Happy Saturday!

For those of you that do P90x or are familiar with any of those BeachBody programs, you’ve probably heard of Michi’s Ladder. I actually didn’t learn about this until today when I was researching info for the meal plan I will be creating. (Sign up for the newsletter if you want me to email you a copy!)

So what is Michi’s Ladder? Direct from the BeachBody site:

“Michi’s Ladder is a simple guideline that goes from the healthiest, most fitness-friendly foods (which you should eat most frequently) to the least-healthy, most body-depleting foods (which you should only have as occasional treats, if at all). If you’re wondering whether or not to eat a certain food, this list will help you decide.”

Great! This will be a very useful guideline as I look to find favorite foods and substitutions for my meal plan. It looks like I am already only eating from tiers 1 and 2 which is a great sign. Except…whole eggs falls in tier 3! They are not bad for you  – in fact they are a great source of choline which helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system. Nutritionists today have also found that eating 1-2 whole eggs a day will not lead to a measurable rise in cholesterol as previously believed. But anyway, I suppose for those seriously looking to lose weight replacing whole eggs with egg whites will help you cut calories in the end.

A 40% carb, 30% protein and 30% fat meal plan seems to be what a well balanced diet looks like. This is what I’m getting from fitness competitor, BeachBody coach, and weight loss blogs. Of course, this is different for everyone. I must do more research and figure out what works for me.

Overall, I don’t think we need to go super crazy here counting carbs, fats, and proteins (unless you’re a fitness competitor!). A healthy meal plan is a guideline to help us stay focused or stay on track. If you’re already eating clean and love how you feel/look you probably don’t need one because you are accustomed to making the right choices. But for those of you that workout, and “think” you’re eating well but are gaining weight, chances are you’re messing up on your diet. Meal plans are GREAT for keeping us AWAY for those bad food choices that can happen more often than we think. And from excessive and mindless caloric intake.

Hope you liked, stay tuned for more research I find!

Cassey

SOURCES:

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-eggs.html

http://faq.teambeachbody.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1037/~/what-is-michi’s-ladder%3F