Hope your year has been off to a good and HEALTHY start. Whether you had a slow start or dived right into it, atleast you started! I have been doing well with my food and consistent with exercise but want to add more days. I have lacked a little motivation when it comes to the workouts and have been about 3 times a week but I want to go atleast 5 and hopefully 6 days a week. So luckily my bestie, Shakema, asked if I wanted to do a Jamie Eason workout plan with her for 12 weeks so that is the plan starting next week! Pretty excited! I am still going to box atleast twice a week if not 3 times and I need to make myself work out in the morning because coming up with the energy after work and my other side gigs is tough! I have done it before so if I have to I will!
Anyway, lets get to the good stuff! PREPPING!!!! Honestly, it is pretty fun. Here are the steps you need to get your prep work done!
1. Plan your meals for the week
2. Write a grocery list to get the items needed for your meals. Make sure you put money into your proteins and make sure they are quality. Such as hormone free, free range, etc types of meat such as chicken, eggs or lean beef and turkey (I don't usually try to have lots of beef and sub it for turkey but if you do get beef try bison or extra lean beef). Fresh veggies and frozen veggies depending on what you like, fruit, dairy (2% cheeses, goat cheese (don't know it until you try it), feta reduced fat if you must have it in salads or other things), complex carbs such as sweet potatoes, whole grains products, brown rice, etc. There is a grocery list attached on this blog so check it out for more ideas. I like to add flax seed in oatmeal it is beneficial to your health and good source of fiber, chia seeds, multi-vitamin and fish oil pills are great additions to a healthy regime as well. Green tea is also great to have since it is known to speed up your metabolism and suppress your appetite.
3. Get out and head to the grocery store!!! I go to Trader Joe's and Market Street. They have a wide range of good foods, fresh produce, lots of unprocessed food, etc! So go to where you feel comfortable. Whole foods can be on the expensive side but they are a great store! We do invest in lots of things from clothes, cars, homes, trips etc but why not spend a little extra to take care of what really matters in the end and that is our health! I do like a good deal though so check your ads and look for coupons, try farmers markets, find the best sales and what not to help you not break the bank when getting healthy. Try not to grab things that tempt you! For all you sweet tooth folks, I love sugar free Jello with low fat whipped cream or those JELLO pudding snacks that are only 60 calories and sugar free. But I try not to do them often. I do know that we are human, just do everything in moderation!
4. Make sure you have enough or go buy some Glad ware or nice tupperware to pack your meals in, if you have a container store they have really cool packaging but if you just want the basics and to stay cost effective try Walmart of Dollar General for a box of plastic storage containers.
5. Go home and cook it up! You don't have to cook like a Top Chef and have all these types of exquisite meals because keeping it simple is just fine as well. I need variety or I may regress so I like to keep finding new recipes or make sure I cook enough to have options! Eating the same few things can get boring if you don't make sure you have enough of choices. I usually start off with seasoning items, chopping and doing things like that. I cook my fish on a griddle which saves lots of time!!! You could bake items in foil or on a pan, use a foreman grill and all those types of things. I cook my veggies ahead of time and put them in the container with my meat as well. Boil rice, roast or saute veggies or even use the steamed veggies and portion them out into your containers. For bulk or leftover items, you could put in a larger container and re pack food in the middle of the week if need be. You have to find what works best for you! Put everything in the fridge and just grab and go! Such a great feeling to not have to go to the store every night. If it is for a family maybe make things that heat up easy in a pot like turkey spaghetti, crock pot meals or baked meals. It can be done!
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| Dinner ready or lunch with swai, kale, sweet potato and mushrooms. Breakfast is also shown with two egg muffins and an oatmeal muffin! Protein and a complex carb! |
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| Lettuce wraps and Chicken Salad with an avocado |
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| Find your favorite fruits and make fruit salad! Make in larger bowl and separate into small containers so you can grab and go! |
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| Look at all this greatness! You will be so happy when you do this! |
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| The brands of goat cheese that I like |
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| Prepped for the week! Lots of yummy things |
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| Recipe below for these yummy things! Can be different than a regular muffin of course. Great for breakfast, before a workout or after a workout! |
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| The whole sha-bang! |
RECIPES!!!
Here are a few of the recipes that people have been asking for or found to look pretty yummy!
Egg Muffins
6 eggs
1/4 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup onion
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
Handful of spinach
1/4 cup of green onions, chopped
Tablespoon of 2% or less Milk
1 T Olive Oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1.Crack eggs into a bowl and set aside
2. Chop all veggies and and saute in olive oil until tender
3. Add the veggies to the egg mixture and add salt and pepper to taste. Don't put too much salt. Don't go over a teaspoon.
4. Pour into muffin pan and cook on 350 for about 20 minutes of until they are cooked through
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| Egg Mixture with all the veggies |
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| Veggies being sauteed , add spinach last for only a little bit of time until wilted |
Banana Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins
This recipe came from my friend Kamaria. The only thing I really changed was adding a capful of vanilla!
Ingredients:
3 mashed bananas
3 Cups of Oats (not the quick one minute oats)
1 cup Original Almond Milk
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
2 eggs
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 T honey ( you can do this if you want, I did)
1 cap full of vanilla
1. Mash the bananas with a masher, blender, your hands whatever you have to help you mash them.
2. Pour in the oats, milk, eggs, cinnamon, honey, vanilla and blueberries. I will add slivered or sliced almonds next time to add some protein.
3. Pour into muffin pans lined with cupcake holder and cook for about 17 to 20 minutes on 325 degrees.
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| Everything is in here ready to go! |
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| The finished product....yummy! |
Delicious Chicken Salad
Eat on crackers or with an avocado or a sandwich thin!
1 and 1/2 cups of Chicken breast, cooked and chopped
1/4 cup Black beans, rinse and drain them
5 T Greek Yogurt Plain
1/3 cup Green onions, sliced and chopped
1/4 cup tomato, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 T apple cider vinegar
Cracked black pepper and Salt to Taste
Depending on what you like you can add more of the veggies or beans if you want or omit something and replace with cucumbers, red peppers, etc.
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| Finished product |
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| some of the ingredients! |
Thanks for reading today's blog! If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please leave a comment on this page and I will get back with you!
If you have any blogs you would like to see please leave a comment and let me know! Be sure to check out several of my past blogs for more recipes, ideas and workouts!!!!
Until next time, start planning your meals and get to prepping!
