Okay – so I admit. I’m still a newbie at the whole bikini competition thing. I have competed in two shows (Illinois State Championships & Indiana GNC Classic) this year and total in my life. However, I do know one thing that I excel at (drumroll please): eating. Therefore, I decided to construct this blog to let you all in on my favorite products to use while dieting – my “diet hacks” if you will.
Before I get too into the actual meat of today’s discussion, I want to make a little disclaimer. I recognize that just because something is low or zero calorie does not equate to it being healthy. The ingredients in some of these products might be a bit questionable. I totally get that, but when you are dieting crazy hard for a show, all you want is some freaking FLAVOR! I cannot tell you how often I told my husband, “I just want something that makes me happy to eat. I want something that tastes good.” Eating the same foods day in and day out while on prep can mess with you mentally. Or maybe not, maybe you have superman/woman mental strength. Kudos to you. I sometimes did, but many times… I just didn’t. So, without further ado, here are my top four products to use while dieting. Enjoy!
Walden Farms Pancake Syrup
This product is seriously my number one, MVP, one true love when I’m on prep. I’ve mentioned before on my Instagram, but my favorite meal I ever had on prep was always breakfast. I’d have three egg whites, one whole egg, about 18 carbs worth of oatmeal (measuring things in carbs is a complete other topic – ya feel me?), ½ tbs of coconut oil, and I’d mix it all in one bowl with THIS MAGICAL PANCAKE SYRUP. I know it sounds weird, but I promise it is a game-changer. Even if you don’t like the idea of putting eggs in your oatmeal, this stuff tastes pretty good on protein waffles, regular oatmeal, whatever you normally smother in syrup. Oh, it’s also literally zero calories. Your eyes are fine.. I did write zero calories. I don’t know exactly what that means for my overall health (I’m not going to pretend to be a nutrition expert), but I do know what it means for my macros.
G Hughes Sugar-Free Hickory BBQ Sauce
This was another total game-changer during my prep. I was having an immensely difficult time choking down 99% lean ground cardboard (oops… turkey), but adding some BBQ made it taste a million times better. The best part? There are only 2g of carbs per two tablespoons. Praise.
Fudgcicle Original Fudge Pops and Popsicle Brand Tropical Paradise Pops
Alright so I didn’t eat this on prep. I didn’t know they existed yet. Well, I knew they existed, but I just kind of forgot about them between the time I turned eight and twenty-six. The calories and macros on these are also mind-blowing. The fudge-pops only have 40 calories and 9 carbs per popsicle, and the tropical ones only have 15 calories and 4 carbs per popsicle. They definitely taste like quadruple those numbers.
Flavored Water
Pretty much any brand I’ve tried here tastes pretty darn good… except for La Croix or whatever. I just can’t do that stuff. I really like True American or Sparkling Ice. I also love that they have a thousand time five hundred flavors, so your taste party opportunities can be endless.
Kernal Season’s Popcorn Seasonings
I love adding these to my veggies! The garlic parmesan on cucumbers is by far my favorite. These seasonings will definitely add some flavor to your foods! However, they can be a little high in sodium, so be careful with that!
Sugar-Free Jell-O
I have been a candy fanatic for as long as I can remember. To my dentist’s dismay, sour candy is my favorite. Warheads, Sour Punch Straws, Sour Patch Kids… my mouth is already watering. I always laugh when I read those statuses: “Fruit is nature’s candy” IT ISN’T THE SAME! IT JUST ISN’T. Well.. candy is a big no for most dieting (or most healthy eating), so I had to find something that provided me with a fruity flavor. Sugar-free Jell-O to the rescue! My only tip here is to use less water than the package suggests, otherwise it gets super runny and less satisfying to eat. Plus you can put it in fun shaped silicone molds and then you feel all kinds of fancy. If you want to be super extra, use part regular water and part flavored water. Taste. Bud. Party.
Alright crew – that’s it! Next time you have a craving for something, I hope one of these products can help you out! Until next time,