Category: Nutrition

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Meal Prep: Juicy Chicken Breast

Friends don’t let friends eat nasty chicken! This is a fast, simple method to cook juicy chicken breasts – perfect for weekend meal prep.

Chicken breasts are a staple in my diet, so I make sure they taste good. They are high in protein, lean, and relatively flavor neutral so can be spiced up in almost any combination imaginable.

They are one of those foods that are super delicious when prepared well, but can also be a rubbery or dried out nightmare if not done right. I don’t like eating things that taste like tires, so I went on a mission to identify a fast, failsafe way to cook chicken tenderloins and breasts.

This chicken comes out MOIST, every time. The best part is that you don’t need to turn on the oven or stove…. it’s all about the George Foreman tabletop grill! Using a batch style process, you can cook 1-2 lbs of chicken breasts in less than 30 minutes. I like to use breast tenderloins as it saves me the step of butterflying whole breasts.

In this example, I use just salt and pepper for seasoning however you could use just about anything. I keep a supply of this chicken in the fridge and eat it throughout the week. I usually throw it on lettuce, toss on cooked vegetables, or put in soup. It also makes great chicken salad.

You Will Need:

1-2 lbs of chicken breast tenderloins, or butterflied chicken breasts, fridge temperature

Cutting board

1 extra large bowl

1 piece of aluminum foil

Tabletop grill, such as the George Foreman grill

Canola spray oil

Cracked black pepper and sea salt

Instructions

  • Lay out the chicken on the cutting board while the grill heats up
  • Add salt and pepper to the top side of the chicken
  • Chicken on the grill!
  • After 4 minutes of cooking
  • Place cooked chicken in bowl
  • Cover bowl with foil immediately

Before starting, ensure your chicken is not frozen. It should be cold, at refrigerator temperature. If you are using full size chicken breasts, butterfly them first.

Step 1: Plug in your tabletop grill and allow it to heat up. Do not spray any oil on the grill just yet.

Step 2: Take your chicken out of the fridge and lay out the pieces on a cutting board.

Step 3: Add salt and pepper on the top face of the chicken, amount to your liking.

Step 4: When your grill reaches temperature, lightly spray the top and bottom grill surface with oil.

Step 5: Place your chicken tenderloins, (salt and pepper side down), onto the grill. The size of my grill let’s me cook 6-7 tenderloins at a time.

Step 6: Sprinkle salt and pepper onto the top side of the chicken pieces, amount to your liking.

Step 7: Close the grill, cook for 4 minutes

Step 8: THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP: Remove your chicken pieces from the grill and place them into the large bowl. Immediately cover the bowl with the aluminum foil.

Step 9: Set the bowl aside, and repeat the entire process again for your remaining chicken, making sure to transfer each batch to the bowl and re-covering with the foil immediately after.

NOTE: allow the entire covered bowl of chicken to come to room temperature on the countertop before transferring to a storage container and putting in the fridge. This resting time ensures the chicken stays juicy. Note that the bowl will contain some extra juices, which you can also dump into the storage container and use when you eat.

Enjoy and let me know if you tried out this method!

If you need additional support on meal prep strategies, feel free to reach out. Click the button below if you want to get started with nutrition coaching.

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Protein For Fat Loss

Protein is the most valuable macronutrient for retention of lean muscle mass while on a fat loss diet. But how much do we need and how does it help us? Here’s the latest from the research.

The Role of Protein – Three Major Points

1) Protein fuels our muscles with the amino acid building blocks needed to repair damage (catabolism) and grow additional muscle (anabolism). Appropriate protein intake and resistance training facilitates these processes to promote fat loss versus muscle loss.

2) As energy intake decreases, we become increasingly hungry. Beyond it’s critical function in muscle recovery and growth, protein increases levels of our hormones that provide feelings of satiety after a meal, and decrease our appetite stimulating hormone. Extended feelings of fullness enabled by appropriate protein intake is a welcome benefit!

3) Compared to carbohydrates and fats, protein has a greater energy cost to digest and metabolize – around 30%. You are burning more calories by eating protein versus other macronutrients, all in support of maintaining an energy deficit in a fat loss diet.

How Much Protein? Don’t use the US RDA……

The US Recommended Daily Allowance is 0.36 grams per pound of bodyweight per day (g/lb BW) for sedentary individuals – far too low for an exercising individual, particularly someone who engages in some form of resistance training.

A review of the current research on the impact of protein intake on body composition and muscle protein synthesis indicates that a good target for an average adult who is resistance training is 0.73 g/lb BW per day for muscle retention (and accretion).

Practical Example: a 160 lb resistance training individual currently consuming 64 g of protein per day (0.4 g/lb BW) in a calorie deficit would significantly improve their likelihood of lean mass retention by nearly doubling protein intake to 120 g/day. To compensate for the increased protein, this individual would also need to decrease the amount of carbohydrates and fats; simply adding more protein would create a calorie surplus.

So if 0.73g/lb BW is enough, would higher be even better? It’s tempting to make this extrapolation. In a fat loss diet, we want to dial in the right amount of protein to induce beneficial body composition changes, yet not take our dietary protein so high that we excessively reduce carbohydrates and fats to the detriment of performance, mood, hormones, and other markers. There are some studies indicating that higher (upwards of 0.9 g/lb BW) has no detriment and may further support lean mass retention, the overall number of studies are limited and do not yet justify higher levels across the board. That being said, based on some of the other benefits I do recommend higher protein levels to some clients in consideration of lifestyle, food preferences, satiety, training modality and intensity, and existing lean body mass (body fat does not require protein to support it).

What Type of Protein?

Eating high quality, complete proteins containing all nine essential amino acids (our bodies can’t make these and they must be obtained through diet) is the priority. Complete whole food protein sources include red meat, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, milk, yogurt, and soy. Beyond recommendation of these foods, a personalized assessment based on your current body composition and goals can be established.

When transitioning to a diet higher in protein, many people find it challenging to meet their daily protein target eating only whole foods. This is where protein powder supplementation can be useful tool. Examples of complete protein powders include, whey, egg, casein, and soy. These are digested at different rates in the body and can be utilized to their advantage at different times of day.

The specific type of complete protein powder used is of secondary importance compared to the importance of meeting daily protein intake. Bottom line – if you are going to start to incorporate protein powder into your regimen, firstly pick one that has all the EAAs, tastes good to you, and is agreeable to your stomach. The specific type and timing can be dialed in after you have formed the habit.

A lot of folks take BCAAs (branched chain amino acids aka leucine, isoleucine, and valine) as a supplement to their diet. Despite their popularity, research is fairly clear that BCAAs are ineffective for muscle protein synthesis and in this regard they are just expensive flavored water. Instead, eat or drink whey protein around workouts. You are getting plenty of BCAAs by consuming the whole foods and the protein powders mentioned above. I’m not against BCAA supplements if they make you feel good – some studies indicate they do help with recovery – but understand you are spending money on something that, from an efficacy perspective isn’t moving the needle much compared to complete protein.

When Should I Eat Protein?

After you’ve locked down the amount high quality protein you need, distribute it relatively even across the snacks and meals that you eat throughout the day, ideally every 2-4 h. There is a diverse body of research regarding how much protein the body can digest and utilize for muscle protein synthesis from each serving/meal and depends on age, gender, body composition, training status, and other considerations. Given the large number of variables, a good range to stay in is 20-40 g of high-quality protein per meal. An example of 20 g of protein would be 57 g (2 oz.) of cooked chicken breast.

Protein Timing and Training?

Specific protein timing is of secondary importance relative to overall protein intake and general distribution. However, if you are engaging in intense resistance training the post-exercise period should incorporate a solid dose of protein and carbohydrate since muscles are depleted of fuel (glycogen and amino acids) and muscle fibers require repair.

There is a misconception that the post-exercise anabolic window for muscle protein synthesis is narrow, whereby if protein is not consumed immediately post-workout, the opportunity for “gainz” will be forfeit. Far from the truth – the aggregation of research suggests that the anabolic period extends many hours post-training. From a practical eating perspective, try to get a dose of protein within 2 hours after training.

Closing Notes

It’s important to remember that fat loss and muscle growth occur by separate, distinct processes. Although it is impossible to convert fat to muscle, it is possible to preserve lean body mass while decreasing fat mass during a calorie deficit, and it is also possible to increase lean body mass while decreasing fat mass. Protein intake has a strong influence over this; I work with clients on customized protein quantity, type, and timing based on meal frequency preferences, training modality and duration, and schedule. This ensures we are maximizing the benefits of protein from a body composition, performance, and sustainability perspective. I’ve seen incredible body composition changes firsthand in my clients.

I love keeping up with latest in protein research. I’ll keep you updated on the latest credible findings. As always, please feel free to reach out with questions.

Ready to get started on your nutrition strategy?

Recommended Further Reading:

Morton, R.W., et al,A systematic review, meta-analysis and metaregression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults, Br J Sports Med, 2018;52:376–38

Schoenfeld, B.J., Aragon, A.A.,How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (2018) 15:10

Rahmi, M.H., et. al, Branched-chain amino acid supplementation and exercise-induced muscle damage in exercise recovery: A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials, Nutrition (2017) 42:30

Jaeger et. al., International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, v14, Article number: 20 (2017)

Longland, T.M. et al, Higher compared with lower dietary protein during an energy deficit combined with intense exercise promotes greater lean mass gain and fat mass loss: a randomized trial, Am J Clin Nutr 2016;103:738–46

Trommelen, J. , Loon, L.J.C., Pre-Sleep Protein Ingestion to Improve the Skeletal Muscle Adaptive Response to Exercise Training, Nutrients 2016, 8(12), 763

Aragon, A.A., Schoenfeld, B.J., Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window? Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2013, 10:5

Wycherley, T.P., et al, Effects of energy-restricted high-protein, low-fat compared with standard-protein, low-fat diets: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trial, Am J Clin Nutr 2012;96:1281–98

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Sweet & Spicy Tofu

Ready to learn how to fuel your goals with the right mindset and plan?

A simple Chinese stir fry-inspired dish packed with protein and veggies.

When my taste buds need a break from chicken and turkey breast, pork, and lean cuts of beef, I use opportunity to explore new recipes with other protein sources. This recipe uses Tofu (a complete protein and an excellent option for vegetarians and vegans) and collagen* as the main protein sources. If you are not a tofu fan, this dish would also work great with chicken or pork.

Firstly, the tofu. It’s important to use extra firm so it doesn’t fall apart during cooking. Typically a tofu stir-fry dish calls for fried tofu which is deep fried in soybean oil and triples the calories:

Instead, I “fake fried” the tofu in a pan with a light spray of canola oil to give the exterior a crisp texture. The end result is nicely browned cubes that aren’t greasy and are ready to absorb the glaze.

  • Before “frying”
  • After “Frying”

For the glaze: A common way to thicken a glaze or sauce is to add corn starch. Rather than corn starch (carbohydrate), I instead used collagen protein which provides the same result but instead adds additional protein. It’s a great substitution; collagen is flavorless and readily absorbs into water. It seamlessly mixes with the other ingredients in the glaze.

Hoisin sauce and chilli sauce can be purchased at all major grocery stores, although it is usually less expensive at the Asian grocery stores. You can adjust the level of heat by adding more or less chili sauce. The recipe keeps it mild, I usually add more as I eat it.

Chinese eggplant and the peppers.

Finally, a note about the veggies. I used Chinese eggplant because it contains slightly less water than the more commonly found large ones to reduce the risk of over-steaming and sogginess. Eggplant is a high fiber food and contains some great micronutrients. It also happens to be an amazing sponge for flavors, win-win! For the peppers, you can use any color – I just happened to have a red and orange in the fridge. Green would change the flavor a bit, but not in a bad way.

Sweet and Spicy Tofu Eggplant

Makes: 4 servings

Per Serving: 256 kcal, 26g Carbs, 20g Protein, 8g Fat

Ingredients:

  • 2 Chinese eggplant, chopped into bite sized pieces
  • 2 bell peppers (any color), chopped into bite sized pieces
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 425 g (15 oz) extra firm tofu
  • 40 g collagen protein
  • 60g (3 tbsp) hoisin Sauce
  • 30 g chili paste
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 6-8 mists of canola oil spray

Instructions:

  1. Cut tofu up into approx. 3/4″ cubes
  2. Mist large skillet or pan (flat bottom) with canola oil spray and place in the tofu cubes.
  3. Turn heat to medium-high and allow the tofu to cook for 6-7 minutes, or until the bottom side turns golden brown. Flip the cubes and repeat the heating process until all sides are golden. Remove tofu from pan and set aside.
  4. In a small bowl, thoroughly stir together hoisin sauce, chili paste, water, minced garlic, and collagen powder to form the glaze. Set aside.
  5. Lightly spray the skillet again and add the chopped veggies. Heat on medium high for 12-14 minutes, or until veggies are tender and you see the eggplant turn slightly translucent. Stir up the veggies every minute or so to ensure even cooking. Try not to let the pieces stack on top of one another to ensure that they all cook through. Here is what they should look like after cooking:
  6. Turn heat to low. Add tofu back to the pan then add the glaze. Gently fold all ingredients together until the glaze coats all of the pieces.

This dish goes great with either white or brown rice.

I enjoy coming up with new recipes for myself and to meet my client’s needs. Please let me know if you’ve given this a try!

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* Meats, whey, casein, and egg protein are excellent complete protein sources. A complete protein source must contain all nine of the essential amino acids – the amino acids that or bodies can’t produce on their own and we must get from our diets. Soy and hemp are also complete if you are looking for plant-derived alternatives.

However, collagen is an incomplete protein- it lacks one of the nine essential amino acids (tryptophan). Further, its amino acid profile is skewed towards glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline which is not ideal if you are looking to sustain and grow more muscle. If your diet is primarily based on the complete sources mentioned above, there is no harm incorporating collagen into your diet…..it will help strengthen your nails, hair, skin, and joints.

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Rice, Rice, Baby

A brief review of rice. Is brown or white better for you? What kind should you be eating?

Anatomy of Rice

Brown rice is a whole grain; white rice is basically naked brown rice. During the milling and polishing process the bran (the “brown” of brown rice) and germ are removed, leaving only the endosperm. The bran is a protective layer that contains some fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The germ contains a little bit of fat, protein, and some other micronutrients.

My second grade drawing showing components of a rice grain.

Nutritional Comparison

Utilizing the USDA FoodData Central database, I generated the table below for side-by-side of 100g cooked long grain brown rice versus 100g cooked enriched long grain white rice. Numbers noted in parenthesis are the percentage of the US Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for each vitamin and mineral. Vitamins and minerals that had a value of zero or in cases where there was no difference between white or brown the two were omitted so that we can focus on differences.

Fiber: White rice has less fiber than brown rice, but overall rice is generally a lower fiber food. Eat vegetables and fruits regularly and the amount of fiber in serving of white or brown rice will play a minor role in your daily fiber intake. That being said, foods containing fiber are generally more more satiating and blunt glycemic response, so brown rice may be a better option if you are working on losing weight or are at risk of Type 2 diabetes. Less fiber can also be a good thing; white rice is friendlier to digest if you are having gut issues.

Vitamins and Minerals: As you can see it’s a mixed bag with brown having higher content of certain vitamins and minerals in some cases, and fortified white in other cases. If you have a relatively balanced diet and/or take a multivitamin, I would not be too concerned with these differences as you decide what type of rice you want to eat.

Glycemic Response: Glycemic Index (GI) and Gycemic Load (GL) are gauges to understand the impact of a food on blood sugar levels. GI is a comparison against 50g of a reference food (glucose, score 100), whereas GL is a more practical because it takes into account the portion size of a food. Glycemic Load = GI/100 multiplied by the net grams of carbohydrate in the serving (net excludes dietary fiber).

GI and GL are slightly higher for white rice, which you may want to take into consideration if you are at risk of Type 2 diabetes. Based on current research, eating brown rice helps support lower blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes. However, it’s also important to place GI and GL within context of practical eating. These measurements are taken on isolated foods – I don’t know about you but when I have rice, I’m not just eating rice. I’m usually eating it with vegetables, meat, or other things. These “mixed meals” have a high influence on digestibility and therefore can change/blunt the glycemic response.

Other Notes

The naturally occurring metalloid Arsenic is found in both white and brown rice, but is higher in brown rice. Arsenic is toxic to humans and associated with certain cancers, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes. Presently, consensus is the benefits of rice in our diet outweighs the Arsenic risk; eating rice in reasonable amounts is acceptable. As a risk mitigation ensure your diet is not based too heavily on rice, and reduce exposure level by thoroughly pre-washing your rice (Arsenic is water soluble). Arsenic aside, I wash my rice anyway because it provides a fluffier texture.

Brown rice contains lignans, natural polyphenol compounds that some studies indicate protect against heart disease and can lower total cholesterol. Other health-protective benefits may come to light as further research is conducted.

Key Takeaways

Both white and brown rice are excellent carbohydrate sources. There is no reason to restrict yourself to one type as a healthy adult in a balanced diet.

Brown rice is more micronutrient dense, however these differences do no warrant selection of one type of rice over another.

If you are trying to lose weight, brown rice may be a better option as the high fiber content can provide a greater feeling of fullness.

If you are are risk for Type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease, or have high cholesterol, studies indicate that brown rice may be a better option provided consumption is within recommended servings.

Like all foods, eat reasonable portions and do not rely on rice as a main source of nutrition.

Wash all rice before cooking.

References:

https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169704/nutrients

https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168878/nutrients

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Raw vs. Cooked Food Measurement

Weighing and tracking food can seem a bit overwhelming at first. It takes some time to build the habit of weighing and entering items. It additionally requires diligence to ensure that the food is indeed the correct nutritional representation of both amount and type within the selected tracking system. A common source of error is the weight difference between raw and cooked food. Raw vs. cooked food measurement error can lead to under-reporting or over-reporting energy intake versus actual intake. The impact can be significant – several hundred calories per day or more – if the same incorrect entry is repeated in frequently.

Raw vs. cooked food measurement – which is better?

Measurement of uncooked food is more precise and eliminates the risk of variance related to cooking procedures. That said, sometimes it’s more practical to weigh cooked. Here are a few practical rules of thumb to convert between them.

Meats, poultry, seafood, and potato LOSE ~ 25% water weight when cooked.

Uncooked cooked meat

Whether broiled, baked, or sautéed, animal meat loses approximately 25% of its mass when cooked. As meat cooks, water is driven off (same applies for baked potato!). Only water is lost; the caloric and macronutrient values do not change despite the change in scale weight. Therefore 113 g/4 oz. raw meat is NOT equal to 113 g/4 oz. cooked from a calorie or macronutrient perspective because water has been eliminate in cooking.

This conversion table (shown in both ounces and grams) provides the estimated raw weight of meats based on the cooked weight. Knowing the cooked weight, it’s possible to back-calculate the raw weight equivalent by dividing the cooked weight by 0.75. This accounts for 25% water loss. It also works in the reverse. If you have the raw weight, multiply by 0.75 to get the cooked weight.

Raw vs cooked grams
Raw vs cooked oz

This is handy as an estimation for dining out. Say for example the entrée had a piece of grilled chicken breast and you want to estimate calories and macros in your tracker. If you received ~ 4 oz. of cooked chicken (using the palm of your hand as an estimate), you’d then find a validated entry for raw chicken breast and input the portion as 5.3 oz.

  • 4 oz. raw chicken = 168 kcal, 21.7 g Protein, 6.3 g Fat, and 0 g carbs – incorrect entry for 4oz. cooked coked chicken
  • 5.3 oz. raw chicken = 223 kcal, 32.5 g Protein, 9.4 g Fat, 0 g carbs – correct entry for 4oz. cooked chicken.

Rice, oats, pasta, and beans gain weight when cooked.

Cooking time and volume of water vary between these foods, but the following multipliers are a reasonable estimate to account for water gain. It’s the exact opposite circumstance as meat, the scale weight increases for the same calories and macros due to water weight.

Food weight tracking errors can add up over time if you frequently eat the same foods. I hope that this quick guide was helpful! Contact me if you need some assistance.

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Understanding Daily Calorie Burn

A breakdown of how your body expends energy. How can we manage calorie burn to our advantage?

On our pursuit to achieve health and fitness goals – whether it be to lose fat, increase muscle, or maintain healthy weight, control of daily calories consumed (energy intake) is critical to the process. We manage this by the quantity, type, and quality of foods we eat. Energy expenditure, or daily calories burned (total daily energy expenditure aka TDEE) is equally as important. We do have some degree of control over calorie burn, so let’s take a closer look at the four key contributing elements of TDEE and understand what we should focus on to gain the most advantage.

Basal metabolic Rate (BMR)* contributes ~70% to total daily energy burn. It represents the number of calories the body consumes at rest to perform essential functions such as breathing, circulation of blood, brain function, temperature regulation, and cell turnover. You burn this energy 24h/day, whether awake or asleep.

Day to day, you cannot influence BMR. The primary factors dictating BMR are height, weight, age, and gender. Smaller people have a lower BMR than larger people. Body composition and hormones also exert influence; leaner individuals have a higher BMR.

Over longer periods of time, BMR can change. As we lose weight our BMR decreases and as we gain weight our BMR increases. However, in the grand scheme we should not look to BMR as a significant factor to manipulate total daily energy expenditure.

Nonexercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) contributes ~15% to total daily energy burn. It represents the number of calories your body consumes through general movement (excluding intentional exercise). Examples include fidgeting, walking around throughout the day, taking the stairs, and running errands.

Daily activity level has an enormous impact on the calories you burn. Studies on people who have sedentary office jobs versus people who have physically strenuous jobs have indicated a 2-3X difference in NEAT – upwards of a 1000 kcal difference per day! It is the main reason why it seems some people can eat more without gaining weight.

Focus on NEAT if you are seeking to lose weight. During a fat loss diet, the most effective and proven way to create a calorie deficit is through reduction in food intake combined with additional movement. Additional calories burned by simply walking around more can be a game changer to maintaining an appropriate calorie deficit. It’s absolutely an element to evaluate if weight loss has stalled – as we continue long enough in a calorie deficit, we are inherently inclined to move around less. NEAT is decreasing as we move through the diet phase and we probably hadn’t even realized it.  Given that is it so important, I’ll have a separate post on NEAT soon.

Buddy’s Spaghetti and M&M’s dinner are probably not the best choice……

The thermic effect of food (TEF) contributes ~10% to overall daily calorie burn. It represents the energy used (beyond BMR) to extract and process nutrients from the foods we eat – digestion, absorption, and excretion. At face value it doesn’t appear to be something that we have much influence over. However, we do have some degree of control over TEF through food selection. 10% is a general estimation and will be higher or lower depending on the relative amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fat you consume, as well a person’s fat free mass (leaner individuals generally have a higher TEF).

  • Protein is the most energetically costly macronutrient for our bodies to process – 20 to 35%. For example, if I were to eat 350 kcal worth of protein, I need somewhere between require around 70-120 kcal to digest it.
  • Carbohydrates require 5-15% of their energy to process. Fiber-rich carbohydrates will be on the higher energy burn end of the spectrum – think vegetables, fruits, rice, and whole grains – versus simple or highly processed sources.
  • Fats require a minimal amount of energy to process – 0 to 5%. This doesn’t mean that we should avoid them to keep our TEF higher; fats serve and important role in the diet. Rather, we should focus more on unsaturated sources that can provide the most health benefits, e.g. olive oil, nuts, seeds, and omega-3 rich sources found in many types of fish.

Note: TEF is an area where the basic “calories in – calories out” equation is an oversimplification. Because we all use different amounts of energy to process the foods we eat, we cannot simply say that 100 calories worth of peanut butter is equal to 100 calories worth of chicken – once ingested they have different energy costs in our bodies so net calories will be different despite having an equivalent 100 calorie absolute energy value pre-ingestion.

Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (EAT) contributes ~5% to total daily energy burn. Although EAT usually contributes a lower percentage of your total calorie burn compared to NEAT, it is strongly influenced by exercise modality, duration, intensity, body size, and genetics. Try to get an hour of exercise 3 – 4 days a week. The health benefits extend far beyond basic weight management.

Bottom Line

As it relates to total daily calorie burn and fat loss, focus on what you can exert the most control over!

NEAT: Increase your general activity level during the day – if you have a sedentary job, dedicate specific times of day that you will stand up and walk around.

TEF: Your diet should contain adequate protein (0.8 -1 g/lb. of bodyweight) and contain carbohydrates sources that are high in fiber and minimally processed.  Fats should remain in your diet from healthy sources.

EAT: Get some form of dedicated exercise 3-4 x week. Ideally, incorporate resistance training in your routine to support lean mass retention and fat loss/muscle gain, which will drive further increases across all key elements of total daily energy expenditure.

*You may also come across the acronym RMR, or Resting Metabolic Rate. BMR and RMR are slightly different, but for the purpose of this post they can be used interchangeably.

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Protein Berry Bowl

Refreshing and packed with protein, healthy carbs, and micronutrients, this bowl has a deep berry flavor.

I see tons of amazing smoothie bowl pictures on Instagram, but they seem very calorie dense. Along with a juice concentrate base and more fruit on top, they are usually loaded with granola, heaps of nut butter, and chocolate. Great for tasty-looking pictures, not so great if you are looking for a treat that is in line with your protein goal and being mindful of overall calories. In contrast, this bowl is a high protein alternative, gets you a nice serving of veggies and fiber, and keeps additional carbs and fats as optional toppings. I love this as an after workout meal.

Give it a go and let me know if you like it!

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Protein Packed Spring Rolls

These spring rolls are an awesome treat and store very well in the fridge – great for meal prep and eating throughout the week. I make these when I know I’m going to be very busy. I love them because they don’t require a microwave, are super portable for on-the-go eating, have a nice variety of textures and flavors, and have great fiber content from the veggies.

The best reason to give these a try is that they highly macro adjustable. If you want more protein in a certain meal, load in more chicken and/or tofu and reduce carbs by eliminating the rice noodles. Here are two examples with similar calories but adjusted protein and carbs.

I’m huge on habit formation. Preparing these rolls together with your family is a great opportunity to create a social experience and reinforce healthy dinners. You can make them assembly line style as a team. 🙂

For these spring rolls, you will need:

  • Rice paper wrappers and rice noodles (can be found at most regular supermarkets, I got these at the local Vietnamese grocery store)
  • Cooked chicken breast, cut into thin slices
  • Bean Curd (firm tofu) – cut into thin slices
  • Thin sliced carrots and cucumber
  • Romaine lettuce (other types work too) cut into strips

Cook the chicken breast in a pan and season with salt and pepper, then cook the rice noodles as directed (they cook super fast). Next, cut up the carrots, cucumber, lettuce,chicken and tofu into strips.

After all the fillers are prepped, fill a pan larger than the wrapper with warm water, then take one wrapper and soak for 5 longish seconds. Wrapping tightly takes a bit of practice, but the rice wrappers overall are surprisingly forgiving. Lay the soaked wrapper on a cutting board and lay in your desired fillings in a strip in the middle. Leave a bit of space at the bottom of the wrapper for folding. Fold up the bottom first. Then start rolling from one end, slightly packing the filling as you go so it doesn’t squish out or create too loose a roll. Keep rolling all the way to the other side; the stickiness of the wrapper will adhere it to itself, creating a nice seal.

If I’m watching calories closely, I use sriracha or chili sauce (minimal to zero calories) for a dip. For a Thai flavor, a low cal option is to mix peanut butter powder such as PB2 with some chilli sauce and water, with a small pinch of ground ginger to taste.

After you try them, let me know what you think! I’ll be posting more adjustable macro recipes soon.

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