My Food Combining Video:

Research Links:

You guys have been asking me for a long time to review Gabbie Hanna, so this week I am reviewing her What I Eat in A Day and how she lost the weight.

I agree with Gabbie that the all or nothing mentality is not healthy and you need to tune into your body on what works for you. I do want to flag the fitspo diet culture that Gabbie mentions because I do feel like that could be triggering for some people. I also agree that your diet changes as you get older. That’s why relying on diet plans just doesn’t make sense because it’s not intuitive and it’s not about listening to your body.

Fasted Cardio
Technically there are mild benefits, however we also know that when you fast for a workout it can increase the risk of your burning your protein stores. If you’re working out at higher intensity than fasting is not the best idea. Most recommend 1-4g of carbohydrate/kg of body weight as a pre workout snack for any workouts lasting more than one hour. Choose a pre workout snack that is lower in fat and fibre.

Nitrite Free Bacon
It’s a marketing scheme. These are preservatives in cured meats and research suggests they may be carcinogenic. They are found naturally in celery and are often used to make nitrate salt to preserve meats. I have no problem with bacon in moderation, however it is a highly processed, high fat, high salt product and not a great everyday option.

Food Combinations
Turkey bacon is a highly processed food, however pork bacon is also a highly processed food. Whichever one you choose, consume in moderation. As for food combining, we’ve talked about this extensively. Coles notes, there’s no research to suggest there are any benefits to food combinations.

Breakfast
I think that looks like a pretty filling meal and I like the variety. I would recommend cutting back on the processed meats every single day and maybe adding in some whole grain breads for a good pre workout snack.

Energy in Energy Out

That’s the diet culture promise but can you do this diet for the rest of your life. If not, it’s probably not worth it.

I think it’s almost impossible that people can just “turn off” their disordered eating tendencies and just count calories “healthfully”. It’s also backwards that we need an app to tell us how much food to eat.

We don’t need to be calling foods garbage or toxic. It’s not just about macro and micro nutrients and it’s also about satiety. Some foods may be higher in calories and fat but they’ll also keep you fuller and more satisfied.

The media has flip flopped between three large meals or more smaller meals. This is because this is an individual thing based on people’s metabolism.

I love watermelon and it’s so hydrating. Water is also a great choice for hydration. I would love to see her incorporate some protein after the workout and see these meals swapped. More energizing carbs before the workout and that protein after the workout to replenish and refuel those muscles.

I agree meal prep and planning is important but obsessing and planning your day around eating sounds disorderly to me.

People that have a healthy relationship with food don’t need to purge their home of sugar. That’s not realistic because people with a healthy relationship with food don’t obsess over it.

I’m happy that her lunch and dinner are balanced meals. For people who enjoy variety and trying different recipes, this might be really boring and not sustainable and feel really restrictive. But this works for Gabbie.

Yes being strict with your diet is going to lead to faster weight loss but also increases the risk of relapse and weight cycling which is more detrimental to your health.

What I like about her diet:
Nothing is cut out (except she’s buying into the food combining thing)
Focus on hydration
Meals are accessible

What I don’t like about her diet:
Based on faulty science
Diet culture rhetoric

For more tips on staying healthy, recipes, dieting, and information fit for consumption by foodies everywhere stop by Abbey’s blog. m