A Different Kind of Food Diary
It is no secret that I am not a fan of the “What I Eat In A Day” posts. While I do believe they are well intentioned, the information provided can be misinterpreted or can simply do more harm than good.
When a person you admire shows you what they eat in a day, chances are you want to eat like that so you can look like them/achieve their same results. Although, I can almost guarantee that you will have a different body (height/weight), different goals, different activity levels, different lifestyles, and the list goes on. Therefore, there is no way you can eat the same and achieve the same results.What’s more, is that they also may not show you treats, an oversized meal, etc., which can lead to a false perception of their diet.
My goal is to educate so you have the knowledge to make nutritious, balanced decisions that leave you feeling healthy, confident and happy. In this post, I am going to explain HOW I eat and not specifically WHAT I eat for every single meal. I will write about my main sources for each macronutrient (fats/carbs/protein) and why I choose them, and how I incorporate less nutritious food into my diet to keep me happy.
Before diving in, I do want to share that my diet has always been harder for me than exercise. It has taken me a VERY long time to understand how to fuel my body for my goals, my health and also a happy mindset. My hope is that you can take away something from this post that helps you achieve the same!
Protein:
I will admit, food categorized as protein sources (when protein is the highest macronutrient source) are my least favorite. I never crave meat, I don’t love eggs, and I have tried a lot of bad protein powders. However, I prioritize protein in my diet to help maintain/build muscle mass and also keep me fuller for longer.
I don’t ever force myself to eat something I don’t want to, but sometimes it is difficult to get enough protein in throughout the day so I consciously and strategically have to plan protein sources at every meal in order to meet my daily intake. At first this was difficult to get used to, but now it is just the way I eat and feels normal to me.
It is recommended to eat 0.8-1.0 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. Variations will exist depending on goals and daily activity level.
Here are some sources of protein:
Lean Meat
Fish (I actually don’t eat fish due to preference!)
Eggs
Dairy Products (yogurt, cottage cheese, etc)
Tofu
Lentils
Legumes
Protein Powder
Vegetarian ‘Meat’ Options
Very simple, sample breakfasts with high protein:
1.Ham, Eggs, Toast
Nutrient value will change according to brands that you buy, but here is a breakdown of mine:
2 pieces of ham (10 grams of protein)
2 eggs (12 grams of protein)
1-2 pieces of toast (5-10 grams of protein)
You can of course add tomatoes, spinach, etc for some micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) or turn this into a scramble/omelette.
This breakfast roughly provides 27-32 grams of protein. You can adjust accordingly for you calorie goals as well as your overall protein intake.
2. Oats, yogurt, Berries
Nutrient value will change according to brands that you buy, but here is breakdown of mine:
1/2 cup oats mixed with water (6 grams of protein)
blueberries and cinnamon to taste (not a lot of protein)
1/2 - 1 cup Greek or Icelandic Nonfat Yogurt (roughly 13-25 grams of protein)
You can choose a berry/ fruit of choice. While blueberries don’t provide much protein, they do provide fiber and micronutrients to this meal.
This breakfast roughly provides 19-31 grams of protein depending on serving sizes and brands. You can adjust accordingly for you calorie goals as well as your overall protein intake.
Fat:
I think many people are afraid that fat actually makes us fat. That is not true. Overeating in calories in comparison to how much we burn is what causes fat gain. Our bodies need (healthy/good) fat to protect our organs, transport nutrients throughout our body and produce important hormones.
The calorie content in 1 gram of fat is almost double that of carbohydrates and protein (1 gram of fat= 9 calories, 1 gram of carb or protein=4 calories), therefore the overall intake of dietary fat is a little lower in comparison. Somewhere between 20-35% of overall daily calories from fat is a good recommendation and depends on preference. I do however recommend that you do not go lower than 20% due to the important role fat plays in our bodies.
I generally get most of my intake from olives and olive oil, some avocado if we buy it, coconut oil, peanut butter (yum), eggs, chia seeds are usually in stock at our house, and chocolate. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t change day to day or week to week, these are just the constant/most common sources that I choose.
Here are some sources of healthy fat:
Fish
Full Fat Yogurt
Eggs
Nuts/Nut Butter
Seeds
Avocado (and oil)
Olives (and oil)
Coconut (and oil)
Dark Chocolate
Carbohydrates:
Similar to fat intake, I know that carbs are also thought to be the culprit to fat gain. Again, this is false. No single food or macronutrient can cause fat gain because fat gain comes overtime from consuming more calories than you burn.
There are of course more nutritious sources of carbohydrates compared to those that are highly processed that will make a difference from a health standpoint and generally will also contain fewer calories. I recommend looking for whole grain/wheat sources for breads/pastas etc. instead of higher processed sources.
For me personally, I do not shy away from carbs because they make me happy and fuel my training sessions for me to achieve the goals that I have. That being said, there are times I choose to be more mindful about consumption because carbs are the easiest source for me to overeat because they are just so dang tasty!
I have carb sources at every meal and generally in snacks too, whether that is fruit and vegetables or starches/grains. Vegetables are a big part of at least 2 of 3 meals (sometimes all 3 depending what I choose to eat) and fruit always has a place in breakfast and snacks for me. I love bread, rice, oats, etc. and structure my intake accordingly throughout the day to meet my energy needs/ calorie goals.
Here are some nutritious carbohydrate sources:
Quinoa
Rice
Whole grain/wheat/seed bread+pasta
Legumes
Oats
Fruit
Vegetables (starchy and non starchy)
Chickpeas
Indulgences:
Admittedly, I spent a long time feeling guilt after indulging in higher calorie treats or simply making some food “off limits.” Today, neither of those apply to my diet. I don’t believe in “cheat days” and instead just incorporate food I enjoy into my diet in moderation. And if perhaps there is a day where I over indulge, I move on without guilt.
I love sweets just as much as the next person, probably more, and I choose to eat them in moderation with a majority of my diet consisting of nutrient dense food. Adding in this food keeps me feeling happy and helps keep me on track because I feel satisfied and not deprived.
Here are my favorite sweet treats/snacky foods:
Literally any sour gummy candy
Most gummy candy
Caramel + Chocolate mixed (I mean come on!)
Ice cream (Lately I’ve been choosing Halo Top simply because I can eat more of it for fewer cals and I actually do like the taste a lot!)
Fro Yo and Toppings (this doesn’t apply during COVID times)
Chips (and more chips)
I sincerely hope this was a refreshing twist on the typical “What I Eat In A Day” posts and that you have learned something, feel less guilt about how you choose to eat, or have a better understanding on how to structure your meals.
Be sure to check out my website insideoutfitnesspdx.com for online training programs and nutrition coaching!