30 Day Protein Challenge

Every once in a while it's a good idea to take a step back and look at and think about what you're eating. About thirty minutes ago I learned about the Beef It's What's For Dinner 30 Day Protein Challenge and I decided rather spur of the moment to do it. This is not an April Fool's Day Joke.


Even though the challenge is being put on by Beef It's What's For Dinner, the challenge itself is not beef-specific. Rather, it's about simply eating a balanced diet that includes 25-30 grams of lean protein in each meal. I decided to do it for a few reasons. First, I really don't actually have an idea of how much protein I eat in a day, so it will be nice to simply learn more about my eating habits as they currently stand. Maybe I'll learn something and be able to make a smarter shift in my diet. Second, my family ranches, so I'm all about learning to find new ways to eat beef as part of a healthy, balanced diet. Third, I think it's a good idea to be mindful of what we are eating, so journaling on and off for a month will likely help with that.

I've already taken the first step toward completing the challenge. I printed off the calendar they have on their website and I'm starting this first week with simply journaling about what I'm eating, noting how much protein, and noting how I feel after I eat what I eat.  Since I also love fitness, and fitness and fuel go hand in hand, I'm also going to journal about my fitness activities and how/if they are being affected by what I am eating.

Throughout the challenge, I'll be blogging about my progress and what I've learned, as well as hopefully posting some images of protein-rich balanced meals I'm eating, and how I'm fueling my fitness and recovery. You can follow along here on the blog, or on my FB page, or on my Instagram, which is (at)katie(dot)r(dot)bangs. I'm excited to give this challenge a try and to share what I'm learning with each of you!

Think you're interested in participating in the 30 Day Protein Challenge, too? Click on over to Beef It's What's For Dinner to get started! There's no cost to participate. Just like anything else, you'll get out of it what you put into it.

Be BOLD!

Have any of my readers been cutting back on red meat, specifically beef, because it has been thought to be linked to negative aspects on heart health, and health in general?  Don't you miss eating a delicious steak or beef entree?

Well, good news for you.   Recent studies have shown that beef has been linked to heart health in a positive way. Check out this article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: http://www.ajcn.org/content/95/1/9.full.  They tested something called the BOLD diet, or Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet, compared to other diets of varying degrees and sources of protein.  Their conclusion?

 Conclusions: Low-SFA, heart-healthy dietary patterns that contain lean beef elicit favorable effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) lipid and lipoprotein risk factors that are comparable to those elicited by a DASH dietary pattern. These results, in conjunction with the beneficial effects on apolipoprotein CVD risk factors after consumption of the BOLD and BOLD+ diets, which were greater with the BOLD+ diet, provide support for including lean beef in a heart-healthy dietary pattern.

I would like to repeat one line in particular: HEART-HEALTHY DIETARY PATTERNS THAT CONTAIN LEAN BEEF ELICIT FAVORABLE EFFECTS ON CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE!

WAHOOO!

In this study, the most beneficial diet was BOLD+, or Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet with additional sources of protein.  So, cook your lean-cut-of-beef steak, and add some legumes as a side dish, or some healthy nuts in your salad, and rest easy knowing that you're actually doing your heart a favor.

Of course, you should enjoy beef as part of a rounded, well-balanced diet.  I am not saying that you should eat beef and only beef, but for goodness sake, let's decriminalize it a little bit, shall we?

A healthy diet consists of a variety of protein sources in healthy portion sizes. Most portion recommendations for meat are about 6 ounces, or the size of a deck of cards, especially for beef.  Go ahead and order a steak, but don't get the 20oz T-Bone Supreme.  Unless you actually have the discipline to eat only 6oz and take the rest home as leftovers, or plan to share. DO prepare a healthy cut of beef and round out your meal with plenty of fruits and veggies and of course, healthy whole grains like wheat and barley (I sense another post in the future about wheat and barley as part of a healthy diet... hmmm...).

Not sure what a healthy cut of beef might be? Here's a great chart.  Next time I prepare a healthy beef recipe, I'll be sure to take pictures and upload the recipe. Happy beef-eating everyone, and be BOLD!