The next shifts to my nutrition

So after learning more about metabolic efficiency, I’m interested in finding more high protein, low carb foods to snack on.

Here’s my “bottom line” understanding of metabolic efficiency (after attending one presentation on it…so I’m credible expert! not…):

• Endurance athletes want to teach their bodies to burn fat.
• When we exercise, most people, start off burning fat and then at some point switch to carbohydrates.
• You can only replace so many carbohydrates during exercise (I think the number I heard was 30% – you can only replace per hour 30% of what you’re consuming).
• You stop burning fat, you start burning carbohydrates and you can only replace so much. At some point you get to the WALL.
• If you can teach your body to burn fat, then you can push out this wall.

I’m interested in this.

I walked away from the presentation with one simple understanding of how to do this. Work to have a 1:1 ratio between protein and carbohydrates. It seems challenging.

I don’t pay much attention to grams of protein, carbs, sugars, fibers, etc. I don’t pay much attention to calories. I’ve been a “just keep it in moderation” kind of gal. Although I do consider “popcorn/chips and salsa” to be a food group. That doesn’t seem to bode well.

I’m on a mission to learn more. Yet, I also want to keep it simple. I’ve started out by googling high protein foods. Okay, here’s what I’m willing to snack on more…

• Eggs! hard boil those up, that’s easy and portable
• Greek yogurt, already on top of it!
• 2% milk? wow, that would seem wrong. Could I try it? Soy milk? I can try that.
• Chicken, yup, eat that a lot.
• Tuna, okay, I could eat more of that.
• Ground beef, 95% lean. I could add that in.
• Dried lentils. Hmmm, this seems worth a try. They are high in fiber too.
• Canadian bacon. okay! that would be easy to add a slice to my Tupperware container of veggies and almonds that I take with me some days.
• Peanut butter, already on it. But, I’m thinking the kind I eat is probably too processed.
• Almond butter, just added this in to balance out fruits. Love it with apple.
• Edamame. I have a bag of these at home, I want to work these in.
• Peas. Not terribly high in protein, but also have fiber. Okay, I like peas!
• Quinoa. Have added some of this in, just got to keep going.
• Brussels sprouts, broccoli – already on it. (Okay, I’m going to admit it. I never knew that “brussels” was plural. I thought it was brussel sprouts. Huh.)
• Shrimp. I’m not a big fish-at-home gal. I’ll order it out all the time…but that’s when it’s probably covered with rich sauces and such. Yet, shrimp, I could do that. (And tuna).

Alright!

I’m going to 1) share this list with the hubby (who does the grocery shopping. Yes, he is awesome), and 2) start incorporating more of these foods into the “to go” containers of snacks I create for myself when I have fully on the go days.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

How have you made nutritional shifts that have “stuck” and really worked for you? I’d love to hear what’s working for others.

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