Quarantine and Food

One thing I will remember about 2020 is that for the first time in my life, I had to quarantine. Whether you have to do it as part of a community order, travel or because you are sick, most of us will experience the Big Q (as one of my client's calls it) at least once.

I recently returned home to Hawaii after attending my stepdaughter's wedding and had to quarantine for 10 days (because as a resident, I chose not to get a test) -> which is a lot better than the 14 days I did in August or the 21 days my friends are doing in Hong Kong!! No matter how long it is, it's a disruption to our normal routine.

Sticking with healthy habits during quarantine might be the LAST thing you want to do if you're angry about the situation, but it can also be a great time to FOCUS on those habits. Here are a few tips for how to stay on track during your Big Q:

1. Stick to your normal eating schedule - this is going to keep you satiated and prevent binge eating.

2. Stock up on healthy foods - Here is a list of foods that are helpful if you are confined to a hotel for your quarantine:

Canned tuna/salmon

Nuts

Protein powder (my favorite is Nuzest)

Lean protein jerky

Deli meat and leafy greens

Canned beans

Fruit

Instant rice/quinoa

Cold pressed juices

Rice cakes/crispbread

3. Plan delivery for your main meals if you can't cook for yourself 

4. Stay hydrated - drink at least half your body weight in ounces, but aim for more if you are also exercising during your quarantine.

5. Exercise - get in some form of movement every day. Do a daily workout, get up and walk around every hour to get as many steps as you can, stretch, do some yoga.

The important thing to remember is that even if YOU are in quarantine, your health is NOT in quarantine. You can stick to healthy eating and exercise. It might not be as fun or as easy, but you can do it!

Tell me: have you had to quarantine? How did it go?

Cilantro Lime Black Bean Rice & Chicken Bowl

I used to be the girl that kept everything separate on her plate and ate one thing at a time...ok, I still do that sometimes, but now I am more likely to throw a bunch of different foods in a bowl. 

A few nights ago, I was on my own for dinner because mrC was on a trip. I had spent most of the day getting work done and dropped the ball on meal planning for myself. Fortunately I had all the ingredients (well, most of them) for this yummy recipe from the FASTer Way meal guide.

*Every week, FASTer Way clients receive a meal guide as a resource. Clients are not required to follow it, but it definitely makes planning and coming up with ideas for meals A LOT easier. You can learn more here.

Most of the time, I like to use the meal guide as inspiration. I'll add some ingredients, substitute for others or just leave out what I don't like. That's how I put together this recipe for Cilantro Lime Black Bean Rice & Chicken Bowl.

My version:

1 cup baby spinach

1 cup read leaf lettuce

1/4 cup basmati brown rice

1/4 cup black beans seasoned with 1 tbsp lime juice, 1/4 cup frozen onion, 1 tsp dried cilantro, 1/4 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup organic salsa

1 tbsp flaxseed and 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds (because I seed cycle)

4 oz grilled chicken diced

This recipe came together so easily because I had grilled a big batch of chicken earlier in the week and use pre-packaged rice (this is my favorite) and organic salsa from Whole Foods. I'm all about keeping things simple!

This is a great macro meal for days when you need all the macros! Plus it is packed with fiber to keep the gut a happy place. I encourage my clients to do meal bowls because they're more likely to have balance.

Do you like meals in bowls? What is your favorite combo?

 

Blueberry Protein Bars

I've been making these protein bars for years, but the way I make them has evolved enough that it was time to write an updated blog post. 

It is also worth noting that these bars are perfect snack material for Feast Days. If you are not following the FASTer Way yet, Feast Days are when we strategically increase our food intake by 25%. For a lot of people on health journeys (trying to lose weight), this sounds like a crazy and even scary idea. However, eating MORE helps with metabolic adaptation and prevents plateaus.

• That means the thyroid will be active and functioning which raises the metabolic rate increasing the fat burning process. 
• It helps prevent muscle breakdown which also keeps our metabolism revved up. 
• When we eat a little more than our body is expecting, our cortisol levels and hormones are in check and happily letting the body burn fat for fuel.

So, like I was saying, we aim to eat more food, but we still focus on whole food nutrition.

The recipe:

2 cups quick cooking gluten free oats

1 cup protein powder (I use vanilla)

1/4 cup organic buckwheat flour

1 tbsp ground flaxseed

1T chia seeds

1 tbsp cinnamon 

1 cup sunbutter

1/4 cup honey

6-8 oz blueberries (mash half)

I combine all the dry ingredients separately from the wet ingredients. Then I gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry. Sometimes I need to add a little water to help the mixing along. I toss the whole blueberries in last.

Spread mixture into a sprayed baking dish. Bake 350 degrees 15 min. Let cool. Cut and refrigerate.

If you make them, tag me in your post @amycainefitness and let me know what you think!

Baby bella Taco Salad

Apparently fall is the best season for mushrooms.

I honestly don't eat mushrooms unless they are mixed in with something else -> gravy, salad, sandwich. 

They came to be on my radar when I started the final stage of my healthy gut journey. My functional medicine practitioner has me doing a Liver and Gallbladder detox to flush out any toxins that may have been present as a result of my bacteria imbalance. So, for five days (and I'm on day 3 as I write this) I will start my day with a very terrible detox beverage, take some supplements and only eat fruit and veggies (non-root). 

Back to the mushrooms :) I read somewhere that mushrooms can be used as a meat substitute, so I got a crazy idea to use them to make a taco salad. I bought an 8oz package of baby bellas at Whole Foods and used my mini chopper (like this one on Amazon) to mince them up. Once they were minced, I used them just like I would minced meat.

Baby Bella Taco Salad:

8oz minced baby bella mushrooms

Taco Seasoning:

4 1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp seasoning salt

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp dried minced onion

1/2 tsp beef bouillon powder

Directions:

I sautéed the mushrooms in taco seasoning and approximately 1/4 cup water for about 10 minutes. I suggest adding water in small amounts so that your minced mushrooms aren't soggy (learned the hard way).

Build your bowl - I use about 3+ cups lettuce (romaine and leafy green) and top with baby corn, Black beans (usually), salsa and avocado.

This is a great plant-based option for vegetarians who like taco salads! I'm not vegetarian, but I did a plant-based month with the FASTer Way VIP community and have kept some favorite recipes in my rotation.

Low FODMAP Raspberry Chia Jam

I made my own chia jam and it was super easy!

I’m working on an imbalance of gut bacteria and just starting the low FODMAP diet which basically means I’m eating, and not eating, certain foods to starve the bacteria that have overgrown in my gut.

If it seems crazy that you can have a gut health issue while eating healthy (and working as a FASTer Way coach), I think so too!

The (insert sarcasm) "fun" part is that even healthy foods, or just too much of some, feed the overgrowth bacteria! That means, foods such as garlic, onion, agave and honey make a lot of my go-to convenient items off limits for awhile.

I love pairing my breakFAST smoothie with my version of the PB&J: plain rice cakes with almond butter and chia jam. My store bought chia jam has agave as an ingredient making it a no-go.

No worries, I just Googled recipes (there are a ton by the way). I combined two recipes and used the FODMAP app from Monash University to make sure I wasn't using too much of any ingredient.

My recipe:

2 oz raspberries

2 tbsp pure maple syrup

2 tbsp chia seeds

1/4 cup water

Blend all ingredients together in blender for 1 minute. Pour mixture into sauce pan and heat for about 10 minutes on medium. Place in airtight jar and let cool in fridge.

It was soooo good!

If you’ve done a low FODMAP diet and have recipes you love, please share them with me!!

When and How to Change Your Workout Routine

Hey everyone! Happy Tuesday! I just did one of my favorite FASTer Way to Fat Loss® workouts and it got me thinking about people who are not happy with their fitness or nutrition routines but don’t know what to do.

Navigating the world of nutrition and fitness is a lot like looking for your soul mate. If it’s long term success that you are after, you need to be compatible, feel stimulated and get something in return. 

Raise your hand if you have been stuck in a nutrition or fitness relationship and you weren’t happy because you lined up for the one that made you turn your lifestyle upside down and become something you’re not. Or maybe you got caught up in the one that made promises it couldn’t keep if you gave up a major food group. Maybe you ghosted your family and friends and started spending way too much time in the gym. 

You are not alone.

There are a few tell-tale signs that you need to break up with your nutrition and fitness routine.

1. You’re bored – whether you’ve pulled a 180 and overhauled your lifestyle into something you are not OR you have been following the same food and exercise plan for months, it is hard to stay committed to anything that you are not excited about. When you’re bored, you lose motivation. And if the plan doesn’t fit YOUR lifestyle, you will probably fall off the bandwagon.

2. You’re tired and/or getting injured – if you are depriving yourself of certain foods, it could cause other major problems…cut carbs and you have no energy, get irritable and may blow you thyroid out of service, cut fat and you increase cravings and develop skin issues. On the other hand, if you’re spending more time in the gym than with family and friends, you could be overtraining which leads to exhaustion, continuous soreness and even injuries. Food and exercise should make you feel good.

3. You’re not getting the results that you want – if your body isn’t changing or your progress has stalled it could be because you are not fueling your body properly or because you are training the same way day in and day out. A nutrition and fitness routine is important for your body, but not if it is keeping you from getting the results that you want. 

So, if you are bored, tired or not seeing the results that you want, it is time to change your routine. Do something different that will shake things up -> Try a new program like the FASTer Way to Fat Loss® - if you haven’t tried the premier online nutrition and fitness program, it is time to sign up! My next round of FASTer Way to Fat Loss® starts December 31 with prep week where I will get you all set up with the tools and strategies to THRIVE through the 6-week program and reach your goals. 

I hope you will join me in the FASTer Way to Fat Loss® program. You won’t be bored, you will be energized and you will see amazing results. To register, click here.

Thank you for reading! Let me know that you did by leaving me a comment or a question!