You’ve heard me rant on a few times about focusing on protein and veggies for my meals and, based on the great feedback I received in my Facebook group, you’re curious why.
Am I following keto?
Is this Atkins?
Am I just crazy?
To answer those questions, I am not following a specific diet per se.
I may be a little crazy 😜 but, on this diet switch, I don’t think so.
See, my goal is not to get into ketosis and I’m not doing long bouts of intermittent fasting.
Instead, I’m focusing on the nutrients my body needs at the times it needs it.
Why I Focus on Protein Plus Veggies for My Meals
There’s a few reasons why I’m sticking to this protein plus veggies combination for my meals.
First, I’m working with a coach who specializes in the condition that I have, and that was his recommendation.
However, it’s one that I’ve personally used before working with him after learning more about the effects carbs have on your blood sugar.
Let me explain this a bit.
I’ve mentioned before that my body type is an endomorph (short, curvy, struggle with losing weight and easily gain weight) and that I have a condition that affects how my body processes insulin (known as insulin resistance).
So my goal with eating, because of these factors, is to keep my blood sugar and insulin spikes as low as possible.
I also want to keep my blood sugar levels steady so that I can cruise to my next meal without needing a snack in between.
The reason for this is that everytime you eat or drink something, it raises your blood sugar levels.
So when I was snacking in between meals, I was actually making it harder for my body to regulate its insulin levels because I was spiking them every few hours by snacking.
For some people, this way of eating works and makes sense. Unfortunately for me, it did not.
I found myself constantly “starving” and hangry if I didn’t eat within a few hours.
I also felt this way when I ate too many carbs, no matter their source.
I’ll never forget checking my blood sugar the next morning after a night out eating sushi — I was at a 175!
This is low for someone who is diabetic, but it’s way off from where I should be.
Some of my fasted blood sugar readings hover around 98-102, which means sushi gave me a 75 point increase overnight. Plus, I’m trying to get this fasted number down a bit since it’s actually sitting in a pre-diabetic stage.
At that point, I knew I needed to fix this and get smarter about my macronutrient breakdown.
That’s where I shifted my fuel sources to focus on protein and veggies first and using carbs strategically.
Here’s why these two nutrients have most of my attention:
Quick Recap on Protein and Its Benefits
Protein is not just beneficial for bodybuilders and those looking to hulk up.
You may not realize that protein is inside every cell in your body and, unlike fats or carbs, it’s not stored [*].
So it’s crucial that you get enough protein each day through the foods you eat [*].
When you do this, you’ll keep your bones, muscles, and skin strong [*].
Not only that, studies show that eating protein helps:
- Keep your lean muscle mass preserved as you lose weight [*]
- With weight management [*] — protein keeps you feeling satiated (or full) for longer
- Improve blood sugar regulation [*] — the insulin spikes aren’t nearly as big as they would be with carbs
But, as I mentioned before, it’s up to you to find the right protein amounts to meet your needs — or to work with a pro (not me) who can help you get there.
What I eat won’t be the same for you.
Again, I’m not a nutritionist but this is what seems to work for me.
Since I hate tracking every bite I take, I try to use the “palm” rule where my protein is roughly the size of my palm.
I also try to keep it between 25-30% of my plate tops — I’m definitely not doing a “high protein” diet.
Moving along, let’s get into:
The Benefits of Fiber and Eating Enough Veggies
Technically protein, carbs, and fats are considered macronutrients, or those that your body needs in large quantities.
I would argue that fiber should also be a macronutrient.
Personally, I feel a huge difference when I’m eating enough fiber and when I’m not.
My stomach is less bloated, I’m not constipated and moving regularly 😉, and I just feel better.
Now, for some people reading this, you may have problems digesting fiber and this plan won’t work for you.
But for me, I’m #TeamFiber all the way and definitely need more of it in my life.
That’s where the protein and veggies part comes in.
Veggies are packed with fiber, among many other nutrients, which is beneficial for a few reasons.
Fiber supports [*]:
- Healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels
- Blood sugar regulation
- Better digestion
- Improved satiety
Filling up on non-starchy veggies also helps because you can eat a larger volume of food, without racking up a huge calorie boost — as long as it’s not covered in sauces and butter.
I also find that covering half of my plate with non-starchy veggies helps me feel full faster.
You can see what that looks like in my What I Eat for Breakfast post.
By this point, you may be thinking, what about carbs and fat? Do you just avoid those altogether?
How I Manage My Carbs and Fat Intake
I don’t avoid all carbs and fat.
From experience, avoiding entire food groups can lead to imbalances and extreme cravings — tell me I can’t have carbs and that’s all I’ll crave.
So I’m just more strategic about it now.
I’m not dumping globs of butter or coconut oil in my food and I’m no longer overdoing it on seeds and nuts — the last two can rack up the calorie count so quick.
As for my carbs, I’m having these closer to my workouts and stick to “healthier” ones for this purpose — sweet potatoes, quinoa/brown rice mix, a slice of Dave’s Killer bread.
I also weave in other not-so-good for you carbs like pizza or desserts here and there but try not to make them an everyday or back-to-back habit.
I try to eat protein and veggies first and choose better-for-you versions when I do enjoy a treat so that I don’t feel like crap the next day — this makes it easier to bounce back.
I’m definitely someone who needs flexibility when it comes to my “diet” so I find that these strategies work well for me.
Now You Know Why I Focus on Protein and Veggies
Because you’re here, you now know why I’ve been on a protein and veggie kick these last few months.
I’d love to turn it over to you.
What did you think after reading that?
I’m also curious to hear what works for you?
Let me know in the comments below.
And thank you for making it this far!
I hope your day is great,
Devan