MACROS: Carbs, Proteins and Fats Oh My!

Happy Eve of Christmas Eve Lovelies!

The holidays are here and I am sooooo excited!   Christmas is by far, my most favorite Holiday of the year.

As you can tell by the title, this is far from a Christmas post.  Well, if you are focusing on your health and want to gift yourself a healthier lifestyle, then I guess you can consider this somewhat of a Christmas/holiday post.

If you are wondering how to lose fat, build muscle, or just maintain then knowing your MACROS will assist in helping you reach your goals.  To put it simply, the term MACROS is short for "Macronutrients" which are the nutrients that provide you with calories or energy to live.  There are 3 macronutrients that you will need to be familiar with while tracking your progress:

• Carbohydrates
• Proteins
• Fats

According to your weight loss/gain goals, you will need to know how much and often of each to consume.  Each macronutrient has its own benefits for the body.  Each macronutrient also accounts for certain number of calories per gram.  Carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram.  Proteins provide 4 calories per gram.  Fats provide 9 calories per gram.

The Friedman Sprout 

CARBOHYDRATES:

Carbohydrates are used as your main source for fuel.  They are mainly found in starchy foods such as grains, potatoes, fruits, and dairy products.  Carbohydrates can also be found in vegetables, beans, and nuts. Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest and offers more of a continual and stable flow of energy. Simple carbohydrates provide an immediate or a spike in the blood sugar and is broken down quickly making the need for more in order to sustain blood sugar levels.  Complex carbs consist of potatoes, grains, breads made from whole grains, oats, and fruit in its natural state.  Simple carbs include candy, soda, honey and sugar.  45%-65% of your daily caloric intake should consist of carbohydrates.

PROTEINS:

Protein is the most abundant nutrient in the body next to water.  It is important for growth, cell regeneration, muscle building and preservation, tissue repair, etc.  Protein is mainly found in meat, poultry, fish, dairy, nuts, beans and vegetables.  Once consumed, protein is broken down into amino acids, which are the basic building block for proteins.  10%-35% of your daily caloric intake should consist of protein.

FATS:

Don't misconstrue FATS.  Not all fats are bad fats.  Your body needs healthy fats for growth, protection, and energy.  Fats are found in meat, fish, butter, dairy products, vegetable, nuts, lard and grain products.  Saturated fats remain solid at room temperature.  Unsaturated fats remain in its liquid form at room temperature.  Unsaturated fats are found in oils and plants.  Fat is the last nutrient to digest in the body.  20%-35% of your daily caloric intake should consist of fats.

Whew!  Now with all of that being said, lets get on to calculating your body's needs for the day.  Remember, your body's needs all depend on what you are trying to achieve.  I found a MACRO calculator that I like and I think it would be a great start for you to find out how much of each macronutrient you should be consuming.  Click HERE to calculate your MACROS. I've also included a shopping list of items that fall into each of the macronutrient categories.  This is designed to help you with choosing what to include in your meals once you have your MACROS calculated.

MACRO NUTRIENT SHOPPING LIST

Let me know if you have any questions.  I wish you well on your quest to a healthier lifestyle!!

Until Next Time,

Foodie: Just Cruisin'

It's the weekend Baaaaby!!

I hope that you all had a wonderful week.  Last week, I was on vacation on a beautiful cruise to Progreso and Cozumel Mexico.  I had a blast!  When you cruise you don't have to worry about anything.  You have room service like no other, activities galore and food, food and more food.  I have a few food pictures that I would like to share with my lovely readers.  I really enjoyed everything that I was served.  If you have never taken a cruise, I highly recommend that you do.  Enjoy the pictures and don't drool Lol!

Lasagna

French Toast, Hash Browns, Turkey Bacon, Eggs and Fruit
 

Sushi

Sushi

"Kiss on the Lips"

Stuffed Mushrooms

Alligator Fritters

Lobster, Shrimp, Broccoli and Potatoes

Black Cherries and Vanilla Ice Cream

 



Until Next Time,

Refreshing Salad Recipe

Hello Lovelies!
I hope that you all are doing your best to stay cool this summer. It is sweltering hot here in Houston.

To combat those days where you really don't feel like cooking a hot meal, try putting together a light but filling salad that will keep your taste buds cool.

Ingredients:
Romaine lettuce
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Boiled egg
Boiled shrimp
Strawberries
Dressing

Boil the egg and shrimp. Peel the egg and shrimp and set aside. Slice the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and a few strawberries and toss into a bowl or serving dish. Cover the bowl or dish and shake for an even distribution of veggies and fruit. Chop the egg and place over your salad. Place the shrimp over your salad as well. Top off the salad with your dressing of choice and enjoy.  Use any ingredients that you like on your salad but make sure not to go overboard because you want it to be light and refreshing.  YUM!

Until Next Time,

Indulgenceiskey

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Yummy Chili Recipe

Hello Lovelies!
We've had a few nights in the 30s and 40s here in Texas and I am loving it!  Weather like this puts me in the mood for something warm and yummy.....Homemade Chili.  This is my quick recipe that you should try.  Tweak it any way that you like.

Ingredients:
1 lb Ground Turkey
2 16 oz Cans of Red Kidney Beans
1 16 oz Can of Stewed Tomatoes
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
1 Medium Onion
1  Package of McCormick's Chili Seasoning
Garlic Salt
Pepper

Cut onion into chunks and brown until slightly translucent.

Season ground turkey with garlic salt and pepper or any seasoning of choice.

Once ground turkey has cooked, add 1/2 pkg of the chili seasoning and stir until ground meat is covered evenly.

Add kidney beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce to the sauce pan with onions.   Pour remaining chili seasoning over the mixture and stir well.  Add ground turkey to mixture.

Bring entire mixture to a rolling boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve with a few sprinkles of cheese and crackers on the side.

Enjoy! 

 
Feel free to share a recipe with us.  Also, if you try this chili recipe, let us know how it turned out for you!

Take Care and Until Next Time,

Indulgenceiskey

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Recipe: The Concoction

Hello Lovelies!!  I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend ;-).

I love food.  I mean, I really do.  I also love trying different spices.  This past weekend, I decided to whip something up to make my taste buds happy.  This was super easy to prepare and cook.  I don’t have a name for the dish, so I will call it one of my concoctions.

Ingredients:

1 Potato

 ½ bell pepper

½ onion

1 turkey sausage link

10-12 large shrimp

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 tbsp olive oil

Seasonings of choice (basil, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, garlic powder, mesquite grill seasoning).

Cut the potato into chunks.  Slice the bell pepper and onion into thin-medium strips.  Add in all of the seasonings to your taste.  Sauté the potatoes, bell peppers, onions, and seasonings  in olive oil for about 5 minutes on low to medium heat.  Slice the turkey sausage into pieces.  Add the turkey sausage and shrimp to the wok/skillet.  Let mixture cook until the shrimp turn pink.  Add in the can of diced tomatoes.  Do not drain juice from the tomatoes.  Turn up the heat in order to bring mixture to a slight boil.  Once the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Make sure you stir mixture occasionally.  Serve the concoction by itself or over brown rice or whole wheat pasta.

This was so delish!!

 

Until Next Time

Indulgenceiskey

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Work It Out Wednesday: Eating Healthy While Eating Out

Good Afternoon Lovelies!

I love to eat!  I mean I really love to eat so I have to watch myself.  Restaurants are trying to make eating out less stressful for those who are trying to eat healthy.  Recently, I visited Denny’s for breakfast.  I was scouring through the menu when I came across the New Fit Slam.  It looked Yummy on the menu.  I ordered the New Fit Slam, and when it came out it looked better sitting in front of me than it did on the menuJ. 

This dish was composed of the following:

·         Egg whites with fresh spinach and  grape tomatoes

·         Two turkey bacon strips

·         An English muffin

·         Seasonal fruit

I had water as my beverage.  This breakfast tasted great!  I left the restaurant feeling good about not blowing my Insanity workout (Dig Deeper!). 

You also have the option of building your own fit grand slam that include options such as Chicken Sausage Patty, Egg Whites, Wheat Pancakes, Turkey Bacon, Seasonal Fruit, and Yogurt.

There are healthy options out there for us to choose from.  We have to make the choice of what we put into our bodies.  What good is it going to do you if you workout hard but eat badly?  Eating right, clean, healthy or whatever you would like to call it is a necessity if you want to see the full benefits of your workout regimen.

Get to moving and give your body the nutrition it needs.

LEEGO!!

Indulgenceiskey

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