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Hi friends!

Here is your weekly Tri-Tip Tuesday, sharing our current views on food, fitness, & travel. Please forward this to others if you think they may be inspired.

Food: meal #1

Breakfast was a trending theme on my IIF Instagram page this week. It's one of the most common questions I get asked, "What do you eat for breakfast".

My answer is, the same foods I eat for lunch and dinner. With all meals, I encourage quality protein and fibrous veggies. Starchy carbs at some meals (preferably in the form of starchy veggies/fruit/legumes/rice/quinoa/etc). Healthy fat at most meals.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day to hit 30-50 grams of protein. The exact number of protein for YOUR body depends on your size, daily caloric needs, number of meals you eat in a day, types of protein you're eating, and your age.

Having a standard American diet breakfast that is carb dominant will lead you to feeling irritable, tired, battling blood sugar swings, and cravings the rest of your day. Not an ideal way to set yourself up for success.

Hitting 30-50 grams is optimal for all adults, men and women. If you're struggling with weight gain, muscle loss, low metabolism, sleep, satiety, late-night cravings, portion control, or menopause, look closer at your first meal of the day...is it protein-heavy?

If you have no idea how much you're getting, don't guess. Take the time to learn about your breakfast foods and use a food scale for a week. For example, two eggs are only twelve grams of protein...this doesn't cut it. Explore options in addition to eggs such as lean meat, fish, dairy products, tofu, lentils, and beans. Yep, just like you'd have at lunch and dinner.

Fitness: fitness is freedom

You've heard me say it a million times, focus on getting strong, not skinny. The truth is that fitness equals freedom. Having an able body with strong muscles keeps you independent and mobile throughout all stages of life.

As we age we are reminded of this. Many of my clients start working with me because they can feel their bodies slowing down and it scares them. Things that used to be easy are now hard, like getting up off the ground, carrying laundry/groceries, picking up your grandkids, and bending over or pushing yard work (just to name a few). They can feel their loss of strength and mobility. Starting to feel this in your 40's, 50's, and 60's is an eye-opener that yes, fitness does equal freedom. But it doesn't need to trend downward!

Once we are in these decades of life, sickness, and immobility are all around us. It becomes very clear who is losing freedom and who is gaining freedom. If you're starting to feel your body decline, make the changes now to improve your strength, and your health, and invest in your future freedom. You can be on the other side where you are fit, you are active, and you are strong. Now is the time to make the change and believe in your ability.

The more you do, the more you CAN do. The less you do, the less you can do.

Travel: eating slowly & mindfully

Eating slowly and mindfully is one of the very first habits that I practice with clients and group challenge members. You could be eating the "best" and "cleanest" foods in the world, but if you're overeating or undereating, you won't reach your goals related to nutrition/fitness/wellness.

Eating slowly and mindfully helps you be in tune with your hunger and fullness cues. Putting your fork down between bites, taking time to chew your food, and eating distraction-free (away from TVs/cell phones) are all tips to help with this.

Another reason this habit is so important is that it allows you to have balance in life. You can still reach your goals, even while maintaining a social life and/or travel life.

So much of life revolves around eating and drinking. Food is how we bond with friends and family, and how we cope, celebrate, and experience other cultures. Eating out and dining on local cuisine can be a tough pleasure for many people to balance.

This is where eating slowly really can help you and make a difference in your portions. If you pay attention to your fullness and stop eating at 80% full, you can enjoy your meal out without negative feelings afterward. Often it's the meals that we take to 100+% full that leave us feeling physically uncomfortable, tired, mentally disappointed in ourselves, and triggering the on-again-off-again mentality.

The damage is often done in the dosage. Start practicing this pillar habit and see how big of a difference it can make on your excursion days while you're traveling and out exploring.

Make it a great week!

P.S. The next group challenge starts soon on 4/22/24...are you signed up? Read all about the details on this blog, or enroll today to reserve your spot. This is your last call to join in!

Christine Irene

NASM-CPT, Precision Nutrition Pn2 Certified, & Avid Traveler

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