Step 4: Work Out Schedule

II'm not going to lie, this past weekend and starting my dietetic internship this Monday has worn. me. out. I wanted to write this post last week! However, time gets away from you and next thing you know it's Tuesday... Either way, I've had  a lot of time to think of how I would talk about this subject.

It's usually people's least favorite! Just thinking about working out can be draining... coming from the girl who didn't workout on Monday, and who didn't even want to work out today. 

However, once we get past the thinking part, and we just start DOING it (Nike style) we feel SO much better!

I can't tell you how many times I have dreaded working out from the moment I walked into the gym, changed into gym clothes, even up until the point that I actually pick up a weight or turn up the speed on the treadmill. 

But that's just it-half the battle is getting there. Once you start, don't think. JUST DO IT!

For example, today I was on my second 10 hour day as a new intern. It's exhausting working and sometimes even more exhausting working when you are barely getting your grounds in a new place. But, my goal was to work out at least 4 times during the week, and once on the weekend. Since I had already skipped yesterday this didn't give me another chance to during the week, so I decided to do a quick workout with my hand weights in my living room. 30 minutes was all it took. Just having that goal is helping me to stick to it tremendously!

So as far as working out/physical activity goes... think of these few things:

1. Start with a goal.

No, I don't mean weight. Or physical goals. Or I want 6 pack ab goals. 

Think of your goals in terms of changing habits. Once habits start to change you will start to see results. Without those habits, most people has unrealistic goals of becoming the airbrushed model on the magazine cover. We can't all look like the model on the magazine, the model on the magazine doesn't even look like that. Set a goal of feeling like the most beautiful version of yourself!



Habits to think about:

-Running. 

Start with a goal of 1 mile, 3 times per week. 

Not there yet? Start with walking 1 mile per day. Then 2 miles per day. Then run as long as you can during that mile. Once you work your way up to 1 mile, try repeating that mile. 



-Weight lifting. 

Start with a goal of 2 times per week. One day as lower body and another as upper body. Once you get that down try something more advanced: 

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer.html 

This workout plan is awesome! A friend showed me this, and I have been spreading it around like wild fire. It's a super adaptable plan to any person's skill level. 

-Consistency

This is definitely my goal. I feel as though no matter how hard I workout one day, if I am not following this up regularly with another equally intense work out I will never see an increase in strength or cardio ability. 

So for instance, my 4 times per week and 1 time per weekend goal, this is absolutely reachable. This gives me one off day during the week (use it wisely, usually I don't pick Mondays! Thursdays or Fridays give me an off day to look forward to, however this Monday was absolutely necessary. I will just have to make up for it later :) )

-Start a new workout class

Yes. I completely consider working out a hobby. Things like cycling, or zumba, or yoga can completely count. If you belong to a gym, try a new class every week until you find one you really love. Then try to repeat that class every week! 

If you don't belong to a gym, there are always youtube videos or work out dvds you can find at the store that can be done at home! 

-Be active in your daily life!

Research shows that commuting, sitting at a desk all day, and coming home to watch tv is the worst thing in the world for our health, and sadly this is a common thing in America!

Try adding activity into your daily life by doing things like:

Parking farther away at the grocery store/work parking lot or garage
Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
Taking 15 minute walk breaks every 2 hours to stretch your legs
Standing more than sitting
Walking for 15 minutes during your lunch break
Doing crunches, push ups, and squats during commercial breaks
Doing calf raises while waiting for dinner to cook
Do 50 jumping jacks before every shower

Any extra addition of activity throughout the day is going to help you continuously burn energy, increase your health, and decrease your risk of health issues. 

Even if you are working out daily, if you are sedentary the rest of the day your benefits from the workout are not as high as they would be if you are constantly burning energy through daily activities before and after your workout. 

Get up, stand up, and be active! Being a consistently active person will help increase your health and decrease your chances of chronic disease.

2. Figure out a workout plan.

This should always be tailored to your individual schedule. For me, right now I work at my internship rotations 8am-5pm every week day and have weekends off. I like to have at least one day for down time during the week so I'm trying to follow the schedule of 4 days during the week (the off day varies) and one day on the weekend. Last weekend I was feeling extra excited and went both days on the weekend! 

I do this because research shows that 5 days of 30 minutes at least per day is a baseline goal of physical activity level for maintaining health. 

At least 40 minutes per day for 5 days per week should be done for weight loss and weight maintenance! 

To start out, try a simple plan of 3 days of mostly cardio with body weight exercises such as abs, push ups, and squats without weights. Then 2 days with machine, free, or hand weights. Alternate days so your muscles can rest in between. A sample basic work out schedule could look like this:

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays- cardio

Tuesdays, Thursdays- Weights, (one day being upper body, the other lower body)

If you're looking for something more intense, here are some plans that will help you get your baseline of 30 minutes per day. Add about a 10 minute warm up and you're at 40 minutes per day!

The Jamie Eason Live Fit plan (link below) is awesome because it gives you a workout plan to follow, and the great thing about the website it comes from is there are plenty others to choose from! 

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer.html 

Try going to www.bodybuilder.com and go to  "FIND A PLAN." 

Other plans I have used are to train for half marathons. There are plenty of beginner running plans such as this one:

Other workout ideas can be found on Pinterest! Here are some of my favorites that don't require a gym membership, just you, your living room, and your own body weight!

Follow my Pinterest board below! I've got plenty others I have found and saved for a rainy day.

http://www.pinterest.com/bobcatlo/i-work-out/

3. Do Half the thinking before you even get there. 

Pack a bag! 

Go straight to the gym! 

Walk in!

You're there, the battle is half way over. So get your workout on!! 

Keep your bag packed ahead of time in your car, keep a yoga mat and hand weights in the back for some impromptu workouts in the park, keep your walking shoes ready to change into after work and go for a walk! 

Whatever it is that you need to do ahead of time, do it. By the end of the day you're not likely to mentally want to work out, but your body will thank you for it physically. Plus you can't beat the endorphins!

4. Get a work out buddy!

I always find myself more likely to go when I have someone else to be accountable for. Its completely important to be accountable to yourself, but when you have an outsider looking out for you saying "We can do it, let's just go." it helps you be that much more motivated. 

Find a buddy that is in it for your best interest also, they will be more likely to want to go not only so they feel good afterwards but so you can also fee good and reach your goals! 

Make it a social event, something you can do together that's new that will give you a few laughs! My friends and I always get a kick out of struggling together, it makes us feel good that we are not in it alone! We also always push each other to do more when we want to cry. Get a buddy that can have a laugh with you but kick your butt into gear when you need it also! 

5. Have fun with it!! 

I enjoy running. I enjoy it that much more when I have a pretty trail and beautiful weather. So any time I can take advantage of that I do! 

Adding a good playlist of music helps me enjoy running that much more. Add some good songs like the ones below for some motivation and a distraction from the work out!

-Katy Perry: Roar

-Beyonce: All the Single Ladies

-Florida Georgia Line and Nelly: Cruise Remix

-Ariana Grande: Problem

-Iggy: Fancy

Sometimes I find myself dancing along more than just working out, and it helps me not even think about how much weight I just crazily decided to lift. 

Another thing I like to do is put on an episode of Friends, or a movie I've seen a million times. If I'm working out in my living room it makes me still feel like I'm "relaxing" and getting some entertainment into my life, but it also helps to have some background noise instead of hear myself panting during a 60 second plank. I've even had the trainers put the Price is Right on at the gym, because I would rather watch that instead of the news and talk shows that they usually have on. It kept me interested in the treadmill for an hour because I had to watch the finale to see who won! It's the silly things like that that keep me going. Find what makes you tick and keep that going!

By doing what you enjoy it won't feel like "Work" It'll just feel like a normal part of your routine, even as much as your favorite tv show!

Do things you love, that make you feel good, and do them all the time. 

Goals. Consistency. and Happiness is the key!! 

Getting active and consistently working out will not only make you a happier person, but you will also feel better and benefit tremendously health wise! Prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes before it even happens. By creating healthy habits you will reach your goals of becoming a healthier person and you will prevent these diseases before they even have a chance to arise!



I'm no expert in fitness, however I am an expert in what works for me. Find what works for you!

Step 3: Meal Prepping Made Easy!

The top concerns with starting a healthier lifestyle are usually:

Not enough convenienceNot enough money
Not enough time

I've found a way to improve all 3 of these things while incorporating healthier foods into your lifestyle! 

Meal Prepping. 
A little bit of planning ahead of time will save your life, and make it that much easier to incorporate new healthy habits, I promise. 

The top 3 benefits of meal planning that I've found are: 

Convenience

Money Saving

Time Saving

As you can tell by now if you've read my previous posts, I am a planner!! Planning helps me organize out my week, and be prepared for what's to come. That way I am sure prepared to make healthier choices over last minute, quick and easy, not as healthy choices.

Make the healthy choices for yourself ahead of time, so when it comes to the time that you're ravishingly hungry after a long day at work, you don't have to think twice about eating healthy because you've already made that decision earlier. A convenient grab and go lunch in your refrigerator made in your kitchen is more likely to be healthy than a convenient grab and go lunch from a restaurant. 

Added bonus: you can pre-portion your lunch for the next day, preventing over-eating before it even happens!! 

Planning ahead of time makes these healthy choices more convenient, and easier to make. 

Meal prep and portioning out my meals not only helps me be prepared to grab and go lunches and snacks before going to school, it also helps save money! By portioning out the food ahead of time into ready to go meals, I'm more likely to eat that whole $8.00 package of 1lb of turkey, instead of throwing away the leftovers. Also, by preparing my vegetables and fruit ahead of time by having them ready to eat, I'm more likely to eat them while they're still fresh instead of having to throw them away if they get too ripe. 

Every time I throw away food it makes me feel like I'm throwing away money (thank you to my grandparents who survived the Great Depression by saving everything they had, even wrapping paper). 

Not only is food waste a concern, but without having meals prepared at home that are ready to take you are more likely to eat out. Eating out is not only costly for the waist line, but it's costly for your pocket book! Meal prepping leads to less than $2 per meal usually, while eating out is at least $5 or more depending on where you go. 

Make the most of your money spent at the grocery store by being sure you consume all the goodies you've bought before you go grab something "quicker and easier"!

Leftovers and food cooked ahead of time are sometimes the most important part of a meal for making the most of your time as well. It means that you get to cook once, and get more than one meal out of it! How much easier is that?! I love to cook, but it is time consuming. And let's face it, most of the time we are just out of time! So I try to make the most of my days by planning ahead, and making one meal into two, or sometimes 3 or 4. 

Time spent meal prepping is like killing two birds with one stone, you only have to cook once for 30 minutes, instead of twice for 30 minutes. Saving precious time for other priorities!

Never meal prepped before? I understand that it's not always easy to jump right in. 

My suggestion would be to start with prepping your next meal, while cooking your current meal. That way it doesn't feel like so much planning ahead of time all at once.

Example: 

Cook your lunch for the next day while cooking dinner the night before. 

The other night, we made tacos (I made mine into a taco salad, for a lighter option that still keeps the flavor!) 

Recipe:

1.25lbs of lean beef

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp Mrs. Dash Fiesta Mix Seasoning

1 tsp minced garlic

2 cup spring mix

1/2 each red bell pepper

1/2 each cucumber

10 each cherry tomatoes

1 each carrot

1 each avocado

Optional: dressing- HEB Salsa Ranch Yogurt Dressing (1 tbsp)

Instructions:

1. Cook beef in skillet over medium heat, with 1 tbsp olive oil. 

2. Add minced garlic and Mrs. Dash seasoning

3. Chop all remaining vegetables and split amount in two, one onto a salad plate and the other into tupperware containers to save for the next day. 

4. Save 4oz of beef into container for the next day, let it cool during dinner and place in refrigerator afterwards for Food Safety.

4. Add dressing of choice to dinner salad plate, and fill container with dressing for lunch the next day. 

5. Enjoy your dinner, place containers in the refrigerator for the next day for an easy grab and go lunch!! 

This was my lunch the next day. I also added a side of raspberries/blackberries to go along with it! Ready to go, and I didn't even have to plan out my lunch the day of, because I had already planned it for myself!

If you're not doing the 21 Day Fix, and you don't have these color coded containers, don't worry! You can portion your food out the same way. 

Container Measurements: 

1 cup Vegetables 

(feel free to go over this!! You can never have enough vegetables ;) I definitely did this with my salad, 1 cup of spring mix and 1 cup of red and orange veggies to go on top!

1 cup Fruit 

(equivalents can be 1 whole medium apple, 1 whole medium banana, 1 whole medium peach)

3/4 cup Protein

(or 3-4oz of lean meat. equivalents can be greek yogurt, or 1 egg with 2 egg whites)

1/2 cup Starch

(Whole Grains are the best Grains!!)

1/3 cup Fats- avocado, low fat cheese, nuts

2 tbsp Dressings/Seeds 

(feel free to use the last two interchangeably, that way you can get extra nutrients by eating avocados, nuts, and seeds!) 

Extreme Meal Prepping

Meal prepping for the week is a little more extreme, but totally worth it! When I had class during the summer Tuesdays-Thursdays all day, I would meal prep on Mondays.

Now I know I use lunch a lot as an example, but that is my easiest go to meal prep meal. Breakfast and Dinner can also be done! 

Here's what meal prepping for 3 days looks like:

1. Start cooking your meats and grains first. That way while you give them time to boil and cook, you can get together your various other ingredients and sides. 

Things like quinoa, frozen broccoli, boiling eggs, and cooking meat such as chicken, turkey or fish can all be done while you get ready to fix your vegetables and fruit. 

I like to also boil chicken breast in a sauce pain with a little bit of olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. It keeps the chicken breast juicy so it's less likely to dry out when you reheat it. 

Ground turkey also works well for meal prepping! 1lb can be split into 4 days, giving 4-4oz portions of each.

2. Pick Veggies and Fruit of choice and chop them up. I like to get cucumbers and tomatoes, then split them into containers for the week.

(Not shown: I usually chop up strawberries or apples here while I'm cutting up veggies. Grapes and bananas however make easier grab and go side item additions)

3. Add something fancy! 

I like to add flavors that I usually use when seasoning meat, that way they compliment each other. I usually split cucumbers and tomatoes into two flavorings, since they are common ones I use; Mexican Style and Greek Style

Mexican style includes cilantro, Mrs. Dash Fiesta seasoning, and lime juice (to keep the veggies fresher longer)

Greek style includes basil and oregano, basalmic vinegarette (to keep the veggies fresh) and sometimes onions or feta cheese. 

My other secret fancy addition includes the magic Salad Kit. Salad kit's have made Grad school life so easy. I usually use these with added vegetables for lunches or side salads because they have all the fixings along with them. It makes for an easy main entree that I can easily add protein to. 

They're also really appealing and eye catching with more colors and flavors added, this will help spice up your meals and keep you interested in them!

Just be careful with the dressings that come with them, they're not always low fat! Use them sparingly or spread them out into smaller portion side salads ;)

 4. Mix in containers and save for later!

The above are containers from Snap Kitchen and one-meal sized Ziploc containers. These are really easy to portion out meals, and keep for one day uses. 

And the end result: Ready to Grab and Go Lunches for the next few days! 

Now I realize that it may seem pretty time consuming, but it will save you a whole lot of time during the week! Pick a day like Sunday, the day before the week starts, that way you have more time and you can concentrate on planning and preparing for the week. It'll make your Mondays a lot less stressful, and carry on until Friday!

It takes some getting used to but Rome wasn't built in a day. 

And they say that it takes 21 Days to form a habit!! 

Reform some habits or gain some new ones. 

It's your life and you should live it to the fullest, and feel your healthiest!

If you remember nothing else, just remember the famous words of Ryan Gosling:

Over and out, 

Lauren

Step 2: Healthy Grocery List!

Step 2: Grocery Shopping!

Now that you've gotten organized, the next step will be to add some healthy foods to your pantry and fridge! I realize that most people usually do this on Sundays/Mondays or the beginning of the week, however hump day is still an important day to be thinking about keeping that fridge stocked with healthy items! The more you keep the healthy items, the less temptation there is for unhealthy items (which I must say is difficult, especially when you still have Christmas candy layin around!)

It's ok to have a bite of chocolate every now and then, but the most important thing is to focus on the healthy items. Below is a list of things I regularly stock my kitchen with, and I hope it will help you to do the same! 

I like to think of these 5 groups when shopping:

Fruit

Vegetables

Lean Protein

Healthy Fats

Whole Grains

Stick to the perimeter of the store and only go down the aisles if necessary! This should help you avoid impulse buys of frozen pizzas and sweets that may be on sale. 

Going along with the 21 Day Fix color coding, here's a list of nutritious items that fit nicely into a healthy diet :) 

Vegetables:

spring mix

spinach (frozen or fresh)

broccoli (frozen or fresh)

cherry tomatoes

cucumber

bell peppers- red, orange, yellow, green (usually just 1 or 2 at a time of any color)

carrot sticks

squash (frozen or fresh)

zucchini (frozen or fresh)

onion

mushrooms

kale

cauliflower

Fruit:

bananas

grapes

strawberries

raspberries

blackberries

peaches and nectarines (when in season, around the summer time, they're the best!)

apples- green or red

cuties (little tangerines in a 7lb bag)

frozen fruit for smoothies (HEB makes really awesome mixed fruit bags!)

Protein

chicken breast

ground turkey (90/10 or leaner!)

lean beef (90/10) sirloin (even leaner is better!)

steak- sirloin is the leanest cut!

pork roast (made in pre-seasoned bags, they're super easy in a crock pot!)

salmon (fresh is best but canned salmon can be cheaper and is still a great source!)

tuna (I usually get canned, but I'm sure a fresh ahi tuna would also taste great!)

shrimp (frozen 10lb bags are easy to keep for a while, they thaw quickly for quick meals!)

tilapia (sold in 10lb bags)

cod 

eggs

milk (while this is a mixed food, I think it can be a good source of protein! 2% or less is best)

greek yogurt (chobani Oats is my fave!)

Starch (Whole Grains)

whole wheat spaghetti noodles, sandwich thins, tortillas, english muffins, bagels

 (and just about anything else you can get whole wheat ;) )

oats (steel cut or quick oats, plain oats are best but quick oats provide convenience)

corn tortillas

quinoa (go to the bulk section, it's cheaper!)

brown rice

pinto beans, black beans, lentils, chick peas (technically not starches, but for this diet's purpose they will fit well under this category for portioning)
hummus 

cous cous

Cheese, Nuts, Avocado

nuts and avocado fit into the healthy fats section, which are good for your heart! while cheese isn't exactly heart healthy it is yummy, and hard to cut out. so just eat it in moderation! Go for low fat cheeses to improve its heart healthy capabilities. 

almonds, pistachios, pecans, roasted peanuts

trail mixes! they provide some sweetness and heart health all in one
peanut butter or almond butter

avocado
(also guacamole- good for taste and for health!)

low fat shredded cheese, block cheese, string cheese

mozarella (a cheese that is naturally lower in fat than most!)

Dressings and Seeds

When it comes to dressings, stick with those that have olive oil or healthier fats. Making a homemade dressing with olive oil, basalmic vinegar, and fresh herbs/spices can also reduce intake of artificial ingredients :) see the one I made below!

Yogurt dressings are also super popular lately. Look in the produce section where they are kept cold on a shelf. There are a variety of flavors including greek, ranch, and salsa ranch! These are lower in calories and fat :) 

Sunflower Seeds, pumpkin seeds, and others much like the nuts section can also go here. 

Menu Planning for the week

When constructing your grocery list you are going to want to have a plan, or a direction, some sort of idea of what you are going to cook that week. I start with dinner, because leftovers can be taken for lunch and breakfast is usually a quick and easy meal. 

I usually plan dinners on a cute little chalkboard menu I got for us. Each day I pick the meat or protein source we will build the meal around. From there I just use a choice of vegetable, and starch and there's our meal! More than one vegetable to go with your meal is ok too, I like to throw a combo of many different ones to make a salad for the week. That way I have at least 3-4 days worth of side salads for dinner!

We just got a grill so we are experimenting with that! We are hoping the Houston weather will permit for kabobs this weekend :) 

My crock pot also comes in handy for things like beef stew and chili. Some days you just want dinner ready when you get home! Cut the vegetables up the night before, place them in a ziploc bag, and throw them all in the next morning!

We also like to pick one day to go out, or as you could call it a "free" day. Since Saturday is my birthday it seemed like the perfect choice!

Once you've picked the main dishes it's easier to decide which vegetables and grains can be used as sides. Pick things that can be fixed many different ways and be creative :) This way, it's YOUR meal plan. No one gave it to you, so you know you will love it!

Also, involve the whole family. While it's just my boyfriend and I, I have found this to be important. We both want things we like and neither one of us wants to tell the other what to eat. This way we get a mixture of things we both like, and everyone's happy! We used to do this as roommates in college as well. It was a way for us girls to bond over a meal and feel like we had family away from home. 

From what we've learned in school this can be really important for kids as well. They'll feel more important to the family dinner making process, and they'll get to learn how to build a healthy meal! It's a win-win for all involved :) 

Once dinners are planned out, I think about things I want to eat for breakfast/lunch. This is a simple break down of each meal, breaking down each food item, spread throughout the day:

Breakfast:

1 Protein

1 Fruit

1 Starch 

(sometimes 1 Vegetable, this can be added or in place of 1 Starch/Whole grain.)

Peanut Butter or Almond Butter is also a good addition which = 1 Blue

Examples:

Oatmeal

Banana

Milk

1 Whole Egg, 2 Egg whites- scrambled

Grilled mushrooms, bell peppers, and onion

Raspberries

Greek Yogurt

Grapes

Sandwich Thin with 1 tbsp Peanut Butter

Lunch

1 Protein

1 Vegetable

1 Fruit or Starch

1 Dressing or Avocado/Nuts

I usually try to have a sandwich or salad if I don't take leftovers. Examples:

1 Sandwich thin

Tuna mixed with plain greek yogurt and reish for tuna salad

Bell Pepper slices and Snap Peas

Orange 

Spring Mix

Carrot sticks

Cherry Tomatoes

Cucumbers

Chicken Breast

Avocado

Apple

Dinner

1 Protein

1 Starch (or 1 extra Vegetable)

1  Vegetable

I showed an example of my usual menu, but here's some other ideas:

Spaghetti Squash (1 cup)

Olives

Feta Cheese

Chicken Breast

Ground Turkey

Quinoa

Rotel (for flavor)

Cucumbers and Cherry Tomatoes

Snacks

1 Protein

1 Fruit or 1 Vegetable

1 Avocado, Cheese, Nut (Healthy Fats!)

Try to go for things that will keep you full until your next meal. Protein, Fats, and Whole Grains keep you feeling fuller longer, so you can fill up on healthy, nutritious foods instead of foods with empty calories that will only keep you wanting more and overeating such as potato chips.

Examples:

Greek Yogurt

Strawberries

Walnuts

Celery

Peanut Butter

Raisins

Mozarella Cheese Stick

Apple

Bell Peppers

Hummus

The point is, personalize it and make it your own! Whether you're following the program I am or not, just make sure you take in lots of healthy foods (the more vegetables the better! ;)) in reasonable portions. Spread it throughout the day and get creative with colorful meals! 

I hope you find this helpful to your meal planning and grocery shopping in your own home! Stay tuned for more :) I hope to provide healthy recipe ideas in the future as well!

Happy Hump Day, 

Lauren

5 Steps to a New Year, and a New You!! Step 1!

As cliche' as it sounds, the New Year really is the perfect time for changes, new beginnings, getting rid of the bad habits and restarting the good! 

After a long, beautiful, 2 weeks at home with friends and family, I am just about holiday-ed out. In a holidaze you could say! I'm ready to get back into my routine, which includes healthy eating, meal prep, and working out! 

Ever since starting grad school in nutrition I've gotten tons of questions about health and weight loss and just nutrition in general. While I'm still working on things, I've figured out some things that have helped me maintain a pretty healthy lifestyle (with some fun, sweets, and treats here and there ;) ). I decided to start this blog to share my journey, and what's worked for me! I pray that this helps motivate others, as writing down my journey helps me to motivate myself!! 

5 Steps to Restarting and Re-energizing in the New Year:

1. Get Organized!!! Out with the old, in with the new.
2. Build a Healthy Grocery List
3. Meal Prep, planning, and Portioning
4. Work Out Schedule
5. Setting Goals, Rewarding yourself for reaching them, and Tracking Progress!!

During the week before starting my dietetic internship I would like to write a blog a day, for 5 days. Starting today!!! I hope to simplify this process through explaining how I've gone about restarting and recharging my batteries before my internship... and hopefully I can help you do the same!!! 

Step 1: 
Getting Organized.

Coming home I noticed how much excess we had in the house, things that were never going to be used anymore, or food items that definitely didn't need to be used anymore. Throwing out old cookies and cleaning out our storage space helped tremendously! 

It helps that I got new tupperware containers for Christmas :) 

We got rid of our old plastic containers and made room for Rubbermaid BPA free containers. Our old containers had plastic melted on the sides from microwaving in them too many times and there were just too many. I wish I would have taken a picture but let's just say it got rid of a lot of clutter ;)

New and improved container shelf looks like this: 

After cleaning out our coupbard was settled, and I felt like I had a free space in my mind, it was time to make my meal plan! My sister purchased these awesome containers for me as a Christmas gift as well: 

They're a part of the 21-Day Fix meal plan through Beach Body. No you can't purchase them seperate but you can learn the measurements all on your own with this little cheat sheet: 

The measurements are shown for each container! How neat right. I love that it makes sure to include every food group, and lots of fruits and vegetables!! 

The calorie recommendations are only an estimate, but I also love that it gives you a range to work with. You're also not tracking or counting calories, but tracking food groups and healthy portions!! How awesome is that. 

For calculating calories, remember everyone is different. And as you lose weight you might need to readjust your calorie intake as needed. But just to begin, most public health recommendations for weight loss only includes a -500 calorie balance for weight loss. If you think your calorie intake level looks too low, or you think that the food intake amount is out of reach, readjust!! It's your life, your body, and you know it best. 

Try subtracting 500 calories instead of 750 if that range feels too low. If you're only looking to maintain, but want a more healthy balanced diet, don't subtract the calories!!

Now there are plenty of other meal plans, I just liked this one because of it's simplicity. With grad school, planning a wedding, and driving back and forth to go home every now and then sometimes I just need someone else to do the thinking for me, and this does it! Also, it includes everything I love in moderation, and helps me portion and track my intake daily. 

To track my intake I use this handy notepad: 

I started tallying each food group and next to it at the end of the day I write if the goal was met or not. At the end of the 21 Days I can look back and see how well I've done!! 

Since I'm a tracking nut, and I've been tracking my calories for a while, I also track my calorie intake and calorie burn into MyFitnessPal. It's helped me be so successful in the past. Now the calorie goal is a range, so if it goes in the red by about 200 calories don't fret! Just make sure you're not going over 500 or more every day and you'll be alright. It's meant to be an estimated guess of your intake, and you can track your workouts to estimate how much you've burned. Plus, for me it helps to think about what I'm eating before I go and just ravish a whole hamburger and fries. It does a lot of tracking of progress for you already also so if you're not one to carry a pen and pencil, or you just don't have enough time to tally things through out the day, it can help! 

Here's my breakfast this morning: 

I truly hope this helps everyone restart and get back on track for 2015!! 


Stay tuned for more this week :) 


-Lauren