Healthy Doesn't Mean Boring

Hello everyone!  It's Sunday which means it's time for this girl to cook.  Today was simple and my kitchen smelled sooo good because of all the veggies I was grilling today.  Eating healthy doesn't mean you have to be boring.  

I kept it simple again this week because my weekends have been full of enjoying friends and family and the beautiful weather.  So today I grilled up tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and mushrooms.  Add some salmon to that and I have a yummy dinner to look forward to.  

What are your favorite vegetables?  Grab some at the grocery store and grill them up with some salt, pepper, a little garlic, and you'll have an easy thing to grab for lunch or dinner.

Another way to keep things simple is to buy frozen vegetables.  I know they are not as good as fresh vegetables but it saves me time and money when I buy them for my lunches.  Lately, I've just been buying frozen broccoli for my lunches.  This week, my lunch will includes eggs, broccoli, and sweet potatoes.  

Easy snack options that are always in my fridge and fruits (mainly apples, berries, and bananas) and nuts (almonds are my go to).  I also always have my Shakeology on hand; I drink this daily to get my vitamins and superfoods in for the day.

So check your fridge this week and make sure it is stocked with fresh fruit, veggies, and protein that will nourish your body and have you feeling better.

Need help meal planning or making healthier choices?  Just inbox me or find me on Facebook (link is  over on the right --->).  

Make it a good week!

Meal Prep Sunday!

Here's a look at what I prepped for this upcoming week!  I am currently following the 21 Day Fix Extreme meal plan.  The times are rough estimates :)  I try to eat 2-3 hours between my meals and I always pair my fruit with a fat.  My main meals consist of protein, vegetables, and carbs; I also drink Shakeology to curb cravings and get my vitamins in.  Here's to a good, healthy week!  And here's to adjusting to a new schedule and making morning workouts my new routine again :)

My meal plan:

	Meal 1	Meal 2	Meal 3	Meal 4	Meal 5	Meal 6
Day
4/13/2015	Egg Whites	Apple	Chicken	Strawberries	Shakeology	Salmon
Mon	Oats	Almond Butter	Broccoli	Almonds		Grilled Veggies x 2
Workout @ 6am:	Flax Seeds		Sweet Potato			Coconut Oil
Spinning/Abs	Coconut Oil
	730am	945am	12pm	215pm	430pm	630pm
4/14/2015	Egg Whites	Apple	Chicken	Strawberries	Shakeology	Salmon
Tues	Oats	Almond Butter	Broccoli	Almonds		Grilled Veggies x 2
Workout @ 6am:	Flax Seeds		Sweet Potato			Coconut Oil
PiYo Sweat	Coconut Oil
	730am	945am	12pm	215pm	430pm	630pm
4/15/2015	Egg Whites	Apple	Chicken	Strawberries	Shakeology	Salmon
Wed	Oats	Almond Butter	Broccoli	Almonds		Grilled Veggies x 2
Workout @ 6am:	Flax Seeds		Sweet Potato			Coconut Oil
Spinning/Abs	Coconut Oil
	730am	945am	12pm	215pm	430pm	630pm
4/16/2015	Egg Whites	Apple	Chicken	Strawberries	Shakeology	Salmon
Thurs	Oats	Almond Butter	Broccoli	Almonds		Grilled Veggies x 2
Workout @ 6am:	Flax Seeds		Sweet Potato			Coconut Oil
PiYo Hardcore	Coconut Oil
	730am	945am	12pm	215pm	430pm	630pm
4/17/2015	Egg Whites	Apple	Chicken	Strawberries	Shakeology	Salmon
Fri	Oats	Almond Butter	Broccoli	Almonds		Grilled Veggies x 2
Workout @ 6am:	Flax Seeds		Sweet Potato			Coconut Oil
PiYo Upper	Coconut Oil
	730am	945am	12pm	215pm	430pm	630pm

Simply Healthy

A lot of times people think that eating healthy can be expensive, time consuming, and just too complicated.  Some weeks I like to get fancy with my meal planning but today, I kept it simple.  Read my meal plan below; it makes for easy prep, it's simple, and it's not expensive.  This is my go to meal plan when I'm too lazy or busy to be more creative ;)

Breakfast:

Egg whites

Spinach

Steel cut oats

Flax seeds (M/W)

Coconut oil

Snack 1:

Apple

Almonds

Lunch:

Chicken

Broccoli

Sweet potato (M/W)

Coconut oil

Snack 2:

Strawberries (M/W)

Almonds (M/W)

Hard boiled eggs (T/Th/F)

Snack 3:

Shakeology

Dinner:

Eggs

Asparagus

Coconut oil

What's Cookin'

On Sundays, I like to spend time in the kitchen and cook my meals for the upcoming week.  I enjoy cooking and trying new, simple recipes!  Here's what's on the menu this week; and for anyone who uses 21 Day Fix containers, I've included the colors below :)

Breakfast

Egg whites

Spinach

Steel cut oats

Flax Seeds (on M/W)

-1R, 1/2G, 1Y, 1Tsp

Snack 1

Apple or strawberries

Almonds

-1P, 1/2B

Lunch

Spinach salad with hard boiled egg, rotisserie chicken, tomatoes, carrots, and onion

Balsamic vinegar as dressing

Sweet potatoes (on M/W)

-1 1/2G, 1R, 1Y

Snack 2 (on M/W)

Apple or strawberries

Almonds 

-1P, 1/2B

Snack 2 (on T/Th/F)

Hard boiled eggs 

-1R

Snack 3

Chocolate Vegan Shakeology

-1R

Dinner

Turkey chili with kale

-1R, 1G

"Every time you eat is an opportunity to nourish your body."

Running Thoughts

It's been a month since I've written a post.  I don't know what's up with that.  To be honest, life has been just a bit crazy lately but I'm learning how to balance and prioritize what is important to me right now.  So I'm hoping you'll see more posts from me moving forward :)

 

How many of you like to run to de-stress from your days?  Or to just get out and clear your mind of all the busyness that life has?

 

Running is my way of clearing my head and reflecting.  It helps me rediscover the little moments that bring joy to my life.  While I love running, sometimes it is just plain hard to get your body moving.  Yesterday, I went for a quick 3 mile run and even though it was only 3 miles, it was rough!  This was my thought process as I ran:

1st Mile: This sucks already, why are you doing this?  The wind is facing you and that cold air is no good. 

2nd Mile: YES!  I am on mile 2 finally.  Thank goodness...okay how many songs until mile 3?  Seriously, I thought after this song I'd be done with this mile.  What. The. Heck.  Also, why do my legs hurt so bad?

3rd Mile: HOLLA! Only one more mile...so like 10 more minutes and you are DONE!  Alright you got this.  Eminem just came on your playlist, you're good to go!

 

 

The thoughts I have when I run crack me up.  I'm not even exaggerating...these were my exact thoughts for 30 minutes.  You may be thinking, okay so why exactly do you love running?

Sometimes your runs are going to be awesome and you'll feel great the whole time; but then sometimes your runs are going to straight up suck! And that's okay. Sometimes your body is good to go and that long run can seem easy peasy; but then sometimes you legit just have to push yourself through it.

So as I'm running these "easy" 3 miles, yes I'm having those thoughts above ;) and trying to push myself to finish; but during this run, I also took the time to look at my surroundings and take it all in. The beautiful homes, the trees, the GRASS (finally), the sun, the people, etc.  When I'm out running, it's easy for me to focus on my main goal of finishing (insert number here) miles; but then I forget to stop, look around, and enjoy the actual run.

 

 

Such is the same with life.  How often am I distracted by my end goal?!  This can be any goal that I have in life too...a fitness goal, career goal, relationship goal, etc...you get the point.  Sometimes, I get too focused in on what goal I have in mind that I forget to live in the present.  I forget to stop, look around, and enjoy the actual moment.

 

So yes, I love running.  And it's not because I love the feeling of running.  It's because I love how running makes me feel on the inside.  It brings me joy, calms my soul, and reminds me to come back to the moment and enjoy the journey.  I am not saying you shouldn't have goals, hopes, and dreams; or that pursuing them is a bad idea.  Go for it; dream big!  But while your dreaming big, don't forget to look around and enjoy the present :)

 

 

"The obsession with running is really an obsession with the potential for more and more life."