Feeling fuller for longer and developing those muscles
My past couple of blogs have highlighted the benefits of having a growth mindset and achieving calorie deficit. These two factors represent two crucial aspects of your body transformation journey and lay the foundation for success.
Aligned with these two factors, this blog examines our food in a bit more detail. Why and what we should be eating to stay in calorie deficit!
As previously highlighted, eating quality food is the key to success. We need to eat to exist and ultimately survive.
“What some of us tend to do is eat for the sake of eating and regard eating as a pleasure rather than a biological need” – Ari Whitten.
How to feel fuller for longer
Firstly we need to keep our meals simple. The harder we make our food plans, the more likely we’ll revert back to making poor food choices – cutting out or at least reducing the amount of processed, refined food we eat.
By making better food choices; eating more fruit and vegetables, leaner cuts of meat, water and selecting the wholemeal varieties, we stand a much better chance of feeling fuller.
My personal favourites include
· Bacon and eggs for breakfast
· A couple of boiled eggs at 11am along with an orange
· Some raspberries, strawberries and a banana for lunch
· Drinking plenty of water throughout the day and an apple or two
It’s also important to point out that when we eat quality food on a consistent basis over the long term, the weight drops off. I am living proof of this.
The route to fat loss
By making changes to our diet, we become what we want now.
As hard as it is mentally to make such big changes; changing our desires and habits of a lifetime, we can never giving up.
Winston Churchill once said, if you’re going through hell, keep going! I love this quote.
The more rubbish we eat, calorie deficit becomes an impossibility. We end up letting our minds run wild, defeating our dreams to become leaner and happier about ourselves and body.
Please consider this. You cannot cheat biology. Fat loss is there for the taking and you can do this over the long term with a superb diet, growth mindset and exercise plan. The question you need to ask yourself this – can I be bothered and am I prepared to change for good?
Some other healthy food ideas
· Eat sweet potatoes rather than chips
· Plenty of fruit rather than sweets
· Drink water rather than fizzy drinks and caffeine
· Walk rather than nap
“Ensure you’re hitting a 85%-90% high quality diet on a daily basis” – Nate Miyaki.
My weight loss story
My weight has gone up and down throughout my life (more so after I gave up smoking in 2003) but the past couple of years have seen a big change in my approach to eating. We never stop learning.
From what I learned, many of us try to find the perfect, balanced diet. Despite our best efforts, we find snacking or eating bigger portions can get in the way.
Protein has been the main difference for me. Coupled with watching what I eat daily and taking plenty of exercise, protein has replaced the snacks and refine sugar I would usually have turned to. Also, because I am eating better, I feel fuller for longer so this again puts cravings at bay.
Toning and your shape
Protein helps muscle mass and aids recovery. Weight loss and a defined body have always featured strongly as part of my health and fitness goals.
I cannot begin to tell you how I feel since I took on my protein challenge.
With me calorie counting each day, working out most days and eating as much protein as I can (not silly amounts of protein), I have changed shape and the muscle definition is clear to see. I want to continue on this path and can’t wait for more improvement.
Muscles crave protein. As my mission is to have a flat, toned stomach, my body will always demand protein to help rebuild and develop my muscles further. What makes protein such a special nutrient is it makes you fill full. It may not be the greatest energy source in the world but boy does it make up for it by filling you up. It’s a good thing I like eggs, chicken and yoghurt.
