You can also read this on Healthyandwholeyou.com
What's in store for today:
- My 3 go-to gas station / airport meals on the go...
- Struggling to reduce fat calories in your diet? Try these swaps...
- The daily habit that cured my depression...
Hey friend,
I'm traveling with my daughter Lochlyn this week for the All Star Worlds Cheer Competition in Orlando, FL! ✈️
Over 1600 teams...thousands of people...mostly cheerleaders...send ALL the prayers 😂
Seriously though, going to be a very fun week and super excited to see Lochlyn round out her cheer competition season and to have some fun in Orlando while we are at it.
It's been so amazing seeing her skill grow as a cheerleader and tumbler...
Her dedication...I tear up just about everytime she takes the stage 😭
But hey...that's why we have kids right?
It's life's greatest adventure and greatest honor...
But travel or not...here is this week's Feel Good Friday Edition of the Practical Health Journal...
My 3 Go-To Gas Station / Airport Meals On The Go
As I am heading to the airport this morning I am reminded of how important it is to have solid options you can lean on ANYWHERE...ANYTIME.
And that includes gas stations and airports...so here's my strategy I follow to find a balanced meal when traveling even if it is just at a gas station...
I look for 2 items to round out my meal...well...3 if you include the extra large Diet Pepsi I usually get 😂
I look for one high protein item and one non-protein item.
I want both to be 200 calories or less each, so that when I eat both it will be 400 calories or less combined.
And I want my high protein item to be at least 40% protein.
Here are my 3 most common combos that I reach for:
My Sweet Option: Legendary Protein Pastry & Fruit (Banana or Apple)
The Legendary Protein Pastries are essentially a protein poptart. My favorite flavors are chocolate fudge and strawberry. They are 180 calories and have 20 grams of protein which puts them at about 45% protein. An apple or banana will be usually between 70-150 calories and so they are the perfect non-protein to pair with my protein pastry for a nice balanced meal.
My Savory Option: Beef Jerky & Skinny Pop
The jerky is a nice high protein savory option and the skinny pop satisfies the salty crunchy cravings I often have. And both combined are easily under 400 calories together.
My Sweet & Savory Option: Fruit & Quest Protein Chips
Here again, you can't go wrong with a piece of fruit and most gas stations / convenience stores will sell them. For my protein here I like the salty crunchy protein goodness of Quest Chips which you can get at almost every gas station now as well.
So there you go! 3 easy, balanced, convenient, low calorie, high protein "meals" you can cobble together on the road.
Feel free to mix and max just make sure you have one high protein item under 200 calories and one non-protein item under 200 calories...or if you want you can get two high protein items under 200 calories and be a rockstar ;)
Struggling With Fat Calories? Try These Swaps...
One of our new members posted inside our community at Healthy & Whole this week with a VERY common struggle...
As she was starting to learn about food and nutrition for weight loss she started to realize she was getting too many calories in her diet, in particular from fatty foods.
Her question? How do I fix it?!
So if you have the same struggle and you're looking for ways to lower your calories and fat in your diet, try these 7 swaps...
Swap whole eggs for egg beaters / egg whites...
Whole eggs are typically about 70 calories, and about 2/3 of that comes from fat from the yolk. Liquid Egg Beaters / Egg Whites are pure egg white and pure protein. Liquid Egg Beaters in particular (Or Egg Makers which is the Great Value generic brand) are made to taste like whole eggs while still being a pure protein.
I use Egg Makers in virtually all of my breakfast recipes as it adds a ton of protein and removes the fat calories completely.
1 - Swap full fat or low fat cheese for fat free cheese where possible...
Full fat cheese and low fat cheese still have a decent amount of fat and are higher calorie for that reason.
But a lot of people are surprised to know that fat free shredded cheddar and mozzarella are around 70-80% protein! And fat free american cheese singles are about the same.
So when you use the fat free versions you completely eliminate the fat calories and once again it's like sprinkling protein on your dish or sandwich.
2 - Swap bottled cooking oil for spray oil (Avocado or coconut ideally)...
When you cook with a bottle of cooking oil that you our into the skillet you end up with the "Glug, glug, glug" effect...
In otherwords, without even thinking about it you often add 200-400 calories to your dish JUST with that gracious pour of oil into your skillet.
It's much better to buy the spray bottles of oil to greatly reduce the amount you need to use. It's still adding fat calories, but you can use much less.
I recommend Avocado Oil Spray as it withstands very high heat and is very versitile.
3 - Swap peanut butter for powdered peanut butter...
2 tablespoons of regular peanut butter runs between 190 to 220 calories and is about 90% fat. And let's just be honest...who only eats 2 tablespoons???
But 2 tablespoons of powdered peanut butter is around 50-60 calories and about 50% protein. So almost 1/4 to 1/3 the calories much higher overall protein content. A solid swap.
4 - Swap whole milk or low fat milk for fat free ultra-filtered milks...
This one is a no brainer. There are some truly amazing non-fat / ultra-filtered milks on the market now that taste amazing.
My favorites include Fairlife Non-Fat Ultrafiltered Milk, Kroger CarbMaster Fat Free Ultra-filtered Vanilla, and Kroger CarbMaster Fat Free Ultra-filtered Chocolate.
Being a non-fat product there is no fat calories, and they typically range from 60% protein up to 80% protein, so it's almost like drinking a protein shake. Great for cooking and drinking both.
5 - Swap fatty cuts of poultry, meat, and fish for lean cuts...
It's important to know what the leanest cuts of animal protein are so you can try to avoid the higher fat / higher calorie cuts.
For chicken you want chicken breast or chicken breast tenderloins. And you generally want to avoid chicken thighs / wings / rotisserie unless there are no other options. They aren't "bad" just much higher calorie and fat.
For pork you want Pork Tenderloin, and I recommend checking the nutrition label to find one that has 22-24 grams of protein per serving and is around 120-140 calories per 4 oz.
For beef, 96% Lean Ground Beef (96/4), filet mignon, sirloin, and eye of round are pretty decent cuts. I don't recommend using 93%, 90%, or 80% lean ground beef as it is just much higher in calorie and fat content.
For fish, all of your white fish like tilapia and cod are great, as well as tuna. Shrimp and scallops are very lean and some of my favorites as well. Fattier cuts like Salmon are full of healthy fats and much higher calorie, so not to be avoided, but make sure you account for the higher calories.
The Daily Habit That Cured My Depression...
In very early 2015 I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety by my childhood doctor after what I can only describe as a mental health breakdown...
In hindsight knowing what I know now, I believe I had been struggling with depression and anxiety for most of my childhood and young adult life and just didn't know it.
Initially, I was prescribed Paxil, an SSRI, for my depression, as well as Xanax as needed for situational anxiety episodes.
I've always said that in the beginning when I hit rock bottom and was first diagnosed, I believe the medications were CRUCIAL in getting me back to a place where I could at least function...
And then it was from that medicated place that I began a journey of personal growth and development that I credit for the reason that I do not struggle with depression or anxiety anymore...and for why I don't require medications.
And that is where this particular daily habit comes in...and that is what I call The Daily Growth Habit.
It's simple really...just 15 minutes minimum per day of intentional daily growth...
It could be 15 minutes of reading a growth centered book or listening to an audiobook, 15 minutes of Bible time, 15 minutes of meditation or journaling, 15 minutes of watching an educational YouTube video or listening to a podcast in an area of growth for me...
But truly...I credit this habit for why I no longer struggle with depression.
What I learned through my own journey with depression and anxiety is that most of the depression and anxiety that we experience is a result of the way think and process the world and our life as it happens around us.
Implenting this habit of 15 minutes minimum per day of daily growth...and pointing it specifically at areas where I felt I could learn and grow to better myself and my health ultimately pulled me out of depression and gave me a confidence that squashed my anxiety.
It slowly day by day changed the way I think and the way I see problems.
It changed everything because it was like I was learning from and "surrounding myself" or "immersing myself" with the experience and wisdom of others on a level I had never done so before.
So...if you struggle mentally / emotionally...
If you struggle with depresssion or anxiety...
I encourage you to start here with this one daily habit.
15 minutes minimum per day of dedicated learning and growth.
Choose an area of your life that you feel needs attention...
Maybe it's your relationships...your career...your mental health...your past trauma...your physical health...
You pick an area and you find a book, podcast, etc. that you are excited to read in that area of your life.
And you just start! And you just keep going.
You never stop...you just keep growing every day.
Chances are...15 minutes won't feel like enough and you'll WANT more, and that's when the magic starts to happen.
Hope this helps...
- Matt
Win Of The Week:
Samantha's 40 Pound Weight Loss
& Victory Over Food Noise
She'd already lost 90 pounds. But she still wasn't free.
Samantha arrived nine months ago having done something most people never do — she lost 90 pounds on her own.
By any measure, that's remarkable.
But she was exhausted.
She tracked every calorie obsessively.
Anxiety crept in before every meal.
She avoided restaurants that didn't post nutrition facts online.
Food had become a source of dread instead of fuel, and the mental weight of it all was just as heavy as anything she'd lost.
What Samantha wanted wasn't another number on the scale. She wanted peace. The ability to sit down at any restaurant without spiraling. To exercise because she wanted to, not because she feared what would happen if she didn't. To go on vacation and actually enjoy it.
So we didn't give her another plan to follow. We gave her a completely new way to think about food, movement, and her own body.
And now, nine months later...
→37 more pounds lost — and kept off
→ She has new found love for running and set a new 5K PR
→ She walks into restaurants with confidence instead of anxiety
→ She's made peace with the scale — no more frustration, just understanding
→ She has completed every lesson in our course months ahead of schedule
→ She shows up to weekly coaching calls consistently
She's not just lighter physically. She's lighter mentally, too.
The version of herself she used to dream about — calm, confident, energized — she's living it now. That's what this work is really about.
Ready to start your journey?
Here's how I can help...
If you're feeling overwhelmed and frustrated with your body and health, I know how you feel. Apply for coaching here with Healthy & Whole, I'll work with you to find the perfect support level for you in our program that fits your needs and your budget. We have options starting as low as $39.99 per month 💪🏻
Disclaimer: This email is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.
