Macros Made Simple-Putting it all Together

We share a simple way to put protein, carbs, and fats together for steady energy, fewer cravings, and meals you actually enjoy. From hand-portion guides to shake hacks and family-friendly dinners, we make balanced eating doable without obsessive tracking.

• anchoring meals around protein with fiber-rich carbs and healthy fats
• practical breakfasts that add protein before carbs
• yogurt bowls, shakes, and leftovers as easy lunch frameworks
• dinner ideas like veggie-loaded spaghetti and portioned nachos
• hand portion guide for protein, fats, and carbs
• when to track macros and when to eyeball
• adjusting meals for hormone stages and men vs women
• choosing whole, minimally processed foods for long-term health

Please like it, share it. Somebody else might need the info that we shared.

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Wheel of Life Worksheet

Dx2podcast.com

Transcript

Welcome & Sister Banter

Debra 0:04

Welcome to the D Times 2 podcast, hosted by Sisters Denise and Deborah. We are all about finding balance in the various parts of life. Using the Wheel of Life as our guide, we explore how to keep each spoke rolling smoothly. We discuss health and wellness, education and spirituality, as well as mental and emotional growth. Join us for real conversations, practical tips, and a few laughs as we share stories, insights, and strategies to help you create a life that feels balanced, purposeful, and designed by you. Hey Denise. Good morning, Deborah. How's it going? It's going pretty good. I don't have any complaints today. Good thing. The sun is shining. What is there to complain about? That's how my world goes. It's a little bit cold. But that's all right. We're only 20 degrees warmer than the average for this time of year. I know. It's really crazy. Yeah. Actually went walking this morning. It was only 30 degrees, but I didn't feel like I needed my jacket because there was no wind. It wasn't six degrees like last week. Correct. Right. So you're doing well.

SPEAKER_02 1:11

Yes. I am.

The Tom Waxing Story

Debra 1:13

I'm doing pretty well too. Good. I wanted to tell you about Tom. Okay. Do tell. What would what would life be without a Tom story? I took him for a new experience the other day because I have a job as his barber. And it is to cut his air. I'm sorry, his hair. And pluck his ears. Oh. And combine that together in the first yes. And shave his back and trim his eyebrows and trim his chest hair. Wow, you do it all. I am married to a very manly hairy man. But he likes to stay groomed, and I like him to stay groomed also. But I had the idea to take him to get him waxed. Oh my gosh. So to get his back waxed specifically. Because when it grows too much, he's like a bear rubbing up against everything to stop the itching. And he doesn't like it. And I always laugh at him. So I took him to get waxed. And while he laid there, I swear he fell asleep. While they were waxing him? And I thought, only Tom, like he has muted nerve sensors. Oh my heavens. I've seen videos of people getting waxed, and it's relaxing so that's offensive. So I was in there with him, just sitting there, and the lady who was doing it, she just kept talking to me because he was non-responsive. But I caught him while he was vulnerable. And when he got up, I said, Hey, do you want to do your chest too? Oh my heaven. Because it tickles my nose when we snuggle. And so he's like, Oh, I would do it for you. And she said, Oh, I don't have time, but we can have this other lady do it. So he switched rooms and he got his chest waxed. Not his stomach, just his chest. And that was apparently not as relaxing. It's a couple days later, and I'm still hearing about how tender his chest is. And that is true. But he was so game to try a new experience. And then as we were leaving and paying, I said, So they sell packages here. Would you be no pressure? But do you want to do it again? And he's like, Yeah, sure, I'll do it again. Oh my god. Like, wow, that's right fresh after the pain. And he's willing to get a package. So he is committed to doing it at least five more times for his back and his chest. Oh my gosh, what love? What a guy. No kidding. And I just got rid of one of my jobs.

unknown 4:04

Good job.

Debra 4:07

Oh, that is so funny. It was funny. I thought you would like that. Because I I just I couldn't believe he fell asleep while he was laying there getting his back waxed. No kidding. Yeah. That is nuts. I promise I wouldn't have. No. Yeah. Man, I've had my upper lip waxed and I cry every time. Do you? Oh, that's a tears. That's a tender. Like that's like triggers the sinuses to make the tears come out. I've never had my chest waxed. I haven't. I've never had my lip waxed. I did go in one time before a cruise to get my underarms waxed because I didn't want to have to shave and I was terrified. It was no no no trouble at all. Yeah, there's not much sensit sensation. But I thought there would be a lot. But it was easy peasy. I would do that again in a heartbeat. Yeah, but you have to grow it long enough to wax us. Technically, it only needs to be a quarter of an inch.

SPEAKER_02 5:03

Oh.

Today’s Focus: Putting Macros Together

Debra 5:04

But that's longer than I like to grow it. I would rather just shave. Yeah. It's quick and easy. So, anyway, enough about hair and waxing and and Tom, but it was funny. That is very funny. Yeah. All right, so what are we talking about today? For our main topic today, we need to talk about putting it all together. What are we putting together? We did an episode about carbs. So carbohydrates, the good, the bad, the ugly. We did an episode about protein. And we did an episode about fats. So the three macronutrients. So typically talk about how we use them all together. Okay. Sounds like a good idea. You do it on the regular. I do. Okay. Do you have a specific approach that you follow? I do.

unknown 5:56

Okay.

Denise’s Day Of Eating

Debra 5:56

I do. I in the morning. Mm-hmm. I'll just run you through a typical day. A day in the life of Denise. Play like you're watching her on Instagram. And she filmed it. Oh, don't judge. Alright, so I'm in the morning when I get up, I have a little snack before I work out. So I'll have two hard-boiled eggs. So you're trying to get protein specifically? Mm-hmm. Okay. Yep. Before I work out. So I'll have two hard-boiled eggs or sometimes a cheese stick and some olives. So a little bit of something to get my body moving. No carb, not have an apple or anything like that. No. Okay. Sometimes it's olives, not a carb, but not just asking. Yeah. Okay, every once in a while I'll have a couple of crackers. Because I do take a pre-workout and sometimes it upsets my stomach. So I have a little couple of crackers to kind of help that. So I do that. I just wasn't sure if you were looking for a specific portion or if you're just looking for fuel. Just fuel. Okay. And and I'd rather start it with protein. Judge me if you want. But don't judge me. We listen and we don't judge. Okay, so and then I exercise, and after I work out, I make a protein shake. So sometimes I use equip protein, which is most is mostly protein. There's not anything really added. And sometimes I use just ingredients, depending on what I feel like. Just ingredients, protein. Yes. Okay. And I'll usually add some berries to that or some banana and berries or peanut butter and chocolate. Like that's peanut butter and chocolate or cocoa? A chocolate protein powder with peanut butter powder. Okay. And I add some prebiotic, postbiotic fiber to it. So it thickens it up a little bit and keeps me fuller for a longer time. The fiber technically is a type of carb. Yes. Yes. It's a non-resistant starch. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And so that's my breakfast. And then I don't normally have a snack between breakfast and not a lot of fat in the morning. You're getting maybe the yolk from your eggs if you do the eggs. Yeah. Okay. And from the olives when I eat olives. Okay. From the cheese. There's pot and cheese. So that's what I do in the morning. At lunch, I usually have some Greek yogurt. You like your yogurt ball? I really do. I'll have Greek yogurt with a scoop of protein, usually vanilla protein, and some berries and some nuts and chia seeds. So there's fat and carb and protein. Okay. That's kind of all of them. And sometimes in the afternoon I'll feel a little snacky, so I usually have an apple with some nuts and seeds butter from Costco. Your favorite one from Costco. I still need to get some of that. It's so good. So I'll usually have half of an apple and some of that. And then for dinner, my my dinner generally has the same three things. It has a meat and it has two carbs, usually vegetables. Sometimes I'll have some rice depending on what we're having. So it might be a non-starchy carb like a veggie, and it might be a starchy carb like rice. Correct. Okay. And I I go light on the starchy carb, whether it's rice or potatoes, sometimes we have pasta, because I live with a man that likes to eat all food. And so I try to make it not restrictive to him. I live with a man who likes to eat food as well. So I make it not restrictive for him, and then I take the protein, more vegetables, and a little bit of the starchy carbohydrate. For yourself. So you're anchored around protein and then you're having some of the other with it. Yes. Okay. And sometimes I'll have a dessert. Any fat with dinner? Well yeah, usually the sauce or something that I've cooked the meat in has fat in it, and I put butter on my vegetables or some cheese. If it's broccoli, I put cheese on top.

unknown 10:22

Sure.

Protein Shakes, Fiber, And Add‑Ins

Debra 10:24

Because I like cheese on my broccoli. So, or I cook the meat in oil or butter. Right. Okay. So yeah, there's fat in there. Okay, just checking. So I that's kind of how I measure my, that's how I kind of do my day. I don't like to track what I'm doing, but I've tried to build my meals around what I know is good for my body on a daily basis. Let's talk about colostrum. It is a hot topic in the world these days. We're going to talk about Equip Foods Core Colostrum. Each scoop contains three grams of grass-fed, pasture-raised, antibiotic-free colostrum, where most on the market only contain one gram. Colostrum is a nutritional powerhouse that has been shown and proven to enhance immune function, gut health, and recovery with vital nutrients. So what exactly is it? Colostrum, also known as first milk, is produced immediately following a newborn birth. It is vital nutrition, providing all the nutrients and fluid a newborn needs in their early days. It also applies to all people. We all need that nutrition. Equip foods core colostrum is a type A1 and A2 milk, which is the highest tier milk you can get. Also, while chloricolostrum is a dairy product, it does not contain milk or lactose. So most people with lactose intolerance usually find colostrum very digestible and beneficial to gut health. Now I know you're wondering how you use it. It's so easy. You just need one scoop per day, and you can add it into tea or coffee, you can add it to a protein shake or to yogurt, or you can even add it into your favorite baked goods. It's also cost effective. So it's core colostrum is about 51 cents per serving compared to 91 cents per serving or more on for competitors. So if you go to equipfoods.com and use the promo code D times2 or DX2, you'll get a great discount. So you try to follow healthy concepts, but not get lost in the weeds of counting calories or counting macro percentages or anything like that. Right. And I know what a serving size looks like. We've talked about that. We have. You learned what the thumb is. Yes, the thumb is for the fat. And we always have our hand with us. And the palm is protein. And the fist is carbohydrate. Yes. So I keep that in mind while I'm cooking and eating and preparing food so that I can make sure it's as well rounded as possible without being crazy about measuring things. Getting obsessive or anything. Yeah. Okay. So can I ask some follow-up questions more than I already did? Because you were talking about for you, but you live with a man who likes to eat.

SPEAKER_02 13:24

I do.

Lunch And Dinner: Building Balanced Plates

Sponsor: Equip Core Colostrum

Hand Portion Guide & Simple Tracking

Debra 13:25

So what does he do for breakfast? Do you does he do it on his own, or do you make him a shake when you make yourself a shake? Or what does that look like and what does his lunch look like? So no judgment. It might be perfect, it might not. Well he he never really has been a breakfast guy. Okay. And so I've I've tried to feed him breakfast throughout the years, and it just doesn't work very well. But he likes to have I guess he's started to have over the last year of chocolate fair life. Oh, okay in the morning. So he's protein-centric in the morning. Yes. He has a protein drink with his fair life, and he doses some caffeine to help protect himself. Okay. So that's his breakfast. Okay. And then he eats lunch around 11:30, and lunch is usually excuse me. Lunch is usually leftovers for the night before. Okay. Leftover dinner. Yeah. Okay. So I try to make enough of a dinner so that he can take it to work and have it at work. Sometimes he goes out to lunch, but it's usually leftovers. And he is the envy of the office because he gets good food for his. Yeah. Tom is the envy of the office too. Well, yeah. Yeah, the office. With his they like the smells when he warms it up. They always come out to see what he's having. Yeah. So and then he we have dinner and he eats whatever I make for dinner. For dinner. Helps himself to whatever. Okay. Just wondering. Yeah. Because you kept talking about you, so I wasn't sure if it was joint. Because in my household, our my house is similar to yours, where it's just me and my husband at this point, right? There's no one else around, and he and I are on very different schedules. So he fends for himself a lot. And he also eats a lot according to his cravings. Whatever sounds good. Yeah. So I try to have healthy options on hand and then let him make wise choices. Sometimes the choices are more wise than others. And then there are times where we eat together. Like we love to make a big brunch on the weekend where we'll make a bunch of eggs, we'll make he always wants potatoes, not hash browns, like diced up country potatoes. Sometimes it turns into a breakfast burrito, sometimes it turns into a skillet of sorts, or like I love eggs with ham and a pancake or a waffle or something like that. So if we do that on a weekend, a lot of times we'll make enough to where he can have reheated eggs or reheated breakfast burrito for a couple of days. For a few days. Yeah. So there's options on hand. Or he'll make himself an egg sandwich a lot from my good homemade sourdough bread and good, you know, eggs and like it's fine. It's good. But that's not what I usually will have for breakfast. Right. So let's since we're talking about lifestyle, like you and I have the same kind of there are only two of us in the house. Yeah. So let's go back in time. Let's go back in time to when we were kids. Yeah. There were so many of us in the house. There were. There were a lot of us in the house. And we actually took turns cooking breakfast. And dinner. And dinner. Yeah. So I remember I got really good at making pancakes. We made pancakes from scratch. Yep. Everything was from scratch. So pancakes from scratch. What did you like to make as a kid? Do you remember? I like to make eggs. Like that's my jam. I like to make scrambled eggs, I'll make poached eggs, I'll make fried eggs, I'll make a fritata. I like to make eggs. But as a kid, you didn't we weren't making fritatas. Uh no, I do now. I would make scrambled eggs or I would do we would do hard-boiled eggs. And bacon and hash browns. Right. I don't I don't ever remember making hash browns. So that like I remember eating them, but I never made them. But I would make bacon, I would make sausage. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So let's And mom mom would make oatmeal. Debra hates oatmeal. I'm better now that I make it how I like it, but I used to despise it. Yes. But you eat it anyways because that's what was made, right? We better. Yeah. Okay, so let's fast forward a little bit. I had four children. Yes. Have I have four children. You have four children. But there was a time they were all in my house, and we I actually made a breakfast schedule so that every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, like everything I made it the same every week so that I didn't have to think about it. And the kids knew what was coming so they could prepare the things they liked better than others. Yep. That's how it goes. Yes. So Monday's was yogurt and muffins. It's actually not a very good breakfast. If I knew then. Potentially could be though. It could be. But like I was buying Costco muffins, boom and half, and feeding them that and a yell play yogurt. Looking back, not the greatest option. Yeah. And then we did cream of wheat or oatmeal with berries and toast. Not the greatest carb-heavy breakfast. Very carb heavy. Yeah. And then they still did amazingly well in school. They sure did. And then we did two days a week, I would do eggs and a meat, either ham or bacon and hash browns. And then we did waffles or pancakes. Saturday they fanned for themselves and usually had cold cereal. On Sunday mornings, I'd make them oatmeal for breakfast before we head to church. Poor babies. Yeah. So if I could go back in time, I would do their breakfasts differently. I would make them more protein heavy than carb heavy. Yeah. And their brains would be happier. Yeah. Their most their bodies would be happier. And part of that was I had they were athletes, and so they actually they did need the carbohydrates to last them through their practices and events and things. But they also needed more protein in their diet. In the morning. I always we've always done protein with two carbohydrates, usually two vegetables or vagina for dinner for dinner. For supper. So that's something that's just a different perspective on breakfast with kids in the house. So I'm gonna say a lot of standard American breakfasts are very carb, carbs, carb heavy. And it's partly because they come out of a box or a package very easily. They're quick and they're quick and easy and inexpensive. And mornings are sometimes crazy, and so quick, easy, inexpensive is appealing. So that's where even though I'm not a hundred percent in love with fair life like your husband does now, that's at least protein-centric. It's not carb heavy. He's gonna feel better because he's got that protein in there. Yeah. So okay. But I I tell my clients all the time there are ways to take your standard breakfast, so even the cold cereal, and at least put some protein with it. So my favorite way is I add protein, vanilla protein powder to the milk. So I have protein milk with my cereal and berries, or cereal and banana. So there's at least some building blocks from the protein in there. It's still not a perfect breakfast. No, but it's better. But it's better. So Jessie Sheppy? I don't know how to say her last name. She's the glucose goddess. Yeah. That's her handle. That's what I call her. Yes. Because she's French. I don't know how to say that last name. Anyways, she actually posted something last week about having carbs for breakfast. And she said, if you're going to have the oatmeal, if you're going to have the pancake, or if you're going to have the muffin, she said, Do what you just said. Have some protein first, have a hard boiled egg first, have a couple of slices of ham first, and then eat it. You'll feel better. And you can still have your favorite thing for breakfast. Yeah. It will it will help stabilize the energy and help every your body use all of it better. Yeah. So even the oatmeal, like if I make oatmeal, I either add some protein powder to it or while it's cooking, I will pour liquid carton egg whites in it and whisk it together, and it just makes the oatmeal creamier, but amps it up with protein. Nice. That's a good option. Yeah. And then nobody knows the difference. Nobody knows the difference. Yeah. So my breakfast usually will be like when it's just for me. I like to do a protein shake. So I do a quip a lot. I do just ingredients sometimes. I have a variety of others that sometimes I will mix with those, but those are usually the foundation. And then I always will try to put some probiotic with it. So, like for this, for example, this morning I did a half a cup of homemade kefir in the shake with my protein. Oh, I do that. I forgot to say I do that.

unknown 23:59

Yeah.

Feeding A Household: Past And Present

Debra 24:00

So that makes it taste so much better to me. And usually I will also add some berries, usually raspberries or blueberries. And also, I will I buy green bananas. Uh-huh. And I cut them up into one-inch sections, and I'll put an inch of green banana in there. So I'm getting the banana, but its sugar isn't fully developed. It has resistant starch in it, so it gives me the carb without spiking any blood sugar. That's such a good trick. I started doing that as well. Such a good trick. And it makes it creamier. So it feels luscious and decadent rather than like I'm having a punishing protein shake. I never feel like I'm having a punishing protein shake. Sometimes I'll put some nut butter. Lately I've actually just been chucking a handful a handful, six or eight nuts. So sometimes cashews, sometimes almonds, sometimes Brazil nuts, sometimes pumpkin seeds, and blend it up. So I get the fat and fiber from those, and then the protein, and then the carbs and fiber from the berries and banana. Good. Yeah. For lunch, sometimes I do the same, but a lot of times my lunch is scavenger leftovers from what's in the fridge. So there may be raw veggies, there might be some leftover meat, there's usually some hard-boiled eggs. Like I will just piece things together to where I always will have protein and then non-starchy veggies and then some good healthy fat with it. But I try, because of where I am hormonally, not to have too many carbs at lunchtime. I do better with them at breakfast and at supper. So I have a deliberate focus when I'm choosing my foods. In the morning, I'm having protein, carb, and a little bit of fat, but lunch is more protein and fat. And then if I have carbs, they're the non-starchy veggies where they really don't read in the body like a carb. Okay. And then at supper time, we do a lot of different things. I'm not usually meat and to veg like you are. Last night we were. Tom planned dinner. Mom and dad were over. We had salmon. Tom went shopping even. He went shopping while I was getting my nails done. Salmon, baked potato, and corn on the carb. Corn on the carb. Corn on the cob, corn on the cob, which I normally wouldn't put those two together because for me I would have one or the other. But he's a man who likes to eat and he can take them both. So salmon, potato, baked potato, corn on the cob, and then salad. So a green garden salad. I would normally do salmon, rice, or potato, asparagus or zucchini or something like that. And this salad. Yeah. But we also will do, like my man loves spaghetti. So I'll make a hearty spaghetti sauce with lots of meat and lots of veggies in there over a little bit of noodles. And he'll do over a lot of noodles. But you add a ton of veggies to your spaghetti sauce. I add every veggie that I possibly can to my sauce. And we both love it more that way because it just amps up the flavor. Yes. While also amping up the new nutrients. Or we'll do nachos. So I count out my tortilla chips, 11 chips is a serving. He doesn't count them out, but I do because I have to be mindful of that. And that gives me enough carb at suppertime. And then I'll put black beans and a little bit of corn and all the meat I want and cheese and guacamole and sour cream and salsa. It's amazing. Yeah. So they all all the nutrients get in there and it's delicious, but still I watch those parameters of making sure I get a healthy ish carb and the protein and the fat at supper time. So you're not being a measure novelty. I used to be. Yeah. Okay, talk about that. Yeah. So when I was so overweight and trying to dial things in, one of the guidelines I was given was with the carbohydrates. And we talked about this in the carbohydrate episode, is a total of like 110 grams of carbs in a day, no more than 30 carbs at each grams, grams of carbs at each meal. And no more than 10 grams of carbs at each snack. So I started using one of the apps. I used my FitnessPal to figure out what that looked like. So it helped me get that dialed in. So now you can kind of look at your meal and think, okay, this is this many carbs because you did track it for a while. Yes, it helped me get that, just get my mind wrapped around what that looked like. But I also did the same thing when I was trying to make sure with the protein. So in our protein episode, we talked about you need according to your height, how much protein you need. So for me, if I'm going for 105 to 120 grams of protein in a day, what does that actually look like? Because I know my palm is a serving of protein, but how many grams is that? And if it's egg, that is hard, like how do I measure the palm of the egg, right? The volume of the egg. So it helped me learn that an egg usually has about seven grams of protein. So if I'm using eggs as my only source of protein, I need four eggs at the meal to get 28 grams, which is like I aim for about 30. So I used the apps before the apps existed. I had used a book. It was so thick. I learned about it from Dr. Phil. It had a like just like all of the foods ever.

SPEAKER_02 30:26

Wow.

Debra 30:27

It was I didn't use it very long or very often because it was just too hard. Yeah. But I did use some of those tools to learn what it looked like. I mean, that's how I learned that r if you're having a burger to stay within 30 grams of carbs at the meal, you really need to only have half the bun. If you're gonna put any fries or chips or potato salad or anything else with it. Otherwise, the bun is gonna be 35 grams of carbs. It's gonna put you over.

SPEAKER_02 31:00

Yeah.

Better Breakfasts: Protein Before Carbs

Shake Hacks: Kefir, Green Bananas, Nuts

Debra 31:01

So I don't get Nazi-ish about it at this point, but I'm always aware because for me, I have to be aware. Did you know that on average people gain 15 pounds between Halloween and New Year's? Oh my gosh. Yeah, it's true. That's why headed into this season, I really recommend that people use the fat reduction package from Optimal Health. It breaks free from the cycles of cravings, stalled progress, and it uses science-backed approaches to weight loss. It targets nutrients that work together to help you feel your best while achieving your goals. Sounds good to me. It also helps control your hunger. It has fermented fiber that supports appetite regulation and makes healthy eating easier, which we need during the holidays. It does, but it also blocks fat storage. So it supplements the body to prevent you from storing fat and helping you shed unwanted pounds naturally. Nice. It also helps you boost your metabolism. Lipase, patented chromium and herbs like berberine. Berberine is all the rage, right? Yep. Helps metabolize fat and sugar for sustained energy. So it's a complete balance of pure protein, essential fats, and carbs that simplifies balanced nutrition while supporting weight management. You can get your fat reduction pack at optimalhealth systems.com and use the code D times2, that's DX2, to get a great discount. Okay. Can I share some experiences with that? Sure. So I I never really have measured. It's not something that I really well, I take that back. I did for like a week and I was like, this is a pain in the butt, I'm not dirtiness anymore. But I kind of know what it looks like. So my daughter-in-law a year ago, sh or I guess it's been about a year and a half ago, she decided that she wanted to get in shape. And so she started measuring everything. She would measure anything that went in her mouth, she measured. Yep, been there, done that. And she she actually lost quite a bit of weight, and she was exercising too, so it wasn't just cutting calories. Right. Anyways, so it helped her to understand better what she was eating. And she said, I never knew that I was eating as much as I was. Right. And that's for a lot of people. Yeah. So for people who don't like, like me, that don't like to measure, it's good to do it for a little while so you can see what it actually looks like. Yeah. My husband actually did the same thing. He at work they were doing, you know, one of the biggest loser challenges, and everybody was trying to get healthy and lose some weight. And so he started measuring what he was eating, and he's like, I didn't realize I was eating so much food. Yeah. Most people way underestimate. So I think that's why I count my chips. Yeah. Yeah. So we're talking about putting it all together, putting together the macros. So you may need to measure for a while. So that you you can get a better grasp on what you are actually eating. So any weight loss program you go on that I know of, they make you measure. Measure what you're eating, weigh it, track it, so you know what's going on. And I don't think it's to restrict you. I think it's so that you have a better idea of how your protein is working with your carbs and your how your carbs and protein are working with your fats and what your diet actually looks like. Because unless you are paying attention, you really don't know. Yeah. So and we're not really easily provided with the best options. You almost have to go out of your way to make sure you are getting good healthy options and putting them together in a helpful way. Yeah. So you had a thought. I ha I made a face at you, yes, because I'm gonna say it was probably a year and a half ago. Am I I time goes, it might have been two and a half years ago. You know, I had started working with a fitness coach, specifically, like she's world-renowned for strength training and getting people in like show physique show ready. Competition. Yes. I didn't want to do that. I just wanted to know more about it and put myself through it. Like it was a way for me to learn and do. But the food guidelines that I got from her really were surprising, and I pressed her about it. She didn't give any portions or any weights or any measures. It was breakfast should include these types of foods, lunch and dinner should include these types of foods. Choose the good foods and eat until you're content. And some people that would never work for because they don't have an off-switch. They never feel content. Some people are fine, they're tuned into that. So some people need bigger or better, more rigid guidelines, but that was this is all good. Do what you want with it. But it would she would say choose one from this column, two from this column, and it was like one protein, two veggies, one fruit kind of a thing, and one starchy carb, or you know, just at different meals. So loose guidelines. Very, very loose. And she would not get more rigid about it. She was very adamant about that. And I thought it was so interesting, but it was because she was focused on no really deficit or restriction. It was more on adding muscle to your body and turning up your furnace on your body. Interesting. That's the only time only time I've ever seen that. Because usually there's guidelines. Yeah. That's almost like the eat intuitively. But some people don't. Their intuition is broken. Yeah. Or their hormone their cravings are are wrong because their body is off. Right. And you need to correct that and then you're and then you can eat intuitively because you'll want more intuitively because you'll want better things because you know you feel better. Yeah. But there was, I'm gonna say, a stretch of a few years where I tracked. I used the My FitnessPal app, and then I also had a little spreadsheet for myself where I would weigh my body fat, body water, and then my actual full body weight. And I could correlate it with the foods that I was eating and where it was taking me. And it became so powerful for me to have that knowledge. And now I don't need it. I don't rely on it. Every once in a while I say, oh, I should start doing that again. And I stop within a couple of days because I'm just beyond that. But some people need to start there. Others can use their hand. So we've talked about your palm, whatever size your body is, your palm is your portion of protein. Your thumb is your portion of fat at a meal. And then your fist, if you crammed all your veggies together, all smushed your salad up and your asparagus and your potato all together hard till it was like a snowball, the size of your fist, that's your portion of carbs. Or all of your bread, mush it all together, whatever it is. Because I told you, like for me, I do different things at breakfast and dinner than I do at lunchtime. That's because of where I am hormonally. I'm postmenopausal, and that's going to work for women in my hormonal season. If you're a teenager or a younger mother, or you're still in your child bearing years, you should do protein, fat, carb at every meal. You will do better. It will fuel your hormones and your energy and everything better. That's for females. For females. Men can do whatever the heck they want. Oh my gosh. They still need protein and carb and fat and have from optimally like healthy options.

SPEAKER_02 39:20

Yes.

Smart Dinners: Spaghetti, Nachos, Veggies

Debra 39:21

But their metabolism is completely different. Their hormonal makeup is completely different than for women. And when you're young, your body is much more metabolically flexible, and you can just eat cold cereal and muffins and yoplay and turn it into muscle. My body can't. Yeah. I maybe could have then, but I can't now. So I have to be more deliberate. Good. That that was my question. Like we we've talked a lot about we're female, and so we've talked about our needs and what we've done and what we've done for our kids. But at each stage of life, and depending on what gender you are, you need different things. And men are more free with what they can eat and how they can exercise. Because it just their hormones don't fluctuate all the time like females. Like women's do. But they do still need the foundational healthy basics. They do. They still need protein center, healthy carbs, and healthy fats. Yeah. They just don't have to watch it as closely as we do. Yeah. Lucky. Lucky. You know, my husband asked me the other day, are you glad you're a girl? And I was like, Yeah, I'm glad I'm a girl. He said, Good, I'm glad you're a girl too. That's funny. But you know, I there are a lot of reasons that I'm I'm glad to be a girl. Uh sometimes it's a little bit tricky because our bodies are tricky. I just say we're more complex. We're like highly dialed-in Lamborghinis and men are like go-karts. They're much more simple physiologies, but they're also so easy to keep happy. Yeah, they sure are. We're just more complex. Yes, we are. Yeah. So is there anything else you want to say about putting macros together? Just that we need like choose the best healthy options you can. Don't default to highly processed refined carbs or processed gum and sugar-added protein drinks. Like, choose healthy sources. And then if you had those healthy sources, you can put them together however you want, and you'll be further ahead. You'll be healthier and have better longevity. Your brain will work better, your heart will work better, your bones will be stronger as you age. That gets more important with every day. It sure does. It sure does. And I I like how you say you'll get better as you as you age. It's more important as you age. Yeah. So you we we've talked about this before, but you are literally what you eat. So if you want to be healthy, eat healthy things. And healthy is not really subjective. Healthy is true. Is good meat, good protein, good vegetables, and good fats. Like it really not good vegetables, good carbohydrates, which vegetables are anyways, good sources. So feed your body good things. And if you need more specifics on the individual healthy breakdowns, go back to those episodes. The episode about protein, we got real specific. The episode about carbs, we got real specific. And the episode about fats, we got real specific. We did. But then we just wanted to put them all together here because it can be delicious. It can be something you look forward to all the time. It doesn't have to be punishing or flavorless or like I just told you we have nachos. Yeah. Like and they're healthy. Yep. There are all there are a lot of ways to make food. They make make healthy choices taste good. Make it delicious and keep it balanced. And balance goes in with our whole wheel, right? We want our wheel to be balanced. Yeah. And that that food is part of it. Okay. So if you have found anything helpful in this episode, please like it, share it. Somebody else might need the info that we shared. Yeah, we know other people need it. So share, share widely. And then remember that in our show notes we have resources for you. Our website has all sorts of resources on there. It's dtimes2podcast.com. And then we have free downloads and just discount codes, all that kind of thing that will help you. Yeah. Okay. And until next time, keep your wheel rolling smoothly. Bye. Thanks for listening to the D Times2 podcast with Denise and Deborah. We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Be sure to subscribe and share it with someone who's ready to roll toward a more balanced life. Your support means the world to us. And just a quick note we're sharing our own experiences and ideas, not professional advice. Always do your own research and talk to a qualified expert before making big decisions. Until next time, keep your wheel rolling strong.