The question I'm asked the most is what do you eat? So, I decided to share what I fuel by body with! Read Part 1 of this post for more in depth detail about macros, eating clean and more sample meal plans. You can also check out my Instagram where I post random recipes and food pics.  

8 Weeks Out from my Competition-Crazy Hair!

This is my current diet and macro nutrient ratio. Please keep in mind this might be a bit extreme for the everyday person. I am currently preparing to compete in an NPC bikini contest, so I am eating to keep muscle but cut fat. But this is the exact meal plan I used for weeks 10-8 before my show. Although I do eat very similarly year round my caloric intake is usually higher.

My Current Macro Nutrient Ratios:

I've said it once and I'll say it again-abs are made in the kitchen! I think it fair to say that when most people picture their ideal physique it includes a nice set of abs.  Truth be told lots of people have great abs but they are hiding under a layer of fat.  You can do abdominal exercises until you are blue in the face but until you start eating the right amount of the right foods you won't ever see them! I'm currently 7 weeks from my first competition so calories and macros have been on the forefront of my mind.  I do have to say that after over a year of eating clean and counting macros I'm getting better at it! I used to write down a plan every night and constantly be staring at my Fitness Pal app to be sure I was tracking...so exhausting.  But I've found a few short cuts that have made my life SO much easier and hopefully they will help you too!


Every Sunday I go shopping at Trader Joe's-love that place!
My Grocery List-

• 99% Ground Turkey Breast-3 lbs (3 packages at Trader Joe's)
• Frozen chicken breast-3 Bags
• Talapia(or other white fish)-7 Fillets
• Canned Tuna
• Almonds-Dry Roasted/Unsalted
• Peanut Butter-unsalted
• Avocado-3
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Green Beans
• Cucumber
• Celery
• Red Onion
• Spinach
• Egg Whites(3-4 cartons)
• Greek Yogurt
• Sweet Potatoes
• Brown Rice
• Rolled Oats

I usually spend about $150 and it's enough food for about 1-1/2 to 2 weeks(6 meals per day). Once I get home I plan out my meals for the week.  I use the My Fitness Pal App to log my menu and make sure I'm hitting all my macros.  I try to mix up the protein and carb source for every meal to keep it varied.  For example, I won't eat chicken breast for every meal.  I'll have turkey in the morning, chicken for lunch and fish for dinner.  Once I've got my menu I start cooking!

Cooking Methods
Chicken-The simplest way to cook frozen chicken is to boil it. I dump two bags into a big pot and 20 minutes later it's done! This does not add ANY flavor but if you are cool with that it's the easiest method.

Turkey Breast-I mix it up with different seasoning but always use lots of garlic powder(not garlic salt), red chili flakes and onion. These are all guilt free flavor boosters! Last week I threw in some basil and hot sauce for a little Thai Basil spin.  Note-I always use extra lean 99% Fat Free.

Fish-Pan seared, no oil. I usually add cayenne pepper and a little squirt of lemon juice.

Veggies-Roasted is the way to go! Everything taste good spread out on a cookie sheet roasted at 400 for 20 minutes.  I usually add about a teaspoon of olive oil, salt and pepper.  Lemon juice is a great addition too.

Condiments!
These condiments will become your best friend.  They have virtually no carbs and add a huge flavor boost to anything and everything. I will cut out Tapatio due to sodium once I'm closer to my competition but for now it's fair game!
*Mustard
*Salsa
*Cinnamon
*Hot Sauce

Once I have everything cooked it's time to bust out every piece of Tupperware in the kitchen! I set them all out and measure my veggies and weigh my protein.  You will feel like an assembly line worker so just get used to it! Start to finish it takes me about 2.5-3 hours to make meals for 7 days, how amazing is that! Just a few hours a week spent in the kitchen and I don't have to even think about what I'm going to eat for a week! I can't tell you how much this has reduced my stress...aahhh:).  Not to mention, it gives me ZERO excuses to get off track! Preparation is the key to success and getting those abs!

I label each meal with the day and which meal it is. Yes, I'm a bit neurotic I know!

Happy Cooking~

Want a FREE 5 Day Meal Plan!? Download Now!

I can't stress enough the importance of nutrition as part of your healthy lifestyle.  You can work out as much as you want but if you follow it up with a cheese burger everyday you aren't going to get that six pack(duh).  If your goal is to lose body fat and get lean enough to see all those muscles you are building you must eat right.  But what is eating "right"? There are SO many books, websites, shows and articles about diet and nutrition, it's no wonder most people throw up their hands and give up or choose an unsafe crash diet. I wanted to share with you what I eat on a day to day basis to give you some sort of starting point.  Your nutrition plan will likely differ but at the very least you can see what types of food can help you get lean.  Please note that I am not a nutritionist(yet) but it's what has worked for me after much research.  Goals for my daily nutrition are to stay as lean as possible while providing my body with enough calories to support heavy workouts and sustain muscle.
Please be sure to change the portions to meet YOUR caloric intake needs.  It's based on weight as well as activity level and age.
Go to this website for your caloric recommendation- http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

I eat a low carb diet(again not for everyone) but it works for me.  I "cycle up" or switch to a carb heavy day about every 5 days(I've included a meal plan for this day too).  I believe this keeps my metabolism burning hot and torching that fat! Everyone's bodies are different and it may take some experimentation to find the best nutrition plan for you.  Bottom line is this-eat as clean as possible.  This means eating minimally processed foods, straight from the source.  Fresh meat, vegetables and fruit. If you do buy something in a box read the ingredients label.  Do you know what everything is? If not, chances are you can make a better choice.

Low Carb Meal Plan #1
Breakfast
Mid Morning
Lunch
Mid Afternoon
Dinner
Evening
5 Oz 99% Fat Free Ground Turkey Breast
Snack
Post Work Out
Totals-1370 Calories
Mid Morning
Lunch
Mid Afternoon
Dinner
Evening
Snack
Post Work Out
Totals-Calories-1448 (+50)

Post Workout
Mid Morning
Lunch
Mid Afternoon
Dinner
Evening
Snack

Totals-1387 Calories
Fat-22 Grams (15%)

Here's another article for further reading if you'd like! http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/6-pack-abs-diet-strategy-that-gets-results.htm

I wish you all the best of luck in getting that lean devious-ly fIT bod you want. You got this!
XO,
Kristin Want a FREE 5 Day Meal Plan!? Download Now!

I've been helping some friends and family with their nutrition plans and I'm reminded of all the things I've learned about healthy eating in the last year.  I've read countless articles about nutrition until the wee hours of the night(you know 10 pm for me, haha).   I love the science and math of nutrition and how you can manipulate your health and body composition, it's awesome! Well, I may be a little overzealous about it but you benefit by getting all the important info without all the heavy reading! I'm not a nutritionist by any means but I've applied what I know and seen big results.

Part of a healthy lifestyle and transforming your body is of course choosing the right foods(read Eating 101 for more info). But it's not only about what and when you eat but the ratio of each food group you ingest.  Macro nutrients are the 3 basic nutrients found in food-Carbohydrates, Protein and Fat.  Each day I not only take into account my caloric intake but my percentage of each of these Macros.  You could eat 1200 calories of pure carbohydrates and another person could eat 1200 calories of protein and fat and their health and body composition is going to be very different right!? So, what I'm saying is that not all calories are created equal.  The ratio of macronutrient ratio you eat depends on a variety of factors including your fitness goals, body type and activity level.  I encourage each of you to consider reading more about macro nutrients and start counting your grams instead of calories if you are ready to see results.  The right balance of protein, carbs and fat at each meal will keep you fuller longer and your metabolism hummin'! So try it out! My Fitness Pal has a nutrient breakdown that is customizable and gives you a running tally of how many grams you have left in your day.  At this point I don't even count calories, I count macros.  I promise you won't go back to eating just anything once you start seeing those muscle grow and fat drop!

Don't believe me? Ready to get started!? Here are some articles written by people that are a bit more qualified-

Macro Calculator that gives you pre-set options:
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/nutrient_calculator.htm

The ideal macro ratio based on your body type:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/macro-math-3-keys-to-dialing-in-your-macro-ratios.html

Macros 101, When and Why
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/to-macro-or-not-should-you-track-your-macro-intake.html


Want a FREE 5 Day Meal Plan!? Download Now!

Winter is here and I couldn't be more excited! I LOVE Christmas and everything that comes along with it.  All the lights, christmas songs and mistletoe bring a huge smile to my face! Along with all those wonderful things come parties and gatherings with friends and family.  In addition to Christmas it's also my birthday month, so that means the wine and spirits are flowing and yummy food is in abundance(did I mention the Football potlucks too!).  I made a decision to indulge a bit this holiday season.  I've been counting each gram that passes my lips for months so I've allowed myself to check out here and there to eat, drink and be merry! Although it's been fun the scale is creeping up, ugh. Can I just rant for a second and ask the universe why it's so easy to gain weight and fat and take forever to get off!?(not fair, just sayin'!).

So, after I pouted and pinched my new excess belly fat, I made a plan.  I think this is the time when a lot of people give up and say well F-It, I tried and failed.  NO! This is when you pull up your boot straps(as my Dad would day) and get back on that horse! Everyone is going to have set backs but it's how you react to them that determines if you reach your goals. I think what taught me to push myself to success was sports. Growing up I played competitive softball and my coaches were always testing our limits of mental and physical stamina and it taught me to never give up. You always think you can't do something until it's done! But, enough about the glory days...here's my plan!

I took out my calendar(yes, a paper calendar) and mapped out all the parties I was planning to attend.  Then, I noted my high and low carb days trying to coordinate my "high" days with the parties.  So, what is a high day you ask...well it's not what you're thinking! My trick to dropping fat without losing muscle is to carb cycle.  This means that I eat low carb for about 5 days then have a day where I increase my carbs significantly(the "high" day).  My body reacts well to low carb eating; I feel better and see results.  In order to carb cycle you must count your macros(Carbs/Protein/Fat).  It's not as hard as it seems but you must measure and count your food.  My Fitness Pal app is what I use to track my grams and it makes it super easy! This is a technique you can use anytime you are looking to reduce your body fat(vacation, wedding, reunion etc).

Here is the breakdown I use:
Low Days:
Carbs-20%
Protein-55%
Fat-35%

High Days:
Carbs-55%
Protein-30%
Fat-15%

Carbs on my low days will come from all vegetables.  I might throw in the occasional rolled oats if I'm feeling fatigued but you will find it's challenging to stay at 20% with anything other than veggies.  On the high carb days I'll try to stick to healthy carbs such as sweet potatoes, rolled oats, quinoa and brown rice(except of course at cookie decorating parties and other holiday fun!).
Keep in mind this in not for everyone and I can only say it works for me but please do your research and be safe! You can lose muscle and actually slow down your fat/weight loss if you eat too few calories and nobody wants that.

Having a plan to get through the holiday's makes me feel much more at ease that come January I won't be starting from square one.  I can enjoy myself and all the lovely, amazing things happening this month which is what it's all about! So cheers to an amazing end to 2013 and I hope you all find yourselves under some mistletoe with a loved one soon!

Resources to read more about carb cycling(please read for more in depth information):
http://www.cutandjacked.com/Cheating-To-Leanness
http://www.cutandjacked.com/Carb-Cycling-Made-Easy