Consistency Over TIME = Habit & Lifestyle Change

My weight loss journey began back in the winter of 2013. I stopped getting on the scale once I saw 199 pounds on my 5’3” frame. I was in my mid-thirties and struggling to keep up with my young niece and nephew while playing. I knew it was time to take control of my lack of self-control with food! I started tracking what I was eating and started working out. The weight flew off at first…then I plateaued. I never ate terribly along with working out very consistently but I still could not kick the last 15-20 pounds that I knew would help me feel better in my own skin!

In May of 2021, I started working with Morgan and Taylor at Mac Out Nutrition. I was ready to have help to figure out why I couldn’t get below 139 pounds and why I couldn’t see any more changes in my body (muscles and toning). I had counted calories, followed food restriction plans, and various other dieting tricks. However, nothing was lasting or showed results like I was hoping for. Right away, when I started following the plan Mac Out Nutrition had for me, the scale went down some but what I noticed even more was muscle definition and areas of my body that were shrinking! I wondered if I would ever be able to tone areas that I had stretched my skin out with poor habits in my teens and twenties. Now, I’m seeing that it is possible to tighten and tone those areas…and keep going!

This amazing sister team offers perfect advice, support, encouragement and plans for anyone wanting to make a true change! It’s not an overnight miracle pill but a plan that will help you see how to change your relationship with food! A balanced and adjustable meal plan is perfection! I never had to say “no” as long as it fit within my goals! This is my new norm for food from here on out! It works!

 

 

Sara Butler, Mac Out Nutrition Coach, Certified Personal Trainer

 

Breaking Through Plateaus

Plateaus are a given during your weight-loss journey, but it is how we look at them that makes all the difference.  

Let’s not think of a plateau as a point in your journey where your body is stuck, but a point in your journey where your body is actually able to maintain its new weight.  Ultimately, when we reach our goal we want to be able to maintain it.  A plateau is showing us that our body is capable of maintaining its new weight.  It’s showing us that we are capable of maintaining our goal once we reach it.  Yes!

However, what if we haven’t reached our goal yet?  How should we break through the plateau?  

Plateaus occur because there is no longer a deficit.  Our energy “in” has equaled our energy “out”.  Often people want to jump right to having their macro numbers lowered.  But what if your numbers are already low?  Do you really want to eat less food?  (Eating even less food can make it hard to stick to the plan!) 

Let’s think about a few other things to help break through your plateau before considering lowering your macro numbers – 

*Are you tracking everything you put in your mouth?  Little bites add up and can put you over your macros causing your progress to slow down.  Also, undereating can tamper with your progress…are you tracking food that you are not actually eating?

*If you are feeling hungry, which is causing you to make questionable food choices, consider increasing foods that have less calories but you can eat more of – for example, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, and many other veggies – to help you feel full.

*Increasing training sessions during the week – consider increasing the amount or duration of formal exercise during your week

*Consider the intensity of your training sessions – are you able to safely increase the intensity of your training sessions?  Lift heavier weight? Increase reps? Pushing yourself a little bit harder?

*If your schedule does not allow you to add training sessions into your week or increase their duration, consider increasing your movement throughout the day.  For example, parking farther from the store, standing more at work, taking 5-10 minute walks throughout the day, etc.

With a few adjustments, we can break through a plateau and be back on the road to reaching our goals!

 

-Leslie Benner, Health Coach

How to Create Sustainable New Years Goals

Here we go, we’re already over halfway through the first month of the new year! Some of us have BIG goals to crush from financial to educational or nutrition/fitness related. No matter what your goal is, is it completely off the wall from your normal routine OR is it something you truly can accomplish and sustain within this New Year?

January is always a busy time for nutrition and fitness programs! All health services are overloaded and diets generally are in full go. Mid spring these services usually slow down or taper off and gyms start to decrease in capacity. Every. Single. Year. 

So let me ask you this? Why not set reasonable goals, goals that you can sustain and have flexibility for a lifetime? I can’t tell you after someone learns I’m a dietitian they start talking to me about a certain “Fad diet” and how they have learned what foods are “good” and “bad.” Conversations usually lead me to saying, “you know, you really can eat all foods in moderation unless you have a medical reason or allergy.” I usually get the confused look and the questions filled with doubt.

You really can eat everything in moderation. That’s sustainability without restriction and let me tell you, I’m here for it. 

Let’s talk about nutrition or fitness goals that look a little different than previous years.

Instead of making a goal to go to the gym 6 times per week when you haven’t exercised ever, try 2 times per week.

Instead of plunging into a Keto or Atkins diet when you love carbohydrate rich foods like fruits, pastas, bread etc., maybe try to incorporate 3 vegetables into your normal diet every single day? It’s a healthier step and not so restrictive. 

Instead of saying I’m never eating out, try limiting restaurant foods to 1-2 times per week?

Instead of saying “No” to pop, try limiting it to 1 beverage per week.

See what I did? I created common goals and switched them to more realistic practices. I think it’s great each of us have big goals for ourselves, however, big goals can not be achieved without creating small, flexible changes first. Being goal oriented and having something to crush is empowering. Just remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

 

Through our personalized nutrition coaching, you will make sustainable changes that align with your current lifestyle through our flexible, macronutrient-based approach to nutrition. We’ll arm you with a solid nutrition foundation that will help you set goals and create progress you can sustain for a lifetime – not just a quick fix – and provide guidance every step of the way! Click here to “Get Started”.

3 Macro Friendly Holiday Desserts

Dessert is by far the #1 dish we look forward to on the holidays. Below are a few macro friendly options that would be fantastic to take to a holiday gathering that will satisfy your sweet tooth! Yum!

1. Strawberry Pretzel Salad

This high protein spin on my favorite holiday dessert is SO good, similar to the original!

Mix together for a perfect treat! 

All you need:

1 cup Two Good Strawberry (or vanilla) yogurt

2 oz low fat cottage cheese

1 cup SF Strawberry Jello

1 oz diced strawberries

10 pretzel twists

Macro breakdown: 24P, 3F, 21C

Kate Lyman Nutrition

2. FunFetti Protein Cake

Who doesn’t love cake? My brother-in-law, Cory, made this recipe and I can’t get enough of it! Cake is the perfect dessert for ANY occasion! Holidays, birthdays, rainy days, etc!

Cake Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (159g) Kodiak Cakes Buttermilk pancake mix 

3 scoops (93g) Quest Vanilla Milkshake protein powder 

1/2 cup (96g) Swerve granular sugar substitute 

2 tsp (8g) baking powder 

1 cup (240 mL) unsweetened cashew/ almond milk 

1/2 cup (120g) unsweetened apple sauce 

1/2 cup (122g) canned pumpkin 

1 large egg (50g) 

2 tsp (8g) vanilla extract 

4 tbsp (40g) sprinkles 

Frosting Ingredients:

4oz. (110g) fat-free cream cheese, softened to room temperature 

1/2 cup (120g) 0% plain Greek yogurt 

31g (1 scoop) Quest Vanilla Milkshake protein powder 

2 tbsp (24g) Swerve granular sugar substitute 

1 tsp (4g) vanilla extract

All you do:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray two 8″ round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. 
  2. Mix the dry cake ingredients in a large bowl. Keep sprinkles set aside. Add wet ingredients and whisk together until smooth. Fold 2 tbsp of sprinkles into the batter.
  3. Pour half of the batter into each cake pan. Bake for 22-26 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cakes to completely cool before adding the frosting. 
  4. For the frosting: Blend the cream cheese and vanilla extract until smooth and pour into a medium sized bowl. Add the Greek yogurt and protein powder, mix thoroughly. 
  5. Frost the top of one cake before placing the second cake on top. Frost the top and sides of both cakes together and top with remaining sprinkles. Enjoy! Refrigerate after serving. 

Makes 8 slices, each: Cal: 200, F: 3g, C: 32.5g (2.5g fiber), P: 21g

Breanne Freeman, Master Your Macros

3. Mini Pumpkin Pies – Perfect for Thanksgiving! 

Morgan P. created these delicious mini pies! Prepare pumpkin filling mix  – {making the mix from the ingredients from the back of the pumpkin can}. Pour 1/4 cup mix in each mini pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for ~1 hour. Simply top with whipped cream! 

Macros for each WITH whip cream: 2.4P, 6.7F, 16.5C

Try new recipes! Look for healthier alternatives or substitutions while still incorporating your favorite foods and treats within your diet. To learn more about how to incorporate your favorite foods and still reach your goals, set up a call with us and get started!