Coachella Healthier Eating
Yes, we all eat in restaurants often. That is a great way to keep our town's economy going while supporting small, locally owned businesses. However, often personal trainers and the mainstream fitness community push their seven meals a day, Sunday prep-day and fad recommendations that are just not practical for most Americans. Our Desert Barbell philosophy is not to change your social life, your culture or lifestyle. Instead, we guide you in the direction that would work best for you as an individual considering what you enjoy doing.
At a glance, Coachella does not offer immense healthy eating options. We are constantly bombarded with junk food stores and fast food restaurants. When Melanie and I moved from Arcadia it was hard to find fitness friendly restaurants to eat in Coachella. Fortunately, We discovered a delicious venue that has been in Coachella since 1982. Back in 1980, our Van Buren Plaza did not exist, all that Coachella had was a Vons, Fast Strip Gas station, and the Coachella Ranch Market currently closed. Despite the changing economy, and increase in competition, El Pollo Dieta has stayed with us due to their fast and delicious product.
The Mexican style roasted chicken is not only good for your taste buds but is a good option to keep up with your fitness. It is understood that protein is essential for your recovery after exercise, and high protein foods keep blood sugar levels low, great for fat loss and to manage diabetes. The typical meal in El Pollo Dieta is composed of chicken, beans, and rice. Let me lay out the macronutrient breakdown to better understand why this is one of our healthy eating choices.
Macros
Meal Size: ¼ chicken (full chicken breast or leg and thigh), 1 cup of cooked red rice, 1 cup of pinto beans
1 Cup of rice = 200cal/cooked (5g fiber, 2%fat, 7g-14% Pro 84%CHO)
1 cup beans= 252cal/cooked (28g fiber, 15g - Pro 25%, CHO 71%, Fat 4%)
¼ Chicken = 19% Fat = 75g/67cal, 80% Protein=32g/444cal, 1% Carbs = 3g/12cal
TOTAL:
Calories: Chicken 523, 200 rice, 171 beans = 894
Fiber: 36g fiber
Protein: 54g
As you can see, the North American diet is rich in protein, 54 grams of protein per meal is quite a lot. That would equal to 25% of the entire meal is protein. This is only taking into account the lab measurements of each individual food. However, when you combine beans and rice, which are not a complete protein, inside the body the amino acids can bind and dorm a complete protein. For the sake of argument we’ll say that you are only consuming 54 grams, but remember that it might be much more than that.
We noticed a huge gap in the plate, the fruits and vegetables. In the restaurant you can choose to add a small salad to make the meal more balanced. We highly recommend that you do. On the contrary, we do not recommend you eat the Tortillas that come with the meal since each corn tortilla ranges from 100-120 calories, and the flour tortillas range from 215-300 calories.
Overall, El Pollo Dieta is a relatively healthy food choice for you if you must eat out. Sodium and Fat is low, protein and fiber is high and has no preservatives. Remember that the accumulation of good decisions ultimately dictate what end result we get. The Desert Barbell team is here to guide towards your health and fitness goals reminding you to make good choices while keeping your lifestyle.