Today is day four of the #fasterwaytofatloss boot camp and I am loving it! I must say, @amandatress you are an amazing inspiration! Being a female entrepreneur myself, and having listened to her this week has provided me helpful insights and encouragement for the struggles I face daily!

For the fist two days of this program we focused on low carbs in order to deplete our glycogen stores combined with intermittent fasting to maximize our fat burning hours. #keto  Day one and day two workouts were just sprints, which burns additional fat stores for the best results.  Yesterday was a heavy lifting day (arms) and today was another heavy lifting day focused on legs.

To say I felt a little soreness when I got out of bed this morning is an understatement, and my legs are already like jello from this morning’s workout. If I even get near a stairwell or squat on the pot, I think they might actually give out.  LOL! (picture this; woman knocked unconscious in the bathroom as her legs gave out and she busted her head on the toilet)  I just have to laugh at myself and remember I got into this mess because I haven’t worked out in six months! “Positive changes, one day at a time!”

Since yesterday and today are ‘heavy-lifting’ days, I am granted a little more flexibility in the carbs arena.  Low-carb days are under 50 net carbs, however, yesterday and today are more about the macro percentage and the extra carbs are OK.

What exactly are macros?  

Macronutrients are the caloric content found in food.  Sometimes referred to as “macros,” the three categories are carbohydrates, fat, and protein. The caloric combination of the macros is where that mysterious total number of calories comes from. Here’s the breakdown:

• 1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories
• 1 gram of fat = 9 calories
• 1 gram of protein = 4 calories

So it’s not about how many calories are in your food, but what kind of calories are in your food.

Simply put, strict calorie setting can be deceiving; you could be staying within your calorie count for the day but eating total crap.  I can’t count how many times I have seen people come into my shop and we start talking about their ailments, lack of energy, focus, fatigue, and their inability to lose weight. Then once we actually start looking at what they are consuming, (ie. cereal bars, fat-free ready meals, plus all those items that appear to be healthy and are full of artificial flavors, preservatives, additives,) it’s no wonder they feel like total shit.

How do you track macros?  

I am currently using the My Fitness Pal app which is addicting!  It helps me keep a food diary, and it has everything (all the way to Trader Joe’s cookie butter)  programmed and will give you the calorie count, macro breakdown, etc.  You can also scan barcodes through the app, adjust your serving size, and create your own recipes to get an accurate breakdown of what you are putting in your body. (and that’s just the beginning)

What are the benefits of ditching the calorie counting method?

For starters, you can indulge with a little less guilt. “Eat for crying out loud, and eat what you want!” Fit them into your macro allowances, and don’t just stick to ‘boring foods’ or you’ll burn-out and then binge. When you’re eating a balanced diet, the cravings go away, because you’re no longer deficient in anything. This balance will give you more energy, better workouts, and better results.

Feeling better, working out better, killing cravings, and treating yourself to the foods you love? Sounds too good to be true right? Well, stay with me through this six-week journey and we will prove this method to be either true or false.

What is the best ratio of macros for a typical day? 

With the #fasterwaytofatloss boot camp, I focus my macro ratio at 50% carbs, 30% fat, and 20% protein.   I tend to be a little higher in the fat% intake because I am used to eating keto and paleo and therefore consume more coconut, avocados, nuts, etc.  So my percentage of fat may be slightly higher but my trans fats are always 0.

I am currently in a closed boot-camp facebook group where we send our macro counts each day to have that accountability and support.  I have seen across the board that you honestly have to push yourself to eat and keep eating to reach the right carbs and macro counts for the day. You just feel full and aren’t super hungry.  Amanda even encouraged us to enjoy a doughnut today since we had a heavy leg day. “It’s all about progress, not perfection!” (mind-blown) This may sound weird, but when you are eating the right foods (primarily gluten, dairy, and soy free) you will have that full sensation, not be ‘hangry’ or have cravings.  It has been eye-opening and freeing, to say the least!

Alrighty then,  I say that is enough info for one day!  Y’all know I couldn’t leave you without a recipe and this one is a good one! Not just that it tastes good but it is really good for you, and the macros on this bad-boy are fantastic!  You noticed the title of this post says “I can still eat bread!” and just like Oprah, who doesn’t love bread? I am remaining gluten free, meeting my macro goals, and  I can still have bread!

Please enjoy this delicious recipe for my QUICK & EASY ten minute English Muffins topped with guacamole and salmon salad.  It is the perfect start to the day (even if you don’t break your fast until noon).

Gluten Free English Muffins topped with Guacamole and Salmon Salad 

Yield: makes 4-6 muffins 

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 6 tsp coconut flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 TBSP Nutritional Yeast  (optional, but gives it a cheesy flavor)
• Pinch of Paprika, garlic, and dried basil ( add red pepper flake if you like a little spice)
• 2 TBSP of coconut oil for searing edges

Directions

Whisk eggs, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, nutritional yeast and spices in a medium bowl vigorously until well combined.   Pour contents of egg mixture into a greased or non-stick muffin pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes  or until they have risen and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Once the muffins are cool enough to handle, slice in half. Preheat a non-stick or stainless steel saute pan with 2 TBSP of coconut oil on a medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, place the muffins in the pan cut side down and allow the edges to sear and crisp.  Remove and serve immediately.

Calories per muffin  Fat- 16.7g     Protein- 6.7g    Carbs – 3.3 g  Fiber – 2 g

You could top this with anything….bacon and eggs, smoked salmon and goat cheese, sliced ham and honey dijon.

I topped mine with a TBSP  of Avocado’s number Guacamole from Trader Joe’s   on each half (total count of 3) and whipped up a quick salmon salad by using a 1/2 can of Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon, mixed with fresh dill (1/2 a bunch), 2 Tbsp capers, and about a 1/4 of a red onion sliced. Mix together in a bowl and serve on top of the guacamole on the seared English muffins.

Beats the heck out of  bagels & lox any day and it’s guilt free! 

 Thanks to My Fitness Pal app, I also can give you the macro breakdown of this dish!

Total Nutrition per serving as shown in the picture (3 halves) is as follows:

Fat= 21.4g    Protein= 21.8g   Carbs= 17.7g   Fiber=10.5g

Macro Percentage: 25% carbs / 50% fat / and 25% protein   (remember this is not a daily macro percentage just this dish and it’s very high in fiber!)

Enjoy!