Meal Planning

I hope everyone is having a great week!  It's the middle of May and Spring has definitely sprung. The sun is shining the birds are chirping and the best part of all is that the grass is GREEN!!!   Today when I woke up and saw the sun shining and the green grass it reminded me that Spring is here!  I'm so thankful for the sun to cheer up my mood and brighten my day!  I'm starting of the month on a great foot! 

One of the ways that I always start my weeks out right is by planning out my meals for the week.
I take time every Sunday to sit down with my word document table (meal plan), my own website of recipes, and my grocery list and devise my plan for the week.  I do this on Sunday mornings before the hubby wakes up.  It's my uninterrupted time to myself to get my thoughts in order and set our family up for a health week!

Some of you may not know but I had to have stitches a few weeks which has limited my exercise over the next few weeks.  The good news is that 80% of your fitness goals are achieved by the foods that you eat.  So just because I cannot exercise  as much or as hard,doesn't mean I still can't stay on track.  I tell you this because maybe you are struggling with an injury or maybe you haven't worked out in so long that you feel like you are beyond the point of even knowing where to start with exercise.  The first step you can take is focusing on your diet and nutrition.  This will get you on the right path, losing weight, gaining energy so that you can start your exercise plan!!!    I will teach you how to make your diet and nutrition a lifestyle and not a crash diet.  Help you to plan out your meals and lose weight so that you can add in exercise!! 

Ok, so back to meal planning!
I sit down with my blank meal plan (below) and fill in the spaces.

I am a creature of habit and I love my toast, yogurt and raspberries for breakfast so I tend to eat the same breakfast everyday.  For my morning snack I tend to always have an apple and 1 tsp of peanut butter.  The apple is your complex carb from fruit or veggie and your pb are a source of protein and a good fat.  This is considered a complete meal when you have your complex carb and your protein at each meal.

Lunch for me varies based on the activities and responsibilities I have that day.  When I'm busy and on the go I grab a Shakeology because it's easy, it tastes good and its portable.  Plus it keeps me full for 3 hours and it is equivalent to 6 salads in one meal.  It fits into my clean lifestyle and we all need something super healthy and clean in our day!!!  I can honestly say that I was skeptical of shakes before I started with Beachbody.  Now, I am a true believer.  Why?  Just for the sheer fact of the energy level I have now, the fact that it has things in it that I wouldn't typically get from the foods that I eat.  It has boosted my immune system and has kept me healthy through the flu season and more!!! 

My afternoon snack is usually 2 cups of raw veggies such as carrots, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes and 2 tbsp of hummus.  Hummus is a great source of protein as well!!!

Dinner is usually something easy on the days that I work. Its always ground turkey with either a side salad or a frozen veggie mix. You have the meal plan on the side of the fridge, you read the plan the food is there so you are good to go!!!
This takes the guess work out and the ability to throw your hands up and head out to a restaurant for dinner! 

http://caitstrayhorn.blogspot.ca/2014/02/turkey-meat-loaf-muffins.html

Then, my evening snack if I need one is usually 1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt, 1/2 cup strawberries, a drizzle of honey and my hubby adds few slivered almonds for him.  That takes the edge right off of my evening hunger! But when I want something that 'feels' like a cheat I have cookie dough greek yogurt!!

Then always remember to drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces each day of water!! This helps to keep you full, hydrated, clear mind and a healthy body!  Water plays such an important part in our daily functioning.  A lot of times our bodies think they are hungry but instead we are just thirsty.  Drink a glass of water, wait 30 minutes if you are still hungry then choose a healthy option.

Here is my meal plans.  You can see exactly what I eat.  Everything can be found on my blog under eat clean recipes. 

Then after I finish my meal plan I sent my hubby to the grocery store to pick up what we needed!
In the evening we spent some time cutting up veggies, portioning out the food and grilling some chicken/turkey for wraps and salads. We as a family are ready to take on the week with a confident mind about our food choices.  It takes a few weeks to get a system in place but now that we are doing it we don't give it a second thought.  

If you dont know where to start, take a look at the meal plans and healthy snack ideas.

Have a wonderful day!!!
xoox Cait