Expert Profile: Cassandra Forsythe
Cassandra on the big day
What you need to do to get lean, and what you need to do to stay lean are two very different things. Weight loss is temporary, and though it can be accomplished in many ways, the process itself demands a certain level of energy, time, and dedication to following a strict nutrition and training protocol. Weight maintenance, on the other hand, is something that requires a different set of goals, expectations, and habits. If you have a strong foundation of nutrition and training in place, you can make the transition from losing to maintaining just by adjusting your original plan.
Often the challenge does not come from knowing how to change the plan but recognizing when it’s time to change focus. It can be difficult to know when to shift gears between the two.
Cassandra Forsythe, a certified Sports Nutritionist and Strength and Conditioning Specialist, has learned the importance of flipping that switch. As someone who goes about “doing things in a time period that most people do in twice the time”, Cassandra has shifted her focus from losing fat to maintaining her muscle mass and preventing any fat gain during a very busy time in her life.
In the past year, she’s gotten married; written two books, The New Rules of Lifting for Women and Perfect Body Diet; worked on her dietetic internship; managed her own business; and made time for family… oh yes, while completing a PhD in Exercise and Nutrition.
Between classes, research, wedding planning, writing, and all the other things that were going on in her life, Cassandra saw her weight slowly creep up. She lost the extra weight that came during this stressful period of her life just in time for her wedding. At 130 lbs and around 17% body fat, Cassandra is happy with where she is with her physique. She knows she can drop her body fat down to 12-14% and change her look — she’s been there before and knows that she can maintain a good level of health and function when leaner. But she also respects what it takes to get there: more time and energy devoted to a strict diet and training schedule.
These days her focus is somewhere else. Much of Cassandra’s time is spent sitting at the computer (check out her blog on the topic of sitting), and with all the projects she’s trying to juggle, her days can be pretty stressful. Cassandra needs to compensate for the less daily activity and more stress. Thus, she prioritizes getting a wide variety of nutritious food that will support proper brain and psychological health, and give her the energy to resist stress when it does occur. She doesn’t ‘”diet” in the traditional sense but is mindful of the types of food she eats, as well as how much and when she eats. By ensuring she gets lots of proteins, vegetables, and healthy carbs in her diet, there is little room for sugar, junk food, and meals out. Instead, her days are fuelled simply by quality nutritious foods and supplements.
Cassandra gave PN a glimpse of how her nutritional and training plan works with these goals in mind.
6:00am: Wake up and morning workout
Spend time foam rolling and stretching for 5-10 minutes. Take probiotics with water: VSL#3 and Saccharomyces boulardi and then go for a morning walk/jog outside with her dogs 1/2 hour before eating.
 Saccharomyces boulardi |
 Canis lupus familiaris |
7:30am: Breakfast
- 1 whole egg
- 3/4 cup egg whites
- Fresh basil
- Salsa
- 1 slice of cinnamon raisin sprouted grain bread
- 1 slice of sesame sprouted grain bread
- Iced Sun Tea
- 2 tsp fish oil
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Meal 2: Protein shake
With breakfast, drink greens mixed in water: Garden of Life Perfect Food + Earth’s Promise, and have morning supplements: rhodiola, selenium, citocoline, pygnogenol, tumeric, ester-C, Yarrow Environmental Solution (homeopathy), zinc.
10:00am: Meal 2
A protein shake (made in the Magic Bullet) with 1 scoop whey protein, 1 tbsp natural peanut butter, and 1/4 cup mixed frozen berries; water.
Noon: Outside for a walk
Take the dogs out again for about 30 minutes.
Meal 3
1:00 pm: Meal 3
- A salad with mixed greens, pineapple, carrots, tomatoes, cucumber and 2 tbsp dressing (made with olive oil) and balsamic vinegar.
- 4.5 ounces ground turkey with One Carb ketchup and mustard
- Hot herbal tea
On days where Cassandra needs to fit a snack in before training or when she’s on the run, she’ll go with half of a Zero Impact bar or some baby carrots and 1/3 cup hummus.
 On-the-run snack |
 Carrots & hummus |
3:30pm until 4:30/5pm: Training time
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Cassandra does a weights workout in the garage, or she may run sprints for 20 to 30 minutes on a track.
Postworkout meal
She also spends 2-3 hours on mountain bike trails at least once a week (there are some awesome hills and terrain in the area where they live!). On these days, Cassandra adjusts her diet to have more carbs and fat, and adds more variety to her food choices.
5:15pm: Postworkout shake
1 scoop whey protein with water in the Magic Bullet, three rye crackers and sometimes a piece of fruit if the workout is a lot longer, harder or involves cardio.
Dinner
8pm: Dinner with husband
- 4.5 ounces pork tenderloin
- 3/4 cup cooked squash
- Corn on the cob
- Salad with tomatoes, cucumbers and green bell peppers
- 1 tbsp dressing made with olive oil
- Iced Sun Tea
10:30 to 11pm: Bedtime
Bedtime supplements
Before bed, Cassandra takes 1,200 mg of calcium with vitamin D, 1000 mg of magnesium and 99 mg of potassium.
Cassandra’s “diet” mindset focuses not on what she should eat to lose but on what foods will allow her to gain -– that is, to gain the energy, health and focus to achieve both her personal and professional goals. In finding the nutritional balance between maintaining her physique and mental stamina, she’s content with where she is right now. When she’s ready to switch gears again, there’ll be no chance of stalling.
Cassandra Forsythe is a PhD candidate at the University of Connecticut, studying exercise science and nutrition. She received her MSc in Human Nutrition and Metabolism and her BSc in Nutrition and Food Science from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. She is certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and is a Certified Sports Nutritionist (CISSN) through the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN).
You can follow Cassandra’s blog and find information about her books and services on her site: www.cassandraforsythe.com