Tag: fitness

Valentine’s Day at White Castle

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File this under: fit girls shouldn’t do this.
And maybe also under: women with self-respect shouldn’t do this.

I’m going to White Castle on Valentine’s Day. If you aren’t already aware, White Castle on Valentine’s Day is kind of a thing. There are menus, waiters, decorations – even music.

I’ve been wanting to do this for at least five years. The only inconvenient fact that stood in my way was that my boyfriends were always normal people. And normal people tend to find the concept of taking their woman to the Castle on V-day a bit too trashy to bear.

But luckily, I now find myself single. Which means I get to have as many Crave Cases as it will take to muffle the sound of my tears.

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And believe me, there will be tears.

A Few Concerns 

  1. Meat? I don’t normally eat meat. So there is a decent chance that I’ll simply drop dead upon touching the rat-burger to my lips. On the other hand, can you really call White Castle “meat”? Maybe I’ll be OK after all.
  2. Calories. Fast food has calories. Scientists have shown that a  case of 30 burgers  can have up to thirty times more calories than just eating one single burger. God help me.
  3. Parental Concerns. When your 28 year old daughter is spending Valentine’s day crying and eating a literal suitcase filled with burgers, you have to start wondering what exactly went wrong. I really couldn’t tell you, Mom. I can only tell you that I’m gravely sorry.

And Now I Pose A Question

Do you watch your food intake on Valentine’s Day?
Are you strict at all? Slightly strict?
Do any of you sexy people just say “fuck it” and take the night off?

And while we’re on the subject, do any of you eat fast food occasionally?

TALK TO ME I’M SO LONELY!!

Much Love ❤
XOXO

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Running, running as fast as I can

There are so many things we can all debate about, but I think there are a few things we can all agree upon:

  • Waking up and the first thought being, “Why?”
  • Commuting to work and asking, “Why?”
  • That urge… that deep deep desire to turn your car in the other direction and drive far away and then asking yourself, “Why not?”

This was one of those weeks for me. I had this urge to just throw a dart at a map and let this dart decide my fate. I am not sure if this is a bad or good thing but my friends, family, and husband are all encouraging me to just do what I want. It’s good because I have their support, it’s bad because they are encouraging this impulsive behavior.

I can’t just go. I have a few concerns like finance and the fear of not being able to provide for my animals (we have three and they are our babies). I need a plan first. I need a plan to justify this change in life.

But for now, I will run on the treadmill or ride that stationary bike off into nowhere… sigh…

This post was somewhat of a rant, a way to unscramble my mind and to also share my current music play list. This makes my cardio work outs a bit more bearable. I am more of a “let’s move” kinda girl. I am obsessed with strength training thanks to my awesome Trainer and I love being outdoors. Running on the treadmill makes the urge to just go so much worse. Is this how vampires feel when they feel the thirst for blood?

My Playlist:

Coleman Hell- 2 Heads

Arctic Monkeys- Do I Wanna Know?

Soul Asylum-Runaway Train

Major Lazer- Lean on

Icona Pop- Love it

Charli XCX- Boom Clap

Calvin Harris- Sweet Nothing

Benny Benassi- Satisfaction

Marvin Gate- Sexual Healing

The Clash- Rock the Casbah

Falco-Rock Me Amadeus

Third Eye Blind- Semi Charmed Life

Aerosmith-Sweet Emotion

The Smashing Pumpkins- 1979

Natalie Imbruglia- Torn

Spin Doctors- Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong

The Weeknd- Earned It

Lana Del Rey- Summertime Sadness

Ariana Grande- Love Me Harder

Blue Swede- Hooked on a Feeling

Lady Gaga- Do What You Want

Ellie Goulding- Love Me Like You Do

No Doubt- Just a Girl

Taylor Swift- Out of the Woods

Do you guys ever feel this way? What’s on your playlist?

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Three Pillars of Fitness: Part 1

This is part one of a four part blog post on my overarching theory of everything.

Here it goes!

There are three pillars of fitness. Each pillar is distinct, but they interact. A weakness in one can (and probably will) infect the others over time.

In this post, I will generally describe the three pillars approach. In the next three posts, I’ll go into each pillar separately.

The Three Pillars

The Psychological;
The Physical; and
The Habitual

  1. “The Psychological” refers to your existing mental framework with regards to food, movement, body image, and self-esteem in general. When you don’t identify as a member of a certain group (in this case, “fit people”), you are far less likely to take actions consistent with belonging to that group.
  2. “The Physical”  refers to forces that are generally either outside of your conscious control, or at the very least which exist at the periphery of your conscious control. These include “mechanical” or “chemical” forces that keep you heavy – anything from hormones, metabolic state, genetic predispositions, state of your microbiome, etc. For most people, physical barriers can be easily corrected. This will put you in optimal state to achieve a healthy weight.
  3. “The Habitual” refers to your automatic or “default” behaviors. This is the most important pillar of all, and also the toughest to fix. But have faith!! Science has given us proven methods to replace bad habits with more constructive behaviors. Even in the absence of willpower.

The Purpose of this Framework

There is no objective truth to this particular framework. Rather, the three pillar approach is meant as an aid – to help you identify specific problems, so that you can work specifically on those problems, rather than wasting your time on problems you don’t have.

Within each of the three pillars, you can look for research based methods to take the exact steps you need to address your particular issues.

This framework recognizes that there is NO one size fits all approach to maintaining a healthy weight. That’s because people’s pillars are not weak in the same places.

An Illustration

If you’re overweight – consider:
how did you become overweight in the first place?

  • Were you overweight as child? If so, you likely have barriers in all three pillars.
    • Psychological – It’s likely that your own mental representation of yourself does not include thinness. It just isn’t who you are. Because you don’t see yourself as a “fit person” your brain is making thousands of subconscious choices each day that are different than the choices that a person who sees themselves as fit would make.
    • Physical – You likely have physical dependencies on certain foods or feeding behaviors, which go above and beyond mere habits. These may be largely the result of metabolic syndrome, or the beginnings or it.
    • Habitual – Whatever habits that led you to become overweight at such a young age are deeply engrained. You haven’t successfully replaced your default behavior to more closely resemble that of a fit person.
  • Did you become overweight simply from bad habits? On the other hand – you might have acquired bad habits with age. In this case, you may STILL have problems in each pillar but those problems are different. Some examples include:
    • Psychological
      • Maybe your framework around food is perfectly healthy -you’ve just fallen on bad habits. In this case, addressing the habits will be sufficient to address your fitness problems. Or maybe those bad habits are beginning to affect your self-esteem. A third possibility is that you were never psychologically healthy to begin with, but only now are the results catching up with you.
      • In the second two cases, you need to deal with your mental framework in order to achieve lasting results.
    • Physical
      • Maybe you have physical dependencies on food, and maybe you don’t.
      • If you’ve been eating poorly, it’s likely that a host of changes in your body have occurred – to your hormones, in your blood, and to your gut flora. These physical changes may make it more difficult for your to lose weight.
    • Habitual
      • You could have fine psychological and physical health, and yet still become unfit over time. Poor habits tend to accumulate.
      • Luckily, this is an area rife with hacks and psychological tricks to improve your outcomes.

The Fix

Luckily, each of these pillars can be strengthened.

In terms of ease of change I’d rank them as follows (from easiest to toughest).
1.  Physical
2. Psychological
3. Habitual

You also DON’T need three PERFECT pillars to achieve results. You simply need to begin making improvements where they are most needed.  Where you make improvements will depend not only on the severity of the problem, but also on the importance of the pillar.

In terms of importance, I’d rank them as follows (from most important to least important).

  1. Habitual
  2. Physical
  3. Psychological

The cool thing is this. Just as problems in one pillar can begin to affect the integrity of the others, so can solutions for one pillar improve the health of the others.

In Part Two of this post I will discuss the Psychological Pillar, including concrete tactics you can use to create healthier mental associations with food and movement.

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Valentine’s Day Deck of Cards Workout Plan

Attention fit (or attempting to be fit) couples. This is cute:

 

I hope you enjoy this fun and simple way to burn off that Valentine’s Day chocolate. Best of all, you don’t need a date to do it! Enjoy and be well. ❤

Source: Valentine’s Day Deck of Cards Workout Plan

Can a Manicure Help You Lose Weight?

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By nature, I am disgusting. I just need to internet to know.

Grooming, to me, is the ultimate Sisyphean struggle. In the instant one stray hair is removed, another 6 pop up. My latest pedicure was consistently three months ago.

Grey hair? I call them my “wisdom strands.”
Werewolf legs? Just part of my “January Coat” (a term coined, btw, by the same Laura who brought us the Pretty Purple Smoothie ala Laura).

Whatever. I’m gross.  Because entropy always wins

But here is what I find.

When I take more pride in grooming habits unrelated to weight loss, I also tend to eat better. In fact, I treat myself better in general.

When I feel fresh to death, so to speak, I feel unstoppable. My freshness has no limit. I’m like a human breath mint.

And when I’m feeling good, I’m doing good for myself. And this makes sense. Studies have shown that the way you dress affects not only your behavior, but even your hormone levels.

Studies?

Have you ever experienced a day where you just feel “on”?

When you’re feeling that way, you’re living a fuller life. You’re less likely to turn to food for comfort or out of boredom or anxiety. You’re feeling sexy and you know it.

So could taking steps to feel “on” more often be beneficial to your mental and physical health? Could a regular routine of manicures increase your general sassiness factor so as to promote weight loss ?

I also wonder – could one facial per month multiply your hotness factor by 15, thereby turning you into a sex god?

I spent about 45 seconds on Google searching for studies that look for correlations between grooming efforts and weight loss. I came up empty. But I will continue my search.

In the meantime, what do you think?
Do you feel that putting more effort into your appearance has any relation to the choices you make throughout the day?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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Oprah Loves Bread (and dough)

Oprah loves bread and I love Oprah. So whats the problem?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSOtcyK3hF8

The 12 Million Dollar Tweet

Back in January, the internet was abuzz with Oprah’s 12 million dollar tweet. In all fairness, the tweet did contain a 30 second video. And also, in all fairness, the video was about losing 26 pounds. Hard? Yes. $12 million dollars hard? Maybe. Especially when you consider the fact that she did it all while eating bread.

The Oprah Effect

Now, experts are beginning to look at Weight Watcher’s stock for the “Oprah Effect.” And indeed, it appears that Oprah’s recent involvement is starting to pay off.

Carbs are the Devil

I think capitalism is the best. And I think Oprah is the best.  But I can’t help but wonder whether it’s time for companies like Weight Watchers to do more to change the story about carbs.

I get it. It’s all about low-carbs these days. Weight Watchers, which has been struggling recently, is trying to generate PR by taking an active stand against the recent “establishment trend” of a lower carb approach. It’s Goliath posing as David, and right now it works.

But here is the thing – people, in general, are misinformed about EVERYTHING when it comes to nutrition. Our science is bad, our information is bad, and I would pose that our entire approach is misguided.

Is it ok to eat a few carbs? Sure. Everything is ok. But it’s time to stop pitting fads against fads. We need to just get closer to whole foods.

Weight Watchers May be OK, But it Probably Isn’t

I’ve done Weight Watchers before. In the late 90’s. In the 2000’s. In the 2010’s.

I’ve tried all their various formulations. Many times. Who hasn’t?

Weight Watchers does some good. Last time I checked, veggies were unlimited. And I like that. There is a focus on physical activity as well. Great. Maybe Weight Watchers is just what some people need.

But in the end, it didn’t work for me. Sure, it “worked” in some sense. But it didn’t WORK. Not in that deep way that changes how you approach nutrition. And that’s because in the end, it was about counting and restriction. And that is not a satisfying lifestyle for most people.

Another problem is the focus on processed foods. I don’t care how much I count, if I’m eating processed foods, I am never satisfied. It’s just not how people are meant to eat.

Most People Who Do Weight Watchers Regain the Weight

So I’m sure this is true with any diet. Which is exactly why it’s best to avoid weight gain in the first place, by keeping a healthy metabolic state and living on what we were meant to live on – whole foods.

What I find slightly suspect is this statement from a former Weight Watchers business plan from 2001.  The plan emphasizes that its participants “demonstrated a consistent pattern of repeat enrollment over a number of years.” The average person would sign up for an average of FOUR separate program cycles.  Furthermore, in a documentary called “The Men Who Made Us Thin,” former CFO Richard Samber explained that the business was successful for this very reason.  The majority of customers regained the weight they lost.

But Maybe Weight Watchers is What Works for You

I don’t want to be overly critical of Weight Watchers. Losing weight is hard. Sometimes it takes a few tries, and often it never works out at all. Maybe WW is the right thing for you.

But I do want to make one point. Part of the reason that losing weight is so hard is because there are so many factors stacked against you.

In order to lose weight, you need to be strong not only in the face of physical temptation, but also cultural and family pressures. And that’s not all. You also need to be strong in the face of actual misinformation. You need to make smart choices in a world where choices are so often limited to processed foods.

So when Weight Watchers celebrates bread and pasta – some of today’s biggest modern culprits, it’s not really about carbs.

Because sure, a little bread is fine. But what’s not fine is their message. That, in a world of processed foods, it’s preferable to lose weight by restricting calories and focusing on portion control, rather than cutting out food groups that are especially addicting to overweight people. (Keep in mind I use the term “cutting out,” liberally, as if to say cutting out on the vast majority of days.)

The surest approach to maintaining a healthy weight is to fundamentally alter your understanding of what good nutrition means. It means, for the most part, eating food that comes from the earth. And I think the higher ups at Weight Watchers know that.

Of course, you CAN take a whole foods based approach while on the Weight Watchers plan. But that’s besides the point. If you eat whole foods that come from the earth, you don’t need to count anything. Whole foods make you full. It’s only processed foods that make it this way.

So even though Weight Watchers can technically be done the right way, I suspect that many more people are gingerly enjoying their carefully counted bread and pasta servings each day.

Bread every day is, after all, Oprah’s selling point. And I think it’s an irresponsible one.

What do you think?

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Temptation Bundling

Woman exercising on treadmill in gym

 

In yesterday’s post, I posed a challenge for those who struggle to find gym motivation.

I  love psychology. And I believe that pairing gym visits with a particularly engaging story can help you not only find the motivation you need to show up, but also cause you to associate more positive feelings with the gym in the future.

The challenge is a form of “Temptation Bundling.”

Willpower is Half Motivation

Willpower isn’t just willpower. Really, it’s a combined term for two aspects of a human trait:
1. The strength of a desire; and
2. The willingness and ability to actually perform a concrete action in furtherance of that desire

If you know absolutely nothing about math, but know that you’ll get $500 if you learn Trig by next year, you might learn it.

But if you know absolutely nothing about math, but you know that your first born will be killed if you can’t figure it out in the same time frame, the odds of you learning it are much higher.

It’s an oversimplification to chalk this all up to dopamine, but certainly it plays a role. Motivation is related to attention. And attention is related to things that matter to you. Like your first-born not being thrown into a river.

Stack the Deck in Your Favor 

Things that matter to you can improve your willpower by increasing your attention, and therefore your motivation.

So make a conscious effort to make mundane things matter more. This is how you stack the deck in your favor.

It will help you in two different ways:

[1] Activation Energy. Increased attention provides the initial interest and activation energy you need to get started and get over initial hurdles.

[2] Habit Formation  Performing any activity will begin your brain on the journey of creating a habit. Doing it in an interested state will likely make it stick better.  As they say, “Neurons that fire together, wire together.” Soon enough, you’ll enjoy a semi-automatic behavior, the familiarity of which will bring you comfort and joy.  You just need a little help getting there.

Use Temptation Bundling

Temptation bundling is just one hack of many that you can use to increase your motivation, and thus, your willpower. Bundle an enjoyable activity with a less enjoyable one, and keep the association strict. 

In order to do this effectively, you’ll have to know yourself.

For example, I love audiobooks, and I don’t have much of an attention span for television. I like certain shows, but I can’t focus on a show while exercising. You might experience the exact opposite.

If you LOVE a particular show, then ONLY watch that show at the gym. I personally do the same with audiobooks.

More Examples of Temptation Bundling for Fitness

  1. Make a pact with a friend you don’t see often, but whose company you thoroughly enjoy.  For the next three months, you are only going to hang out at the gym. This is you time.
  2. Listen to your favorite audiobook only while exercising.
  3. Watch your favorite TV show only while exercising.
  4. Have a small piece of chocolate every time you exercise! And at no other time.
  5. Splurge on cute gym clothes, so that whenever you are at the gym you feel like the hottest ticket
  6. If you are motivated by physical challenges, then spend the first 2 minutes of your workout racing yourself on the treadmill and try to beat your old times.

Many people do these things without even realizing. Often, these are the people who experience the most success.

If you don’t do these things naturally, then it’s very important to be concrete in your temptation bundling rule and action.

The only person you are trying to help here is yourself, and a concrete behavior is what you need to get the habit formation going.

If you have any other tips and tricks, I’d love to hear. And I’d also love to hear how any of these tips work out for you.

Happy Bundling 🙂

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Self-control…the saga continues

Self-control and food always remind me of a very dramatic telenovela. “I love you food!” “I hate you food!” “Pizza, don’t leave me. I was just overreacting!”

Omg, what about those dreadful 2am booty calls…you walk to the pantry and just eat everything.

How do we break the cycle from overeating, eating after a meal, eating when you are not hungry, and eating like crap when you have that urge?

Here are some ideas that have helped me:

 

  • Get rid of all the goodies in the pantry. Remember, you are eating clean now. Stock the pantry with cans of tuna. I promise you, it won’t be as appealing as a bag of chips at 2am. If you are desperate enough to open a can of tuna and eat it, well, I won’t judge you and good for you, keep up the high protein intake! You are welcome for this life hack.
  • I know there is a big debate on eating breakfast v not eating breakfast. For me- eating breakfast helps. I like a protein rich breakfast like eggs or a protein shake. Eggs are awesome because they keep me fuller longer and less likely to graze and snack between breakfast and lunch. Stop with the empty calories, you don’t need them! A hardboiled egg, serving of oatmeal (slow digesting carb) and some berries or 2 tablespoons almond butter or natural peanut butter on a whole wheat toast with a fruit. I’d say you are a morning champ and you get a gold star in my book!
  • Grazing is way different than having a nutritious small meal or snack. Grazing to me is empty calories and not satisfying. Eating a bag of pretzels if you are hungry is not the solution. I always have three meals a day and two snacks a day. Sometimes three snacks if I train that day (my trainer turns me into a ravenous beast). Space out your meals and snacks accordingly so you have no time to be super hungry and no time to sit and think about other foods. If your body is satisfied, your mind will be too. Awesome snack ideas: Serving of nuts, hummus and veggies, cottage cheese and fruits, I know this may sound weird, but cottage cheese and chickpeas or another type of bean. Someone gave me this idea a while back and it works. The combo is filled with fiber and protein.
  • Drink, drink, drink and drink some more water. If you are not drinking this minute, your gold star has been taken back and I am very disappointed with you. You must stay hydrated, water will keep you fuller and longer in between your meals, it will help flush out the toxins. “But Rachel, I am so full… I can’t drink anymore!” Excuse me, why are you complaining? You just said you were full. If you are full, there is no reason to be snacking. Oh, and none of that sugary stuff. Please, I know you are smarter than that.
  • I know you are craving a little piece of chocolate or a bag of chips… but hear me out before you indulge. Many years ago, the great Oprah was discussing bad food habits. The Specialist on the show said, it takes 21 days to break the habit. That always stuck with me. I know it will be hard, addictions are hard to control but you can do this. A few months back I discovered a protein ice cream (sorry folks, I will not be telling you what it is because I am here to help you break the habit not start one), while it wasn’t that bad for me (low in sugar and calories), it also did not provide me with the nutrition I needed that you would get from a bowl of let’s say, grilled chicken and veggies. It became a meal replacement and I found myself craving it 24-7 and eating the ice cream over “real” food. I gave myself a deadline to finish what was in the freezer and as of January 1st, I will kick the habit. The first few days were awful and I was having a hard time deciding what to eat because I was not interested in much but it got easier and I don’t even think about it anymore. Feed your body= feed your mind.
  • Set a goal. I feel like looking forward to something always helps control my actions. For example, my Husband and I are going on vacation in a few months. I want to be as fit, healthy, and hot as possible. Sorry in advance, babe, but I will be clothing shopping before the trip.
  • Sleeping is important. I know you all love sleep. I am still trying to catch up to all the lost sleep as a child. Why did I ever fight sleep? Sleep is one of my BFF’s next to my slow cooker. I can put food in the slow cooker and then go to sleep. If sleep and the slow cooker were actual people, I think they’d also be best friends. I noticed if I don’t get good sleep, I crave carbs. If you deny yourself sleep, the evil hormone, Ghrelin attacks and handcuffs you to a box of donuts. I know donuts are so delicious but let’s say this out loud, all together now, and “We-are-stronger-than-this. We –are-kicking-the-habit.”
  • Eat something fermented. How about those kimchi pancakes from my previous post or a pickle? Fermented foods help stop sugar cravings. Drink greens. Green smoothies are all the rage! Don’t you want to be one of the cool kids? Nutrient rich foods increase energy levels and curb sugary cravings. I love this book http://www.amazon.com/10-Day-Green-Smoothie-Cleanse-Smith/dp/1501100106 and the recipes. Even though it is a 10 day cleanse, the Author does state that this can be a snack or a meal replacement option. You do not need to do a full cleanse!
  • Protein and good fats help keep your blood sugar levels balanced. Have a healthy portion of protein, veggies and a good fat like avocado for lunch.
  • My wise mom once said, “Are you sure you want to eat that? Five seconds of pleasure is a lifetime in the hips.” Ok, fine, I’ll admit it, I ate whatever it was and it did go to my hips and I am still working it off… but we all learn from our mistakes. Why are moms always right?
  • Please pack a high protein snack after you work out and eat it within half hour of working out. No, that McDonald’s on the way home is not a mirage, it’s real and it’s testing you. Just keep driving. Again, let’s say this out loud, all together now, and “We-are-stronger-than-this. We –are-kicking-the-habit.” Easy food for after the gym: protein shake, protein bar, beef jerky, or nuts. Doesn’t require refrigeration, filling, and easy to consume while driving home.

 

What do you do to help curb your cravings? I am always open to new ideas.

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The Serial Challenge for Gym Haters

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no puppy, you cannot come to the gym.

Serial.  An award winning non-fiction murder mystery podcast. It tells a gripping true story over a series of episodes. You cannot stop listening.

If you haven’t heard it yet, then I have an idea. Start listening to it.
…..But only while you’re at the gym.

This idea occurred to me while listening to another podcast. It’s an episode of Freakonomics called “When willpower isn’t enough.” On this episode, guest Katherine Milkman talked about the concept of “Temptation Bundling.” Milkman is an assistant professor Wharton School at Penn. She has done some interesting research on motivation and choices.

Ok, so maybe Temptation Bundling is obvious. But it works. You can make terrible stuff slightly less terrible by bundling it with good stuff. It’s something many of us do without even noticing.

This challenge is basically just that. But it has the additional benefit of being concrete. So you can make a commitment to simply just do it.

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be like Shia

The Challenge

If you don’t go to the gym because you simply hate going, then this is for you.

Don’t worry about what you do at the gym. Lift weights, do cardio, whatever. Who honestly cares?

You are more than welcome to go easy on yourself. The point is just to get moving. 

Here’s the challenge:

  1. Download the “Serial” Podcast
  2. Pick at least two specific days to go to the gym per week
  3. Spend at least one hour at the gym per visit, listening to the podcast
  4. You are NOT allowed to listen to the Podcast unless you’re at the gym
  5. The challenge is over once you finish the first season.

If, after the challenge, you still hate the gym, then no bid deal. Your challenge is complete, and you did some good for your body.

If, on the other hand, you learn to love the gym, then YAY. Sometimes, it just takes a little bit of activation energy to get started. You’ll just have to try it and see 🙂

If you do this challenge, OR if you have another idea for a good podcast that might work, let me know.

Happy Gyming.

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Meal Prep Love Affair

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Simple things in life make me so happy; puppies, kitties, a fresh mani, vacations, and napping are just a few examples. But what really excites me is meal prep. I am very passionate about it for several reasons:

 

  1. My time is precious and I have little of it. I do not want to spend it at the kitchen all night when I’ve just been at work all day.
  2. *Money. I cannot stand the idea of wasting money. My husband and I decided to take a break over the weekend and have a dinner date. Don’t get me wrong, I love quality time with my man and I love when someone else cooks for me (yay, no dishes!), but we have some future plans that we need to save up for… not only that, but our dinner cost approximately $60.00. Our entire food shopping excursion for last week was about $75.00 and that’s for two people, breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for the entire week! One meal cost almost as much as an entire week of food shopping. It’s ok though, got to live a little, right?
  3. Dedication/Success. If you psych yourself about how your week is going to look meal wise and you don’t stray from your plan, you will succeed! You will reach your goal!

 *Money: Don’t believe all the things you hear! It does not cost THAT much to eat healthy. I will discuss food shopping in a later post.*

 If you are just entering the world of meal prep, it can be frightening and intimidating and you may want to give up. But don’t! It gets easier and then you can Instagram all your beautiful meals, and awesome Tupperware containers. Thinking about stackable containers and snap lids give me LIFE. I just want to scream “Yes, honey, work it!” I’m pretty sure you will feel the same exact way.

Tips for beginners:

  • Don’t go all Top Chef on me. Basic = better.
    • Boiled eggs
    • Roasted vegetables
    • Baked potatoes
    • Avocados
    • Fruits
    • Yogurts
    • Oatmeal
    • Nuts
    • Rotisserie chicken
  • Make a shopping list. Do not go in blindly. The supermarket is full of temptation and you’ll start putting anything and everything into your cart. That is not cost effective and it won’t help you on your quest to health.
  • Organize your thoughts and think about what you want for the week. Or if a week is too much of a commitment, start small and do something like Monday through Wednesday.
    • I have a meal planner (you can buy them on Amazon) or get a notebook, or print out a meal planner calendar (they have free ones online that I use for my Husband).
  • Again, start small.
    • Meal for a day example (Please remember, this is just an example, sort out meals and portions to fit your needs and life style):
      • Breakfast: Hardboiled egg, serving of oatmeal and a piece of fruit
      • Snack: Yogurt and a serving of nuts
      • Lunch: 2 cups roasted veggies and 3-6oz of rotisserie chicken
      • Snack: Almonds, blueberries, and string cheese or serving of peanut butter with an apple or celery and raisins (ants on a log, anyone?)
      • Dinner: Baked salmon, baked sweet potato, serving of veggies and a fruit
    • You don’t need to make everything on Sunday night. Even planning a bit ahead helps.
      • Roast an entire week worth of veggies. It’s easy and requires very little time. Simple seasoning, little bit of oil and pop them in the oven. When they are done, let them cool off and portion them out.
      • Baked potatoes can easily be done a week in advance or you can microwave them. I usually put some salt, pepper, and evoo, wrap them in foil and bake them. This way I don’t need to think about it for the rest of the week
      • Slow cookers are definitely one of my BFFAEAE’s. This is an excellent way to cook in bulk and not be super attentive. We decided to go a little more plant based proteins this week versus the usual meat overload. Thai curry lentil soup it is! We are going to have so much left over… got a little overzealous as I often do (anyone want some?)
      • We’ve replaced noodles with zoodles…Spiralize dem bad boys and tuck them away for the week (see, meal planning. Good times). Same with other veggies, if you know you are going to be cooking with peppers, onions, celery- chop them up and put them away for later use!
      • We are going to have a romantic evening this week, picture, “Lady and the Tramp” with the pasta and meatball scene except this is going to be zoodles and shrimp.
      • Rotisserie is perfect. It’s already cooked for you and you can make several dishes: chicken salad, chicken with a side of vegetables, deli chicken salad (little bit of mayo, apples or raisins, etc) on a whole wheat toast or wrap.
      • Oh, now you’re getting tired and you really don’t feel like making those turkey meatballs… all you need to do is prep it, freeze it, and cook it the day you are ready
      • Fish- marinade it the night before you plan to cook it.
      • I love anything that you can make and freeze. Chili, soups, meatballs, stews, marinated chicken breasts (label your zip lock bag, throw your food in the bag, and store in the freezer), fruit sandwiches with peanut butter, etc.
    • Don’t get frustrated. It may not go as planned at first but it’s ok. Trial and error, my friend. Like I said before, make it simple… in my opinion, bulk cooking is the best. Get your slow cooker bestie, make some shredded chicken and the meal possibilities are endless (BBQ chicken wrap, bbq chicken stuffed sweet potato, shredded chicken tacos, shredded chicken tortilla pizza).

I can go on and on all day with recipe ideas, storage ideas, ways to shop and save but I must remember that you are my young grasshoppers. You must be patient… I must be patient.

I wish you all great success! Happy prepping!

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