Meal Planning

Hello May 🙂

Happy May 1st Friends, I can’t believe we are walking into May so vastly. Since the start of the year, as we approach each new month I remind myself of how precious time is. I don’t know if it’s wisdom, me being a mother, or me having recently experiencing my grandmother’s loss but I’ve been so much more present this year. Consistently trying to ground myself, stay aware of how precious time is, and share my gratitude as it comes.

Ok … without further ado let’s talk FOOD!

For those who follow me on Instagram I know I mentioned providing a meal plan, however I came to realize it is far too tedious and time consuming to do, considering the limited time I have. I’d be happy to offer 1 on 1 meal planning for a small fee, find more information & the listing here.

Instead of providing a meal plan, I’ve chosen to center this article around helping you understand how to eat. This may take a few different post, but it is far more VALUABLE than one meal plan. My goal is to introduce a healthy lifestyle that you can maintain. If you know HOW to eat to reach your fitness goal’s you can get creative and customize your menu to your liking.

Your body is a machine, when machines get the proper charge and maintenance they work amazing! One thing I ask myself when I eat is “What is this food doing for my body?” Every bite of everything should be accounted for.

MEAL PLANNING, LETS JUMP INTO IT!

1. PROTEIN! Your body NEEDS protein, it is the only thing that will grow muscle, therefore protein should be the basis for every meal. If there’s no protein in your meal you’re not contributing to your fat loss. Protein is also a sole contributor to your good health and basic bodily functions. When you don’t eat protein you will notice that you never really feel full. That is because you’re not feeding your body when you don’t eat protein.

-A healthy amount of protein to consume per meal is 20-30 grams.

-The best type of protein to consume is lean protein, that means things like: fish, boneless skinless chicken breast, plain unsweetened Greek yogurt, eggs/egg whites, extra lean ground turkey. *I do not eat red meat & I don’t suggest it for fat loss.

-Always cook your protein with natural flavors and seasons, things like lemon/lime, mrs dash season, and any other spices & Herbs that don’t have salt in them. I love Braggs amino acids, however it does have a generous amount of sodium in it, so use it sparingly

*Salt consumption should always be kept to a minimum.

2. VEGGIES!Vegetables are jam packed with minerals and vitamins that help our bodies thrive. They’re delicious, versatile, and can be used as a snack in place of unhealthy things like chips and candies.

-There is no limit to how many veggies you can consume when meal planning, eat as much as you want. But do pay close attention to how your body digest each type of vegetable. Though they are healthy and provide you with a plethora of advantages, your body may not digest them all the same. If you are not having a healthy release of foods each morning/day take note of what you think may be contributing to that and change your diet accordingly.

-My #1 suggestion for veggies are salads. My signature salad is as follows: cut up butter lettuce, shredded carrots, a little arugula, chopped tomatoes, chopped avocado, raw & unsalted pine nuts or walnuts (love a little crunch) and you can also add a little cheese of your choice. On occasion I love to add a little feta. Lastly I top it off with fresh cracked pepper.  For salad dressing I only use Annie’s Organic balsamic vinaigrette or I just squeeze a little olive oil & lemon on top. When shopping for salad dressing play close attention to the nutrition facts, it should be low in everything: calories, carbs, sodium, and fat! I like Annie’s dressing because it is extremely low in sodium.

-Other veggies I love are green beans, carrots, spinach, collard greens, and bell peppers. I stay away from broccoli and cabbage because they make me gassy and they tend to leave me bloated.

– Always cook your veggies with natural flavors and seasons, things like lemon/lime, mrs dash season, and any other spices & Herbs that don’t have salt in them. I love Braggs amino acids, however it does have a generous amount of sodium in it, so use it sparingly.

*Salt consumption should always be kept to a minimum.

3. FATS!Fats are often overlooked. A lot of people don’t consume them as much as they should. Fats are what provide our bodies with energy, help our bodies absorb vitamins effectively, fill fat cells and insulate our body, and provide us with essential fatty acids that our bodies need.

– A healthy amount of fats to consume per meal is 8-12 grams. Fats just like carbs should be monitored closely and kept to a minimum. Fats are often jam packed with calories and sometimes sodium, so you have to pay attention to their macros.

-Some of my favorite types of fats to consume are: avocados, chia seeds, extra virgin olive oil, unsalted/raw nuts (no peanuts), feta cheese, peanut butter, and almond butter.

4. CARBS!I try my best to stay away from carbs/sugars. They are a trigger for me. I crave them pretty much constantly and once I let myself have a little, they become all I want. I lean on fats instead of carbs for energy. I’m able to control my cravings and follow my diet when doing so. In general carbs do give our bodies energy, but we only need very little of them, which can often be found in other sources of food that we already consume, like certain veggies such as carrots.

-Our bodies can function off of very little carbs per day, approximately 20 carbs a day. But if you are accustomed to consuming high amounts of sugar a day it will be tough for you to completely stop consuming it. Therefore, try to limit your consumption to 16-20 grams of sugar per meal. Once you have mastered that, slowly lessen the amount you eat per meal each day.

-Some of my favorite healthy carbs include: Lily’s no sugar added dark chocolate, sweet potatoes, brown rice, blueberries, bananas, grapes, watermelon, grapefruit, & pineapples.

THIS SHOULD JUMPSTART YOUR MEAL PLANNING & GIVE YOU A BETTER SENSE OF WHY YOU ARE EATING WHAT. FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR FAVORITES IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW, THANKS FOR READING.

*DISCLAIMER:

I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or dietician. I have no medical training at all. The information I share is based on my own experiences and information I learn from my own research and listening to speakers.