Maintaining a healthy and fit body composition while managing digestive issues can be a delicate balance. As a pescatarian with dietary restrictions, I’ve developed a strategic approach to my daily meals to optimize my energy levels, support muscle growth, and keep digestive discomfort at bay.
Morning Routine:
My day begins with a focus on hydration and stimulating my body for optimal digestion. I kickstart my morning with a 24-ounce glass of ice-cold electrolytes, followed by a cup of hot caffeine-free mushroom coffee. This combination not only hydrates me but also stimulates my colon to ensure a smooth start to the day.
Within the first half hour of waking, I take a 4 to 6-minute ice bath, Plunging into 48 to 52-degree water might sound daunting, but the benefits are UNPARALLELED. This process kickstarts your body’s natural healing processes. Not only does it heavily reduce inflammation ans swelling but it promotes better mood due to the increase in oxygen supply to your brain. Additionally it activates your parasympathetic nervous system through the Diver’s Reflex. This sets the tone for optimal digestion (think: “Rest and Digest”).
Breakfast:
Immediately following the ice bath, I have a light breakfast, opting for solid foods to stimulate bowel movements effectively. This typically includes two bananas or a combination of a banana, a Larabar, and a glass of unsweetened almond milk.
Pre-Workout Nutrition:
Prioritizing my energy levels for workouts, I strategically consume a serving of oatmeal with blueberries 30 to 40 minutes before exercising. This provides my body with the necessary fuel (carbohydrates & healthy sugars) for the workout and allows time to begin digestion, preventing any stomach cramping during physical activity.
Workout Routine:
Your workouts should be tailored to your body’s needs and energy levels. These are dependent on a variety of factors including the quality AND quantity of sleep you had the night before, your current energy levels, the amount of responsibilities/tasks you have for the day, your symptoms, amongst others. This is what I do to ensure my workouts are a glowing success:
Lasting around an hour, they begin with dynamic stretches like Knee Hugs and Frankensteins, followed by muscle growth exercises utilizing resistance bands.
I prioritize full-body movements to maximize efficiency and results, engaging my entire body to promote maximum muscle growth. By engaging multiple muscle groups simultaneously, I optimize calorie burn and improve overall strength.
When you work out different muscle groups together, you’re essentially firing up your metabolism, leading to increased calorie burning during and even after your workout. This means that even while you’re resting, your body continues to burn fat more efficiently because muscle burns more calories than fat. So, the more muscle you have on your body, the more fat you burn.
Full-body workouts also have the added benefit of reducing the risk of injury. When you isolate specific muscle groups, you’re putting a lot of strain on those muscles, which can lead to overuse injuries over time. By incorporating compound exercises that engage multiple muscle groups, you’re distributing the workload more evenly throughout your body, reducing the risk of overuse and imbalance. Plus, strengthening the core and stabilizing muscles through full-body movements helps improve balance and coordination, making you less prone to accidents in your day-to-day activities.
Each exercise in my routine is carefully chosen to target multiple muscle groups simultaneously, ensuring a well-rounded and effective workout session that benefits both my body and mind.
Post-Workout Nutrition:
Immediately after my workout, I prioritize muscle recovery by consuming a serving of protein (20-30 grams). Whether it’s a healthy plant-based protein shake, freshly cooked salmon, or cod, this meal provides essential branch-chain amino acids necessary for muscle repair and growth. I pair my post-workout protein with one to one and a half cups of carrots or mushrooms, ensuring a balanced and nutritious meal.
Throughout the Day:
I maintain a balanced diet consisting of:
4 servings of protein
2 servings of carbohydrates
2 servings of fruit
4 servings of vegetables
1 serving of healthy fat
1-2 servings of healthy oils or plant-based milk
Dinner:
As the day winds down, I transition into my evening routine, a time dedicated to nourishing my body and preparing for restorative sleep. It begins with a well-balanced dinner, carefully crafted to utilize the remainder of my allotted servings of nutrition for the day. Freshly cooked fish paired with a serving or two of veggies forms the basis of this meal, providing a satisfying yet light meal to fuel my body and promote optimal digestion.
Following dinner, I incorporate gentle stretching exercises, a short stroll around the block or a bit of light housework into my routine. These simple movements may seem insignificant, but they play a crucial role in facilitating proper digestion, ensuring that my body can efficiently process the day’s nutrition.
Bedtime:
As bedtime approaches, I shift my focus to preparing my body for optimal rest. I begin by taking my evening supplements, carefully chosen to promote proper digestion and enhance sleep quality. Then, I indulge in another 4 to 6-minute ice bath, which lowers my heart rate and again reduces the swelling I’ve accumulated throughout the day, thus promoting relaxation.
With my body primed for rest, I set aside 20 to 30 minutes of quiet reading time in dim lighting. This deliberate choice not only allows me to unwind from the day’s activities but also supports the proper function of my circadian rhythm, signaling to my body that it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep.
Benefits of a Pescatarian and Dairy-Free Lifestyle:
Being pescatarian and dairy-free offers numerous benefits for both my health and digestive well-being. By avoiding animal products, I manage my health conditions more effectively and experience fewer symptoms. Additionally, a plant-based diet is known to reduce inflammation and improve digestion. With all the added hormones and chemicals the food processing industry is supplementing our meat, eggs and milk with, in this era (despite the added vitamins to these animal products), the negative impacts to your health from consuming animal products far outweigh the benefits.
Do You Want to Learn How to Eat Right and Get Healthier?
As a personal trainer and certified nutrition coach, I’ve honed my approach to nutrition and fitness through personal experience and professional expertise. I’m passionate about helping others achieve their health and wellness goals, whether through in-person training or virtual coaching sessions.
I’m pleased to offer a FREE 15-minute Discovery Call for all my coaching specialties. There are NO STRINGS ATTACHED with this Discovery Call. This initial consultation serves as a valuable opportunity for us to connect on a deeper level, allowing me to gain insight into your unique goals, challenges, and aspirations.
During this session, we’ll discuss your objectives, giving you a clear understanding of what to expect from us working together.
Ultimately, my goal is to empower you to make meaningful changes in your life and achieve lasting results! Let’s make your wellness goals a reality together.
