many more greens! When I feel like I treat, I will add a sprinkle of almond cheese on this salad to make it a little more festive!
After dinner: Metabolic Effect Cocoa drink – mix 1-2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (baking cocoa) with hot water, use Stevia drops to sweeten
Couple notes:
- This is a lot of food! Remember, eating for fat loss is NOT about cutting calories and serving sizes. In the end, that tactic bites you in the ass–leaving you more hungry, with more cravings and unbalance blood sugar.
- I eat 5x per day, every 3 hours. I tend to get cranky if I get hungry and I am also prone to cravings for sweets so I know how important it is for me to eat regularly. I think some people can get away with 4-5 hours between meals or eating only 3 square meals, but for most people to have success, eating the right things more often will be a better approach.
- I eat a fairly low carb diet. This works well for me and I don’t find that it negatively affects my energy levels. Once again, everyone is different here. I do not recommend jumping on the low-carb diet bandwagon if you are currently eating carbs at every meal. Perhaps begin by switching to smarter carbs like low sweet fruits, fibrous veggies and select starches like oat bran, sweet potatoes, brown rice and starchy veggies like squash/zucchini, which will make a huge difference.
- I tend to eat a higher fat diet in general. I find that this way of eating does not negatively impact my efforts while it helps me to feel more satisfied. For example, I will incorporate nuts, avocado, breakfast meats if I am out to breakfast, cheese on the weekend and some yolks in my omelets if I feel like it. Choosing fatty foods over starchy foods helps me to feel more full and satisfied. And I do take cream in my (second) coffee of the day :) My biggest vice, I will never stop lol!
- I am not a huge supplement person. I take L-glutamine around my workout, use whey protein and supplement with a high-potency omega-3 fatty acid (4g/day).
- I eat for 12 hours (during the day) and fast for 12 hours (overnight). I find that this is the best approach for me to feel light, minimize hunger, reduce bloating and optimize my energy. Thus, if I know I am going to be eating dinner at 8pm one night, I will push back my first meal to 8am the next day. I don’t have any “cut off time” at night per se to stop eating, I will just adjust meals during the next day to achieve a 12 hour fast. I am not into fasting for longer than 12 hours though, I get too hungry!
- If you haven’t heard me say it yet…remember, everyone is different! Take the time to figure out what makes you feel energetic, satisfied, getting results over time and like you don’t have to work all that hard at it. It takes practice and knowing your body, listening to your body, responding to your body. Ultimately if your eating plan takes every ounce of will-power to stay on, it is probably not the best plan for you in the long run. :)
