Over the years, I’ve had the chance to help hundreds of people on their weight loss journeys. While there is always a bit of nutrition and fitness confusion to clear up (thank you, diet industry), most folks really do know much of what they should and shouldn’t be doing.  Eat better.  Eat less.  Move more.  But why do I have such a hard time getting it done? they wonder. Today I’m sharing with you the strategies that will help you sidestep your weight loss barriers and finally achieve your goals.

Weight loss success begins with a solid action plan that’s personalized for your lifestyle and needs. So often when attempting change, we think about all the things we’ll do right, all the while neglecting the temptations and challenges that will lurk at every turn.  By dealing with these obstacles honestly and realistically, you can make your chances at success that much more attainable. 

Here are a few thoughts to get you started with your own action plan and the strategies you’ll need to overcome any stumbling blocks along the way.

This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you when you shop using these links, which helps to make this blog possible. Thank you for your support!

The Usual Suspects

There’s a good chance that that if you’re trying to lose weight, this ain’t your first rodeo. If so, take a long minute to think about your previous weight loss attempts. What worked well for you? And perhaps more importantly, what flat out did NOT work for you?

Did you struggle to stick with your plan? What tripped you up along the way? Make a list of these stumbling blocks.  Do not pretend they don’t exist or that your sheer force of will will enable you to soar past them without grazing a toe.

Look at your list and begin to brainstorm solutions.  While some may be overcome with avoidance, others must be tackled directly.  Do you struggle with stress eating? Seek out ways to soothe your frazzled nerves without food. If you tend to mindlessly snack whilst watching the boob tube, turn off the TV and do something else!  Or, if you find yourself eating and drinking a wee bit too much with certain friends, test that friendship and have a frank conversation about the changes you’d like to make.

By taking a clear-eyed look at your previous weight loss attempts, you can zero in on your most effective tactics all while sidestepping your weight loss barriers.

Create an environment for success.

Whenever tackling a serious lifestyle change, it’s important to set yourself up for success. While willpower is well and good, why not simplify your life and make it easier to reach your goals? 

Take some time to think about what will make it easier for you to stick to your plan. Remember, it is far better to get rid of obstacles than to be constantly tripping over them.  Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

• Plan your meals a week in advance and shop accordingly. Do as much meal prep ahead of time as possible so that following your plan during the week is a snap.
• Clear out temptations so you don’t have to waste energy constantly avoiding them.  If you can’t simply toss them out, at least get them out of sight.
• Stock your home and office with nourishing foods that will keep hunger at bay and fuel your activity throughout the day.
• Keep your gym bag packed and ready in your car for post-work workouts.
• Post reminders and encouraging notes where you’ll see them.
• Buddy up with a friend or your spouse for extra accountability and encouragement.
• Join an online support group.

Fill the void.

Anytime you give up a pet activity, you’ll find yourself with a big ole’ hole in your routine.  And, if you do not fill that hole with something constructive or productive, it’ll be all too easy to just flop back into your old habits. 

For example, let’s say you’ve gone cold turkey and you used to smoke during your work breaks. Unless you figure out something else to do with your time, you will go crazy thinking about that now forbidden cigarette. Whether you go for a quick walk outside, fix a cup of tea, or catch up on emails, find another positive activity that will distract you from the temptation to light up.

Or maybe you’ve been using food to deal with boredom and you’re trying to stop.  Here’s a chance to kill two birds with one stone!  By choosing a new hobby, whether it be hiking, pickleball, or line dancing, you’ll not only quit the unnecessary noshing, but you’ll also get off the couch and maybe have some fun!

Kicking a bad habit takes more than just quitting. If you’re serious about making lasting changes, you’ve got to create new habits that will fill the void and spur you onto success.

Know your team.

Identify the angels as well as the saboteurs in your life.  Maybe you have a spouse who cheerfully changes alongside you to ease your way.  On the other hand, you might have a cheeky co-worker whose greatest thrill is to leave donuts on your desk whenever she knows you’re trying to lose a little weight. 

While we’d all prefer to be surrounded by those who are nothing other than supportive and encouraging of our goals, that is not the real world.  Some people are a breath of fresh air and others are stinkers.  Though we can’t control the actions and behavior of others, sometimes identifying the players on the field can at least give those relationships a bit of context.

Get back in that saddle!

But what if, even after all this thoughtful planning, you still manage to mess up and lose track of your goals?  Fear not and let not your heart be troubled, I say!  When you take a nosedive out of the proverbial saddle, you know what to do.  Get right back on that horse. 

Don’t wait–not for tomorrow, Monday, next month, or the New Year.  Ate too much at lunch?  Don’t throw in the towel and think, Oh well!  Might as well pig out the rest of the day because TODAY is shot!   Nonsense.  Don’t let a lapse become a relapse.  

Or maybe you took a bite of some monster muffin in the office break room.  While you may be tempted to polish it off and blow your calorie budget, don’t get into that ‘all or none’ mentality.  Take a moment to remember why you are chasing your goal, get focused, and get back on track.

It Takes Grit

Despite what self-help and gimmicky diet books might promise, don’t fool yourself into thinking that any lifestyle change will be easy.  Overhaul your life in a matter of days or weeks?  Please.  Many of our habits are decades in the making! How could anyone claim to rewire them in just 30 days? 

No, real change takes time and stubborn commitment.  There will be ups and downs and certainly 30 days of focused effort will give you a running start, but changing your regimen, your rituals, your mindset, is an endurance event.

When you set your mind on change and begin to imagine the steps before you, the question isn’t, Will I stumble?  Rather you should be asking yourself, When will I mess up and how will I deal with that?  Will it merely be a lapse?  Or an utter relapse?  How you deal with your weight loss barriers will determine whether or not you will truly change and reach your goals.

Changing your lifestyle and losing weight is definitely a journey. Be kind to yourself along the way! Changes worth making are rarely easy, but nothing compares to reaching that finish line. Armed with a personalized plan, you CAN reach your goals!

PS. Want to learn more about effective meal planning and weight loss strategies? Check out my Plan for Success series HERE!

The post How to Sidestep your Weight Loss Barriers appeared first on The Diet Oracle.

When it comes to nutrition for sports and performance, many athletes and active individuals behave as though they’re cramming for an exam. Having neglected a balanced diet, they assume that buying the right protein bar or sports drink will somehow compensate for their otherwise poor choices.  Don’t let all of your hard work go to waste!  Invest the time and effort in a nutritious diet and you will certainly earn back some serious dividends both in your health and in your performance.  With these sports nutrition tips, you can make every bite and every workout count!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means that I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you when you shop with these links, which helps to make this blog possible. Thanks for your support!

Start with a Strong Foundation

It all begins with laying a strong foundation.  The food choices you make day-in and day-out will ultimately determine whether you are building on solid rock or on shaky grounds.  By emphasizing wholesome foods, you’ll have the energy needed to take your workouts to the next level and the building blocks essential for recovery.

In this post, I’m going to walk you through how to create a custom meal plan that’s individualized for your training goals. Step-by-step, we’ll cover how to figure out the right calorie level as well as how to break that down into the major nutrients. Calculator in hand, we’ll crunch some numbers and before we’re finished, you’ll be able to build out a nutrition plan that’s perfect for you.

Find Your Calorie Level

It’s all starts with energy, doesn’t it? In order to fuel your training efforts, you must first begin by getting in enough calories to meet the demands you place on your body.  How do you know you’re eating enough? Keep an eye on your weight. Though daily weigh-ins are unnecessary, watch for trends over time. Weight maintenance over a span of weeks and months is a good indication that you are matching your energy expenditure (or calories burned) with your caloric intake and vice versa.

If you’re attempting to shed a few extra pounds and gain fitness at the same time, bear in mind that these can be opposing goals if you are not giving your food plan careful thought and attention.  While weight loss requires an energy deficit over time, recovering from a tough training regimen requires adequate nourishment to heal, repair, and ultimately increase your body’s ability to perform at a higher level. Aiming for a slower rate of weight loss may help you avoid compromising your fitness goals.

Wondering just how many calories you need? Though figuring out the exact number is nearly impossible outside of a laboratory setting, well-designed equations and an honest view of your activity level can get you close. The Mifflin-St. Jeor equation is an excellent tool to figure out just how many calories your body needs at rest. Once you have that number, known as your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), you can then multiply it by an activity factor to estimate your daily caloric needs.

Pay Attention to Your Macros

It matters what you eat.  Once you’ve determined your appropriate calorie level, most active individuals benefit from consuming 50-65% of those calories from carbohydrate, 15-30% from protein, and 20-30% from fat. Individuals looking to shed a few pounds might adjust their carbohydrate intake closer to 40%. I know that seems like some serious variability, but no two people have the same nutrient needs. The sport you play, the way you train, and whether you’re restricting calories are just a few factors that can determine what your particular needs will be.

So let’s look at a few quick examples to see what this might look like. Grab your calculators and let’s do some math! Once you have a rough plan figured out, be sure to use an online tool like SparkPeople or MyFitnessPal to keep track of your intake for a few weeks.

The Endurance Athlete

Kristen is a runner and struggles to maintain her weight.  She’s looking for a meal plan that will fuel her long runs, prevent muscle loss, and provide enough calories to keep her weight stable.

Using an online equation, Kristen’s determined that she needs 2400 calories per day.  Because she participates in endurance activities, she wants 60% of calories from carbohydrate, ensuring she’ll have enough fuel for her next run.  To figure out how many grams of carbohydrate she needs, she first multiplies 2400 calories by .6 (60%), which is 1440 calories.  Carbohydrates offer 4 calories per gram, so by dividing 1440 calories by 4 calories per gram, she determines that she needs 360 grams of carbohydrate per day.

Now it’s time to figure out her protein needs. Because she is an endurance athlete hoping to maintain her weight, she should strive for 0.7 grams per pound of body weight.  She is 130 pounds, so she multiplies 130 by 0.7 and finds that she’ll need 91 grams of protein per day.  To figure out what percent of calories this would be, she multiplies her 91 grams of protein by 4 calories per gram, which is 364 calories.  The last step is take that number and divide it by her total calorie amount, 2400 calories per day.  This equals 15% of calories from protein.

The last piece of the puzzle is fat. Since Kristen has already determined that she will be eating 2400 calories with 60% of her calories from carbs and 15% from protein, this leaves about 25% of calories from fat, or 600 calories.  To determine fat grams, she divides this number by 9 calories per gram to get 67 grams. 

The Mere Mortal

Julie enjoys classes at the gym and would like to lose a few pounds, so she decides to follow a 1600 calorie plan.  Her macronutrient goal is to get in enough carbohydrate to fuel her workouts, sufficient protein to support and maintain her lean muscle, and adequate fat to avoid feeling hungry all day.

To figure out her best plan, she first sets her carbohydrate goal at roughly 40% of calories. This will give her the energy she needs to work out while enhancing her weight loss efforts. So she multiplies 1600 calories by .40 (40%), which is 640 calories from carbohydrate. To determine how many grams of carbohydrate that is, she divides 640 calories by 4 calories per gram, which is 160 grams of carbohydrate per day.

Next she turns to her protein needs. Because she plans to work out regularly at the gym and is cutting calories, she needs approximately 0.8 grams of protein per pound each day.  Julie currently weighs 175 pounds, so she multiplies 175 by 0.8 grams per pound and gets a protein goal of 140 grams per day.  This would amount to 560 calories from protein or 35% of total calories.

Finally, Julie needs to figure out her fat target. With her carbohydrate at 40% and her protein at 35%, this leaves 25% of her calories for fat. She does a little more math and sees that this amounts to 400 calories (1600 x .40), or about 45 grams of fat (400 calories divided by 9 calories per gram).

The Gym Bro

Jeff likes to train hard and play hard.  He lifts weights at his local gym several days per the week and has various club games most weekends. He wants to maintain his weight, though he wouldn’t mind exchanging some of his body fat for muscle. Overall, he wants a diet plan that will support his gains at the gym and give him the energy he needs for all his activities.

Jeff starts by figuring out his daily calorie goal, which ends up being about 3200 calories per day. Being a guy who doesn’t want too many carbs, he decides to go with 45% of calories from carbohydrate.  To figure out how much carbohydrate he needs, he multiplies 3200 calories by .45 (45%), which is 1440 calories.  He wants to count carbohydrate grams, so he divides 1440 calories by 4 calories per gram, which equals 360 grams of carbohydrate per day.

Now onto protein! To ensure Jeff can get the most out of his workouts at the gym and on the field, he should strive for 0.7-0.8 grams per pound. Jeff weighs 220 pounds and therefore needs 154-176 grams of protein per day.  This amounts to 19-22% of his total calorie intake.

Jeff is almost done figuring out his meal plan.  He’ll be following a 3200 calorie meal plan with 45% of calories from carbs and 19-22% from protein.  This would leave 33-36% of calories from fat or 1056-1152 calories.  To determine fat grams, he divides these numbers by 9 calories per gram, which amounts to 117-128 grams of fat. 

It’s YOUR turn!

Now that you’ve seen a few examples, it’s time to do a little math and figure out your plan. If math’s not your forte, don’t sweat it! Just follow these 4 painless steps:

1. First get an estimate of your daily caloric needs.
2. Multiply your daily calorie budget by the percentage of carbs you want to shoot for. This might be anywhere from 0.40 (40%) to .65 (65%). Once you have your number of calories from carbs, you can divide this number by 4 to figure out how many grams that would be.
3. Calculate your protein needs. Simply multiply your weight in pounds by one of the below factors to estimate how many grams you need. To figure out how many calories this is, multiply your protein grams by 4. Then, to determine what percentage of calories you’ll be eating from protein, divide your protein calories by your total calories.
4. And last but not least, figure out your fat percentage! Simply add together your percentages from carbs and protein and then subtract that number from 100%. Et voila! That is your percent of calories from fat! Multiply your total calories by your fat percentage to learn how many fat calories you’ll be eating. If you want to see fat grams, divide your fat calories by 9 and there you go!

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! You have just figured out your calorie and macronutrient needs!

Protein Needs for Active Individuals

Adapted from Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook

Plan for Success

Now that you’ve got your meal plan in hand, it all comes down to logistics. While it’s nice knowing what your calories and macros should be, following your plan is a whole other matter. It starts, of course, with taking the time to figure out your meals each week and shopping accordingly. Stock up on the good stuff and do a little advance food prep to save time and clean-up later in the week. In other words, do everything you can to set yourself up for success!

Wholesome nutrient-rich foods should be emphasized and regularly chosen over heavily processed, nutritionally poor foods.  Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nonfat or low fat dairy, lean protein choices, and healthy fats should be the mainstay of your daily diet.  Less nutritious foods should make up 10% or fewer of your total calorie intake.

Life is busy and it’s too easy to let healthy eating go by the wayside. Make a point of eating regular meals throughout the day, beginning with breakfast.  Most active individuals should eat every 4 hours to ensure adequate energy for day-to-day activities and training. Doing so also provides a steady stream of the nutrients and building blocks needed by recovering muscles for adaptation and growth. 

Another benefit of feeding the fire on the reg? It is much easier to avoid hunger attacks and overeating if you are feeding yourself regularly.  Once you allow yourself to truly get gnarly hungry, self-control and good judgment go right out the window. So keep hunger at bay and don’t skip meals!

Hydrate!

Staying hydrated is essential for health and optimal performance. Not sure if you’re drinking enough? Though the old stand-by of 8 cups per day is a fine place to start, the color of your pee is a helpful gauge for whether you’re staying hydrated. Ideally, your urine should be pale yellow to clear. The darker it is, the more fluid you likely need. Thirst is also an excellent indicator of hydration status, so don’t ignore it!

Remember that vigorous or extended training is going to up your fluid losses. To determine your individual fluid needs for training, weigh yourself before and after your training session.  For every pound lost, rehydrate with 16 ounces of water.  Even better, use this information to improve your hydration habits while exercising.  For example, if you lost 2 pounds after a 2 hour training ride, strive to drink an additional 32 ounces next time.  This could be achieved by drinking an additional 4 ounces of water (or sports drink) every 15 minutes during your next ride. For activities lasting longer than an hour, consider a sports drink. Sports drinks are formulated to provide not only hydration, but also energy and electrolytes to keep you going!

Making Sense of Sports Nutrition

I hope this article has helped you with your nutrition and training goals! It might seem like a lot to chew on, but remember that you don’t have to get everything figured out overnight. Take a slow minute, grab a calculator, and experiment with what works best for you. Though it does take time and effort to build an eating plan, just know that you will certainly reap the rewards both in your health and in your performance!

Hungry for more? Here’s a bit of recommended reading!

Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook

Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes by Monique Ryan

Runner’s World Performance Nutrition for Runners

The post Sports Nutrition for Peak Performance appeared first on The Diet Oracle.

Happy Friday and welcome back to The Diet Oracle! In our second installment of A Plan for Success, we’re looking at the all-too-common case of Chuck–a hardworking family man who’s decided it’s time to lose the gut and get back in shape.

As you may recall, Chuck would like to lose 30 pounds. Though he didn’t have a particular timeframe in mind, this will be important to nail down before we really dig into the details of meal planning. Let’s say he agrees that 2 pounds per week would be doable, giving us a rough timeframe of 15 weeks, or about 4 months.

Crunching the Numbers

So let’s do a little math, shall we? If Chuck want to lose the gut, he’s going to have to create a calorie deficit and lose some weight. Given that 2 pounds of body weight contain about 7000 calories of energy, Chuck would need to create a calorie deficit of about 1000 calories per day in order to reach his goal (7000 calories/7 days in a week). He can do this by reducing his current food intake and boosting his daily activity.

Now, looking at his typical eating habits, I cannot even begin to estimate his usual intake–it’s all over the board! Some days he misses multiple meals, other days he’s eating out at restaurants. And how about those weekends? There’s a good chance he’s putting down over 3000 calories in snacks alone! For Chuck, there’s no such thing as a ‘usual’ intake, that’s for sure.

Chuck’s Battle Plan

Chuck is determined to lose the gut and get back in shape! To help him reach his goals, Chuck needs a series of realistic action steps that will improve the way he eats all while cutting down his calories. Let’s look at the strategies that will do just that!

Regular meals are a MUST!

• Start each day with breakfast, even if it is very small at first. Ideally, Chuck should include a mix of food groups that would provide a nice balance of carbohydrate, protein, and fat. This could be as simple as a slice of whole grain toast with peanut butter and serving of cottage cheese with fruit.
• Lunch needs to happen everyday, it doesn’t matter how busy he is. To ensure there’s always something on hand, Chuck should make 3 lunches on Sunday night to bring to work each week. If there’s an office fridge, he could bring healthy leftovers, sandwiches, or even balanced frozen meals. Otherwise, keeping a supply of hearty canned soups, nutritious protein bars, trail mix, or other nonperishable items in his desk drawer would guarantee he always has something to eat.
• If business lunches are part of the job, Chuck must learn how to make better choices when eating out. If Chuck is used to eating a giant plate of pasta alfredo with steak, switching to a half-plate of pasta marinara topped with grilled chicken and a side salad would easily save him 800 calories. Or, if he’s a burger man (and I suspect he is), simply downsizing that double deluxe with bacon to a classic cheeseburger and leaving behind half the fries would skinny his lunch by 900 calories. As you can see, it doesn’t have to be all salads all the time!

Reining in those portion sizes

It’s time to get those serving sizes under control at dinner time. Thankfully, if Chuck can successfully get going on 2-3 of the above strategies, he won’t be so ravenously hungry come 6pm. This aside, here are a few more tricks to help him curtail those portions.

• About 30 minutes before dinner, have an apple, handful of raw veggies, or cup of vegetable soup. By filling up on nutritious, lower-calorie options, he’ll eat less overall at the table.
• Switch to a smaller dinner plate. Smaller plate=smaller portions!
• Steaks should not be the size of your foot! Ideally, a portion should be about the size your palm. If this seems too skimpy, at least start by whittling it down to the size of your hand.
• Have an extra scoop of veggies…and one LESS scoop of the starchy side. Once again, look for ways to fill up on lower calorie options!
• Be careful with high-fat condiments and toppings like butter, salad dressings, mayo, dipping oils, and the like. Just 1 tablespoon of one of these can add 75 to 110 calories, so be careful and use sparingly!
• Sweet tooth after dinner? Instead of filling up a bowl with several scoops of ice cream, buy a box of ice cream bars, fudgsicles, or ice cream sandwiches. Not only will one of these satisfy that craving, but they’re already portion-controlled for you! This one simple swap can easily save Chuck 700 calories.

And now…THE WEEKEND

Looking back at Chuck’s diet history, it’s obvious that the weekend needs a lot of work. Though snacks can be a fun part of family get-togethers and watching the big game, overdoing it can truly undo all the good choices that were made throughout the week, at least as far as caloric intake goes. To keep it simple, here is where I would start.

• Put together a fruit and veggie tray with low-fat dip for a healthy snack that’s sweet and savory with great crunch!
• Be sure to include some lean, sliced meats! These are a satisfying fan favorite that will bring some nutritious protein to the snack line.
• Use a dessert plate to limit portions at the buffet table and stick to one pass, two at the most.
• Want to lose the gut? Time to cut back on the brewskis! One easy trick is to match every beer with a calorie-free beverage, such as water or fruit-infused seltzer. Shoot for no more than 2 beers per day.

Final Thoughts

Though this may seem like a lot to work on, changing the way you eat doesn’t have to happen overnight. By focusing on maybe 2-3 strategies per week, Chuck will slowly begin to reshape his eating habits and his midsection. Small changes really do deliver big results in time and everyday is a chance to get one step closer to your goal!

Next time, we’ll take all of these guiding principles and create a customized meal plan that’s perfect for Chuck. By taking out all the guesswork, Chuck will know exactly how to put all of these strategies to work in order to lose the gut and get the results he’s looking for.

As always, thanks for reading and I hope some of these strategies will help you as you chase down your goals!

P.S. If you like this series, check out’s Jane’s Plan for Success here, here, and here.

The post Chuck’s Plan to Lose the Gut appeared first on The Diet Oracle.

Hey there! Welcome to our second installment in A Plan for Success! In this series, I want to show you how everyday people can lose weight and get in shape with personalized strategies and custom meal planning. Using the example of familiar (albeit fictional) faces, you’ll see that with a SMART goal and solid action plan, change is possible for anyone, no matter their circumstances. Whether your goal is to lose the gut and get in shape or improve your health and wellness, you can reach your goal!

Today we’re going to meet Chuck, a husband and father of two who’s had a bit of a reality check. Trying to recapture the glory days at a recent reunion, he made the startling discovery that the ole’ bod ain’t what it used to be. Let’s take a closer look at Chuck’s experience.

Meet our Busy Dad

Rude Awakening

Chuck’s a hardworking family man who woke up one morning and realized he’s pushing forty and has gained as much in pounds since his bachelor days. Working a hectic office job and keeping up with his family hasn’t left much time for hitting the gym and he knows his eating habits are nothing to brag about.

What meal pattern?

Chuck’s never been big on breakfast, relying instead on coffee to get him through the day. And what about lunch? Definitely hit or miss. With looming deadlines, Chuck will often work right through his lunch hour, though he does end up eating out a couple times each week with clients.

Naturally by the time he gets home, Chuck is ravenous and dinner is the main event. He loves a big steak with all the fixings. Never been much for vegetables, though he’ll take a few if only to avoid a scolding from his 4-year-old. Dinner is always followed up with some sort of treat. Perhaps a big bowl of ice cream or a few cookies and a big glass of milk. After a stressful day at work, it’s hard to beat dessert with his favorite people.

Workin’ for the Weekend

Chuck lives for the weekend and weekends are all about family, friends, football, and lots of great food! Ever a sports fan, he loves watching the big game, be it one of his kids’ little league matches or his favorite team on the big screen. And what’s a game without some snacks? Chuck loves a good spread with some good brew. Chips and dip, hot wings, bar mix, sliders–you name it.

Wake-up Call

Chuck used to play a variety of sports in high school and would love to join one of the local clubs, but a recent alumni game at his 20 year reunion proved he is way out of shape and useless on the field. Coming to grips with the trajectory of his weight and fitness level, Chuck’s decided it’s time to make some changes…even if it means eating vegetables.

When it comes down to it, Chuck knows he needs to lose weight and start exercising again. Though he doesn’t feel like he needs to get back down to his ‘fighting weight’ of days gone by, dropping 30 wouldn’t be a bad idea. Ultimately, he’d just like to lose the gut and be able to spend an hour on the field without keeling over.

Ready to Lose the Gut

Chuck has seen the writing on the wall and is ready to make some changes, but he’s definitely got some obstacles ahead of him. How many can you spot? Let’s go through them.

• To begin with, Chuck’s time and energy are stretched to the max. The demands of work and home life leave him with little wiggle room in his schedule. As a result, penciling in exercise will be a real challenge.
• Chuck’s eating habits are erratic, to say the least. He tends to skip meals–sometimes both breakfast AND lunch–only to indulge in huge portions later in the day.
• Chuck eats out at least twice per week, likely a huge source of extra calories.
• Chuck tends to graze all weekend long on high-calorie, high-fat snacks with reckless abandon. It’s something he associates with friends and family and not a habit he’ll be eager to give up.
• Though not a binge drinker, he does put down quite a few beers over the course of a weekend and could definitely cut back.

Fortunately, Chuck doesn’t have to try and change everything overnight. By tackling a few things at a time, he can begin to reshape his habits and that midsection. No doubt, it will take commitment and a willingness to do things differently, but with a solid and realistic action plan, he can lose the gut and reclaim his fitness.

In our next post, we’ll start to formulate Chuck’s battle plan and who knows? Maybe you’ll discover a few helpful strategies to work into your own battle plan!

The post A Plan for Success: Meet Chuck appeared first on The Diet Oracle.

So let’s get something going for our friend, Jane. She’s finally ready and committed to making some changes and just needs a solid action plan that will deliver results.

As you may recall from the last post, Jane has some leftover baby weight that she’d like to lose before an upcoming family vacation. She’d also like to get back in shape. Taking a closer look at the numbers, Jane is hoping to drop about 25 pounds in the next 3 months. Breaking this down further, she would need to lose approximately 2 pounds per week to reach her goal. Though this may not seem like much, creating a calorie deficit of 1000 calories per day will require consistency and commitment. She needs a battle plan.

Knowing that Jane is super busy and doesn’t want to be eating a different menu than the rest of the family, here are a few strategies that will ensure she’s creating that calorie deficit without demanding too much of her time and energy.

• Take time on the weekends to do a little meal planning for the week. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but figuring out your meals ahead of time and shopping accordingly can make all the difference between success and failure.
• Do some advance meal prep and cooking, if possible. Baking chicken for Monday night dinner? Do a double batch and save the extra for another meal. Sandwiches on the lunch menu? Make enough for a couple days to save time later in the week. And of course, washing and prepping veggies all at once gives you a fridge full of ready-to-eat snacks and ingredients. Most kids love helping in the kitchen and this is a great way to get them involved!

• Eat breakfast everyday! Though eating more may seem counterintuitive, eating breakfast can really help keep hunger at bay and prevent overeating later in the day.
• Cut back on (or cut out!) any sugary drinks, like juices, sports drinks, regular soda, sweet tea, coffee drinks, and the like. Assuming Jane was downing a glass of juice each morning and grabbing a grande Frappuccino or latte most afternoons, cutting these out would save her at least 400 calories per day!
• Avoid afternoon grazing. While I heartily encourage a balanced, nutritious snack in the afternoon, mindless noshing can really blow the calorie budget. Just think, a handful of chips, baby’s leftover animal crackers, and half a Costco muffin can quickly add up to over 500 calories!
• Regardless of what’s on the dinner menu, reducing your portion size is an easy way to cut back without any extra effort in the kitchen. Begin with a big serving of veggies and good source of protein, then focus on reducing starches and added fats bit by bit. This can be done with measuring cups or by simply taking fewer scoops with the serving utensil. Using smaller plates is another helpful tactic. Either way, be purposeful. By skipping the bread and butter and taking one less scoop of the mac and cheese at dinner, Jane could easily save 350 calories!
• The benefits of exercise extend far beyond burning calories. Improving strength and cardiovascular fitness will not only give Jane the muscle power and stamina life demands, but also enhance her health and longevity. Scheduling exercise and training as one would an appointment is a great way to make sure it doesn’t slip through the cracks. As a busy wife and mom, Jane will need look at her week and identify the best time to squeeze in a class, hit the gym, pop in a workout DVD, or get outside.

Notice that all of the above action steps, when taken together, would enable Jane to reduce her intake by over 1200 calories without any extra cooking or special menus! She still gets to eat what the rest of the family is eating and enjoy her favorite foods. By cutting back on empty calories, mindless munching, and large portions, she can lose the weight and reach her goals her way. And, if she gets in at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise most days, she’ll also increase her calorie burn and regain her fitness. This is truly a winning plan that’s just right for Jane!

Though having a set of guiding principles is incredibly helpful when you’re trying to lose weight, sometimes you just need a clear “to do” list. Something that’s easy to follow and takes out all the guesswork. In the next post, I’ll be sharing just that! We’ll take a look at a sample meal plan designed just for Jane that will fit with her lifestyle and deliver the results she’s looking for. As always, thanks for reading and don’t give up on your goals!

The post A Plan For Success: Jane’s Battle Plan appeared first on The Diet Oracle.

Welcome back to The Diet Oracle! Today’s post is all about the best foods for intermittent fasting. Now, I know what you’re thinking–Isn’t fasting all about NOT EATING? Even I have to chuckle at the thought of food lists for fasting! However! Be that as it may, when it comes to intermittent fasting, food is still on the table and planning for your meals is as crucial as ever.

Anytime you are eating less, it is imperative that you make the most of every bite. Not only will you want your food choices to be filling and satisfying, but you will want to make sure your nutritional needs are being met as well.

Foods for Intermittent Fasting

With that in mind, I wanted to share with you today a simple list of the foods I found to be essential to my own week-long experience with intermittent fasting. While some were important for the nutrients they offered, others made it possible to just make it through the day.

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Bear in mind that as I followed one of the fasting schedules found in The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day, and Extended Fasting, I also committed to the particular nutrition recommendations given by the authors, which included an emphasis on natural fats (not necessarily plant-based) and whole, unprocessed foods. Refined grains were to be strictly limited and sugar avoided entirely.

Beverages

• Coffee with half and half. If you go back through my previous posts, you’ll see that I began every single day with 2 cups of coffee with half and half. Though I woke up almost every morning feeling hungry and really wanting to eat breakfast, drinking coffee made it possible for me to wait until lunchtime for that first meal. Don’t misunderstand: I still dealt with hunger throughout the morning, but coffee is what got me through. (I could also list tea here, except I drink chai tea with whole milk and a bit of sugar and sugar was on the no-no list.)
• Bone broth with fresh herbs. On my 24-hour fast days, bone broth was an absolute must-have. Though technically a liquid (and therefore in my beverage category), it seemed more than that. More filling. More substantial. More like food, I suppose, than other hot beverages. While I’m sure part of this truly is due to the nutritional content, I think it also is mental. A hot bowl (or mug) of bone broth with fresh herbs is *almost* like a bowl of soup. Almost. I happened to make a Vietnamese-style pho broth, which I adore in its own right.
• Water, plain or infused with fruits and fresh herbs. Staying hydrated is so important during a fast. Thirst is often misperceived as hunger and when you’re fasting, you’ve already got enough hunger pangs to deal with without adding dehydration to the mix.

Dairy and Eggs

• Half and half. A coffee necessity for me.
• Whole milk. When I did have tea, whole milk was essential.
• Cream. An important ingredient for cooking when you want to add fat. Also is not prone to breaking/curdling when making a sauce with acidic ingredients.
• Butter. Another important (and delicious) source of fat.
• Your favorite cheeses. Cheese is considered a medium-fat protein, which makes it a nice fit for Fung’s recommendations. Cheese also has a way of making a recipe or meal feel both filling and comforting–a bonus when you haven’t eaten for 18+ hours. I personally stocked the fridge with some of our usual suspects: Tillamook Cheddar, mozzarella, feta, and pecorino Romano.
• Greek yogurt (non-sweetened, full-fat). It’s high in protein with a neutral, slightly tangy flavor that pairs well with fruit as well as more savory fare. An easy grab-and-go item.
• Cottage cheese (ideally full-fat or at least 2%). Like Greek yogurt, another easy choice that’s high in protein and versatile.
• Eggs. So many ways to enjoy eggs and can be prepped in advance.

Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Other Protein Choices

• Cuts of beef you enjoy. I have to say that a good steak with a heaping pile of Caesar salad is my kind of diet.
• Chicken. You don’t need to go too lean here. Though you can certainly do boneless, skinless breasts, you’ll need to add fats in other ways to compensate.
• Fish (especially cold water, fatty fish)
• Tofu (not a low-fat kind)
• Various breakfast meats. I stocked both bacon as well as a chicken apple breakfast sausage.

Nuts and Other Fats

• Peanut (or other nut) butter. Snacks can be tough when you’re trying to go the high-fat, low-carb route. A spoonful of peanut butter, either alone or with some veggies, can be a life-saver.
• Your favorite nuts. Once again, nuts make a great snack when you need something that’s high in fat, low-carb, and easy. I keep almonds, cashews, walnuts, and pecans on hand pretty much always.
• A few favorite full-fat salad dressings. I particularly love Caesar and Thousand Island.

Fruits and Vegetables

• In the produce aisle, go with what you like!
• For fruits, I stocked up on apples, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, melon, cuties, bananas and whatever else looked good.
• If available, stock up on avocados! They’re another great source of fat to add to salads, lettuce wraps, and whatever else you can think of.
• For veggies, I filled my crisper drawer with spring greens, romaine, cucumbers, celery, mini bell peppers, baby carrots, zoodles (spiralized zucchini), cauliflower, broccoli, and more! Vine ripened tomatoes were also a must, though of course those don’t go in the fridge, right?
• I also made sure to have lettuce that worked well for wraps. There are some fancy lettuces out there, but iceberg can do the trick, too.

Whole Grains

• Because I followed the sample meal plan fairly closely, I didn’t consume many grains. When I did, I went with 100% whole wheat bread, bran cereal, and Triscuit Thin Crisps (which are also whole grain).

Planning is Key

Though this list is by no means exhaustive, these were the foods and beverages I found to be both helpful and enjoyable as I attempted my first ever intermittent fast. By planning ahead and stocking the right foods, you can boost your chances for success and decrease needless stress. If intermittent fasting is on your radar, I hope this list of fast-friendly foods helps you get results and reach your goals!

(If you’d like to read more about my experiences with intermittent fasting, I have an entire series available for you here!)

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