A Sunday Well Spent...

I've seen this pin floating around recently, and it is SO true! After a nice post-church Sunday nap, it feels good to get a few things done. Spending some extra time on Sunday- even just an hour or two can help you start your Monday on the right foot. 

A few things that I find helpful are prepping some food to make meals easier during the week- this can be as easy as a grain, a veggie, and a meat to throw add into lunches or dinners. 

Options for food prep to make your week easier:

• wash and chop lettuce for salads
• cut up fruit to have for snacks or add to your yogurt
• grilled chicken to add to salads or lunches 
• make a large batch of quinoa or brown rice
• chop veggies to have as on the go snacks
• boil eggs
• make a large batch of soup in your slow cooker 
• overnight oats
• pre-portion your usual go-to snacks (pretzels, pirates booty, pita chips, etc)
• mason jar salads

This week I prepped boiled eggs, tuna salad (basically just tuna + mustard+ some boiled egg white), ground turkey, green beans, and brown rice. I made the rice in my rice cooker for dinner tonight (we had lettuce wraps) so it was easy peasy to add a few extra servings in to have for left overs (tomorrow we'll have burrito bowls). Ground turkey is one of my favorites to prep- it tastes delicious re-heated and its easy to mix up with rice for a yummy protein-packed lunch. 


Other easy things to make your work week start off on the right foot: make sure you have (at least some) laundry done, pack your lunch and gym bag, make sure your keys are in the right spot ;), wash sheets/towels, etc. It always feels good to go to sleep in an organized home on Sunday night...

Have a great week!

Fluffy Pumpkin Oatmeal

Continuing my quest to add pumpkin to (almost) everything this fall, I made pumpkin oatmeal a couple weeks ago for breakfast- and have made them several times since. I've been playing with the ratios to maximize fluff, and I think I've got it. I make up recipes all the time, but the thing is- I don't ever measure when I'm cooking (unless I'm baking, obviously). So since I don't actually measure, I can't really put said recipes on this little blog of mine. But this time I pulled out my measuring cups so I could share these babies. 

To keep you full, the oats are made with egg whites (which also make them fluffy) and protein powder--coming in at about 17g of protein-- not too shabby. They are a perfect breakfast for a cool fall morning, and even make for an easy breakfast at your desk as well. I just mixed all of the ingredients in a container and took it to work to microwave last week.

Ingredients (for one serving)

1/2 c old fashioned oats
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 t cinnamon 
sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice

1/4 c egg whites
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
2-3 T almond milk 


Mix all ingredients in a microwave safe container. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Easy as (pumpkin) pie. 

90-Second Lunch

Lately, for an easy lunch/ side dish I've been using this delicious quinoa and brown rice blend from my beloved Costco.

While the rice/quinoa is steaming in the microwave, quickly chop a few veggies to toss with it, top it with a little balsamic dressing and viola-- lunch in less than 2 minutes! 


I have been using cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers- but really it would be great with whatever is in season. It's a great blend of fiber, flavor, protein and veggies and it's delicious both hot and cold!

Spice up your Salad!

Salads can easily get boring. I've actually let a lot of lettuce go bad in my fridge because I didn't want another boring salad- fortunately salads are easy to change up! I recently switched from romaine to spinach - even just simply switching your greens can make things more interesting. Since salads are such a great way to pack a lot of nutrients into one meal- don't cut them out of your meal plan! 

the salad I had for lunch yesterday:
 spinach, tomatoes, peppers, avocado, strawberries, grilled chicken, & balsamic

Here are a few other options to add some spice to your salad:


almond slivers
pecans
seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, etc)
beans (black or kidney)
boiled eggs
avocado
peppers 
chicken 
fish
quinoa 
shrimp
lean strips of beef 
red onion 
apples
strawberries
mandarine oranges
cherry tomatoes
olives
salsa  

Motivation Monday

It's a brand new week! If you had a few cheats this weekend, get back on your game and start off strong! I definitely had a nice cheat meal this weekend- it had been too long since I'd had one and it was delicious! But now that it's a new week lets set some goals and make it happen! I really think that everyone should set weekly goals- even if it's as simple as "drink more water" (which I am really trying to do right now) Set goals and keep making progress!

I started my week on Sunday night by meal prepping to make things easier on myself this week. I had everything ready for when my alarm went off at 5am! I can't emphasize enough that planning ahead is really just making your life easier in the long run! My morning went so smoothly because my lunch and breakfast were ready, my outfit was laid out, and my workout clothes were out. Easy peasy! 

supplements ready to go!

meals prepped and ready! 

I  have my workouts and meals planned, and I am excited for a great week! Happy Monday!

Staying on Track

It is sometimes (or very often) difficult to stay on track with diet and exercise when there are so many distractions around. I have found that the longer I stick to eating clean, the less tempted I am by junk food that is available to me. If I am working my butt off 5 days a week in the gym, the last thing I want to do is ruin my hard work in a moment of weakness. It did take me a while to get to that point though. If you are struggling to stay on track- here are a few tips:

1. Plan your meals, and have them available at all times- It's so helpful to me to have each of my meals/snacks packed in the fridge at work. I stick to my usual eating times, and when junk is available (which it is often at my work)  I'm usually not even hungry. If you are in your car driving throughout the day, or are in class, keep a lunch box with you so you aren't tempted by vending machines or drive-thrus when you get hungry. The times I'm most tempted are when I'm starving! It's easiest just to not let yourself get to that point. 

2. Drink water! I always underestimated the importance of this, but it really helps me. Have a bottle of water with you at all times. Often we think we are hungry, but our body is just thirsty-so drink up!

3. Keep your eye on the prize- find people in your life, or even a blogger or insta-grammer who inspires you. Focus on working towards your goals, think about feeling great on your upcoming vacation, or even just in your swim suit at the pool this summer. Being healthy is about feeling your best! 

4. Get back up- if you do und up having a few unplanned cheats, pick yourself up and move forward. Drink lots of water and don't beat yourself up! Life should not be about punishing/rewarding yourself with food. Focus on feeding yourself the nutrients your body needs to be your best self! 


The weekends are the hardest time for me to stay on track. I've gotten better recently but I honestly feel that everything just becomes a habit after a while. Once you're in the habit of eating clean, eating junk doesn't really seem as appetizing. I have some digestion issues, and I get stomach aches often. It's definitely made worse by eating anything greasy which really keeps me from wanting it in the first place.

keep healthy snacks available

work hard! 

Easy Recipe: Fajitas and Spanish Rice

We had these saturday evening after being at the pool for the afternoon. They were very easy to throw together and so tasty!

Fajitas 

ingredients:
Olive oil 
2 chicken breasts, sliced in thin strips
2 peppers (I used orange and red), sliced in thin strips
1 large onion, chopped in large pieces 
Taco seasoning (I use a mixture of chili powder, cayenne, cumin, salt, and garlic powder- combine to your taste for spice)

corn tortillas 

toppings
We used avocado and greek yogurt, but it would also be delicious with lettuce and tomato

directions:
Chop onion, peppers and chicken. Add olive oil to a hot pan. Saute onion and chicken until chicken is almost cooked through. Top with seasonings and mix. Add Peppers, cook until heated through. 

Serve in corn tortillas with desired toppings. 

Serves 2 with plenty of left overs!


Spanish Rice

ingredients: 
Olive oil
1/2 onion
1 T chopped garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
1-2 T of taco seasoning (see above for ingredients- mix depending on your taste for spice)
1 C brown rice
1/2 C water (or more depending on what type of rice is used)

directions:
Saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic, continue to saute for another 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients. Follow instructions on rice for cooking times. 

**all ingredients can also be placed in a rice cooker without sautéing onions as well but you may need to add more water 


Enjoy! 

Plan Ahead!

"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail" pretty much sums up the importance of making preparations ahead of time. I've always been a planner- almost to a fault. I like to plan out almost everything (except for my weekends, oddly enough) outfits, meals, workouts- you name it.

I realize that this isn't something that comes as naturally for everyone. It's important to plan ahead so when the time comes to act (whether that be on eating a meal or doing a workout)  you are prepared. It's a lot easier for me to get up at 5am when I know I have my pre-workout on the counter and my gym clothes laid out- it's less work for me. Here are a few tips for success when it comes to planning


1. Use your down time wisely- If you have an extra hour (or even 20 minutes) in the evening, you can easily prep your breakfast and lunch for the next day, so you aren't left to get takeout if you end up sleeping through your alarm. Even while you're watching TV you can throw some chicken in the oven and chop a few veggies during commercials- easy peasy!

a little meal prep

2. Make a list- Always make a list before going grocery shopping. Make sure to buy plenty of healthy options to have for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Just don't forget the list!

3.Use a planner- It doesn't matter if it's an actual paper planner or in your phone- just use it. I use mine to plan the workouts I'm going to do during the week, and the meals I have plan to have.For me- once it's written down I'm more likely to stick to it. This is also beneficial because I can plan my workouts around my schedule depending on what I have going on for the day. Some days the morning is better, and other days I prefer afternoons or evenings. 

my planner

4. Know yourself- If you hate running, don't plan your gym time around the treadmill. If you hate chicken or broccoli- don't buy it! Try new things and have fun! Working out and eating healthy should not be miserable- it should be about making your life healthier and happier. If you have the opportunity- go to a new class at the gym or try a new recipe. You may just find your new fav!

Remember: Planning is all about making your life easier in the long run!

Calories: Quality Over Quantity

Quality over quantity-I think this mantra can apply to many aspects of life, but definitely has application in health and fitness. When it comes to calories (whether you're counting them or not) quality is always more important than quantity. I'm sure everyone has seen the diagrams comparing 2000 calories of junk food compared to 2000 calories of healthy food- and with healthy food, you always get a lot more bang for your buck. 

If you are just starting out or are trying to lose weight, I'd suggest counting calories only at the very beginning- just to get an idea about how each thing you eat is adding up. After that, put your focus on eating clean foods instead. 

By clean foods I mean foods that are as close to their natural form as possible i.e, vegetables and fruits, leans meats (nothing from the deli counter), whole grains etc. [I do not mean eating Smart Ones and packaged protein bars.]

I always prep my food for work the night before!

At this point I probably eat about 1800 calories per day. I eat clean 80-90% of the time and I work out about 5 days/ week. I'm trying to gain muscle and lose fat, but my body needs fuel to gain that muscle!!
 
It's much easier and less time consuming to not have to stress about counting calories. I started using MyFitness Pal about a year ago to count calories, and it became an unhealthy obsession for a little while. Focus your energy on eating foods that will benefit your body, and you'll be a lot happier!

 Remember-- "You can't out train a bad diet!


An update on the early workouts-- I am still loving it! I'm still aiming for at least 3x per week and my body is starting to get used to it.... 

this is becoming my best friend for early a.m. workouts

I LOVE the quiet gym in the morning

leg day this morning- slowly seeing progress

For the Love of Costco

Anyone who knows me, know I LOVE Costco. My mom taught me about the magic of Costco at a young age, so it was only natural that I got my own membership when I went to college. After my husband and I got married, we upgraded to an Executive membership, and have pretty much only done grocery shopping at Costco ever since. 

A lot of people may wonder why we shop at Costco if we are only shopping for the two of us- well, we do eat a lot, but we also are able to get amazing deals on our favorite healthy foods. We even recently got lucky and found Optimum Nutrition Whey Isolate protein powder as well as a 2 pack of Cellucor C4 pre-workout!

Here is a list of our main Costco staples:

salmon
chicken breasts
turkey burgers
tuna
quinoa

eggs (which we buy by the 5 dozen)
plain Greek yogurt
cottage cheese
soy milk

pita chips
Pirates Booty 
natural peanut butter 
protein powder

frozen berries
apples
canned pineapple
strawberries
bananas

spinach
tomatoes
asparagus
sweet potatoes
avocados
snap peas 
canned black beans 


Naturally we don't buy all of this each time we go. We usually stock up once a month, and go back a few times in between for whatever we are out of. 

Of course I love places like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, but when stocking up on groceries, Costco is my fav!

Breakfast: Berries and Cream Protein Oats

This is one of my go-to breakfasts during the week. It's super easy and delicious, but the best part is that there are only 3 ingredients!

Ingredients:

1/2 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder

1 C Frozen mixed berries

1/3- 1/2 C Oats

Defrost the berries in your bowl for one minute in the microwave. Add the protein powder and oats. Stir. Add a small amount of water and microwave for another minute. Enjoy!!

*if you don't have/ dont want to use protein powder you can always use an egg white. It's obviously not as flavorful, but will give you some added protein! If you do use egg whites, flavor the oats with cinnamon, stevia, vanilla, etc 

Strawberry Avocado Spinach Salad

This weekend was a perfect combination of relaxing and being productive. On Friday night we had date night (CPK + Menchies = best ever), hung out with friends, stocked up on groceries and supplements, got the apartment cleaned and laundry done, and of course worked out. 

new workout clothes

my delicious Menchie's creation

my growing bicep, and Cellucor- new favorite pre-workout

my husband after a lot of hard work

Tonight we had this delicious (and easy) salad for dinner. I love spring and summer for a million reasons, but I really love the fresh produce. I got some yummy strawberries at Costco and they were perfect in this salad. You  can really use any veggies you want in the salad. 

For the salad:

Spinach
Strawberries
Avocado
1 Yellow pepper
Celery stalk
A handful of chopped pecans
Chicken breast
Salt-free seasoning

For dressing I just used olive oil and balsamic vinegar


I just tossed all of the salad ingredients, then topped with grilled chicken- nothing better than dinner in under 30 minutes!

Enjoy!!

Recipe: Spicy Salmon and Quinoa Salad

I made this last night for dinner and it was so yummy (and took less than 30 minutes to put on the table) !

For the salmon:
2 salmon fillets
1 t cumin
1 t garlic powder
1 t chili powder
1/8 t cayenne pepper
pinch of brown sugar
pinch of salt
lime juice
Diced avocado, for topping 


For the Quinoa Salad:
1-1/2 C quinoa
2 peppers, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
lime juice


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350*. Combine spices, sprinkle on salmon with a squeeze of lime juice. Bake salmon for 20- 25 minutes depending on the size. 

While the salmon is baking, cook quinoa according to instructions. Combine with chopped veggies. Sprinkle with lime juice and cumin if desired. 

Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta

This is an easy and delicious meal that only takes about 20 minutes to put together. Enjoy!

You will need:
Whole wheat pasta of your choice
Olive oil 
Medium onion
1 T crushed garlic
3 Roma tomatoes
1/4 C nonfat plain Greek yogurt 
1/4 C tomato sauce
2 C spinach (I used fresh, but you could also use frozen)
Italian spices 
Salt/ Pepper

Optional: Top with Grilled chicken and/or shredded cheese


Directions

1. Boil water and your choice of pasta and cook until al dente
2. Sautee onion in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic, wait about a minute and add tomatoes. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and Greek yogurt. Stir. Add spices and spinach. Simmer. After pasta is cooked, drain and combine with sauce. Top with cheese if desired. 

Eating Clean

I have people ask me on a regular basis about healthy eating and working out. The answer is both simple and difficult at the same time. The simple answer is to eat healthy and exercise. Unfortunately that's also the difficult answer. There are so many "diets" and workouts that are being promoted that it's very difficult to know where to start. The important thing to remember is that being healthy is a lifestyle- it's not a diet, or an exercise program or a gym membership, or a magic pill. It's living in a healthful way. 

I would recommend starting by cleaning up your diet. This means less processed foods (anything that comes in a bag, box, or can) and more fresh foods. There's a saying that goes "you can't outrun a bad diet" and that is SO true.  

Don't expect that your habits will change overnight! Be patient with yourself, and slowly incorporate more clean foods into your diet. Making small changes will yield big results! 

If your lifestyle is healthy, it will not be detrimental for you to have a treat once in a while (unlike crash diets). It's important to have a positive mindset. When you feel very restricted, you are more likely to binge (again- as with crash diets). If you are eating healthy, you can afford to have a cheat meal out once in a while.

It is very possible to have healthy delicious food, and not feel the need to eat junk. I am now at the point where I literally feel sick when I eat anything greasy or fatty. I know that if it's not what you're used to it may take a while to adjust. If you ever do feel the urge for a treat, there are tons of option on the internet for leaner, cleaner versions of the real thing- and chances are that you may not even know the difference!


Here is a basic breakdown for a complete breakfast, lunch , and dinner:

Breakfast: Protein+ fruit+ complex carb 

**In my opinion, this is truly the most important meal of the day. Don't skip it!!

egg whites + whole wheat toast/ sandwich round + fruit
oats w/ protein powder and fruit
smoothie (don't forget to include your protein! use nut butter or protein powder)
greek yogurt+ fruit 
protein shake 

protein pancakes

Lunch: Protein+ fruit/vegetable
TIP** If i'm grilling meat/ veggies for dinner, I make extra so I can just take it to work with me for lunch the next day 

tuna salad w/ greek yogurt or cottage cheese instead of mayo 
hummus and vegetables with whole wheat crackers/ pita chips
grilled chicken w/ salad and balsamic
roasted veggies+ brown rice or quinoa

salmon, green beans, sweet potatoes

Dinner: Protein+ vegetable + complex carb

salmon, tilapia, turkey burgers, chicken breasts, flank steak, etc
whole wheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes 

turkey burgers + guac =  best combo ever

quinoa salad

Snacks:
fruit + nut butter
almonds
brown rice cake w/ yogurt
greek yogurt or cottage cheese + fruit (I recommend buying plain greek yogurt, but if you do buy flavored yogurt, read the label!) 
string cheese
carrot and celery sticks 
trail mix (make a mix of your own for fewer calories than the store-bought kind)



Obviously this is not an exhaustive list, just a basic idea of excellent whole foods to eat. Your food does not have to be plain or bland-- there are TONS of delicious, clean recipes available online! You can start here.

I would generally advise eating about 5 small meals/day. Some may be larger than others. It's important to never let yourself get to the point of being very hungry. I think everyone has experienced the feeling of being starving and eating the first thing in sight- that's the last thing you want! It's so important to plan ahead so you have healthy options available to you at all times! 

Meal Planning 101

So what is so great about meal planning anyway?


the why

Planning my meals has made my life 100x easier. When I first moved out and went to college, I would walk in to a grocery store and have no idea what i was looking for (because I hadn't even made a list, usually). Then I'd get home and realize I had almost all of the ingredients for a few recipes, but nothing to make a whole recipe. This was extremely frustrating and also an easy way to waste money! What I've come to realize though, is that the most important part of meal planning is that it keeps you on track if you are trying to stick to a specific diet, or just avoid fast/processed foods in general! 
 
So other than saving time and money,  why is it so important to plan your meals? Inevitably you will be hungry a few times a day and you will have 2 options- you can either have a healthy snack on hand to eat, or your hunger will take over and you'll end up consuming whatever you can get your hands on (which is usually not the best thing for you)


the how

For me, the method that works best is planning meals and grocery shopping for about 2 weeks at a time. This doesn't mean that every last bite is planned 2 weeks ahead. I just have a general idea of meals that I will be eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner- and depending on the circumstances of each day, I choose one of those meals I've planned. 

There are so many resources online for finding recipes. My favorites are pinterest and Skinny Taste. After I pick about 10 dinners (this allows for some days to have left overs and some days to eat out),  I comb through the recipes. I then make a big list and go grocery shopping! 

Now that I'm in a good routine for doing this I have certain things I keep on hand so that I don't have to buy them as frequently. Some of these items include:

greek yogurt
cottage cheese
frozen berries
canned pineapple
oats
natural peanut butter
low sodium chicken broth
chicken breasts
seasonal veggies/ fruits
brown rice
wheat pasta
turkey sausage
eggs
..............

I have gotten to the point where I keep a few of my favorite things on hand for breakfast and lunches so at this time I mainly just plan my dinners and snacks.  It's important to know yourself and your triggers! If there is a certain time of day you get ravenously hungry, have something on hand (at your desk, in your pure or backpack, etc) and eat it before you are starving! 

Good luck with planning your meals! 

And remember

via