Shadow
03-07-2006, 05:48 PM
January Challenge – Success Starts in the Pantry
Protein Power can be a very simple plan.
1) Get adequate protein, and spread it throughout the day, every day.
2) Reduce your carbs to the level that works best for you, and keep carb intake per meal below the amounts suggested for your phase of the program.
3) Incorporate exercise and adequate fluid intake into your day.
With that in mind, the January challenge is also simple…
-- double-check our daily protein and carb goals
-- incorporate exercise into our day
-- ensure success in 2006 by powering up our pantries to be sure we have on hand what we need to prepare a healthy meal.
FIRST, let's start 2006 off right by taking measurements and a starting weight to help measure our progress. At minimum, measure your waist at the level of your navel, and measure your lower hips. These numbers will let you compute your waist : hip ratio so you'll know when you start to lose abdominal fat.
Use the measurements you take to compute your lean body mass (see the calculations from the first `Protein Power' book), or to give you a reference for your own month-to-month comparisons. Just remember that calculations of lean body mass are only estimates! Use your measurements and the charts in one of the Protein Power books, or the Wake Forest BMC calculator:
http://www1.wfubmc.edu/heart/Being+Heart+Healthy/Health+Calculators
to compute your recommended minimum protein intake. The Wake Forest BMC protein calculator uses a formula very close to the calculations in the original PP book. To gauge your frame size, use this estimate. Circle your wrist with your thumb and index finger. If they overlap, you have a SMALL frame. If they just touch, you have a MEDIUM frame. If they don't touch, you have a LARGE frame.
SECOND, once you know your minimum daily protein requirement, pick a daily ECC target…30g to 40g ECC if you're in Phase I (just starting the program, or trying to get medical issues like high blood pressure or poor lipid values to improve); 50 to 55g ECC if you're in Phase II (still trying to lose weight, but not facing any medical issues); 55 to 60g ECC if you're transitioning into maintenance.
THIRD, commit to exercise. If you didn't exercise regularly in 2005, commit to gradually incorporating regular exercise in 2006. Start exercising once per week in January, with a plan to increase to twice per week in February, three times per week in March, and so on—or plan to exercise for 10 minutes every other day in January, increase to 15 minutes in February, and so on. Sneak exercise into your day one day at a time, and by the end of January, regular movin' and shakin’ will be a habit. If you're already exercising regularly, commit to varying your routine…take a look at other types of exercise, try something you've never done before. Aim to find a backup exercise for your normal favorites. There will be a daily M's & S's thread to keep us all on track, and to discuss the new exercises we're trying this month.
Once we know how much protein and how many carbs to aim for daily, and we've committed to exercise, it's time to ensure our success by taking a hard look at how prepared we are to follow through on our plan. Open your pantry and take a look around. Could you stay on plan with just the foods you have in the house—or do you need to make a trip to the store right now? Let's take the time in January to kitchen-proof our plan, so that we have on hand what we need to stay on plan at the end of a long hard day.
THE SUPERMARKET/CUPBOARD MEALS CHALLENGE…
We've talked about `cupboard meals,' quick-fix dinners from pantry staples that are economical, and turn into a quick, on-plan meal with a minimum of fuss. But before you can create Protein Powered cupboard meals, you have to stock your low carb pantry with staples…and that means a little homework in the supermarket reading labels. Since the best foods aren't often labeled `low carb,' we need to learn to
recognize the things in the regular supermarket aisles that fit on plan, make shopping easier and quick cooking a reality.
Every Saturday in January, look for the `SUPERMARKET FINDS' thread.
This thread will continue all week long until the following Friday. Make sure to post your supermarket finds in this thread--at least one regular grocery item that you can use to help make a meal simpler or more interesting. The item doesn't have to be labeled low carb if the nutrient counts keep it on plan…and normally available proteins (like plain eggs, cheeses, meats, fishes, tofu, etc.) DO NOT COUNT!
Novelty foods (Greek yogurt, Halloumi cheese, kosher-for-holy days coconut macaroons) DO count as supermarket finds if they're new to you, or only seasonally available in your area. If your label-reading uncovers a dynamite brand of roasted tomatoes in juice, a new source of daikon radish that you can substitute for potatoes, a brand of cracker without hydrogenated oils, a frozen or shelf-stable entrée that fits PP protein and carb guidelines or a wonderful new nut butter or fruit chutney that will spice up a plain-jane dinner, post away (and please include the brand names if they have them!)
The person with the most supermarket finds at the end of January will win the `Be Prepared' part of the January challenge, including all the honor and glory that goes with that. I'll be submitting 'finds', but since I'll be keeping track, I won't be competing.
Hand-in-hand with the `Supermarket Finds' thread will be the `CUPBOARD MEALS' part of the challenge.
Every Wednesday, we'll start a `CUPBOARD MEALS' thread. Cupboard meals of all types and flavors are welcome. Cupboard meals should rely on staples that are easily maintained in the canned food pantry, the freezer or the fridge. They may be so simple that they don't really need a recipe, or take more than a few minutes to prepare…and they should fit into a Protein Power meal plan with a minimum of fuss. At the end of the month, I'll put all the cupboard meal suggestions into a file that will be mailed to all members and uploaded to the recipes section for permanent reference…and we'll ALL win as we create a file of go-to meals for those days when cooking is just not our first priority!
Here's to kicking off 2006 with success that starts in the pantry! Are you in?
Gaelen
Protein Power can be a very simple plan.
1) Get adequate protein, and spread it throughout the day, every day.
2) Reduce your carbs to the level that works best for you, and keep carb intake per meal below the amounts suggested for your phase of the program.
3) Incorporate exercise and adequate fluid intake into your day.
With that in mind, the January challenge is also simple…
-- double-check our daily protein and carb goals
-- incorporate exercise into our day
-- ensure success in 2006 by powering up our pantries to be sure we have on hand what we need to prepare a healthy meal.
FIRST, let's start 2006 off right by taking measurements and a starting weight to help measure our progress. At minimum, measure your waist at the level of your navel, and measure your lower hips. These numbers will let you compute your waist : hip ratio so you'll know when you start to lose abdominal fat.
Use the measurements you take to compute your lean body mass (see the calculations from the first `Protein Power' book), or to give you a reference for your own month-to-month comparisons. Just remember that calculations of lean body mass are only estimates! Use your measurements and the charts in one of the Protein Power books, or the Wake Forest BMC calculator:
http://www1.wfubmc.edu/heart/Being+Heart+Healthy/Health+Calculators
to compute your recommended minimum protein intake. The Wake Forest BMC protein calculator uses a formula very close to the calculations in the original PP book. To gauge your frame size, use this estimate. Circle your wrist with your thumb and index finger. If they overlap, you have a SMALL frame. If they just touch, you have a MEDIUM frame. If they don't touch, you have a LARGE frame.
SECOND, once you know your minimum daily protein requirement, pick a daily ECC target…30g to 40g ECC if you're in Phase I (just starting the program, or trying to get medical issues like high blood pressure or poor lipid values to improve); 50 to 55g ECC if you're in Phase II (still trying to lose weight, but not facing any medical issues); 55 to 60g ECC if you're transitioning into maintenance.
THIRD, commit to exercise. If you didn't exercise regularly in 2005, commit to gradually incorporating regular exercise in 2006. Start exercising once per week in January, with a plan to increase to twice per week in February, three times per week in March, and so on—or plan to exercise for 10 minutes every other day in January, increase to 15 minutes in February, and so on. Sneak exercise into your day one day at a time, and by the end of January, regular movin' and shakin’ will be a habit. If you're already exercising regularly, commit to varying your routine…take a look at other types of exercise, try something you've never done before. Aim to find a backup exercise for your normal favorites. There will be a daily M's & S's thread to keep us all on track, and to discuss the new exercises we're trying this month.
Once we know how much protein and how many carbs to aim for daily, and we've committed to exercise, it's time to ensure our success by taking a hard look at how prepared we are to follow through on our plan. Open your pantry and take a look around. Could you stay on plan with just the foods you have in the house—or do you need to make a trip to the store right now? Let's take the time in January to kitchen-proof our plan, so that we have on hand what we need to stay on plan at the end of a long hard day.
THE SUPERMARKET/CUPBOARD MEALS CHALLENGE…
We've talked about `cupboard meals,' quick-fix dinners from pantry staples that are economical, and turn into a quick, on-plan meal with a minimum of fuss. But before you can create Protein Powered cupboard meals, you have to stock your low carb pantry with staples…and that means a little homework in the supermarket reading labels. Since the best foods aren't often labeled `low carb,' we need to learn to
recognize the things in the regular supermarket aisles that fit on plan, make shopping easier and quick cooking a reality.
Every Saturday in January, look for the `SUPERMARKET FINDS' thread.
This thread will continue all week long until the following Friday. Make sure to post your supermarket finds in this thread--at least one regular grocery item that you can use to help make a meal simpler or more interesting. The item doesn't have to be labeled low carb if the nutrient counts keep it on plan…and normally available proteins (like plain eggs, cheeses, meats, fishes, tofu, etc.) DO NOT COUNT!
Novelty foods (Greek yogurt, Halloumi cheese, kosher-for-holy days coconut macaroons) DO count as supermarket finds if they're new to you, or only seasonally available in your area. If your label-reading uncovers a dynamite brand of roasted tomatoes in juice, a new source of daikon radish that you can substitute for potatoes, a brand of cracker without hydrogenated oils, a frozen or shelf-stable entrée that fits PP protein and carb guidelines or a wonderful new nut butter or fruit chutney that will spice up a plain-jane dinner, post away (and please include the brand names if they have them!)
The person with the most supermarket finds at the end of January will win the `Be Prepared' part of the January challenge, including all the honor and glory that goes with that. I'll be submitting 'finds', but since I'll be keeping track, I won't be competing.
Hand-in-hand with the `Supermarket Finds' thread will be the `CUPBOARD MEALS' part of the challenge.
Every Wednesday, we'll start a `CUPBOARD MEALS' thread. Cupboard meals of all types and flavors are welcome. Cupboard meals should rely on staples that are easily maintained in the canned food pantry, the freezer or the fridge. They may be so simple that they don't really need a recipe, or take more than a few minutes to prepare…and they should fit into a Protein Power meal plan with a minimum of fuss. At the end of the month, I'll put all the cupboard meal suggestions into a file that will be mailed to all members and uploaded to the recipes section for permanent reference…and we'll ALL win as we create a file of go-to meals for those days when cooking is just not our first priority!
Here's to kicking off 2006 with success that starts in the pantry! Are you in?
Gaelen