Carb Cycling

Hey everyone!  I wanted to take a while experiencing and playing around with Carb Cycling.  In short, carb cycling is the process where on hard workout days, such as heavy lifting, you increase your carbs and decrease your fat intake.  Then, on rest days or easier workout days, such as a 45 minute walk, you decrease your carbs and increase the fat!  The protein intake should be around the same on both days, but I like to increase my protein on low carb days to sustain my fullness throughout the day. The ultimate purpose of this cycling is to build muscle AND lose fat at the same time.  As most lifters know, the process of adding muscle mass and shedding away fat oppose each other entirely.  Adding muscle requires an increase in calories and enough carbs to refuel our glycogen.  While, losing body fat requires a decrease in calorie intake.  Ive been carb cycling for about 2 weeks now and honestly, I've seen improvement in my lifting performance and I think I am finally leaning out!  The only difficult thing for me is the fat intake.  I want to consume nut butter on heavy days, but the fat can be stored as excess body fat because the body is searching to store glycogen and insulin levels as much as possible, and carbohydrates and protein are the top macros the body wants for body building.  However, on low carb days, you can increase the fat intake, but consuming nuts is still not the best option.  Nuts have a decent amount of carbs in one serving.  If you are aiming to go 0 carbs on low carb days, nuts aren't the best answer.

Personally, on High carb days, I consume sweet potato, brown rice, lots of protein (as usual), onions, and veggies as usual.

On Low carb days, I consume more green veggies because they do not have enough carbs per serving, salmon, lots of protein, etc.  I like to go to Chipotle :)

For me, the fat intake isn't as significant to me as the carb differences each day.  I prioritize the carb increase and deficit. On low carb days, your body will be tricked and will burn fat rather than calories on high carb days.  Each day, you will be building muscle by eating a sufficient amount of protein!

Now, I can squat 5x5 180 lbs ( NEW PR!) deadlifts 1x5 130 lbs!  (ALSO ANOTHER PR!)

On low carb days, you might feel tired because of the lack of carbs, but make sure to remember your reason of starting to carb cycle!

My first day back to the Gym

So yesterday, I went on a 6 mile bike ride and it was a beautiful day.  Somehow while traveling, I injured my quadriceps tendon.  I"m not sure how, but it was sore and I couldn't squat well.  Therefore, I wanted to give it a break.  Also, I am still jet-lagged, but it isn't as bad as I thought it would be! The first night, I slept at 10 till 2 am and then 5 am till 930!  Last night, I slept from 10pm all the way till 7am!  I went to my gym today to get back on that grind :).  It was leg day for me today.  Let me just say, I was dripping on every machine!  I did barbell squats for 5 sets at most 125 pounds.  My heaviest weight before I left for my trip to China was 175.  I was pretty tired at 125.  I lost about 5 pounds of muscle over the trip so I need to get that muscle back!  I also did curtsy lunges, hamstring curls, front squats, lunges, all that leg work :)  It was nice to be pushing my body!  Hopefully, I am sore tomorrow!

For my post workout brunch, I had the Costco pre-cooked steak strips seasoned only with kosher salt and pepper so it is whole30 and 21 day sugar detox approved!  I made an egg whites omelette with spinach and tomatoes.  It was yummy and protein-packed.  I've noticed that I don't eat as much now; I'm not sure why, but it is probably because my body hasn't been needing so much food because of the lack of working out.

After my first 21 day sugar detox last month, I barely ate fruit and never ate natural sugars either.  Once in China, I loved their peaches and fruits America does not have, so I had about one or two(at most) in the day, never at night.  I never saw myself heavily craving fruit or something sweet!  I was proud of my discipline, but not only that, my changed taste buds!

Thanks for reading!

My China and Japan trip

I'm on my way back home and on this 13 hour flight, I have no excuse to not write about my trip.  It was wonderful. I loved seeing my family after 5 years.  As I said previously, I was terrified of the food and my approach to the cuisine.  In Japan, I was only there for two nights and barely

a morning because it was a connection flight, but I allowed myself to enjoy my favorite japanese food because I wouldn't be able to easily access or enjoy it as much in America.  So, yes, I did have rice :). Not too much though, but I had to eat my favorite unigiri, which is just a rice ball with many varieties.  Of course sashimi was on my plate and other traditional treats I missed.  So, Japan wasn't too hard, but china.... 

Chinese food is often cooked with LOTS of oil and salt and oil.... I dabbed each bite onto a tissue and it was still so oily.  However, I was so lucky.  We were always treated by family members and other friends for dinners at extrememly high quality and class restaurants with expensive , exquisite dishes.  I did have stomach issues as usual because of the oil, but I drank more water than usual, so I flushed out the toxins and salt!  That's one tip I truly recommend.  I was also blessed with 6 other aunts who cook very well to my preferences!  I basically asked for meat and veggies!!  I didn't eat one grain of rice or one dumpling or other traditional Chinese "Zhu Shi" which is just wheat/pastry including noodles, dumplings, bread, bao zi, rice, etc.  I didn't miss that kind of stuff and I wanted to indulge in the things I truly like eating in china, like the fruits nonexistent in America, or the vegetables!!  Almost every morning and night, I made sure I included some workout.  I either did a set of jump squats or planks.  Also, we did a lot of walking to get to places.  

As of right now, I'm not bloated anymore. I was tremendously bloated and in pain for the first week. I constantly had gas(sorry TMI), stomach discomfort, and slow digestion.  The second week, I didn't eat as much as I did in the first week.  My family though, thought it was SO odd and unhealthy that I don't eat grains and wheat.  I just tried to tell them my reasons and stuck to my own diet preferences that work for me!  

I am glad to be on my way home, and I am planning to do the 21 day sugar detox once again and/or whole30. I need a major detox from the food and the pollution! I am excited to get back on my health and fitness grind too. I feel like I can't lift weights anymore haha.  

Here are some pictures of the food I ate! 

On my way to Japan and China!!!

Today, my family and I are going to our two homelands: Japan and China!!! I prepared for the plane right by buying some trail mix, nuts, and homemade jerky!!!!!  👍Also, I made my own almond butter using chopped natural I roasted almonds! It was super easy by using an old food processor and some EVOO.  It will be tough balancing out my paleo diet in China, but I will definitely try my very best to still enjoy my time even! I shouldn't be discouraged or in a bad mood just because I can't eat the best dish for my diet!  I will keep you all updated throughout!! I will only be inJapan  for two days 👎👎. 

My post lifting workout brunch! Wild caught salmon with sautéed onions and chopped asparagus. Also, my carbs are broiled sweet potatos!

Today, I squatted 5 sets of 5 165 pounds and benched 5 sets of 5 75 pounds.  Plus, additional ab work and dead lifts of 135 pounds!  

Paleo chocolate ice cream!!!

Today, I made a paleo chocolate banana ice cream with a friend! We used about 2 cups of frozen banana chopped, and put it through my food processor.  After it had a nice icey texture, we added 2 Tbsp of raw cacao!  For me, it was sweet and refreshing! Great summer treat!  

Welcome! What to expect...

Hello!  This is my very first blog creation ever!  My topic and goal for this online public diary is to share my unheralded Paleo story through a large chapter, COLLEGE .   Anyway, what to expect here?  You will experience :

•  Frequent photo posts of my meals while probably struggling to find a Paleo option
• Submissions of my Fitness Journey ( I love lifting weights)
• Stories and Tips of ways to avoid the dreadful Freshman 15 while on a Paleo/healthier LIFESTYLE

Who am I?

Well, I won't be publishing my name anytime soon, but I am a fitness fanatic who played Lacrosse and Volleyball, Ran Track and Field, and danced for handfuls of years.  I carry a pretty strong athletic resume however, my diet has not been the strongest ever.  I've always had a muscular built, and not much fat because of a naturally quick metabolism.  Once I hit my later years in High School, I noticed extreme bloating and constant discomfort physically and emotionally.

My Senior year of high school, I discovered the Paleo Diet or Lifestyle.  After seeing jaw-dropping  'Before and After' s photo externally and internally, I thought, "Hey, why not?"  In February, I fully committed to this Paleo Diet and now,  I can say this is my lifestyle.  However, it was not that easy.  Scrolling through extremely lean and skinny, which was "beautiful" to me then, I went to the extreme... I counted every calorie, every gram of fat and carbs, making sure I was not over my MyFitnessPal's plan to "beautiful".  Feeling cold, almost depressed, acting selfish, stubborn, and anti-social, I knew I wasn't eating enough even though I was eating unrefined, organic, grass-fed food.  I didn't want to talk to anyone because then, I rather spend time working out or planning out what to eat for my next meal.

My workout consisted of HIIT cardio and HIIT cardio only....

 I lost all the muscle I squatted, bench pressed, sprinted, jumped for from all my years of Varsity Athletics.  I felt weak, sad, and losing 2 pounds a day.  Not 2 pounds of fat, but 2 pounds of muscle.  Walking through the hallways and school stairs were extremely tiresome.  On the day of Lent, people give up Facebook, pizza, Sour Patch Kids, coffee until Easter day in April.  After two ankle rolls during Volleyball practice in one month, I knew I had to give up my obsession over calorie counting and becoming skinny.  I needed to become stronger!  Even though I did become skinnier, it was not beautiful and it made my personality ugly.  Food shouldn't do that.  Happiness was the last thing I could say I felt.

As Easter arrived, I was stronger and still 10 pounds lighter, but I felt progress and Progress is perfection.  By May, I have finally discovered my own healthy balance in eating diet, fitness, and happiness.   I rarely do cardio(sometimes the stairmaster) and instead, lift heavy weights through squats, deadlifts, bench presses, etc.  I have increased my squatting weight by 50 pounds already and I was strong enough to even partake in Insanity and the famous 21 Day Sugar Detox with my sister last month!  I saw great results and I will make a blog post( a shorter one)  about that next!

This is me.  This is my story so far.  I can't wait to see how I will be challenged in College without a kitchen, but I know I can do it.  I have hope that I will strive in this...JOURNEY!

Thanks for reading this overly long post ;)