Plan Those Meals!

Just like your money has a budget (or should) your food should have a plan. I feel better when I have things mapped out for me. Takes the guess work out of day and I have one less thing to worry about. Spending a little time once a week I knock out my meal plan AND my grocery list. How's that for multi tasking?

Over the years I went from going to the grocery store, picking out what looked good- mostly junk food- and taking it home to sit and go to waste because we didn't have real food and would end up going out anyway. So much waste.

Now the process has evolved. This is an example of what I do. Well this is the exact meal plan I set up for this week. I plan my meals every week on this template. I usually grocery shop on Wednesdays so this tells me what I need to get. It's very easy for me to see what we have planned for that day. Anything that would affect meals. Then I check what we already have and then shop for the rest. This is the amazing part. Produce usually costs less than processed food and so as a nice bonus my grocery bill has DROPPED since I have been eating clean. Shopping each week lets me keep fresh fruits and vege's in my fridge so it doesn't go to waste and I can get the good stuff and not break my budget.

As you can see I take easy shortcuts here and there. My breakfasts are just different meals that I switch every other day. Lunches are a few meals and repeated. Snacks and other meals use repeated ingredients. I try to make it as easy on myself as I can. I get lots of freedom with dinners. That is what I spend the most time on. I search the internet; mainly Pinterest for clean eating dinner ideas. There are a few I do every week like tacos and turkey burgers so I end up only having to come up with 3-4 for the week. Leftovers are great because Austin can take them for lunch to work. I try to only buy what we need. It has helped me learn to appreciate the food we have and not let it go to waste.

This has taken me years to figure out. I hope it helps you. I absolutely love feedback so comment if you loved this idea, what you do to help your family and any suggestions you have for future posts. Thanks all.

Much Love,

Jennifer

Note: My phone is my best friend for EVERYTHING!! Grocery shopping especially :) I use the app AnyList to help cut my grocery shopping trip down. This helps with a busy toddler. It categorizes what you need so you don't end up zig zagging through different ends of the store and wasting time. I've talked a lot about waste this post only because I had a big problem with it. Haha enjoy!

Start the Day Off Right

Since the beginning of the year I have been making an effort to eat cleaner and fresher. Last year I focused on making my workouts habit and part of life but this year I'm ready to take on my nutrition. Breakfasts are pretty easy for me because I mostly make the same thing but I like to mix it up here and there. 

My usual breakfast:

2 scrambled eggs and piece of fruit or greek yogurt. 

Variations on eggs- sprinkle of shredded cheddar, salsa drizzle

Since I have been looking into foods that are better for my body I like to switch it up. I have been trying 1 serving cottage cheese or oatmeal with the following toppings:

1 sliced banana

2 tablespoons natural peanut butter

2-3 tablespoons local honey

sprinkle of cinnamon

Eggs are really good for you but on days where I eat my loaded cottage cheese or oatmeal (I like oatmeal better) I can tell my body has more energy. It doesn't take long for me to feel it. I got this idea from Jen Senecal who was a guest on one of the blogs at lunchpailsandlipstick.com. I love how she makes it simple. The link I thought was the most helpful is listed below:

Jen Senecal Clean Eating Expert

My biggest tip is to make small changes here and there. Don't get overwhelmed all at once because you won't be able to keep it up. Start with one meal. Breakfast is easy because it sets the mood for the rest of the day. Make it mean something for your body. You are breaking your fast so give it something good. 

Much love,

Jennifer

My Story Pt. 1

I love eating out. There is something about going to a restaurant, ordering food and having it delivered to me that screams "Special Occasion!!" and I love that.

Growing up I was taught to cook for myself. Fast food or even restaurant visits were a privilege and wasn't something my family did very much. So when Austin and I met we would go out all the time. I was young and never had to worry about what I ate because let's face it when you're young and skinny nothing really mattered so who cares?

As time went by I got used to eating huge portions of greasy, rich, fried foods and gallons of soda. I would buy Pepsi by the case and go through it so fast my stock wouldn't last more than a few days. I didn't know about calories or fat content. I thought pizza was healthy because it technically had foods from all sections of the food pyramid. I gained quite a bit a weight after I got married. Thought it was happy fat and I didn't worry too much. But I started to feel self conscience, depressed and unhappy.

I thought how I felt was normal. Nope. It's not.

My unhealthy eating habits went on until I got pregnant. Then I went from crappy diet choices to really bad diet choices. My weight had steadily been rising and now it was skyrocketing. I would totally justify it.

"The baby needs it", "I'm so hungry! Ya give me a whole Cafe Rio Salad and a chocolate cake!", "It'll come off when I nurse", "Do I want heartburn? No I'll eat two breakfast burritos", "I deserve and extra large combo with all the extras", "I might as well I'm already chubby".

Well I didn't know it would happen but I got sick. Preeclampsia. I had a painful and difficult delivery and even worse recovery. I went on anti depressants for a few days and that was my rock bottom. I felt too heavy to take care of my baby. When Austin went back to work I used my weight as a crutch to feel sorry for myself. Plain and simple I did that to myself and I had to take responsibility. At that time I was living off caffeine and eating lots of junk. Did it make me happy? No.

So I changed. In January 2013 I started working out at home. Did half hour of something (P90X or Youtube) every few days. Only what I could handle. I stopped drinking soda and drowned my stomach in water. I made small tweaks to the food I ate. Whole wheat instead of white. Fresh fruit instead of chips. Reminded myself my stomach is only as big as my fist and watched my portions.

Slowly I could feel the depression disappear. I started to need that high. The sweat and the rush after. That was the beginning.

Clean Eating Overall Challenge- My Thoughts

Clean eating can be interpreted many different ways. To my understanding it is eating foods that are nutritionally valuable to your body meaning they haven't been processed or modified. Your body will benefit from consuming said foods. Keeping that in mind and knowing my personality I decided after the first week to not be super strict. I would never stick to it.

Instead I used the recipes and snack ideas as a guideline and added a few things or took away what I didn't want to eat. You want to enjoy what you put in your body and if you hate eating salads then don't eat salads. There are plenty of other foods that are great for you that don't involve lettuce.

All in all it helped me break through a plateau I had been battling for six weeks. I feel less bloated, more energized and healthier.

For me what ever I eat affects me. I can tell if it's slowing me down or if it's giving me energy. I'm not perfect and I am not super strict. I eat out but I educate myself of what I put in my mouth. You have 100% control over what goes in your body. That was part of getting my act together. Realizing I am responsible for myself. No one else. So if you need a little kick start to awesome nutrition then I highly recommend clean eating.

Note: if if seems overwhelming- I know how you feel- start with one meal. Figure out how to make that clean. Ask yourself the following- is it processed, what can it do for my body, is it going to help me reach my goal?

Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

Clean Eating Update

I have been on this 21 Day Clean Eating Challenge for 8 days. I have to be real honest here.

I cheated. And I am ashamed.

A year ago when I started changing my life I found I am much more likely to stick to something if I took it slowly and only did what I knew I could keep up forever. The good news is I didn't cheat excessively. So in the name of accountability I will confess...

Wendy's- completely made me sick.

Cheesecake Factory- I made sure to keep my portions in check.

Chinese food- the food was not that great and I was so mad I ate crappy food that is bad for me. If I am going to splurge I want it to taste good. Dang it.

Various treats- Superbowl is to blame here.

Every meal and snack besides that in the past 8 days has been clean. I can really feel how different foods affect me. Bad foods make me feel sick, sluggish and bloaty. Good foods make my head feel clear, I have energy and I feel better about myself. I am happier.

After eating bad food I could feel my mood turn and I don't like it. That is what living is for. Learning what is good for you and what is bad so going day to day you can make changes to be happy. I will take the things I learn from this challenge through my whole life. I didn't know fresh steamed broccoli was so delicious. Who knew?

Happiness is something that you find on your journey. Not the destination.

Your happiness comes first. Learn to love yourself even though our society makes image more important than what's inside a persons heart. That's not true. I sound like I am preaching here but as I write this I am more talking to myself. So don't mind me as you read the ramblings in my head. Haha have a wonderful Monday everyone!

Clean Eating Challenge Day 1

8:33pm- I WANT CHOCOLATE!!!! AND PIZZA! Everything I have eaten today has been clean and very good for me but I'm relaxing and catching up on my shows and all I want is to indulge! 

This is so bad. My brain tried to convince me that I have been good enough and now I deserve something as a reward. A chocolate reward. I read somewhere if I am craving chocolate I need protein so maybe I will have to find me something. 

My dinner was garlic vege's and they were so filling but when I eat healthier foods it seems like I get hungry faster. Hopefully the next 20 days will be easier for me. 

Night everyone! 

21 Day Clean Eating Challenge

My friend let me into her 21 Day Clean Eating Challenge and it starts tomorrow. I am really nervous that I will screw it all up with some hidden chocolate in my house but I am so excited to have something to push me in the right direction with my nutrition. It has taken me so long to understand what my body actually needs daily was not what I was feeding it. I thought "Hey, pizza and hamburgers have all the food groups so it's healthy, right?"

NO FRIGGIN' WAY!!!!!!!

After a year of no Pepsi I think it's time to take my body to the next level. I feel so much better without all that sugar clouding my mind and body but I am ready to become lean. Not just lose weight here and there but actually becoming the most fit and healthy I have ever been. 

I have gotten my meal plan ready for the next 7 days so posting my beginning stats before.

Weight: 184

Waist: 33"

Hips: 42"

Chest: 37"

Left Arm: 12 1/2"

Right Arm: 12 1/2"

Left Thigh: 24"

Right Thigh: 25"

Everyone is always self conscience about their before photo but this is for reference back to- no judging.