5 Day Sugar Detox Challenge with Camila McConaughey: Day 5, Amp Up Protein
When the going gets tough, the tough get going...to the gym, to the running trail or to the meditation cushion. But for many of us, it’s normal to respond to stress by turning to quick fixes that don’t serve us in the long run. When you’re stuck at home during a pandemic, no less, snacking on sugar-filled foods and drinks can provide that comfort you crave. It’s time to give your body a break from refined sugars.
Take the Yahoo Life x Woman of Today 5-Day Sugar Detox Challenge to cut back on your daily sugar. Follow along with us as Camila Alves McConaughey and top experts show us how to cut back on sugar and form new habits every day this week.
Video Transcript
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- We made it, guys. Day five of a five day sugar detox challenge. Wasn't that bad, was it?
We committed. We ditched artificial and sneaky sugars. We added more fruit. And today is all about protein and how to look at your plate as a whole.
So to wrap things up, I brought back nutritionist Maya Feller. So Maya, how should we be feeling today?
- You should be feeling great. I mean, you're all the way through this challenge. You've made some huge changes. And you're stepping into that like ooh, how do I get consistent phase.
- How does the body process protein versus how the body process sugar? And what kind of proteins should we really be looking for?
- What we're talking about is the added sugars. And usually what added sugars do is they cause a big spike in your blood sugars. Now, when we're thinking about proteins, proteins are really the building blocks for kind of every system within your body. I really like animal proteins in their whole minimally processed form, seafood at least twice a week.
- So what about protein for the people who do not want to have any animal meat?
- So I love the beans. I love the lentils. I love nuts. I love seeds. The whole ancient grains have the full amino acid profile and are a complete protein. So things like fonio, quinoa, those have a good source of protein from plants.
- To simplify for everybody at home, if you're looking at your plate, what should be your golden rule?
- So if you're looking at your plate from the top down, what you want to aim for is 1/2 to 3/4 of your plate is the non-starchy vegetable, right? Those are your leafy greens, your cruciferous vegetables. Then you want a quarter of your plate as starch. And that could be a starchy vegetable like potato or pumpkin, cassava, plantain. Then the other quarter could be a protein. That could be animal protein or a plant-based protein.
- The last thing is to really remember, guys, really important to remember that we're not all made equally. Something that might be OK for me might not be OK for you and vice verse. So listen to your body, and do what's best for you.
OK, guys, this is it. You did it. Pat yourself on the back. Congratulations. You ended our five day sugar detox challenge. Maya, thank you so much for being here and being part of this with us, sharing so much knowledge.
- Thank you for having me. And thank you to everybody who tuned in for this.
- And guys, for more information on all things sugar and recipes, go to Women of Today so you can continue this journey for long-term.
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