Wow! March got here faster than I expected, and we’re a month into this Healthy Balanced Life series. First, I have exciting news, and am feeling accomplished today! I finally took the time to get my blog set up on my website. Simple for some, not for me, and over time I’ll figure out how to make it prettier with pictures and everything. But for now, I’m feeling good about my accomplishment. Kinda goes back to what we talked about last week with gratitude. Take time to honor your successes. It’s worth it!
How is it going so far with your end caps and hydration? And how Sunday Savvy were you the past couple of weeks. I’d love to hear how you are doing. Let me know your successes and your challenges so I can help!
Today, we are going to talk about being a Fit Foodie. Clean eating and filling up on nutrient dense foods does not have to be hard or expensive…..
….it just takes some planning and prep, and knowing how to make good food, fast.
Healthy Balanced Life Tip #1: Know what foods are really important
Why I do this: I love to eat and cook, so I don’t want to waste my time and energy on things that are not important. There are some key things you need everyday in order to feel energetic, get fit, and feel satiated so you don’t keep hitting the candy bowl at work or grabbing for the chips when you get home.
You need certain foods everyday, and sometimes with every meal to properly fuel your body with a variety of nutrients that also satiate. Here are some foods you don’t want to miss. Protein with all major meals, the right carbohydrates (think vegetables, fruits and gluten-free whole grains), good fats (think coconut oil, olive oil, grass-fed butter, raw nuts, raw seeds, eggs and avocado), and water. Hydration is so important. You want to be able to break down all this great foods and assimilate the nutrients so you feel strong and energetic. To do that you gotta keep things moving with good digestion, and water is a critical component to good digestion.
Healthy Balanced Life Tip #2: Plan and Prep Food for Success
Why I do this: I will eat better all week if I things ready to go in the fridge. If I have to cook 3 meals a day from scratch, it’s less likely to happen. Life is busy and I want to live it, so setting myself up before the week starts helps tremendously.
Best practices: First, choose recipes with foods that repeat so you can minimize the number of things you have to buy. For example, if you choose shredded chicken tacos, chicken and rice soup, and roasted chicken with root vegetables and a side salad, you can make three meals by buying one whole chicken. Roast it, cut off how much you need for your roasted chicken night, then shred the rest off the bone to save for your tacos and soup.
Second, choose 2-3 options for breakfast lunch and dinner. Pre-chop veggies on the weekend, cook up a batch of whatever whole grains and/or beans you might need for the week, have all your fruit (except berries) washed and ready to eat, and prepare one or two dinners that can be in the fridge and ready to reheat in the evenings. When you don’t have to cook 7 nights a week, eating clean is a lot more fun! There are even simple breakfasts like overnight oats, so you don’t have to cook in the morning, too. Anything you can do to know what you will eat for the week, and have some part of it already prepped, the better. Let me know if you want help with that!
So there are some basics of being a Fit Foodie! Now go plan your week and enjoy eating it all!
WholeListically Yours,
Jill
