Meal Planning

Here are guidelines I give my PT clients (This post is a bit slippery.  The formatting is silliness, so if you get confused, just keep scrolling down:

• ·         Eat 5-6 times a day, every 2-3 hrs.

• ·         Include whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats.

• ·         One day a week you will be allotted a cheat meal.  This cheat must take place w/in 2-3 consecutive hours. 

• ·       Calculate your individual Basal Metabolic Rate, using this calculator.  This will help to determine your calorie intake.

• ·         Drink plenty of PLAIN water!  You can follow the 8 eight ounce glasses per day rule, or take your weight and divide by 2 to find out how many ounces a day you should take in.  When in doubt if you feel thirsty DRINK.  Be careful not to over drink.  Take small sips during a workout and swish it in your mouth before swallowing.  This will help prevent a sloshy stomach or nausea.  Be cautious of the weather.  If you are out in the heat, listen to your body and take care of yourself!
• A easy way to remember healthful foods is to know the Abs 12 Power Foods.

• Journal:
  ·      Journal every day.
  Include your food and drink intake as well as your workout. 
  Include your feelings.  Often times things that affect our mentality end up showing through in our physical body.  It is healthy to recognize these feelings, and acknowledge how they affect you.  We can’t always change how things happened in the past, but we can do our best to live in the present, and reach toward a positive future!

Here is a sample of what I prepped for this week's menu for myself and my family on my Sunday.  Giving you an idea of how I eat in comparison to Keem and Scott-my family (O:

Chicken Goop

Cooked and ready to eat Chicken Goop

Swiss Chard

Swiss Chard w/ Brown Rice

Avocado

Avocado & Nonfat Plain Yogurt

Protein Guacomole

Celery ready and chillin' for my snacking desires.

Berries w/ Yogurt picture 2

Ginger Water

Berries before Nonfat Plain Yogurt

Michigan Grown bought at the Farmer's Market YUMMY Bell Peppers perfect to scoop up gucamole!

Green Peppers #2

Apple Spice Muffins Baking

Apple Spice Muffins Cooling

Chicken Goop: The Boys ate this until it was gone and LOVED it.  Easy for me to cook in the crockpot since I don't eat meat!
Chicken Breast
1 can Condensed Cream of Mushroom-Healthy Version
2 tbsp French Onion Seasoning (or mustard)
1 tbsp Cornstarch/Flour
1/2 cup Water

Pepper to taste, 1 tsp parsley

Place Chicken in Crockpot.  Combine soup w/ flour/cornstarch, and french onion (or mustard); add water & stir, dump in crock, sprinkle w/ pepper & parsley.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Swiss Chard & Brown Rice: My dinner.  This was inspired by Jillian Michael's pot stickers

2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp Virgin Coconut Oil

8 oz Swiss Chard Chopped

3 oz Shiitake (I used portabella since I had them) Chopped

2 Scallions/Green Onions/Onions Sliced

2 Garlic Cloves or MORE, minced

1 tsp Fresh Ginger

1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Cilantro

2 Tsp Rice Wine Vinegar (I probably used Apple Cider/Malt Vinegar)

1 Tsp Low Sodium Tamari

1/4 Tsp Salt

1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
Cook Brown Rice per directions on package and spoon Swiss Chard mixture over Brown Rice, enjoy!

Protein Guacamole:

Scoop out Avocado (as much as you want to make)

Add 2 Tbsp or more Nonfat Plain Yogurt

Garlic Powder, & or Low Sodium Taco Seasoning

Lime Juice

Optional: Medium Salsa, Cilantro

Ginger Water:

Boil a piece of ginger in water on the stove OR heat a tea kettle w/ water and pour over ginger.  Steep until cool.  Pour into glass pitcher and chill in Fridge.  Enjoy straight up, in smoothies or for a get better tummy aid.

Nonfat Plain Yogurt w/ berries.  My berries differ w/ the seasons.  When they are available fresh and are good I buy them.  In the winter I do use frozen.  Sometimes I will add Agave, but the blueberries are always good w/o it.  Sometimes I top it w/ some Vanilla Almond Bear Naked Granola.

Apple Spice Muffins (from Yoga Journal): These were made so that my husband could easily feed my son breakfast 2 mornings a week while I am at Xfit.  They went over well, and the neighbor girls (who's mother is a pastry chef) smashed on them on a no school day;-)

2 Cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

1 TBSP Baking Powder

1/2 TSP Salt

1 Cup Milk

2/3 Cup Sucanat/natural Sugar

2 Eggs

6 TBSP Glee, Melted (I used butter-its what I had)

1 TSP Vanilla

2 Peeled Apples, cut into bite size chunks

2 Pitted Dates, chopped (optional-but I liked them in there)

2 Tbsp Maple Syrup

1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

Preheat Oven to 375, Oil 12 muffin tins or line w muffin tins/cups.  Combine Flour, Baking PWD, & Salt in lg bowl.  In another bowl whisk together milk, sucanat/sugar, eggs, ghee/butter, & vanilla.  Pour into dry ingredients & mix gently until evenly moistened.  In a 3rd bowl combine fruit, maple syrup, & cinnamon.  Spoon muffin batter into the prepared tins, filling only half way.  Add a heaping tbsp of fruit mixture to each cup, & then top w/ remaining batter (I forgot to top w/ remain batter-I made more muffins instead :-o) Bake for 30 minutes or until browned on top.