I really enjoy the great variety of comments here so I will try to touch base on each one.
1) As far as the suggested combinations, you are correct ZebraLover, some of the meals I used as examples are not typical so I hope I didn’t gross you out too much! I like using those types of examples as a way to demonstrate that food doesn’t always have to match the time of day or fall into the “this protein matches this carb” way of thinking. I like variety, but many of my clients eat different combinations of the same 8 items over and over again with very nice results.
The idea is not to starve. Each meal should consist of a palm size portion of cleanly prepared protein and a fist size portion of complex carbohydrate (closer to your two fists put together or, depending on the size of your hands, a little less than two tennis balls.) This will usually hold you for about 2-1/2 hours. Good luck in your efforts – you picked one of the most important variables to focus on and that’s timing!
2) Jugs nailed it. This is definitely the BFL way. I am a BFL follower from way back… In fact, Bill Phillips actually featured my transformation in two of his books; The Body-for-LIFE Success Journal (Day 67) and Eating for Life (page 359) so this way of eating has been a part of my life for a long time. I am glad you mentioned essential fats, Jugs, because it is also a very important part of eating healthy, but in the interest of space I did not include a good fat in my meal line-up. I do have a great article entitled Fighting Fats with Fat that you might really enjoy, here is the link: http://social.successtelevision.com/pg/blog/DianneOrwig/read/1169/fighting-fat-with-fat
3) Zeplin522, I know when I first thought about eating a baked potato in the early afternoon, it seemed sort of strange to me too but now I love it. You’ve made a good point, however, that many people do very well when they eat 3 healthy meals a day. Unfortunately, for folks who aren’t at that nice 120 lb level, my experience is that they tend to eat less often, trying to starve off the fat and, of course, we know that doesn’t work either. Congratulations on maintaining such a healthy lifestyle. Hey, the way I see it, when you’re in your situation… “If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it,” right?
4) Julia – I hear you! Eating outside of the traditional timing that most people use… breakfast, lunch, and dinner… is a challenge (for everyone!) But with a few adjustments in what you choose to eat during those “non-typical” times, it does get easier. The most common meal people miss when using this system is their mid-afternoon meal, so I usually suggest going with one of those nice ready-to-drink meal replacement shakes – there are a few great ones on the market now and, while I am a huge fan of eating mostly fresh, whole foods, in a pinch, a high quality engineered food makes it easy to get a meal in when it would seem otherwise impossible.
Often, drinking a meal is more appropriate than eating one - it's a good way to get some solid nutrients in your system so you can avoid that crazy, out of control eating when you sit down to dinner.
Great comments everyone! I truly appreciate your questions and variety of perspectives. Certainly there is more than one way to eat well. The important thing is to look for the plan that best fits your goals and lifestyle. It should be one that is livable and not some temporary measure (diets don't work) to lose weight. With the plan I suggested in this article, I have found that many people begin to really feel better (as Jugs described so well) and get some of that extra, nagging body fat off at the same time.
Be well and take care!
Dianne Orwig, CPT, CFC, CYFI
lovelivingfit@gmail.com
www.lovelivingfit.com
