Perfect Design II Day 5: Chrono-Nutrition Solution?

Grandma Ronnie always used to say, "Eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper."

It makes sense: Our bodies need fats and carbs in the morning to fuel our day, some more protein and carbs mid-day to keep us going, and minimal calories by the end of the day, since our heavy lifting is considered done.

The Chrono-nutrtition plan is based on that philosophy-- and along the lines of "Why French Women Don't Get Fat." I remember traveling through Europe when I was in college and being stunned by the gorgeous, thin women munching on cheese and bread as they sipped their wine. The key, apparently, is not just what you eat, but how much and when you eat it....

I got turned on by the Chrono-nutrition concept after reading some of the European girls touting this eating plan on Facebook. Some loyal TAM'ers were complaining that despite losing their saddlebags, their boobs were disappearing too. I can totally relate-- anytime I lose weight, it comes out of my face and chest first. (And there's not much there to begin with!)

Well, Chrono-nutrition has been touted as the, "Eat carbs and cheese, lose weight, but not your boobies" diet. I was intrigued.

Being consistent with my diet has been my biggest challenge in this commitment to getting healthy. I did OK on the Bootcamp menu, except for breakfasts. I hate fruit for breakfast! It's refreshing, it's lovely, yes. But does it satisfy the Mistress? Not so much.

I've always been a big breakfast person. Interestingly, even when I was my thinnest, my typical breakfast was eggs and toast with hash browns....I may have only eaten cauliflower after 10am, but I definitely enjoyed that first meal!

The Chrono-nutrition diet calls for a big breakfast of toast with cheese and butter...I repeat, toast with cheese and butter! I read that and was thinking, "This is a diet? Sweet! Sign me up!" You can have meat with your breakfast and up to 3 eggs a week.

Chrono-Nutrition Breakfast: Udi brand gluten-free toast with butter and jelly; scrambled eggs with brie cheese and turkey sausage

Lunch is 9oz of lean meat, (that's 3x the Tracy portion!) plus 1 cup of rice or potatoes. No vegetables. I repeat, no vegetables. Weird, huh?

Chrono-nutrition Lunch: 9 oz of grilled chicken with 1 cup of rice and chopped basil

Snack is chocolate and fruit...I made the chocolate blueberry pudding on the Bootcamp menu yesterday and today I made strawberry chocolate pudding. Divinely DELISH!

Chocolate Fruit Pudding

1 cup strawberries or blueberries

1/4 cup chocolate chips or dark chocolate melted

1 Tb cocoa powder

1/2 cup water

2 Tb coconut milk/cream

Blend in the food processor and freeze until ready to eat.

Chrono-nutrition Snack: Chocolate Blueberry Pudding

Dinner is another 9oz portion of protein, preferably fish, or a smaller portion of red meat with a cup of vegetables. No starch. The plan says if you're not hungry, to skip dinner altogether.

Chrono-nutrition Dinner: 9 oz Salmon with 1 cup of sautéed spinach with fresh garlic

I've done the diet for the last 2 days and the biggest change I notice is that I'm not at all hungry between meals. I have always been a "three squares a day" kind of girl-- not a big snacker. When I had a personal trainer years ago, it never felt natural to have the six mini-meals, as I was instructed to do. When I eat, I want to EAT in volume. The little snacky snacks here and there never satisfied me and usually made me hungrier.

Lately, with the intensity of my workouts, I felt myself getting hungry every 2 hours-- and thought that maybe, I should re-think the mini-meal concept. But, the problem for me the last few weeks, has been eating the mini-meals during the day and then a too-big meal at night since I was so damn hungry when I got home.

The other issue, is well....GAS. So much embarrassing gas. Just call me Gassy McFarterson.

I don't know whether it's been the increase in fiber and veggies in my diet, or more gluten issues, or what, but it's bad. I mean, BAD. And JP and I are not the "poop and fart in front of each other" kind of couple! So, I blame....the dogs. Just look at them. You can almost hear them saying, "Don't blame us, Mom!"

Blame it on Bonnie & Clyde...

NOT the case the last 2 days! I've been satisfied without being stuffed. I think the rice at lunch has a big part to play in that. No more cravings for salty, crunchy stuff in the afternoons.

And the gas has disappeared!

Could I have found a diet solution that actually works for me???? Dare I dream?

Since my metabolism is still adjusting to being off my anti-depressant and everything internally is still in flux, I figure I should pay attention when something seems to be working. And this definitely seems to be working! We'll have to see if the scale reflects thatwhen I finally get on it this weekend. (gulp!)

Here are some links to the actual diet, translated into English by a fabulous gal on FB. The pics are kind of funny as are the descriptions! Anyway, it appears that I am Morphotype Chéops.

The Chrononutrition Plan

Links About the Diet:

Staying Thin With Chocolate

Chrononutrition UK Article

Tonight I'm going to do the measurements--- I'm not used to grams and centimeters, but it's easy to do the conversions online.

Workouts have been awesome! I received the most amazing gift this week from a reader, the lovely and generous Inga Lake....She literally mailed me a treasure trove of Tracy material from Canada! Thank you, sweet Inga!

TAMtastic!

I'm loving Perfect Design and I feel like my butt might just have lifted up a bit more! I'm combining PD with regular dance cardio, although I've officially broken my rebounder-- 2 springs have popped off and JP, bless his heart, could not weld them back on! Time for a new tramp...er, trampoline!

I've been getting my workouts in between 5-7am. Now, I'm off to the grocery store now to stock up on more Chrono-nutrition ingredients! Oh, and wine is definitely on the menu tonight! This is a French diet, after all....

xxoo